stillpoint

musings from Canadian author Cheryl Cooke Harrington ... home of The Write Spot

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

flower power...

Turn the clock back nine months to February 27th, 2015. Here in Toronto, it was beginning to feel as if winter would never end. Temperatures hovered around minus 25 Celsius, snow and slush lined the roads, sidewalks were slick with ice. At home, Samcat had settled into hibernation mode atop his favourite radiator, and I was battling a gloom-inducing case of SAD.

That last Friday of February dawned clear and (no surprise) bitingly cold. But the sky was a crisp, cloudless blue and the sun shone brightly for the first time in more than a week. Being a red-blooded Canadian woman, I seized the opportunity, bundled up in parka and boots, and went shopping. Shoes? Books? No. I hit the local garden centre. When it comes to fighting the February blahs, there's nothing like a touch of the tropics and, as my mother always said, if you can't go south, go for fresh flowers and hothouse humidity.

I browsed for a while, not really intending to buy, until I encountered the orchid display – a glorious riot of purple, white, and yellow blooms – with (bonus!) everything on sale. The choice was easy: a sunny yellow Moth Orchid (Phalaenopsis), sporting a bright pink centre that reminded me of a funny, smiling face. I hurried the little Phal home, double-wrapped in a paper cone as protection from the cold. With luck, it would last through March, maybe even into April, a cheerful presence on my dining room table. 


In fact, the hardy little orchid held its blooms until the end of May. After so many months of pleasure, I couldn't bring myself to dispose of it, so when the last bloom dropped, I found a place for the pot on a table out on the balcony and… well, pretty much forgot about it.

Once upon a time, I had a kitchen with two enormous, west-facing windows, each with the kind of broad sill perfect for coaxing all sorts of plants to bloom, or bloom again. Those sunny window sills are the one thing I really miss in my condo. There's simply no good spot for growing a houseplant that wants a lot of light. So, if I can't give it away, a plant past its bloom will eventually wind up sad and spindly in the green bin. (Fact: Nobody wants an orchid past its bloom.) But I'm SO glad I didn't hurry to bin this one. Just look at what greeted me on August 1st!


Three weeks later, by August 19th, my little Phal pal had produced a total of seven lovely flowers on a sturdy new branch off the original spike. I'm equally glad I didn't hurry to trim that spike.


Super Phal is back indoors now, and still going strong. This next photo was taken less than a week ago on November 19th. I won't be a bit surprised if some of the blooms last through Christmas – but no matter when the final flower drops, this little beauty isn't going anywhere. Not even if I have to build a special shelf to hold it. 





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stillpoint is the blog of Canadian author Cheryl Cooke Harrington 

  

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Wednesday, November 18, 2015

The Write Spot: Susan McNicoll


Welcome to the tenth edition of The Write Spot, a bi-weekly author series spotlighting the many and varied places where writers write. My guest this week is Canadian author Susan McNicoll. Susan's love of words and history has been the main focus of her writing career, which began as a reporter for the Ottawa Journal in the 1970s. I've asked Susan to tell us, in her own words, how her writing journey began.

"Out of university, I was directionless (and certainly not a writer in any form) so I decided to work for a year and then spend four months travelling through Europe with the belief that somehow by my return I would have the answer. I have always been psychic and one night in the top bunk of a youth hostel bed I woke up startled at 3:00 am with a burning fever, drenched in sweat, and the knowledge I was a writer  was a writer, not going to become one. Within a month of my return to Canada I was a reporter at a major newspaper."


Above all else, Susan considers herself a storyteller, whether in non-fiction, fiction or a mix of both. She is the author of The Opening Act – Canadian Theatre History 1945-1953, Jack the Ripper, British Columbia Murders, Ontario Murders, Toronto Murders and the recent Gangster Women and Sam Giancana.  Susan currently lives in Vancouver, Canada with her gorgeous cat Jay, named for her beloved Toronto Blue Jays.

Susan McNicoll's Write Spot




Very pretty! (Both your muse, and your fireplace view.) What makes this the perfect "Write Spot" for you?

It is hard to put into words. I don't like to feel constrained or boxed in. My desk is part of a large open living room/hallway and kitchen area with lots of windows. This allows me to breathe emotionally which seems to inspire creativity. In addition, both the fireplace and blue lights bring a sense of peace.

Other than your computer or laptop, what's the one thing you couldn't be without in your 'Write Spot'?


Jay, my cat and my muse. (He's just nine weeks old in the photo to the left.) Without Jay, my Write Spot feels empty. He looks after me and seems to know when I should take a break (of course this could also be because he wants attention!). He sits tall on the table, reaches over and pats me on the shoulder or arm, repeatedly, with increasing intensity, until I get up. 

Other than Jay, a cup of tea is essential, made only with tea leaves, not bags thank you.

Jay was such an adorable kitten, and he's matured into a fine, handsome cat. I can see why you love having him around. 

What are you working on now?

Arcturus Publishing Ltd. in the United Kingdom has recently published two eBooks (also to be published as paperbacks in the spring of 2016). The first, Gangster Women, tells the stories of the women who rode alongside the gangsters of the early 1930s. You can read an excerpt here: Gangster Women.  The second, Sam Giancana, is about the Sicilian-American mobster who ruled the roost in Chicago through the 1940’s-60’s. Read an excerpt here: Sam Giancana.

Fascinating windows into criminal history, Susan! Where can readers find out more about you and your books?

Please come and visit me at www.susanmcnicoll.com. You can read excerpts from all of my books. There are also my blogs on various subjects such as Chronic Pain and Depression plus stories from my past. For lighter fare, my cat Jay also has his own blog, Jay's Stories!

You can also follow me on Twitter @SusanMcnicoll

When I first became interested in the women who chose to ride alongside the gangsters of the early 1930s, I was hoping to find one underlying psychological reason for their choices. It turned out to be more complicated than that. Gangster molls often greatly loved, had children with and sometimes married their men. Some also died with them. They were a product of the desperation rising from the Great Depression. As the exploits of gangsters were chronicled, attention was also focused on their women as the press described them in detail, from clothes to hair style. The public couldn't get enough.


Susan's books are available now from most eBook retailers, including:




Permalink to this post:  The Write Spot: Susan McNicoll

About The Write Spot:
I've always been fascinated by what goes on behind the scenes. Whether it's backstage photos from my favourite play, a peek into the kitchen where a chef is working her culinary magic, or simply a glimpse through an uncurtained window into a stranger's private world, there's an undeniable thrill of discovery, a sense of secrets shared. It's no surprise, then, that I'm immensely curious about where other writers do their work. I've blogged about it before in this post about my own 'write spot'  and so enjoyed the comments, I was inspired to launch a regular feature here at stillpoint. Watch for The Write Spot every other Wednesday and join me as I discover the many and varied places where writers write.


stillpoint is the blog of Canadian author Cheryl Cooke Harrington

   


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Wednesday, November 11, 2015

a lot to remember...

Every year when November rolls around, I pin a poppy to my jacket and think about my Dad. His stories of service with the Irish Regiment of Canada in World War II were often full of laughter – like the time he volunteered to teach cross-country skiing to fellow recruits at Camp Borden, north of Toronto. 

"It seemed like a good idea at the time," I remember him saying, "a bit of easy duty." Not so easy, as it turned out. Dad had never worn a pair of skis in his life and had to bluff his way through the lessons. Fortunately for him, and for the men of B Company, they never had to ski into battle.



Sometimes, while Dad reminisced, Mom would slip quietly out of the room. She understood that his laughter couldn't last. Some remembered escapade would bring to mind a good friend, a young man he'd trained and travelled and fought beside, a young man who hadn't returned from battle. And Dad would fall silent. That was Mom's cue to offer hot mugs of tea, a plate of chocolate digestive biscuits, and a gentle hug.

Those stories must have held painful memories for Mom, too. It's not only soldiers who sacrifice for our peace and freedom. The ones they leave behind sacrifice, too. How desperately, impossibly hard it must be to stay brave and strong when the one you love more than life itself goes marching off to war. Back in the early 1940s, Mom and her friends coped by working hard, playing hard, and sending a constant stream of letters to their absent lovers; letters full of home and hope and happier times, with photos like these tucked inside.



In her quieter moments, I can imagine Mom pouring over the evening newspaper for any mention of The Irish, carefully clipping and saving each story as she followed the regiment's progress from Toronto to Nova Scotia, then overseas to England and, finally, to Italy. 




Among the patriotic stories of long marches, flag-waving, and royal inspections, one little poem stands out: To Whom It May Concern - I like mink and crepes suzettes, and big fat dewy violets, I like hats at a pretty penny, Dresses fabulous and many, Long sleek cars and silver foxes, Perfumes in exciting boxes; In January, I adore Strawberries, but I'll settle for A First Class Private, blithe and bold, and a wedding ring, 10k gold!

Mom didn't just clip and save that one. She slipped it into a letter and mailed it away to her own PFC Philip Cooke. That's her hand-written "Phil" in the corner. 



Tucked into a pocket-sized folder beside Mom's photo, that little poem was with my Dad at Sandringham when he met the Queen Mum and Princess Elizabeth. He carried it into battle in Italy and eventually, thankfully, brought it home to Toronto and a happy-ever-after where Mom finally got that wedding ring.


Every year when November rolled around, my Dad would pin a poppy to his jacket. He had a lot to remember.


So to you, Dad, and to all the men and women who've sacrificed to keep Canada strong and free – the peacekeepers, those who fought, and those who stayed behind – thank you. We will never forget.


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stillpoint is the blog of Canadian author Cheryl Cooke Harrington


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Wednesday, November 04, 2015

The Write Spot: Jillian Dagg


It's time for another edition of The Write Spot, a bi-weekly author series spotlighting the many and varied places where writers write. For this ninth edition, I'm delighted to welcome Canadian romance author Jillian Dagg, who's going to jump right in and tell us about her life as a writer.

When I was a child in Surrey, England, after WW2, my Grandfather made my toys. I recall a dolls house and a metal car I could actually sit in and drive – definitely a boy catcher. The rest of my gifts were books. My father used to fill a pillow case at the bottom of my bed. In the night I would touch it with my toes so I could feel the books containing all the entertainment I would ever need. When I moved to Winnipeg, Canada in my early teens I discovered Harlequin Romances. There weren't many romances for sale in those days so I added to the supply by writing my own stories. In school, a notebook balanced on my knee, I would scribble – They kissed and rode into the sunset – as the bell rang.

Books have always been my life. If I haven't got a huge supply of books to read I go into panic mode. I'm also listless if I can't write for a long period of time. Therefore, I'm still writing romances in a sunny corner of our family room on the back of the house. I have a desktop computer and a Dell keyboard that lets me touch type quickly as I was trained to do. Keyboard feel is important to me. If I can touch type, then my brain doesn't seem as if it's connected to the machine. Words (well sometimes not) flow through my fingers. Behind me is a view of our flowers in the garden so I can often turn around and contemplate nature.

Jillian Dagg's Write Spot


Pretty view! Other than your computer, what's the one thing you couldn't be without in your Write Spot?

What do I need as much as the computer? Well, it appears that I need a pile of paper in front of me in the form of notebooks, post-its and whatever else I can write on. I also have a basket of pens and pencils.


What are you working on now?

Right now I'm writing a love story, about a couple from a small Ontario town, who are reconnected after two decades. The hero returns for his father's funeral to learn he has an eighteen year old daughter. I also have a few more romances that I want to finish. I write all the time, in my head, in bed. I always have. Sometimes I do take a rest from writing and read someone else's stories. And that's what I do in my spare time from writing when I'm not involved in other life – like housework, dates with my husband, or travel  – Read, read, read.

Where can readers find out more about you and your books?

Come visit me online at jilliandagg.com. I'm on Facebook as Jillian Dagg, and on Twitter @fictionscribble.

Jillian's books are available from Amazon and other online sources. Check her web site for all the details. Here's a taste of her latest release, Heart in the Field, available now from Black Lion Publishing.

They were magic in front of the camera, but behind the scenes? That’s where the real story began. 

Serena Brown has just earned the opportunity of a lifetime. Now, based on her own merits rather than those of her famous journalist father, she has the chance to turn a new evening television show into a hard-hitting success. 

Co-anchoring “Neon Nights” is Nick Fraser’s excuse for returning home to Toronto from London to end his longstanding rift with his aging parents. But Serena Brown has just become his reason for staying. 

As excitement and suspense grow with each on-air story, Nick and Serena find that the depth they create behind-the-scenes surpasses even the sizzle they ignite in front of the camera. All Serena needs to do is lay her childhood pain to rest and believe at last that Nick’s heart will remain with her—instead of in the field.

Permalink to this post: The Write Spot: Jillian Dagg

About The Write Spot:
I've always been fascinated by what goes on behind the scenes. Whether it's backstage photos from my favourite play, a peek into the kitchen where a chef is working her culinary magic, or simply a glimpse through an uncurtained window into a stranger's private world, there's an undeniable thrill of discovery, a sense of secrets shared. It's no surprise, then, that I'm immensely curious about where other writers do their work. I've blogged about it before in this post about my own 'write spot' and so enjoyed the comments, I was inspired to launch a regular feature here at stillpoint. Watch for The Write Spot every other Wednesday and join me as I discover the many and varied places where writers write.


stillpoint is the blog of Canadian author Cheryl Cooke Harrington


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