Community

One of my favourite writing workshops! It was great to be in Lacombe again in the Fall – a perfect time of year to gather memories into stories.

The opportunity to work with author Ali Bryan @alikbryan in the Writers’ Guild of Alberta Mentorship Program over the past months has been the most amazing ride.

One of my perennial favourites!
We let the seeds of story inspire us at my Gratitude Garden writeshop at the Lacombe Performing Arts Centre. We are ready for our garden centre visits this spring!

This is going to be epic! The opportunity to work with author Ali Bryan in the Writers’ Guild of Alberta Mentorship Program.

Imagine! A favourite Christmas sweet with a story baked right in!I loved teaching this “Gift of Story” workshop at the Lacombe Performing Arts Centre.

It’s a long and winding road that leads from manuscript to book. I shared my adventure with authors Doreen Vanderstoop, Lori Hahnel and Maryke Schouten at Shelf Life Books in Calgary.

Red Deer Polytechnic is proudly offering its Series Summer Art Workshops and I am thrilled to be part of it. I offered my 5-day “Write Where You Are” writeshop and one-day “taster” Memoir-Lite.

We wrote, we created, we celebrated. Thanks to this wonderful group of writers and Red Deer Polytechnic Series Summer Arts School. See you next year!​

Can’t let May slip away without mentioning this special evening of May 4th. Celebrating Kim Gunning-Mooney‘s memoir and sharing a motherlode of stories in-person, at-a-bookstore, with family and friends. Laughter and tears and hugs all around.

In this writeshop we planted words on the page to create a “garden” of memories. Some may even plant a real garden inspired by these relationships!

For almost 40 years Red Deer Polytechnic has proudly offered its Series Summer Arts School. This year I offered my a 5-day writeshop “Write Where You Are” and a one-day taster “Memoir Lite.”

Writers On Fire hosted “Rejuvenate Your Creativity” a day of inspiring workshops. I was interviewed by Nikki Tate, creator of the Community, about writing memoir.

When Separation Anxiety first went out into the world in 2015, I couldn’t have predicted that six months later I would receive a letter, my name handwritten on the string-tie envelope and a return address I didn’t recognize.

Sophie writes: Lockdown has been difficult but it has also been a time of reflection. I am constantly thankful I always have a harp by my side.

Zoomed into this book club in Stoughton, SK. Loved spending time with this group of baby-boomers, Gen-Xrs, & Millennials at The Crossroads of Friendship!​

It was an honour to be invited to this virtual book club in Whitehorse. Six friends connected from their homes to discuss my book but it’s their stories that I will remember.

Honouring my maternal grandfather Trevor G. Willis who served from 1915-18, I toured the WWI memorials of France and Belgium.

Sharing my stories in Separation Anxiety helped readers know they weren’t alone. Readers sharing their words with me calmed my anxiety of “what will people think?” Thank you, gentle readers, for these past four years!

For almost 40 years Red Deer College has proudly offered its Series Summer Arts School, and I was thrilled to be part of it, offering my 5-day “Writing a Gift of Story” and 1-day “Memoir-abilia.”

Hello book-loving friends of Spruce Grove, Stony Plain, Parkland County and everywhere in between. We enjoyed readings by local authors while sipping warm beverages.

My thanks to book club organizer Maryon of Rocky Mountain House for choosing Separation Anxiety as their book for October, and extending the invitation for me to participate with them online!

It was an honour to speak at the annual ALC held at the historic Jasper Park Lodge. 800 attendees chose from 50 sessions of keynotes, author talks, discussion panels, and workshops.

The Calgary Young Writers Conference: a magical convergence of 1200 students in grades 4-8 with 40+ authors offering an array of workshops at Robert Thirsk High School. Both the view and the day were inspiring!

I was honoured to read at the The Bra Lounge in Red Deer for their #ReadfortheCure event in support of cancer research. Always excited to take my Midge Doll and Nancy Drew books out for an evening.

On January 30 I presented a talk for people interested in memoir, and possibly writing their own stories for publication. I was pleased to share the stage with author Lori M. Feldberg from Wetaskiwin, Alberta.

One thing that I’ve realized after all the writing workshops, retreats, conferences and courses I’ve been to across Canada is how supportive this writing community can be. I’ve dug up this photo from the 2003 Sage Hill Writing Experience in Lumsden, Saskatchewan

Following the success of my book table on Heritage Day last August, the folks at Calgary Farmers’ Market invited me back on Thursday December 21, one of the last hectic shopping days before Christmas. My “Featured Artist” location at the market’s north entrance shared space with a coffee station/seating area. […]

What is your favourite Christmas treat? Is it that shortbread or that pan of buttery almond roca? Chances are your favourite Christmas sweet has a story baked right in!

I dropped into the launch of “Dropout: How School is Failing our Kids” by Leslie Gavel at Calgary’s Memorial Park Library. It was a memorable evening worth blogging about.

Word on the Street 2017 welcomed over fifty authors and exhibitors in its new location on historic Broadway Avenue. Great table talk with so many friendly Saskatonians.

I dropped into the launch of Dropout: How School Is Failing Our Kids (and What We Can Do about It) by writer Leslie Gavel at Calgary’s Memorial Park Library on Thursday, September 7th. A warm and memorable event, it inspired me to write this blog: The First Launch is the Sweetest.

I celebrated the Heritage Day weekend with a Separation Anxiety book table at the Calgary Farmers’ Market. I was captivated by the color and energy of the place.

Spent a warm and wonderful afternoon at the Didsbury Municipal Library offering my Gratitude Garden Writeshop. Seeds of story were planted and gardening wisdom was shared.

It was an honour to spend time with Trinity residents for their “Arts Alive” event. Some arrived with memories to pour on the page — and some arrived already published!

These are a few of my favourite things: talking and writing with kids who love to “hang out on the page.” Kudos to those teachers who spent Saturday with their over-the-moon excited students!

I enjoyed this invitation to talk about the journey of writing Separation Anxiety with interviewer Charlene Jones, author, poet and meditation teacher. Listen to the full interview here.

Write in time for Christmas!
It was a dark and freezing December night (-35°F) but inside Second Cup Café, warm memories and stories were shared.

Filling Station Magazine’s Flywheel Reading Series is a free monthly event featuring emerging and established writers of all kinds of literature. Terrific community support!

I enjoyed hanging out at Words in the (Sherwood) Park celebrating Alberta Culture Days.

The non-profit The Word On The Street celebrates Canadian reading, writing, and champions literacy primarily through a free, annual outdoor festival.

I was honoured to be part of this dynamic and worthwhile event for women that builds awareness and understanding of mental wellness. Hosted by CMHA Kelowna.

On a warm spring afternoon in May, I led this Jane’s Walk down the memory lanes and streets of Kingsland. A wistful and nostalgic wander.

Books make the best gifts for Mother’s Day. I was impressed with Signal Hill Indigo Books and their support of local authors!

Wine and words: a perfect pairing. We celebrated local authors and not-so-local wine at En Vino Novellus  at Canmore’s Rose&Crown Restaurant and Pub.

We enjoyed some rants from the past at Yuk Yuk’s Comedy Club in the Elbow River Casino. Thanks to the “Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids” for organizing the evening, and all the other grownup readers and audience.

Welcome to the “Femme-Memoir Hour” at Edmonton’s LitFest. I was honoured to be part of this panel discussion.