How to avoid the talent trap and level up — The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn, and relearn. Alvin Toffler What skill do you long to have? Do you harbour dreams of painting a landscape or hitting a great tee shot or cooking the perfect…

Fiction Friday — I never could get my beef casserole to taste exactly like my mother-in-law Melanie’s version. My husband Todd declared her dish the tastiest, of course, and said he’d ask her for the recipe. My next two attempts still fell short of the mark. “You tried your best,” he said with…

Fiction Friday — That first winter in their new house, they pored over seed catalogues and vegetable garden blogs. She had long dreamed of growing her own food and he joined in with enthusiasm. Early the next spring, they donned boots and got their hands dirty. …

Poetry Sunday — Inspired by your greatness, loyalty assured I nailed my colours to your standard, marched towards the promise of much better times. Long days and many miles went by foot sore and weary, always hopeful for the new dawn. …

Fiction Friday — It’s always been considered bad luck to make your own wedding dress. It implies a life of want if you can’t outsource such an important task, or maybe a life of never-ending work. That means a steady procession of happy brides-to-be in my bridal shop. These days I leave the…

She’s always there, staring out of her front window. When I herd my children into the car for the school run or come home late from work, her gaze follows me. I’ve learned not to look because her answering smile is borderline creepy. Sometimes her constant scrutiny angers me. I…

Poetry Sunday — Off we go to the beach with our boy, enduring sighs and cries and stops for water and wee-wee shortly after and kicking the back of my seat and then we arrive, unload the car, careful with that and don’t forget the sunscreen, before trudging down the path down the…

how to make every word count, no matter the total — Now that November’s half over, how is NaNoWriMo going for you? Are you basking in the glow of staying on track, are you falling behind, or are you sitting it out? National Novel Writing Month, known as NaNoWriMo or NaNo for short, is an internet movement built on a simple…