The Great Christmas Bake-off

There’s a new article in the Atlantic about whether baking can reduce stress and anxiety. Now, I’ve been baking since I was a child, and I can vouch that it entirely depends on the complexity and your comfort with the recipe. A batch of cookies and a cheesecake do not compare. Guess which I’ve made more often?

I’m a huge fan of baking shows like the Great British Bake-off (and its Canadian spinoff). I find them very soothing. One, because the contestants and hosts are all genuinely nice to each other. Two, because it’s amazing to see the contestants attempt to make the most complicated recipes I’ve ever seen. And three, it shows how long things actually take to bake. None of this soufflé in 20 minutes nonsense.

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Mole and Niece featured in the NonBinary Review

Big news! A story of mine was accepted by the NonBinary Review for their Wind in the Willows issue!

Mole and Niece imagines a time after the conclusion of The Wind and the Willows story when Mole gets to have an adventure of his own. For once, he is more than a sidekick to Ratty and Toad. Along for the fun is his niece Tally, and Mr Badger makes appearances too.

The Wind in the Willows is a multi-generational favourite in our family (I have my Nanner’s copy), so it’s a great honour for me to have my piece accepted.

Now, to read the story in text, you do have to buy the issue (it’s $1.99) here or you can until it’s featured Zoetic Press’s Alphanumeric podcast. Once it’s available in audio format, I will post the details here. Either way, I hope you enjoy it!

I should also note that it’s my first paid writing submission, and I’m the first author listed on the contributors’ page! Very exciting and humbling.

A big shout out to S, H, and A (who all loved the story), and the IF and LL groups for their suggestions while I was writing it. Your support means the world to me!

Melt with You up on Wattpad

It’s 15 years since the Great North American Blackout. It was a stinking hot day, especially for the poor squirrel that caused it all.

Here’s part one of a story I wrote based on that day. I’ve put it up on Wattpad as the whole thing is a bit longer than I’d like for a blog post. (It also gives me a chance to try out Wattpad) Hope you like it!

Note, you’ll need to sign up for a membership but it’s free.

A weekend away

Here’s another adventure (the first, actually) about the gang from “Happy Birthday, Valerie.” It was inspired by a conversation I was having with some friends about our ideal road trip and by a word prompt from StoryaDay.org that tasked us with writing a story in the format of a list.

To Do/Itinerary

Key people: Brooke, Sonya, Valerie, and me.

Goal: to have a great girls’ weekend away

Note to self: the others will laugh at this document, especially the 24-hour clock, so keep it hidden, but close.

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“Happy Birthday, Valerie” shared as part of StoryFest

Well, this is cool. My story “Happy Birthday, Valerie” was chosen to be featured in Story ADay.org‘s StoryFest, which highlights stories written as part of StoryADay in May – a month-long exercise where you attempt to write something in response to each day’s writing prompt.

The neat thing about “Happy Birthday, Valerie” is that it was initially written in 40 minutes (that was the prompt for the day!).

You can read it and all of the others here. Enjoy!

All for the want of an umbrella

Just for fun, I’m participating in StoryaDay.org’s “Story a Day for May”, and I’ll post some of the tales I write here. Here’s my response to Day 1’s prompt (click here to see the original prompt):

This is a big day at work for him, I can tell. He’s taking such care with his appearance this morning, primping his hair for far too long, punctuating his work with the comb with discontented huffs. He knows that I need the sink so I can shave my own face and brush my teeth. I have to go to work today too, after all.

I debate teasing him about being such a peacock, but I can tell he’s nervous, so I refrain and keep the snark to myself this time. I do clear my throat and he jumps a little. I look at the clock and he does too. “Sorry, sorry!” he says as he tosses the comb into a drawer and moves into the bedroom to get dressed.

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A day in the life

UPDATE: Anthology of Prompts Volume 1 by the Writing Prompts Group is now available for download here, where you can now read this piece in its entirety. I hope you enjoy it!

Word Prompt: Describe a day in the life of your pet.

The sun is rising so you should be too. But you’re not, so I will meow and play with the curtains and the pictures on the wall until you scold me. And then I’ll keep on doing it.

Oh good, you’re up! C’mon, c’mon, let’s go downstairs! I’ll sit on the second step while you get your housecoat on. Maybe I’ll run down ahead of you or maybe I’ll wait until you step over me before I make my dash downstairs…