Nancy Canyon

Dear Writers:

Okay weird, my TV is jabbering in the background and a character just said, “Okay Laurel, you belong with Oliver.”

Huh? Oliver Stone? Twist? Whatisname I went to school with? Actually, I don’t think I went to school with anyone called Oliver, but I felt that line needed a third beat so added it.

No, my TV isn’t on all the time. Since I work from a home office I have a rule about when it can be on. Those of you who work at home know that one, right? It’s the kiss of death to your billable hours to turn on the TV during the daytime, kind of like you know one of your key clients will call if you try to cook eggs. I don’t think I’ve had a hot lunch in a decade. But I digress and I still don’t know who Oliver is. I do, however, know several wonderful people who graced April’s open mic reading.

Most pics from April’s open mic did not turn out, so this is a picture of the sky under which all of us writers dwell. Apologies to any creatures of the night. Look away!

Jim Bertolino cruised in to listen. Next time we’ll have to persuade him to share a poem or two. We got right to it with Ted Gibson taking the mic to share his images of landscapes from Stillwater River Valley, Montana; Muskoka, Central Ontario BC and more. Sabine Sloley read the opening from her story “Chip and Kitten Go to the Beach,” in which a character from a company town gets stuck in quicksand and that might be the least of his problems. Next came Seán Dwyer with “A Damn Fool Thing” inspired by a guy he knew from college. Hilarious but also with a dark undertone. You people are dark! I love it! Continue reading →