Deniz Bevan's Blog

rafting!

Lego people! We call them Elmos. Each one is an Elmo!

Almond croissant!

Peacock!

Decadent chocolate mousse cake!

Editing on paper!









Our Flag Means Death colouring pages!

Fortune tellers/chatterboxes!



Making Samba Schutte's Rosy Maple Moth Pie again!







Bon appetit!

What have you been crafting lately?

uick!

Gather round!

It's Insecure Writer's Support Group Day!

(That's my way of using a different letter in the drop cap for once, rather than the ones that come up most often!)

Insecure Writer's Support Group

A database resource site and support group for writers andauthors. Featuring weekly guests and tips, a monthly blogfest gathering,a Facebook group, and thousands of links – all to benefit writers! #IWSG

Website / Facebook Group / Fast Five Free Gift - Mobi / Epub / Pdf

“Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubtsand concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have beenthrough the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven forinsecure writers of all kinds!

Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially InsecureWriter’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog.Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss yourstruggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who arestruggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aimfor a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all aboutconnecting!

Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

The awesome co-hosts for the October 1 posting of the IWSGare Beth Camp, Crystal Collier, and Cathrina Constantine!

Every month, we announce a question that members can answerin their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, apersonal experience or story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSGpost or let it inspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. Remember,the question is optional

October 1 question - What is the most favorite thing youhave written, published or not? And why?”

How can I decide? What I tend to do when I think of my stories is to remember how they're grouped...

There's the time travel YA, the three 15th century stories. Then I have four stories set in WWI and WWII.

Then the family saga that starts around wartime and goes all the way to the year 2044. Some of the stories involve murder mysteries and some are more interpersonal affairs. There's Rory and Christianne (plus their sequel), then Rory's brother Angus and Amelie, then the two novels about Rory's sons, then the one about Rory and Christianne's daughter. Plus a few novellas and some short stories...

Most of the works in progress are detailed on the My Writing page!

Plus there are the published ones!

Druid's Moon (paranormal romance)

Available from Dancing Lemur Press 

Summer Fire (travel romance)

Available from Harlequin


Where There's Life (short story)
Available on Amazon


And last, but certainly not least, one of our IWSG anthologies!
Dark Matter: Artificial
Available on Amazon


I've fallen behind on keeping up the Books Read list again, so here is another slew of photos!



I can't wait to find out everyone's favourite stories!
Have you read one of the IWSG anthologies and/or written for one?

ast batch of photos from the summer!

Mountie!

Fun cards!

Mm, chocolate...

Mm, homemade pudding...

Card games!


Olive oil!



Views from the Palais des Nations

Swiss day!

Lake Geneva

The national anthem





Yummy ice cream flavours



Jet d'Eau

Clock tower

Boat!







Sewing machine table repurposed as dining table



Lego creations

Alpine horns!





Fire station exhibits




Photos from the international fair at school!







Have you visited a fire station or some other place recently?

ack in August, Neil Finn hosted the Make Us Feel Good About Life series of concerts, the Infinity Sessions, live from Roundhead Studios in Auckland, Aotearoa New Zealand.

I got to hear some great music, and discover a few new-to-me bands!

Here are some of the screenshots I took of the Neil Finn session. Each episode was live, and some videos have been released, but there aren't any official full recordings!


Here's a sample!


Neil Finn -- She Will Have Her Way

And here's a playlist I made of the setlist!


Which concerts have you attended online?

Grand Day Out!

We went to lunch at a restaurant that sits right on the border... During World War II, the Germans occupied the ground floor, and the second storey remained Swiss and neutral.

Nearby is the redoubt on which the last battle of the Napoleonic Wars was fought.

One hundred years before World War I.

What's an interesting place not far from yours?

elcome to Insecure Writer's Support Group Day!

Insecure Writer'sSupport Group

A database resource siteand support group for writers and authors. Featuring weekly guests and tips, amonthly blogfest gathering, a Facebook group, and thousands of links – allto benefit writers! #IWSG

Website / Facebook Group 

Purpose: Toshare and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear ofappearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offerassistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!
Posting: The first Wednesday of every month is officially InsecureWriter’s Support Group day. Post your thoughts on your own blog.Talk about your doubts and the fears you have conquered. Discuss yourstruggles and triumphs. Offer a word of encouragement for others who arestruggling. Visit others in the group and connect with your fellow writer - aimfor a dozen new people each time - and return comments. This group is all aboutconnecting! 

 Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

The awesome co-hosts for the September 3 posting of the IWSG are Kim Lajevardi, Natalie Aguirre, Nancy Gideon, and Diedre Knight!
Every month, we announce a question that members can answer in their IWSG post.These questions may prompt you to share advice, insight, a personal experienceor story. Include your answer to the question in your IWSG post or let itinspire your post if you are struggling with something to say. 

September 3 question - What are your thoughts on using AI, such asGPChat, Raptor, and others with your writing? Would you use it for research,story bible, or creating outlines\beats?

Short answer, no, I wouldn't, and I haven't yet used it at all! I'm sticking with that for now.

I have some end of summer photos!

The first is me trying to capture the full moon with my phone :p 

Then there's Mountie! And a new-to-us Lord of the Rings puzzle, and Our Flag Means Death colouring sheets! Coloured by me and the kids.

That gorgeous sweater was knit by a friend! 

Which flowers are your favourite?

hys Darby! The Legend Returns! In Manchester!

I flew in and out of Manchester for this show!

I'm in there! Row 2!













Ian Curtis, on the way into Manchester from the airport

Bee!





Bee!

The venue the last time I saw Rhys Darby live!

The Opera House

In the hotel lobby...









The surprising blah lounge of the Opera House...

Eek!



Post-show thank yous! I didn't sneak a single photo during the show (no time! Too busy laughing!)





















YOu'd think I'd get better photos from the second row but my phone's a Samsung. It's weird.



Advertising spotted in Manchester!

Goodies from fellow fans!









I noticed this Canadian breakfast place after I'd already had breakfast!













Fan-designed tour shirt! (by @thatjadeykinns on bluesky)




I can see my house!




Have you seen a comedy show recently?

y first time at the Montreux Jazz Festival!

I got to see Pulp for the first time, after being a fan for over 30 years (!) and I was excited to discover a new-to-me band -- Bloc Party was the opening act!



I was right at the front of the stage and yet my photos are still blurry!

I made a playlist of the Pulp setlist!


Have you been to any concerts recently?

vent!

It's the thirty-eighth anniversary of one of my favourite books!

Who is Frances Rain? by Margaret Buffie
I'm very pleased to be hosting Margaret Buffie herself here today! I asked her all sorts of random questions and she obliged me...

On Writing

Where do you do most of your writing?

I do most of my writing in my second floor office in my home. The house was built in 1910, and I love to look out at the old elms along the street as I work and think about the history of my city. I also write at my lake cottage.

What do you need to help you write?

I start with a pencil and lined notebook for the first few chapters. Then I go to my computer. I also set up music to create the mood for each different storyline. Hard to explain. But it works for me. Add many cups of tea and I'm good.

Do you have stories that might never see light of day?

I have many ideas that I doubt will get published. I have two "adult" manuscripts from years ago that I still "intend to work on" but I find I'm always working on a YA novel first. One of them is on the second burner as I write this newest YA. Actually I am kind of writing both at once... new idea for me, but fun...

What's your earliest memory related to writing?

I was in grade four and I had written a story for my much adored teacher, Miss Day. I was walking beside her during recess and she said to me, "You know, Margaret, I think you may be a writer one day." I'm sure she was just being sweet, but I believed her.

What do you do when you're not writing?

I spend a lot of time with my family. I am also an artist and a photographer – and I love to cook. (And of course I read a lot!)

Which of your characters is most like you?

Mmm. Tough one. I know I put a part of me into every character. I "feel" as if I am that character while I am writing their story. In Who is Frances Rain?, for instance, I am part of all three modern characters – Lizzie, her mom and her gran. But I am not Frances Rain. I would never be as independent and brave as she was. But I admire her tremendously, because she paid a big price for her independence.

Do you have a method for creating your characters, their names and what do you think makes them believable?

I think what makes them believable is my deep connection with them. To me they are very real as I explore their stories.
Names are very important to me. The name Frances, for instance, means "free" which suits my character to a "T". I chose Lizzie McGill for the main character, because that was my grandmother's name. Every name I choose is carefully picked. I also avoid trendy "modern" names and stick to names that are more traditional, yet powerful. (To me.)

Reading-related questions

Who is your favourite literary character not your own?

My favourite literary character is Barbara Pym's character Mildred Lathsbury in Excellent Women. Mildred has always observed life from a distance, but the new people who arrive to live in her house somehow change how she looks at everything. I also love another of her characters, Jane, in Jane and Prudence. Jane is so honest, messy, intuitive and funny. I adore her. I also love Inspector Maigret who is the creation of French writer Georges Simenon. His second best character in that amazing series is Paris!

Who is your favourite author?

I have many. But when the chips are down, I bet you can guess who it is. Yep. Barbara Pym! She's brilliant.

Who inspired you to write?

Me! (And Miss Day...) But I didn't start writing until my late thirties. Up to then I was a visual artist. No one even knew I was writing except my husband and daughter. I was reading YA books along with my daughter and loving so many of them, that soon, I was reading many on my own. An idea for my own novel kind of dropped into my lap – and I decided to try writing it. Fell in love with the whole process. Kept going. Haven't stopped yet!

Do you have a favourite writing-related quote?

I saw this quote by Barbara Kingsolver once, in a book of quotes, and I copied it and put it up on my bulletin board, because it is exactly how I feel about my own writing.
"Close the door. Write with no one looking over your shoulder. Don't try to figure out what other people want to hear from you; figure out what you have to say. It's the one and only thing you have to offer."

On Research

Do you do all your own research or have others help you?

I do all my own research.

What's the weirdest thing you've researched?

"Box privies" – or outdoor toilets that did not have a hole in the ground at all! Ack! They were supposed to be cleared out by city workers which was not regularly done. These were still in use in the early 1900's on city streets in Canada, and the fetid waste and hoards of flies were the cause of much illness and death in the poorest areas of those cities.

On Frances Rain

Have you ever considered writing a sequel to the story, perhaps something that happens to a child of Lizzie's?

I have been asked this question often by readers. I did consider it, but I simply don't have a story to tell...yet.

Do you still feel close to the story and characters?

Yes, very much. Maybe that's why I felt that this story was "complete" because when it was finished I felt I could move on to something different.

Was the story written in linear fashion?

In way yes .. and in a way no. I wrote the first few chapters pretty quickly. Then the story ground to a halt. It became clear to me that I had no idea how to take this story where I wanted it to go. So I decided to do a plan or general outline of it and test some ideas. This fluid outline changed many times as the story evolved. But I kept reworking it. A few times I changed the plan here and there to the point where I had to go back and rework sections of the manuscript. I still work this way. I think it keeps the story fresh - and open to change.

What was the first image or scene that inspired this story?

I was cleaning up a small island near our lake cabin, so my daughter and her cousin's kids could play on it safely. There was a very old refuse dump on it and I became an archeologist in a way as I sifted through it. I found some gorgeous bottles, medical and old fruit syrup types etc. and a lot of broken china. But I did find an old heavy mug still intact with debris in it. When I dropped the little pile onto my lap, I found an object wrapped in shattered pieces of oil cloth. Out dropped a pair of wire glasses. I held them to my eyes and looked across the water, and wondered what it would be like to see a canoe paddling toward me from out of the past. I still have the glasses and the mug. (And the bottles and other things I found.) I knew there was the remains of a trapper's cabin across the lake under a small circle of trees and I wondered if the glasses belonged to him. But what if the trapper was a woman in my story? That was the kernel of the idea for Who is Frances Rain?

What was the most challenging aspect of writing this story?

For me organizing the story is always the biggest challenge. But once I wrestled Who is Frances Rain? back on track - so that I was able to have my characters say what they really wanted to say; to develop the story; and present the setting almost as another character - it became a complete joy to write.

Is there anything you would change in Lizzie's story if you could?

No. Nothing. I could probably write it a bit better today, I suppose, but it is what it is and I am very proud of it.

What are some of the most memorable events that have happened to you as a result of this story?

The first memorable thing that happened was that Who is Frances Rain? was nominated for the Canadian Library Association Book of the Year award – and was the runner up in that – and it also got great reviews. But best of all, shortly after, it was also nominated for the Young Adult Canadian Book Award by the same group and it won!

[How wonderful!]

Another memorable event and a very nasty one for me, happened just after I had finished a reading to a class in Montreal during Children's Book week (put on by The Canadian Book Centre) a year or so after "Frances Rain" was published. A reporter called there, asking how I felt about bring banned from an Ottawa school, where my next reading was to take place a few days later.

This kicked off a news event of sorts across Canada's newspapers. The Ottawa principal began to slur my name calling me a "difficult" author and that I had "demanded" unreasonable things etc. He had not read the book, of course, (these people rarely do) because his librarian highlighted words and scenes and dialogue for him that she decided might make it a problem. As I had never spoken to anyone from the school at all, his comments were completely false. I did have one supporter besides my family – a public librarian from Montreal who stood by me all the way - and I will always be grateful for her support.

When I came back to Winnipeg, another librarian from a local school, who had asked me to do a reading there, read the "banning" news in the papers, and showed them to her principal. He, of course, also did not read the book. I was consequently "uninvited" from his school. When challenged by local media, this second principal also blamed me, saying I was "difficult." Of course, I had had no personal contact with either him or the librarian. Ironically, the article about the censoring of my novel was written up in a Canadian children's lit periodical a few months later and they talked about the events - adding comments from the principal in Ottawa. However, no one from that periodical thought to talk to me! I protested in writing, and they then asked me to write about my experience. Which I did!

[I hadn't heard any of this before! Lucky for me that I had no trouble getting my hands on a copy in our school library!]

If this story was made into a film (and I wish it would be!), who would you have as the leading actors?

It was actually discussed – once with Anna Paquin as a possible Lizzie. She is now a grown adult of course! Sadly the people involved in the US negotiations could not come to an agreement with my publisher regarding the contract. However My Mother's Ghost was ultimately the book that was made into a film. Maybe someday Frances Rain will live on the screen. I would have to see who would suit the roll in the future, as young actors grow up so quickly!


For more information and excerpts, please visit Margaret Buffie's blog.
Both Neil and Margaret mention tea as part of their writing process! Have I been doing it all wrong all these years with my latte obsession?

Brief ROW80 update - I've decided which project to work on next! I'll be typing up Captive of the Sea. That way, I can save drafting the 1913 Canada story for this year's NaNo.

Have you been to any book tour stops lately?
Is there a special book whose anniversary you're celebrating?

appy Insecure Writer's Support Group Day!

Insecure Writer's Support Group

A database resource site and support group for writers and authors. Featuring weekly guests and tips, a monthly blogfest gathering, a Facebook group, and thousands of links – all to benefit writers! #IWSG

Website / Facebook Group
Purpose: To share and encourage. Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all kinds!

The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day.This group is all about connecting!

  Let’s rock the neurotic writing world!

The awesome co-hosts for the August 6 posting of the IWSG are Ronel Janse van Vuuren, Natalie Aguirre, Sarah - The Faux Fountain Pen, and Olga Godim!

Speaking of insecure, I've had a touch of it lately.

I've registered for the next Surrey International Writers' Conference (coming up in October! Join me! There's an online attendance option!) and was reallyhoping to have a short story to enter in the contest. I also need to get some of my novels together and edit them and find small publishers for them...

But the days are packed with family and work and other writing and reading (and knitting and crocheting!) and somehow...I still haven't done it. I need a new weekly schedule! It's a bit silly if the last one I set for myself was during a pandemic!

I've got three cover songs to share to commemorate the death of Ozzy Osbourne:
No More Tears guitar cover by Kristian Nairn (Hodor! Wee John Feeney!)

War Pigs solo piano cover by Amanda Palmer

War Pigs piano and drums cover by the Dresden Dolls:


In other news, author Allan Ahlberg has passed away. I knew some of his books without knowing I knew them. Then we got a copy of Each Peach Pear Plum when older kiddo was born, and I've been colllecting his books ever since and there are still so many we haven't read yet!

What are some of your favourite young readers books?