A Poet’s Nanaimo
Modern Day Magic
I look forward to Rachel Lang’s astrology newsletters with her readings for the month ahead so was delighted to hear of her new book: Modern Day Magic: (Hardie Grant Books, 2021). The book is beautifully designed with illustrations throughout and contains “ 8 Simple...
This Strange Visible Air
Sharon Butala’s husband died when she was two weeks short of her sixty-seventh birthday she says in the first essay, “Against Ageism,” in her new book of essays on aging and the writing life: This Strange Visible Air (Freehand Books, 2021). As she was born in 1940,...
Transformational Journaling
There are many benefits to journaling as the editors and writers of this new, comprehensive collection, Transformational Journaling for Coaches, Therapists, and Clients (Routledge, 2021) illustrate. Among them are gaining perspective, increasing clarity with life...
Calling the Circle
Wherever our ancestors lived, they gathered in circles around a fire. Through the years we’ve gathered in circles in various ways such as quilting, for prayer, women’s consciousness raising, for self-help and for honouring the changing seasons. A poem by Danusha...
Black Bears in the Carrot Field
Isn’t that a great title for a poetry collection? Black Bears in the Carrot Field is Linda K. Thompson’s debut poetry collection, published in July 2021 by Mother Tongue Publishing on Salt Spring Island B.C. The title comes from Linda's poem “Saying Goodbye”: My...
The Writing Life
I wonder if it’s “the” writing life or “a" writing life? I suppose it’s “my” writing life I’m about to describe as while all writers write, each of us approaches our practice differently. Annie Dillard called her book The Writing Life and I rather like that title so...