Maureen Bush

What Every Story Should Be

Here’s a quote from Donald Maass, in The Fire In Fiction, about the manuscripts he sees:

“Lackluster stories turn up every day, too, in the submissions sent to my literary agency in New York. The manuscripts of published and unpublished authors alike too often lie flat on the page. They fail to engage, to excite my imagination. Feeling little for the characters and unenthusiastic about where the story may go, I scribble notes for my rejection letters.

“Then there are those manuscripts that lift off. From the first sentence, I am immediately drawn into the world of the story. The protagonist is someone about whom I immediately care. Secondary characters come alive, and even the antagonist surprises me. I cannot help but read every page as the author unfolds his purpose, whether it is to scare me, to satirize, to uplift me, or just to amaze me.”

I read this and thought, “Oh, yes! That’s what every story should do.” I’m so disappointed when they don’t, especially when a story is really well written, but doesn’t quite work. The ‘almosts’ are the worst, for me.

And so, back to work, striving to make my stories lift off.

Maureen

Crow Boy launch

Crow Boy is now out in the world. We launched it on Saturday at Monkeyshines, always a great place to hang out. There were lots of family members (I married into a clan), family friends and writer friends, and some people who didn’t know me but like my books. Imagine that!

There was much visiting and shopping afterwards, as guests left with bags full of books, delighted at Monkeyshines’ collection. Including, of course, signed copies of Crow Boy.

As Leonard Nimoy was in town for the Calgary Comic Expo, I’ll make a Vulcan wish for my baby. To Crow Boy: Live long and prosper.

Maureen

Cursed!

Cursed is off to the typesetters.

Maureen

Calgary Young Writer’s Conference

The Calgary Young Writer’s Conference is an amazing event. Over 1000 kids, in grades 4 – 8, converge on a local high school (conveniently 10 minutes from my house). Over 50 writers, illustrators and story tellers arrive to work with them.

Michael Kusugak was the key note speaker; he regaled the kids with stories from his childhood in the north, living in igloos and riding dog sleds, listening to his grandmother’s stories.

Then we broke into sessions. I worked with two groups of 30 kids, teaching how to use a wild What If as a launch point for creating a story. They seemed to find it a great way to get started, to jump right into a story without all the usual trauma. And it seemed to provide enough momentum to keep them going, asking more questions and working their way deeper into their stories.

I had a wonderful host, who kept me from getting lost over and over and over. There were volunteers everywhere, helping contain the chaos and get everyone where they needed to be. We ended with a massive book and notebook and bookmark signing session, with some kids determined to get every author’s signature.

Then I went home and collapsed, pleased and exhausted.

Next Saturday: the book launch for Crow Boy.

Maureen

A Career As A Writer

I spent the morning at William Aberhart High School in Calgary at Career Day. I was asked to speak about A Career As A Writer. A writer friend cracked, “Isn’t that an oxymoron?”

I asked the kids how many were really interested in writing, and in all three groups, the majority of hands popped up.

I rattled on for a while, and then answered questions. We talked about the importance of reading, and the need to pay your bills another way, about the joys of writing and the endless distractions. And then I went home and tried to settle down enough to get back to work.

Saturday: the Calgary Young Writer’s Conference.

Maureen