Maureen Bush

A Week in the Mountains

While I’ve had much less trouble with asthma this summer than in many years, the altitude at the Athabasca Glacier nailed me. I spent our first two days in Jasper being quiet while my husband and younger daughter went adventuring.

Luckily for me, we were in a rather expensive unit (booked late, lucky to get anything) at our favorite spot, and I had the perfect writing place. I turned a high-backed soft chair to face the corner windows, looking out over mountains and lake and trees, set my tea on a nearby table, and settled in to work through several manuscripts.

When I got restless I walked along the lake, a little more comfortably every half-day as my lungs recovered.

I had time to think about a couple of stories; I mean, to really think. To catch up to where I’d written, to polish a little, to decide I really do like where they’re going. To figure out what comes next.

Now we’re home for the rest-of-summer chaos, including debating titles and editing the third in the Veil of Magic series, finishing the reno, settling one daughter in Ottawa for university, and helping another get organized for university here in Calgary. Then I’ll be off to Banff for a week in September, for more writing. I think my couple of days of quiet in Jasper may be my only quiet-just-for-writing time until mid-September.

Maureen

Manuscript on the Trail

I took the manuscript for the third in the Veil of Magic series with me on our trip into the mountains, to check on details before we settle in to another round of editing. I found one error and was terribly thrown by it, as we drove up and down the Kootenay Park valley checking on locations. But once I’d figured out how I wanted to fix it, it was pretty simple.

The photo’s of the Vermilion River, just south of Marble Canyon.

Maureen

Another Book

The third in the Veil of Magic series has an official go-ahead from Coteau.

This will be my fifth book, and I’m thrilled. I’m also panicking, as it’s coming out next spring. Editing will define my summer and fall, around renos and holidays and, I’m hoping, a writing week at the Banff Centre.

It should be fun.

Maureen

Storm Mountain

We spent two nights at Storm Mountain Lodge, near Castle Mountain, in Banff National Park. Sunday night – a huge thunderstorm, rain hammering the metal cabin roof. We heard about a huge grizzly wandering through that morning, scattering the cleaning staff. Dinner was amazing, buffalo tenderloin and a great wine.

At breakfast, we overheard the waitress advising a couple about her favorite all-day hike. “Do you have bear spray?” she asked. They didn’t, so she replied, “We have some. I’ll lend it to you for the day.” The question used to be, “Do you have bear bells?” Now they’re considered dinner bells.

We saw all the traditional sights – hikers standing behind their cars changing into or out of hiking boots, everyone layering up in all their clothes and still shivering, hikers huddled around wood fires indoors as the rain poured down, a few flakes of snow in the air, fresh snow on the ground at higher elevations.

From the front of Storm Mountain Lodge we could see Castle Mountain to the north, in the Bow Valley, right down to the Rockwall to the south, on the road to Radium. This is the range of my third Veil of Magic story. I wish I’d brought the manuscript to read while I was up there.

We climbed up Marble Canyon in a dry interlude. It’s not a tremendous achievement unless you’re three, or have exercise-indused asthma, as I do. It felt great to make it to the top.

The hike is more beautiful every time I go up. The canyon itself is fascinating, but it’s the burn I love. A forest fire killed almost all the trees within view, leaving standing dead trunks in a surreal sculpture in black and white, and an astounding view – high mountains in three directions. Pre-fire you couldn’t see anything beyond the dense forest. Below the dead trunks new growth is springing up, lush and green and bursting with energy.

I wasn’t so pleased to have made it to the top by the time I was half way down. Lack of oxygen to the major muscles in my legs turned me into a raggedy doll, struggling to keep my knees steady on the down hill. Two days later I’m still a little staggery. No, I haven’t been drinking! But I am very happy.

Maureen

My Stories Are Nagging Me

This morning I want to settle in and focus on three different projects. The kids at Lakeview and a brainstorming session with my younger daughter have inspired me to start on a sequel to Feather Brain. I want to get back to The Veil of Magic book III for another round of editing. And I received the first editing comments for Witchdoctor last week, so it’s time to launch into that.

It’s like having three little kids tugging at my pants wanting attention, and I have to choose one.

I know which it has to be – editing to a deadline comes first. But I’m really pumped to settle in for weeks of focused work on each one. I guess I’ll just have to be thankful I’m feeling inspired, pat my darlings on the head and tell them, “Later, dear one. Later.”

Maureen