Sailing Georgia Strait,Reading Robert Mackay and Gilbert's ball

I really must come up with better titles for my journaling of my weekend sailing. So far the excitement this trip has been reading Robert Mackay’s new novel, Terror on the Alert, a submariner story set in the Kennedy Missile Crisis.  I was so caught up in reading that I was a little annoyed by a ferry almost cutting “ME, MOI” off in Active Pass.
Reading and motoring or sailing is one of my joys with the trustworthy Raymarineautopilot holding course.  Normally though I wouldn’t want a book as engaging Terror on the Alert. I couldn’t put it down and the action from page to page had me glued. At least Tom Clancy lets one breath and look about. Not Robert MacKay.
Further , the characters, a Lieutenant and his wife, the resentful XO, and the  young captain are all so real with real depth. It was as if I knew them. Mackay got right into each of their heads.  He also got into the hearts of the Captain of the submarine and it’s men as they struggled to survive one catastrophe after another.  A former submariner himself, Robert Mackay really knows ships.
It was true human drama.  Nothing ‘cut out’ about this.  I really do look forward to the Hollywood movie.  The Kennedy Missile Crisis hasn’t been dealt with as it deserves.  The insights in Terror on the Alert of the time took me back to those Defcon 3 days.  Though I can see it with Brad Pitt as the young lieutenant and Angelina Jolie as the wife it will really need to be made as a Canadian movie, something more in the line of British and European flicks. The action is all Hollywood but the characters really come out of that early 60’s pre Beatles, duty and service era.  There’s something truly spiritual about that time of innocence before the skepticism post Vietnam and before the ressurection of  the fall of the Berlin Wall.
The love story is something I’d expect Bernice Lever to capture in her poetry.  It’s that kind of angels with earthly wings sort of love.  Bernice belongs in a group with Leonard Cohen and Irving Layton. She’s one of Canada’s finest.  Her images are words of the heart and speak to the many colours of the human condition. I have her latest book of poetry and was reading it on land.  Must remember to get it out on the boat. I have psalms on this boat but other than Robert Burns I don't think I have any poetry books.
Sailing is a time of thought and reflection.  The boat goes along merrily.  Gilbert, in his orange life jacket, had me throwing the ball down into the cabin from the cockpit.  He runs down the stairs, then dashes through the salon to jump up onto the bed where the orange and black rubber ball generally bounces.  The next minute he’s back again, tail wagging. He drops the ball on the chair beside my thigh then pushes the ball again with his nose, in case I don’t know what he wants me to do.

I got away on Thursday night after a full day of clinics. It was all I could do not to lie down and turn on the tv.  I’m glad I didn’t.  With the help of a friend on the dock I cast off lines and drove out of the marina, towing my AB Profile hard bottomed dinghy with the Honda 20 hp and centre console. I’d towed the Profile home the weekend before in 20 knot cross winds so figured it would do okay crossing the strait in most conditions.  Theoretically it should but if there’s something I can catastrophes about I will. I don't want the Honda to become a 20 hp anchor.  Still I love having a fast little runabout, one that's perfect for fishing too.
Towing slows me down a knot too so it took longer to go under the Lion’s Gate with 3 knots of current on the nose.  Despite towing dinghy’s  the new engine and the extra power of the 40 hp Volvo over the 26 hp Yanmar I really have been able to go through First Narrows without much concern for current speed.  (I love my new Volvo Penta D2 40)
It was dark and raining by the time I got out to English Bay.  Really stormy.  We’ve had so many sunny days I’d forgotten how stormy it can be.  I was glad for the radar and binoculars trying to sort out all the traffic. A couple of freighters passed me in First Narrows leaving little room to maneuver. Despite the inclement weather there were still lots of boats about.  Tugs were working.  Fishing boats were coming home. I was just glad to get to Kits Beach and drop the anchor. It’s was only 36 feet so a perfect depth. The wind was from the South East so the anchorage is somewhat protected.
I had picked up a ’True Blood” movie thinking it was the police show. It turned out to be this quite awful country vampire movie that I watched anyway.  Peanut butter sandwiches and ginger ale.  After that mindlessness I was ready for bed.
It was a bit chilly. When I woke a couple of times I found Gilbert'a little body pressed up against my back.  He’s so sweet.  The duvet was fine but Mida when she’d come by and tidied had left the blanket out for me. When she comes by and tidies she leaves these little thoughtfulnesses that are sotouching.  The folded blanket by the pillow touch. I loved the fresh sheets.
Next day I was up early. Still dreary overcast wealthier.  It doesn’t matter when it’s so warm though.  In winter it’s like this but the ambient temperature is cold.  Something about b weighing anchor in shorts and a tshirt makes a bit of drizzle irrelevant.  The deck was wet so I had to be a bit more careful, thankful for my Tevas.
Lots of boats were out fishing. A regular fishing flotilla beyond Point Grey.  It was 8 am and there was every kind of fishing boat there.  I had to weave my way through them.
I had planned to go to Porlier Pass but when I had the sails up I  found I could point to Active Pass.  It was a glorious sail across the strait.  I was on a close haul doing 5 knots with only 11 knots wind.  I had Robert Mackay’s book to read, the sun was out, Gilbert was taking a break from bringing me the ball, I had a cup of coffee, life was really good.
Laura was on Mayne Island with her artist sister. She texted me to ask if I was going through Active Pass or Porlier. I told her Active and she was down on the dock with her sister and their dog Jack, Gilbert’s playmate.  Active Pass has treacherous currents and it was running fast but still I was able to come close to the dock.  Gilbert heard his voice being called from the heavens and was very excited.  Jack and he play together. I think he could smell Jack and hear Laura but couldn't see them above.  Laura took a great picture of Giri which she sent. I was glad I didn’t foul with the plane that landed and took off while I was scrambling to get back in the main stream.
Just after that I was able to get through to Dr. Ney.  He’s sailing north in the Horizon Unbound.  His boat sleeps 23 and they have in the past had fathers and adolescents with addiction on board for a couple of week healing journeys.  This time it’s different as he’s having  mother and fathers and I think children too. It’s a Christian healing journey with lots of praise and worship. So I’m rather blessed to have been invited to join in.  I’d hoped to meet them in Victoria but Phillip suggested I meet up with them in Cowichan near where I already was. If I’d gone on I’d probably have only made Victoria at night.
Now I’m here at Cowichan waiting for them. It’s a beautiful sunny day.  I took Gilbert ashore last night and today. He’s a happy dog.  He’s sniffed and pooped and peed all over the back woods. Now he’s here beside me sniffing the wind, reading all the scents.  Sailboats are coming and going.  A couple have stayed like me.  I thought about fishing early this morning but began a cowboy novel instead.  I was thinking about what to do drinking the first cup of coffee when I saw it on the book shelf.  Half the joy of vacation is reading for me.
I’ve got the guitar and bongos along. Phillip is a great one for singing and playing guitar. He’s written his own hymn book with sea chanties. I think St Peter would definitely approve.
Now I might make a sandwich. I’ve got the generator working and put fresh gas in it so it’s doing better than the little outboard.  I think I waited too long between uses with the 4 hp Yamaha outboard and now am going to have to clean the carburetor because of the alcohol in the new gas. I don't think I'll get round to doing that.  I might fix something else today. I have a couple of cupboards that need some minor repair.  The door is sticking on one and on the other it’s falling open.
It’s lovely here. I’m sitting on the deck.  Gilbert is sitting beside me.  A seagull just flew over.  There’s a slight breeze which has my wind generator spinning happily.. The solar panels are doing their job today thanks to the breeze blowing the clouds away.  The weather forecast is sunny days.  We’re supposed to be sailing on to Desolation Sound.  I can sail along for a couple of days before I have to get back to Vancouver.  One day I might retire or at least take a couple of months just to enjoy more fully these glorious waters and islands.  We truly are blessed on the West Coast with this beautiful Inside Passage, and all the wonderful anchorages.


   






 

CAA-West Coast Branch - Nov.14, 2012

CAA - West Coast Branch - monthly meeting Arts and Cultural Alliance Centre, Howe Street Nov. 14, 2012 I arrived and right off hugged Margot Bates, Jean Kay then Margaret Anne Hume and thought there was a time I would have been awed to 'touch' real live published authors. Later I sat with Anthony Dalton and Bernice Lever. What a treasure it is to be a member of this organization that brings us all together. Surely our motto 'writers helping writers' sums up this organization well. What follows are my rough notes (unedited) taken while listening to the nights offerings. (I just wish I knew Douglas's last name. His reading and writing were amazing! addendum? Thank you Margot Douglas's name is Douglas Cameron Aitken, and now I won't feel badly years hence when someone says 'aren't you the guy who didn't know Margaret's last name was Atwood) Jean Kay announced that the Anthology of writing and poetry has gone to the printer. Copies will be available for sale at meetings and on line. Bernice Lever announced her poetry and picture appearing in BC Bookworld, an excellent source for publishers for free. Goes to all the libraries. Robert Mackay, author of Soldier of the Horse, announced he was awarded the Diamond Jubilee Medal for his work in Navy and with Veterans. Dec. 8 is the annual Christmas meeting. James McWilliams won first place Edith Hanning (sp) won second place Ed Griffin and Georgia Hunter were tied for third place. Alan Twig is presenter at the January meeting. February's meeting is an open mike night and readers are invited to put their names forward. Readings from French Canadian Bed Time Stories - Douglas - included men working in wilderness logging camp, Jean Baptiste, the bunkhouses, canoes, argument with the devil, blizzards, day before Christmas, letters from loved ones, birth of twins, father trying to force a daughter to marry a known philanderer, invitations to come and rescue the fair French girl, cookhouse, camp boss, fields of snow glizzening white under the full moon, a strange little man, dressed in Indian buckskin, a proposition, flying canoes, crystal waves of the moon, celestial palace, Milky Way, Indian shaman, church steeples, Trois Rivieres, bright red pom poms, high pitched little chants, little people, bears awoken from their dens, Voyageurs, enticing music, people dancing, true love - a delightful ingenius tale of fantasy and charm Heidi Greco Poet, Writer, Editor, SFU instructor Surrey's Resident Poet, commissioned to write a poem of the city Heidi's blog "Out on the big limb" Blond bespectacled pleasantly attractive woman dressed in slacks, grey turtleneck and button vest sweater, round blue white shell medallion necklace: "I billed this with Margot as a conversation." "All of us have our own story of how we came to writing and committed ourselves to pursuing it.....mine is not that different from many of you.....I learned to read from an early age....I was the child with the proverbial flashlight under the blankets....when I was about nine there are the earliest fragments of my writing......summer holidays there were kids everywhere and all the backyards were open to all of them......one summer I wrote a play....I have the surviving 2 pages....all very corny and resolving happily ever after....I would direct these plays and star in these plays and there'd be dancing .....I moved along to writing stories for my girlfriends, heavy romances, putting their names and their current flames names in....no sex of course because we were all very innocent.....I had a poem published at 13....I got a dollar for it and it was a very important dollar .....I did get more serious about writing poems....in university I sent out poems....different small literary magazines in Canada....then absurdly....I had someone who was important to me....said not very kindly, this is crap....you should not waste your time....I didn't write for 25 years....I was in my 20's at the time and only took up writing again when I was in my 40's. I was a single parents and this was a male and a writer and I had no self esteem....for a man to authoritatively say this , well he must know....and I didn't write....I did other things....I did crafts....I found other ways to be creative ....I crochetted and tie died....I thought then it was ridiculous I was doing all this needle work....I had everything I could make and had given gifts to everyone who I could and I turned back to writing.....I think so many women like poetry because it's a thing you can enclose in a space of time....you can do it in a page....you don't have sub plots and such to carry around." At this she read a poem: from one of her several books of published poems Shrinking Violets - Quattro Books A: American Poems Rattlesnake Plantain Siren Tattoo About her mother. Next she read a poem "Hype" Listening to her I found her voice resonant, expressions engaging, lilting, words accented, ablaze with intonations , musical, deep, soft and wildly civilized An amusing moment occurred when her reading set off the building alarm which took seconds to subside. She described reading a poem at a Surrey forest saving event "Begin with a single tree.....notice the shape.....like waiting hand to cup the rain.....ways it bends around itself stretching.....contemplate .....listen to it's branches tips so fine in green.....a mystery....a forest....so much more than the sum of its trees......" New online magazine, Cascadia Review - poets are always looking for place for their poems.....they put a series of my poems last week. Regarding Obama election she said "It seems as though the better choice was made." Following this she read: "Faithful" "I didn't mean this just to be about poetry. I also write book reviews," she said. "The Pacific Rim....one of the publications that still runs reviews, has published my reviews.....Subterranean Review....another which has published my reviews." Why book reviews are important, 'just remember when you write a book, you will hope someone will write a review of your book and now we can all go on Amazon and write a paragraph saying why we think a book should be read." "I never say I teach things, I lead groups.... I don't know if I have anything to teach but I like working with writers....I had a group which wanted to produce a 'chatbook'....our group is putting out it's 8th chat book" "I was in good company one of the Eco poets....in an old growth forest in Seattle..we gave a workshop after the readings." This one, "Beatitudes for the 21st Century" , I'd like to read. I've found God creeping into my work recently and this one was inspired by Matthew." "This was published by Lipstick Press back when they were in Abbotsford....I've always been fascinated by Amelia Erhart....conspiracy theories are my real attractions...unsolved mysteries....I dive off the deep end in the middle of the book..my theory is she crashed, alright, but she was supposed to crash, on a spy mission for the US, she ditched where she was supposed to, but they decided she was somewhere else, allowing her to be imprisoned on a tropical island....these are theories many have....that she was given a false idea....I take it s step further....saying she ended her life in an insane asylum in New Jersy...this was a kind of crazy book....you can do anything you want with poems 'especially when they are researched'. "Amelia Erhart did write some poems". "I'll read one of these when she was in the asylum "Joan of Arc lives down the hall". "I'd like to shift gears ...I'm speaking about different genres....Shrinking Violet is more a novella....my friends Steve describes a novella as taking a canoe down a narrow canyon and just seeing what it is the canyon....my idea is of a snowball ...not much room for subplots...this book started as a 3 day novel....it's an interesting experiment....you have to be ready to not answer the phone.....when I started all I knew it was a young woman who had bright orange hair....I just sat down on a Friday night and wrote till my fingers bled....that 3 day novel did not win...it went into that drawer...everyone has that drawer....then in 2010 a friend had a really sad cancer and I couldn't write....but if I don't write I get kind of crazy so I pulled this thing out and it went through a complete revision and entered it in a novella competition...it won and that's why it was published." With that Heidi read from her novella. (A fascinating read) "It's not very happy at home with Randy" "her body is soft and flabby and not what he expected" "she dreams" "the baby starts to cry" "I had a hard time with that book. It took me to places I didn't know I could go. I thought of pulling it ." Asked by the audience about the contest and why she went in "I just did and didn't know I could write 30,000 words....the contest has gone on for 30 years." Discussion in the group about the 3 day novel....."Anvil press had it....Pulp had started it in the late 60's...then another outfit jumped up and they continue to call themselves the 3 days novel." "Were you at SFU and have a child in daycare?" someone asked and they then waxed poetic about the day care at Simon Frazer...."there was so much cultural enrichment...there was always something great going on...these little kids would traipse on over to the theatre at noon." Room - is a vancouver based publication - here is a poem I'd like to end with "The Poem I am not going to write". The poem I'm an not going to write excuses herself daily........ Questions and answers followed. Break the meetings over.

Word on the Street 2012, Vancouver, Canada

Word on the Street, Vancouver Book and Magazine Festival, 2012 was a big hit this year with thousands attending and hundreds of participants. Tents surrounded the Vancouver Central Library, a fitting venue for a world class festival. Readings from local and international authors ranged all day. Booths for writers, editors, schools and just about anything related to writing were represented. There were even reading glasses on sale.
I was impressed by the volunteers at the Canadian Authors Association booth. I'd just missed Anthony Dalton, I heard, but was delighted to chat with Margot Bates, Robert Mackay, Jean Kay and Bernice Lever. I actually met Bernice's adult children who ,no doubt because of Bernice's poetry, turned out themselves to be highly creative. It's part of the fascination of the Canadian Author's Assocation and festivals like this that one actually meets the genius behind the books we so enjoy. Patrick Taylor, author of the Irish Country Doctor series was on site, there for a reading later in the day.
I walked about and heard several readings going on in tents. A couple of musical poetic events were truly avante garde. The crowds certainly spoke to the ever increasing appreciation for this event. Despite or because of digital we all are reading more.
While I bought a t shirt for the event, I did come away with the 'feel good in the hand real old fashioned paper version of the book Gas! The Battle for Ypress 1915 by James L McWilliams and R. James Steel, recalling the Canadian soldiers in the WWI encounters with mustard gas and other neural toxins.
A great day for readers and writers alike!
































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Summer Dream Reading Festival - CAA

I received emails last week from the Canadian Author's Association telling me about this weekend extravaganza, "Summer Dream Reading Festival" at Trout Lake. Whose who and everyone whose ever written prose, poetry or jibberish was going to be there. Definitely a premiere authors and poet's event of Vancouver, British Columbia, Western Canada and the United States.
Joanne at work reminded me on Friday. My friend, Laura, whose 5th grandchild was distractingly clamouring to leave her mother's belly to attend, told me Saturday "Margaret and Bob are reading at 2 pm".
I'd not been to Trout Lake. The Trout Lake Market is already a global event which brings cars, trucks, motorcycles and prams from all over the North American continent. The "Summer Dream Reading Festival" added to that. There was no parking before Squamish north and White Rock south. Gilbert, the dog, loved the hike from the car to the park.
Bernie Lever, poet extraordinaire, told me later there was all kinds of parking a hop skip and jump away, on the Nanaimo side, away from the Market. The "food for the belly" folk apparently got in close so they could waddle back to their cars and left the parking nearer the reading area for the 'food for the mind and soul' folk.
Personally, I was more impressed by the gigantic UFO hovering over the event broadcasting subsonically, "There is intelligent life on earth. It's very creative too!"
I was sitting at the Granville Stage listening to a woman reciting children's poetry when I heard Bob Mackay's unforgettable voice. Writer of the award winning "Soldier of the Horse" he was at the Main stage.. I scurried over to the Main Stage recognising poet Jean Kay's coifed white hair anywhere. Jean's poetry is highly inspirational and oftimes very amusing.
Margaret Anne Hume was on stage reading a delightful passage from "My Life, Adventures of an RCAF Flying Officer, Eaton's Manager and Family Man" written with and by her father, Albert Mair MacLean.
Barbara Mumford was manning the Canadian Author's Association table which displayed the wealth of Mumford writings from travels around the world as well as books by a dozen other CAA authors. Poet Lilija Valis was present in fine form with her recent book, Freedom on the Fault Line.
Anita Meittune, our very own Vancouver CAA writer's circle coordinator waxed poetic about writing circles, only to have a circle of authors surround her to listen as a girl with fairy wings magically rode by on a bicycle towing a folded throne.
Gilbert, my cockapoo presented his poetry for me. A real scoop! I was glad to archive it at first opportunity so bid adieu.








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Canadian Author's Association - West Coast Branch Meeting - May 2012 and Arlene Prunkl

Author and President Robert Mackay opened the meeting only to have author Ben Nuttall Smith (Secrets Kept, Secret's Told)  announce that Bob's  novel, Soldier of the Horse, had won the North American Independent Publishers (Ippy) Gold medal for historical fiction. The following is from Bob's blog, http://www.robertwmackay.ca/soldierofthehorse.html

WEDNESDAY, MAY 9, 2012

Soldier of the Horse Wins Gold Medal

I am very excited to report that "Soldier of the Horse" has won a gold medal in the military/wartime fiction category at the 2012 Independent Publisher Book (IPPY) Awards. The IPPY's are a North America-wide contest, with entries from all over the globe.
One of my aims in writing "Soldier" was to tell Canadians about the Canadian Cavalry Brigade, whose activities in the Great War are known to few. And--the gold medal will look good on any subsequent printings!

Then Bob announced me as the night's  poet.  Courage is not fearlessness but rather doing the next  right thing in spite of fear.  I took the stage and recited 4 poems from my book of poetry.  Hell's Angels had come by earlier and explained that as I too drove a Harley there was expectation that the audience would applaud suitably.    The poems  were "Acute Pain and Chronic Pain", "I've Been Burnt Out for So Long", "Sloth", and "My New Year".   This was followed by applause after which I paid those individuals I'd seeded the audience with in case the Hell's Angel help had met ethical resistance.

I was followed by the main speaker who I, being paranoid as usual, felt personally was chosen for this night by friends who having read my blog on occasion had noticed a significant editorial deficiency.  They may well have also heard me bemoan my missing the editor from the Medical Post who had on more than one occasion when I was writing for them more frequently, kept me out of jail, by his editorial suggestions.
Arlene Prunkl of Penultimate Editorial Services, info@penultimateword.com, was a very pretty four eyes, slim, blond, articulate and intelligent.  An excellent speaker whose words indicated years of diplomatic training working with authors. She has editted hundreds of fiction and non fiction books.  With great tact she has avoided cement boots to date.
She began by saying, "I know these are your babies" and yet she went on to imply that babies often benefit from an editor's refinements.
The first part of her talk was "Seven Reasons Writers Need Editors".
"Perfection is impossible," she said, while admitting she herself was a perfectionist. Still, a writer needs "a professional set of eyes because writers are too close to their work."  She made a strong point of distinction between a professional editor and the former grade school or college English teacher, or the family member.  "Half of my authors have graduate degrees and some of them in English".
Having done some work in editting myself I so appreciated hearing her admit "editors have a gift or talent for 'hearing the work'' which certainly sums up why I know something  I read isn't right. What I was impressed with in Arlene was that in contrast to me she didn't say things like "any moron would know that's how it's supposed to be written, get your dunce cap on and sit in the corner."  She showed no evidence of rapid mood swings while reading bad writing and clearly had no history of chasing a poor "would be" writer with a knife on behalf of protecting the English language.  She was a picture of patience by comparison.
There was a lot of laughter from the audience when she said, "an editor will be passionate about their work and be perfectionist - not good traits in life, but good in an editor."
"Don't be afraid that your baby will be criticized."
"A good editor is an ally and wants to help you with the business of writing.'
She encouraged self publication but described what she meant by self publishing.
"Just because you're self publishing doesn't mean you can't be the best."
"As the publisher you contract out - decide which tasks you're best at - do those things, writing, and marketting for instance, or cover design, but hire a pro for those things you aren't....do those things you do best....hire someone to finesse the work, and best someone with years of experience."
She was all in favour of ebooks as they saved money on lay out, design and printing but she said that too often because of the errors of not having an editor, reviewers will see only the errors and jump on them.  "An editor is money well spent.'
"The cost is the greatest argument against editting but people rarely write bad reviews because of the cover art."
"Mistakes jar the reader out of the fictional world you have created, not just copywriting errors but plot and point of view errors. Point of view has deep subtleties editors can help a writer with to their and the reader's mutual benefit."
Given the cost of editting she offered the suggestion that writers, submitting work to publishers,  consider having their cover letter and first three chapters editted before sending them to publishers. This is what publishers would appreciate and is a likely way of avoiding one's work getting a quick passage to the dustbin
As her seventh point she explained that working with an editor was a means to becoming a better writer.  "It's like hundreds of dollars of personal education in writing - all the notes about your own work."  "All my writers have thanked me for what they have learned."
In questions from the audience she discussed the differences between editting non fiction and fiction, working with genres, poetry and writing for children.
She described how she used "Track Changes" in "Word" and how her work today is principally with digital copy though she has done some manuscripts for older people where it's been in paper.
In response to specific questions about cost she explained that she charged $45 an hour while the editting rate was usually $30 to $55.  She is a member of the professional editor societies in Canada and clearly there was merit in hiring those who were so accreditted if only in relation to the cost. She explained that professional editors decide their project cost always on "word count".  The usual policy is to have a 1000 pages of writing given to the editor who then reads it to decide the cost per work. "Everything depends on your writing and the quality of writing."  The better the quality of writing the less editting required, the faster the rate of reading which could vary per individual as much as 2 words an hour to 12 words an hour.  Then the number of pages is factored in, a thousand page novel costing decidedly more than a 100 page children's book. She described children's books as the least expensive to edit because they are commonly shorter works.
She adds another 10 to 15% to the over all cost for administrative time, discussion, research, etc.  "Most editors work out a project rate. Everything is about word count and quality'.
In the second part of her talk she focused on editting itself.
"95% of fiction is about character," she said.  "The Hero, the primary struggler, should revolve around a character flaw. This is then broken into mini struggles, each building to the next - there must be enough qualities in the characters for the reader to have empathy."
"Readers enjoy character driven novels, plot is important, but character drives. Make the characters more real and even give the villain some redeeming qualities of character where possible."
"Readers should have moments of recognition.'"
Arlene spoke in more depth about Point of View.  "Don't do head hopping in the same paragraph."
"Deep point of view allows a deep connection with the protagonist'.
Regarding plot she said, "Understand that plot isn't just a series of events. Plot is about a character with a problem often internal and emotional, having conflict, tension and struggle. Complications arise from the conflict. There is crisis, climax and resolution.
"Don't forget scene building.  A novel breaks down into parts, chapters and scenes.  Each chapter should have a mini plot and contain the same elements of 'problem, struggle, tension, crisis,and partial resolution.'  It's a method of writing that works and you want all the structural elements."
"Avoid poorly written or unnatural dialogue",
"Don't overuse dialogue tags".
"Use action sentences to assist dialogue."
"Beware of 'ly' adverbs.  Show don't tell. Showing always takes more words than telling.'
"Use contractions in dialogue. Contractions are used in speaking".
"All dialogue should advance the plot."
"Balance dialogue with plot".
"Don't back story dump - layer the back story through the overall work'.
"Don't info dump - don't tell the reader all you know about something in the next 10 pages."
"Exposition is exposing facts."
"Beware that narrative or narration can slow a story down.'
"One of the most common errors is not cutting to the chase....get to the inciting incident early....a reader shouldn't have to wait for the action to begin.  Get to the incident that started the protagonists change early'
"Another common writing error is 'weak and sagging middle sections".
"It is your job to engage the reader at every spot - are they showing character growth or advancing the plot".
"Too much plot and not enough character can be a problem too."  "I've read battle scenes that go on for so long I don't know whose sword is sticking who".
"Even in an action scene you can inject a paragraph showing what is going on in the protagonists head. Readers want to be in the head".
"Avoid predictability and cliches'.
"Beware of metaphors and similes. They should be original and should reflect the plot and character'.
"Don't have a lousy ending....especially one that just peters out....the conclusion should do more than a wrap up....not every lose end needs to be wrapped up but the ending must be satisfying."
In the following question time Arlene spoke to ethical editting, plagarisms and discussed the merits or lack there of  various on line 'self publishing' companies.
Concluding she received  a round of applause before being swarmed and tackled  by the audience members having a zillion questions about pros and cons of baby diapers and what suckies work best.
As so often happens on nights like these the evening ends.  Our parking meter was up and Gilbert was waiting for a pee walk back home.  I talked with Ben http://web.me.com/bennuttallsmith/BenNuttall-Smith.ca/Home_Page.html about the excellent sales of his historical novel Blood Feathers and Holy Men and his publisher Libros Libertad.  Ben has a book of poetry in the works so had some helpful insights to share on how best to go ahead with my most recent book of poetry. Poet Jean Kay, http://www.canauthorsvancouver.org/kay/index.html must have been roughed up bad by the bikers because she shared with me that she actually liked my poetry.  I've loved hers now for years and was delighted when I learned that she makes it a point to write a poem a day whether she needs to or not.  Marvellous discipline.
On the way home Laura 'opined' that she had learned so much from Arlene Prunkl. It really was a fine evening.

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Canadian Authors Association - West Coast Branch - March 14, 2012

http://www.canauthorsvancouver.org/
Laura and I arrived fashionably late for an evening soiree of  culture. Every month an international gathering of Vancouver wordsmiths "happens" at the Alliance for Arts and Culture, 938 Howe Street.
A brilliant man was reading an extraordinary piece of literature. I had rather hoped to pop in when Bob Mackay, the chapter president was doing house keeping chores and announcements so I could enter with flair making profuse excuses in a loud stage whisper.  Bob is a published writer and his Soldier of the Horse novel is doing remarkably well in print so in such good humor, he'd merely be amused. . This handsome older gentleman with  robust and humorous prose was unknown to me. One dare's not interrupt an unknown writer in their reading as they might well  fashion you as an  immoral character in some future famous writing.
Tonight's main entertainment though was Hal Wake.
He shared that he began as a very 'shy and awkward child' whose sister forced him to join Coop Radio. For  20 years he was the literary reviewer for CBC. Peter Gzowski's Morningside was running 6 literary interviews a week while he was reading 3 books a week trying to keep up.  Now he's the artistic director for Vancouver's International Writer's Festival which for 25 years has turned Granville Island in August into a place of ideas.  Every year a hundred writers come to read, discuss, and mingle with the 14,000 readers who flock to this most beautiful of cities..  Every two weeks at the Vancouver Library throughout the year  there are readings held as well. The idea of a reading itself has grown with accompanying music, panel discussions and interviews.  His own interview with Alice Munro was remembered for the 450 person standing ovation that went on for many minutes.   "I give all credit to the founders," Hal said, with the humility and generosity that characterized his whole presentation.
He asked though that the 50 or so people who had come out  that black and rainy night to share in this intimate gathering to keep  his words secret.    I wasn't sure what he was most concerned about as he had told us with great candour Elizabeth Hay had shared  the  story of him in the closet.
The word "secret'  however triggered the Chinese and CIA  devices lurking in all the room's  cell phones. Complete audio reports of his disclosures of humorous and frankly generous anecdotes about the gazillion writers he'd  known were instantly emailed to the world's intelligence services.  At the same time a previously unnoticed red coated  parrot crossed with a carrier pigeon took flight departing the hall to fly out the open door. The red coated  parrot pigeon was  a Canadian low budget intelligence alternative that would fly to Ottawa where it would repeat word for word all Hal Wake had said, albeit a week or two later.
Even before the poor Canadian Parrot Pigeon spy was flying over Sudbury, the complete text of Hal Wake's presentation was being spread throughout Homeland Security. Global intelligence types, given the oxymoron, were reading Canadian playwrights in search of desperate acts. As the poor parrot pigeon was landing atop the parliament buildings Wikileaks had disclosed the latest opinions of Americans, Chinese, Korean, Russian, British, Israeii, Japanese , Saudi and for unknown reasons PEI ministers about Hal Wake.  The file was code named "Anne of Green Gables"
Once the red sage  parrot pigeon  was retrieved, Prime Minister Stephen Harper, after a timely briefing, declined to answer questions by the opposition party about Hal Wakes.
The Vancouver International Writers Festival 2012 would go on to even greater acclaim as a result of all the covert publicity. It helped too that someone leaked to a Quebec Member of Parliament that the now famous red sage parrot pigeon was indeed not bilingual. The bird, flushed from the federal service, returned to Granville Island where it was last seen cavorting with one of the local Bald Headed Eagles.