I have fluttered and dabbled and adventured my way through life, but the one constant has always been WRITING. I can’t not write. And you don’t want me to not write either, because I get anxious and grumpy.
I had starry-eyed poet aspirations when I was in university, turned to screenwriting when I fell in love with moving images, and landed in literary and speculative fiction with a focus on children’s and young adult literature. It makes sense, though, because I certainly live in a world of my own making and never really wanted to grow up.
The first four books in my middle grade fantasy series Faerie Tales from the White Forest were released from boutique press Hydra House, with the fifth and sixth coming in Fall 2017 & Fall 2018. The rest of my publications may be found HERE.
Using my skills and experience as an award-winning spoken word artist and 20+ years in the classroom, I developed my Imaginary Worlds Tours Events and often take my show on the road to schools, libraries, bookstores, conferences, and festivals across North America. One of my favourite things to do is get up in front of a group of children and act like a child myself.
In addition to the above, I have worked in the film and television industry doing welfare and education for kids on set for such films as Tomorrowland, Disney’s Descendants, and the film adaptation of R. J. Palacio’s Wonder (directed by the amazing Stephen Chbosky of The Perks of Being a Wallflower fame).
I live on the beautiful Sunshine Coast of British Columbia with my incredibly geeky family. Our dream is to create a “zero footprint” home – beehives, chickens, & goats are definitely in our future – and form a band (if only to entertain ourselves and our patient neighbours).
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This website contains discussions around children’s literature and speculative fiction, writing exercises, life exercises, and other randomness about the writing life I pick up along the way.
PHOTO BY CORY PERMACK
art predator says
i have 3 cars.
much of the time recently 2 of the don’t work.
some days we don’t even get in the car that does work.
those are good days.
openchannel says
Yes, but you also live in Ventucky, where I assume the bus system isn’t quite as good as Vancouver. I could be wrong. I love sky-train, too.
When it’s nice out, we bike. Baby bikes much more than I do, though. He even bikes in the rain.
Dave Bonta says
Are you planning to import your posts from the old blog? (Look under Tools -> Import on your WP dashboard.) I ask because I’d like to subscribe to one or the other blog, but not both. I can barely keep up with all the blogs on my blogroll right now, and am loathe to expand it much, but find it hard to exclude blogs with such great writing as yours.
openchannel says
Hi Dave!
Thanks! I can’t remember how I found your site, but I was drawn to your words as well.
Subscribe to this one. The original Accidental Novelist will be phased out by Jan 31, 2008 and I will only be using the (writes again) blog.
I wasn’t planning to import the other blog, I’d like a fresh start over here, but I’ll check into it.
Brad says
You are a fascinating individual indeed, and I’ve enjoyed working my way through your writing here. I think you should expect to see me back again soon. Cheers.
Hello Brad! It’s great to hear new voices. Thanks for playing.
Jen Jewel Brown says
Some great tools here. Thanks for the tips.
meeshelleneal says
You rock!!
The Accidental Novelist says
Hi Meesh! You’re pretty rocky yourself, girlfriend.
Millie Ho says
Thank you for telling me about the 3:15 Experiment. Writing raw and psychedelic is right up my alley. I think writers are naturally loners, so a “collective consciousness” composed of like-minded people is infinitely appealing.
You run a great blog. Looking forward to more literary discourse. 🙂
The Accidental Novelist says
Sure thing, Millie – and perhaps you’ll join us in 2012. All my experimentation was born out of my time at Naropa Institute (now University) – a fine place if one is interested in the non-mainstream side of writing and poetics (eco-poetics, language poetry, ethno-poetics, performance poetry, collaborative poetics, etc)