I wonder about the kids

Every so often I wonder how it's possible that people can raise children that don't turn into serial killers. We all have what seem like horror stories of when we were a kid, and if we listen to our parents stories they are a hundred times worse. "Walking to school 10 miles, in eight feet of snow, up hill, both ways... the snow was so deep, I had to carry my horse," and so on. So, how is it that we all survived? Although not all of us are perfectly intact, with some seriously bad stuff in our childhoods. Not mine, so much, the worst thing I had to deal with was growing up on a farm, doing farm chores as a teenager who wanted to do nothing but lay on his ass inside where it's warm.

I fight with my son to help do simple chores around the house, and it's like I've destroyed his life. Wow, how things have changed. I guess when I was his age, I fought tooth and nail not to have to go work with my dad, although the work was altogether different. I don't blame him, I guess, but I will still give him grief if he's unwilling to get off his butt and help me do a little work around the house.
It's not like he has to carry five-gallon pails full of water to the horses in the barn, in 30 below weather, or have to carry 100 pound greenfeed bales up to the loft of the barn or anything... or walk to the school bus, up hill, both ways.
Damn.

A Pretty Good Week

After having my art exhibit opening at the Public Library on Monday night, I was on top of the world. I had a great weekend leading up to it, finding out that not only was my new paintings going to be on display and for sale, I was accepted to be on the TV show A Total Write-Off, hosted by Barbara North. I'm looking forward to it, it should be a lot of fun, and great for my writing career.
More after the jump.

Added to that, I received a letter from an American publisher that would like to see the completed manuscript of The Ghost Dance. It's a small step, but one that I've never achieved before. I'm very excited, albeit nervous as hell. I know that even if they pass on the book, I've made big strides in this crazy writing world.
I'm building a marketing plan to send with the manuscript, which I think will be a good highlight for me, since I'm already in the media, I have a built-in way to promote myself within the Star News brand and the newspapers I write for on a weekly basis.
I've agreed to stay on as the member-at-large for the Writers Guild of Alberta once again (AGM is in October), although the prez, playwrite Vern Thiesen asked if I would like to put my name forward as vice-president. I'm not sure about my availability and how much work that may entail, so I'm going to talk to last year's vice, Lori Lavallee what the commitment might be.
In between painting like crazy and working, I've been pounding away at my newest story idea. I'm still not sure how far it will fly, but I'm starting at the beginning, I guess a good place to start. I can see the characters forming in my head and as they hit the paper, I just haven't thought out the complete plot yet. During the writing process with Ghost Dance, I started writing it, then hit a snag when I realized that I didn't have the whole plot thought out. I knew where the story was going, but not exactly. It was helpful to sit down and draw out a basic map with scene ideas and then as I wrote the scenes other scenes formed almost of their own volition. It was like writing my favourite book, like I was reading it as it was being written. Does that sound stupid? I think I'm tired. Going to pound out a few scenes before I shut 'er down for the night.

Painting with wax

Just over the past few weeks, I've been trying a new technique that uses candle waxed dripped onto a canvas, before it's painted on. I've used a glue and gesso to bind the wax better to the canvas before I paint acrylic paint over top. The effect was unplanned, but so far, the last nine paintings have turned pretty freakin' good. Okay, probably six are pretty freakin' good, the rest are alright.
I've also been pounding away at a new story idea that may evolve into another novel, but I'm not sure where it's going yet, it's just in the infancy stage. I would like to bring my sarcastic shit newspaper reporter character, Sirus Carter, from The Ghost Dance and have him continue on in another story, but I'm still mulling it over.
Another Wainwright Arts Festival meeting tonight, and we're making good progress. The arts festival will run from November 27 to December 2 at the Wainwright Communiplex, with the literary night held at the public library. Everyone seems on board and I'm hoping to sell some paintings as well as do a reading from The Ghost Dance at the open mic.
Next meeting will be Sept 28, at 7 p.m. at the library.

Wainwright Arts Festival Week

It's Wednesday, and here in Wainwright, we're working on a new Arts Festival Week that will hopefully showcase local artists, writers, actors, filmmakers and musicians. It's something we need for this community, in my opinion. I'm chairing the group, and we'll see what happens. The publisher of Star News Inc., Roger Holmes, has agreed to sponsor the group and help us out with a budget to run the events. I'm looking forward to the first organization meeting this Thursday at the public library.
Those that are interested in taking part and are from the area are encouraged to contact me at Star News.
Kelly