Every writer approaches the process of creation differently, finding the seed of inspiration in a single inciting incident or a complete story, a character or an emotion, an ideology, or the dynamic between individuals. For me, the seed is often setting.
My life has been influenced by where I live; by the temperamental yet stunningly beautiful Lake Superior, by the boreal forests and the creatures that call them home, by the ancient worn ridges of the Nor’Wester Mountains, and the myriad of lakes and rivers that are flung like a jewels across the vast unpopulated stretches of northern Ontario. And so, this place seeps into my stories, affecting plot, defining character, and molding themes. And in some cases, becoming a character itself.
As a child, I spent many summers sailing on Lake Superior. My parents owned a sequence of sailboats, starting with a sixteen-foot daysailer and eventually graduating to a thirty-two foot sloop that that allowed us to venture farther. Our weekends and summer vacations were spent on the boat exploring the islands and anchorages of the north shore.
My life has been influenced by where I live; by the temperamental yet stunningly beautiful Lake Superior, by the boreal forests and the creatures that call them home, by the ancient worn ridges of the Nor’Wester Mountains, and the myriad of lakes and rivers that are flung like a jewels across the vast unpopulated stretches of northern Ontario. And so, this place seeps into my stories, affecting plot, defining character, and molding themes. And in some cases, becoming a character itself.
As a child, I spent many summers sailing on Lake Superior. My parents owned a sequence of sailboats, starting with a sixteen-foot daysailer and eventually graduating to a thirty-two foot sloop that that allowed us to venture farther. Our weekends and summer vacations were spent on the boat exploring the islands and anchorages of the north shore.
RSS Feed