A few weeks ago, I received a message from The Writer Magazine's editor, Nicki Porter. Delight of all delights; my short story Lady Friend made it to the semi-final of their Fall Short Story contest. I was floored, and excited.
Yesterday, I was informed I hadn't won with the most supportive and complimentary email, along with the one suggestion that might have helped my story go further. I've added their suggestion, and have reposted on my writing page. I hope you enjoy Lady Friend.
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Happy reading,
Joanne

I was recently asked to write an article for CritiqueMatch.com, the service I've been using for beta readers, and today's it is live!  Brian Henry, writing coach/teacher of Quick Brown Fox fame first taught me the idea of the poop sandwich, and have since heard versions of it: the poop burger, for instance, or the shit what breeds success. But Brian's is the one that has stuck with me. For more, you can read about it here.
Thanks Mark and the gang at Critique Match. You've got a great thing going on over there and I am flattered to be asked to write for your blog. I hope your readers find it helpful.
Joanne

 So let me introduce myself. You can read about me on the "About" page, and perhaps you already have. I'm published in several magazines, non-fiction books (including my own: "Twelve Months of Knitting." My published short stories are on my "Writing" page above. I'll soon have an article published on a blog in March 2021 (news coming soon!). I've written two novels, "Love and Terror" - my practice novel, and "Off the Grid" - ready to take flight and I'm looking for a literary agent for this baby of mine.

In the meantime, I help with critiquing and editing on CritiqueMatch.com, and with my own writing group, gals that have helped nurture my writing, and I hope I have helped them in some way.

Other than that, I'm a devout gardener, love the cottage and outdoors, hiking, swimming, kayaking, knitting, decorating, photography, and travelling (when there's not a pandemic). Speaking of COVID, yes, it walloped me and my husband back in March 2020, the same year I graduated Queen's University with a degree in English Literature & Language. Perhaps I should write about COVID some day.

​My favourite authors are Donna Tartt, Gil Adamson, Zadie Smith, Margaret Atwood, Emily St. John Mandel, Camilla Gibb, Patrick DeWitt, Joan Didion, and a bunch more you can find on Goodreads, and going back a while, Jane Austin, Tennessee Williams, Mary Shelley, and of course, Shakespeare.