September 6, 2016: Online book launch of The Spawning Grounds

[Emily De Angelis]

I'm learning how to just write scenes and put the jigsaw together later, but it's so difficult when you want to see the story unfold. I think I get impatient. Scrivener is certainly helping because all of the scenes are so neatly organized on the screen. Of course, the writing crap part comes naturally!

I hear you sister! "the writing crap part comes naturally" Ha!

 

[Gail Anderson-Dargatz]

I have another piece of news that I’m just thrilled about. Daryl Cloran, who has just stepped in as artistic director for the Citadel in Edmonton, has adapted The Cure for Death by Lightning and the Western Canada Theatre production of it will open in April 2017. Daryl wasn’t able to join us today because he’s in rehearsal, but I’ll pass on his comments from the WCT website:

"I’m excited about our whole season, but this is the show I’m most looking forward to bringing you. Gail Anderson-Dargatz’s novel is one of the best Canadian novels ever written. It’s set in Turtle Valley and is very much about this region and the people who live here. I have turned the novel into a play. It was a huge task that took a few years, but I’m so proud of how it turned out and can’t wait for you to see it. This production tackles some darker subject matter, but with Gail’s incredibly unique characters and some truly striking theatrical images, it will be a night of theatre to remember." - Daryl

 

[Deborah Serravalle]

Gail, are you looking forward to touring for the book? I'm certainly looking forward to seeing you in Hamilton, On., my hometown.

 

[Catharine Lawrence]

I really like the notion of "habit" because even with the things we feel most passionate about or committed to, if you don't develop a habit to address them it is difficulty to move forward. That goes for any artistic endeavor. My sister is a visual artist and she struggles with this too.

I know exactly what you mean Emily. Today was so weird for me. The first day of school and I actually wrote most of the day! Can I give myself permission to do this every day now without being discouraged is the question.

 

[Karen Essex]

Hi everyone. Late to the party and catching up. Apprentice writer and lurker extraordinaire, I must say (before I return to hiding): congratulations Gail! I loved hearing you read your first chapter just now; your voice, the images, the music -- all so beautiful. I can't wait to get my hands on a copy. I'm sure it will take me home, somehow.

 

[Laurie Elmquist]

Hi everybody! I'm just joining you. Long walks are the best as are talks with other writers. It took me a month to come up with a new outline after Gail worked on my first draft. I'm just started rewriting now.

Hi Catharine! I like your "talks with other writers" comment. I miss our talks in Providence Bay!!

 

[Ann Eriksson]

I have another piece of news that I’m just thrilled about. Daryl Cloran, who has just stepped in as artistic director for the Citadel in Edmonton, has adapted The Cure for Death by Lightning and the Western Canada Theatre production of it will open in April 2017. Daryl wasn’t able to join us today because he’s in rehearsal, but I’ll pass on his comments from the WCT website:

"I’m excited about our whole season, but this is the show I’m most looking forward to bringing you. Gail Anderson-Dargatz’s novel is one of the best Canadian novels ever written. It’s set in Turtle Valley and is very much about this region and the people who live here. I have turned the novel into a play. It was a huge task that took a few years, but I’m so proud of how it turned out and can’t wait for you to see it. This production tackles some darker subject matter, but with Gail’s incredibly unique characters and some truly striking theatrical images, it will be a night of theatre to remember." - Daryl

Whoopee!!!

 

[June Hutton]

Walking and yoga really help me out here, to find clarity and focus. (Which I'm frankly lacking at the moment )

If you are at all fuzzy -- and I doubt that -- you deserve it after all the work to get The Spawning Grounds to press. Time to celebrate. How do you celebrate, by the way?

 

[Catharine Lawrence]

I hear you sister! "the writing crap part comes naturally" Ha!

Like you, Liisa, I'm so impatient to move the story that writing scenes is something I'm going to have to learn really painfully!

 

[Laurie Elmquist]

I know exactly what you mean Emily. Today was so weird for me. The first day of school and I actually wrote most of the day! Can I give myself permission to do this every day now without being discouraged is the question.

Ha, ha...when I first read this I thought you meant that we should all write on the first day of teaching and just keep going that way all semester which sounded like a pretty good idea.

 

[Catharine Lawrence]

Hi Catharine! I like your "talks with other writers" comment. I miss our talks in Providence Bay!!

Oh God, me too! I miss all of the talks and walks together!

 

[Catharine Lawrence]

Ha, ha...when I first read this I thought you meant that we should all write on the first day of teaching and just keep going that way all semester which sounded like a pretty good idea.

Excellent!

 

[Gail Anderson-Dargatz]

Daniel was asking about real life inspirations for the book. You can see a few in the blogs I posted. I have to say this novel is the least "personal" of all the novels I've written in that I didn't look to family or personal stories for inspiration for The Spawning Grounds. I was more inspired by the history of our rivers and by BC history. But the grief over losing my mother early on as I wrote this novel did drift into this project. You'll see it in the grief Hannah feels over losing her mother. I knew I was about to lose Mom as I finished my last book, Turtle Valley, and you can again see that grief, particularly at the end of that novel. She died just shortly before the book was published, back in 2007. So even when we find inspiration from outside our personal lives, something of it does find its way in ...

 

[Gail Anderson-Dargatz]

If you are at all fuzzy -- and I doubt that -- you deserve it after all the work to get The Spawning Grounds to press. Time to celebrate. How do you celebrate, by the way?

Hah! Well, I haven't had a chance to yet. We only arrived back home from Manitoulin a week ago. So it's been a mad scramble to get the kids to school, Mitch off to his teaching gig and me to start my own teaching year before the tour starts. But when it all calms down, I've promised myself a massage.

And chocolate. Chocolate is my thing.

 

[Rosanna Battigelli]

Learning to think of your manuscript as a magical jigsaw puzzle, where you can shift around the pieces over and over and in many different ways, is very freeing. Keeps the momentum up.

I love it when I pick up a piece of a 1000-piece jigsaw puzzle, and I set it down exactly where it is meant to go! It's magic! The mysterious forces of the universe are working! That's how I've always felt about writing my novel. In creativity, magic and mystery are swirling about, and when something clicks when I'm writing, I feel like another piece of my story is in the right place. And yes, often there is much shifting, both in puzzle-making or novel-writing, but oh, when that piece fits, it's magic!

 

[Gail Anderson-Dargatz]

It's magic! The mysterious forces of the universe are working!

Oh, and everyone, Rosanna has had some exciting successes this year. Check them out on her Facebook page!

 

[Christina Foster]

Great discussion Gail and fans! We can't wait to read the new book! Keep writing and creating magic!
--Christina and Greg (The Crossroad Magdalenes)

 

[Gail Anderson-Dargatz]

Gail, are you looking forward to touring for the book? I'm certainly looking forward to seeing you in Hamilton, On., my hometown.

I'm looking forward to uninterrupted time in the great hotel bathtubs!

But yes, now that I'm starting to get back into the groove of things I am. Had my first interview today, two tomorrow, another the next day. Traveling away from my kids is a bit daunting but I'm sure Mitch will handle things on the home front.

The real treat is meeting so many writers on the road, at festivals and events. I love that.

 

[Laurie Elmquist]

Daniel was asking about real life inspirations for the book. You can see a few in the blogs I posted. I have to say this novel is the least "personal" of all the novels I've written in that I didn't look to family or personal stories for inspiration for The Spawning Grounds. I was more inspired by the history of our rivers and by BC history. But the grief over losing my mother early on as I wrote this novel did drift into this project. You'll see it in the grief Hannah feels over losing her mother. I knew I was about to lose Mom as I finished my last book, Turtle Valley, and you can again see that grief, particularly at the end of that novel. She died just shortly before the book was published, back in 2007. So even when we find inspiration from outside our personal lives, something of it does find its way in ...

It seems important to let grief into our stories. It can be the inspiration for writing a story or perhaps it supplies realistic details that make the story unique.

 

[Mitch Krupp]

I'm sure Mitch will handle things on the home front

Hey kids .... Pizza again ...