Much as I loved reading Stieg Larsson’s trilogy, which I posted about previously, I’ve been delighted to dig into something completely different – 
No Great Mischief by Alistair MacLeod , a wizard with prose. I was particularly struck by the following passage, in which the protagonist talks about his brothers.
“I would see my brothers rolling through the streets in whichever of the battered, rusted, reconstructed cars they were using at the time. In memory, it seems always to be winter, although I know it was not so. Yet they seem to ride most consistently through streets of muffled snow; to glide almost quietly, in spite of their imperfectly tuned engine, through the snow beneath the balding tires and through the flakes that slanted down, yellow and golden before the headlights.”
Having spent over thirty years in Winnipeg and endured many a long winter, I can see the movie Alistair MacLeod has conjured up so brilliantly with his words. This novel is not a page turner, rather a book that entices you to savor the words in the story. And it’s not just the words that keep me enthralled, it’s the family he portrays here. The characters are so rich in detail; they come alive with all their sorrows and their joys. 
Although this photo to the right was taken on my recent cruise to Alaska, it was a fitting scene to ponder as I read No Great Mischief. Let me just say, ice figures in the author’s story.
As for my own writing, I’ve begun dusting off my first novel The Rubber Fence, in hopes of seeing it published in the near future. Whether I go the traditional route or try self-publishing, time will tell.
So, with tons of questions in mind, I tuned into a free webinar put on today by the Author Learning Center. The topic was 7 Tips to Digital Publishing Success by literary agent, Laure MacLean. I was so impressed by her generosity. She spelled out clearly the steps a writer can take to get themselves known and how to take advantage of e-publishing opportunities. It was only an hour’s talk, but by the end of it, I was both encouraged and inspired. Now, I’m anxious to get started.
