Tag Archives: entertaining

Aug23

TENDER TUESDAYS – PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES #4

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TENDER TUESDAYS – PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES #4

YOU MEAN WE HAVE TO TAKE IT OUT ON THE WATER!

Sailboat ownership was new territory for Prairie Girl. She was so busy getting the new school year launched, that she barely had time to perseverate on the fact that they now owned their very own Catalina. Warm, fuzzy feelings descended upon her whenever she’d mention to her colleagues and parents at her school that they were now proud sailboat owners! (Oh yeah, she was still locked into her rosy vision of the beautiful people sailing in white, flowing nautical clothing, sipping champagne in the evening under the stars.) Obviously not grounded in reality! DUH! Instead of seeing a Catalina 27 that had had better days, she was transporting herself … Read the rest

Aug10

TENDER TUESDAYS – PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES # 2

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TENDER TUESDAYS – PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES # 2

I know, I know… it’s back to Wacky Wednesdays.  So hard to keep on a schedule while traveling and working on one’s book!

YOU WANT PRAIRIE GIRL TO DO WHAT?

-A SAILING GET-AWAY? ARE YOU CRAZY?

My boyfriend (now husband) had enthusiastically sailed in his earlier years, and when he suggested that we should charter a boat for a weekend and give it a try, I somewhat reluctantly agreed. After all, I was PRAIRIE GIRL, what did I know about sailing the Pacific Northwest? Absolutely nothing! He, on the other hand, had apparently moved to Vancouver Island for a stint in his early 30’s and immediately notified the Royal Victoria Yacht Club that he was … Read the rest

Jul27

TENDER TUESDAYS – PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES # 1

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TENDER TUESDAYS – PRAIRIE GIRL SERIES # 1

WARNING: RACE TO BUOYS AT YOUR OWN RISK!

We can be spontaneous! Can’t we? Plans changed, our expected company cancelled, and guess what? A long weekend out on our Catalina 28 stretched before us (the first one all season, where the gods had aligned us with a free weekend and a perfect wind and sunshine prediction). At least, that’s what we envisioned…

With 4 free days ahead of us, we toyed with destination possibilities and settled on the nearest – Mark Bay (between Newcastle Island and Nanaimo on Vancouver Island) – a mere 2.5 hour sail away from home! My working senior husband was exhausted from attending corporate meetings in Vancouver and his retired author wanna-be wife was due for … Read the rest

Jul4

TENDER TUESDAYS

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TENDER TUESDAYS

MEET INSPIRATION – Instalment #3

I know… I know…. it isn’t Tender Tuesday-it’s Marathon Monday.  That’s the point, I had to write my Tuesday post today…

I want to share how easily it is for me to relate to Dave Alavoine’s cartoons, as well as being inspired. In the PACIFIC YACHTING MAGAZINE (JUNE 2016 edition of COCKPIT CONFESSIONS), his cartoon illustrated a submitted story, entitled, SHORT WHITE WATER. The minute I read it, I was compelled to write about one of our early sailing experiences going through a pass in the Gulf Islands. (I’d love to scan this published cartoon here for you, but don’t want to break copyright.Please look it up!)

Several years … Read the rest

Jun28

TENDER TUESDAYS

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TENDER TUESDAYS

MEET INSPIRATION #2

I’m finally getting back on track after a chilly Spring Cruise with SCYC (our yacht club), an overhaul landscaping job of our front yard, a trip to Portland, setting up publishing files for my picture book, WHO’S the CAPTAIN? … just to name a few distractions from TENDER TUESDAYS!

On FREAKY FRIDAY, I explained how meeting Dave Alavoine (the cartoonist for COCKPIT CONFESSIONS in PACIFIC YACHTING MAGAZINE) and starting our collaborative process together was inspired. I had already written this repetitive language picture book with a sassy nautical glossary, and had prepared notes for what the action in the cartoons would look like and the dialogue that the sailing family on vacation would be … Read the rest

May31

TENDER TUESDAYS

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TENDER TUESDAYS

THE BINGO QUEEN

                        –“BORN TO BINGO”

We have a 92 year old BINGO QUEEN in the family. She has a Sunday/ Monday routine that includes prep for BINGO Mondays. Sunday evenings, she makes her lunch, has her bath, and her BINGO day outfit is laid out in preparation. Her daughter calls this their “Girls Day” outing together. This is great, except the odd hiccup may occur with this scheduled date. Her brother is never going to set foot in the BINGO HALL (that’s understood…), so guess who is the next best thing… that’s right- her daughter-in-law- ME!

I never realized what a serious business playing BINGO is, until my sister-in-law handed me a written plan, well in advance, detailing … Read the rest

May11

TENDER TUESDAYS

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TENDER TUESDAYS

CRUISE SHIP BRIDGE

-The GOOD, The BAD & The UGLY!

Part 1

Last fall, my husband and I embarked on a trip of a lifetime. Our cruise ship left Vancouver, British Columbia and travelled through the South Pacific Ocean and Islands, ending up in Sydney, Australia. But that was only the first leg of the trip. We then circumnavigated the entire continent of Australia visiting Bali, Indonesia and Komodo Island, as well. The entire cruise lasted 58 days! And I know what you’re thinking… What could this couple possibly do on a small ship (1200 passengers) with all those sea days between ports? Well, let me tell you, we were never bored; in fact, husband Ryan often complained of being … Read the rest

Apr13

AUTHOR VOICE

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AUTHOR VOICE

(Catalogue Article Submission to Red Tuque Books)

 WRITING with VOICE

by Mary Laudien

During my career as an educator/principal, I was innovative in structuring and implementing Writers’ Workshop in West Vancouver schools. The success that the students experienced by taking risks and realizing their potential as writers was brought home years later, when one of my earlier Grade One classes held a Grade 12 graduation party with their parents, and invited my former teaching partner and I to attend. The families wanted to acknowledge that they recognized how their confident children/learners had been so successfully launched in their school careers and were all anticipating exciting post secondary plans for their future. Writers’ Workshop was a powerful tool to bring … Read the rest

Jul8

SUMMERTIME IS BOOK TIME

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SUMMERTIME IS BOOK TIME

If you’ve been perusing the titles of books on Amazon, you will see the tag, “SUMMERTIME IS BOOK TIME” at the bottom of each of the titles’ ads. Like most people,we carve out more leisure time to read in the shade, poolside, or at a beach during the summer months. It’s also when you sign up your kids/grandkids into a Summer Reading Program at the library. As an author, its the perfect time to promote my Middle Grade Frenchie Series! These novels inspire tweens (ages 9-12) to read for entertainment. Readers relate to Ethan’s antics and scheming to own a bulldog, and realize that they too can write blogs about their passions.

I have a summer gift … Read the rest

Nov27

RAISE A READER @ OKANAGAN FALLS ELEMENTARY

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RAISE A READER @ OKANAGAN FALLS ELEMENTARY

                          Image

OKANAGAN FALLS  hosted a RAISE A READER visit on Friday, Nov. 22nd. This was the first class to be introduced to  the recently published novel, FRENCHIE DIVA- FOLLOW the BLOG. The students were entertained by some of Ethan’s (the 13 year old main character) blog entries to FBF (Frenchie’s Best Friend). Stories were shared explaining what inspired the Frenchie series, as well as a YouTube video that encouraged the writing of FRENCHIE DIVA. The students shared how they personally related to Ethan and his Frenchie, friend, school and family drama, as well as his teen-age angst. Everyone understood why blogs are written and what essential ingredients are crucial to writing a powerful blog. It was a … Read the rest