by Danielle | May 15, 2023 | Blog Post |
Every compelling story needs a villain the reader loves to hate. He or she is the antagonist—the driving force behind the plot, the character who creates conflict and makes the hero’s journey meaningful. Without a villain, a novel can feel flat and...
by Danielle | Apr 17, 2023 | Blog Post, Podcast Episode |
Memoirs, life stories, and autobiographies are all alike in that they offer us glimpses into the experiences of people who have journeyed on this earth before us. They are intimate and personal—often shedding light on how the author dealt with struggles and triumphs,...
by Danielle | Apr 6, 2023 | Blog Post, Podcast Episode |
Revising your novel is an essential part of the writing process. It’s also one of the most important steps because it helps you make sure that your story flows logically and makes sense to readers. To revise means to look at what you’ve written so far,...
by Danielle | Mar 28, 2023 | Blog Post, Podcast Episode |
“Are we covering up the tattoos?” called the young woman from the dressing room. Her friend, the bride-to-be, scoffed in reply. “We would never cover up Mama Jade and Raven Sky.” She turned to me. “Her ancestors,” she whispered with...
by Danielle Scruton | Mar 27, 2023 | Blog Post, Podcast Episode |
From my WIP… Lily had always been the one to direct their days. That was, perhaps, the biggest adjustment that he had to make when she passed. How to fill the time that she had so capably plotted out for him all those years? He loved routine and...
by Danielle Scruton | Mar 8, 2023 | Blog Post, Podcast Episode |
Yesterday, I played laser tag with my family. It was something my boyfriend and I planned because the kids tend to get cabin fever on Sundays. I wasn’t particularly looking forward to it. Being chased is something I do not like at all, but I sucked it up for the...
by Danielle | Feb 28, 2023 | Blog Post, Podcast Episode |
At precisely 7:55, I begin to close up the gallery. For the past eight hours, I have had one customer (an elderly woman asking to use our washroom) and one phone call (wrong number). This has got to be the least successful art gallery in Canada. But why do I even...
by Danielle Scruton | Feb 14, 2023 | Blog Post, Podcast Episode |
So here I am this morning in my sweats, complete with greasy hair, taking a mirror selfie because I don’t give a shit right now. And, as it turns out, I think not giving a shit is the most helpful thing I can express. Having tween/teen girls in our house means...
by Danielle | Feb 7, 2023 | Blog Post, Podcast Episode |
*excerpt from my novel-in-progress, The Lonely People “I don’t have the energy for her,” said Sarah with a flip of her thick brown hair as she and Manfred walked a local, heavily-wooded trail on a mild February afternoon. The sun was high above them,...
by Danielle Scruton | Jan 30, 2023 | Blog Post, Podcast Episode |
It’s five minutes before I have to wake the kids, and I don’t want to move too quickly because the dog will wake up, and I want those five minutes desperately. I even tell my bladder to get lost so I can have them. I can hear my son singing in the bathroom...
by Danielle Scruton | Jan 24, 2023 | Blog Post, Podcast Episode |
Jenna’s raven-black hair bobbed up and down on my screen as she attempted to adjust the angle of her camera. Video calling was the way of the world these days. She was a two-hour drive away and was caring for her ageing father during our province-wide...
by Danielle | Jan 17, 2023 | Blog Post, Podcast Episode |
She moved through the trees with ease as if it was where she came from—as if she had been rooted and born here. Her long black hair draped gracefully over her dark green cape, and her worn brown boots made the barest of thuds against the mossy floor of the forest. He...
