It's May 31 at 9:00pm and I am still working on my contribution to the readalong Sarah and I decided to host back in March. I have been writing it in fragments, using my post to respond to the thoughts of others. Today's writing mostly involves cobbling together my bits and pieces to present to … Continue reading #ReadingLanternHill: My thoughts on Jane of Lantern Hill, anthropomorphism, and Squishmallows
A few years ago, Sarah Emsley and I co-hosted a reading of The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery. We've decided that it's time for another Montgomery readalong. After polling the readers of Sarah's blog post on the matter, we've settled on Jane of Lantern Hill. I haven't read this one in years, so I'm excited … Continue reading Announcing a Readalong of Jane of Lantern Hill by L.M. Montgomery: #ReadingLanternHill
I have been reading more short stories than usual during the pandemic. I've found them both comforting and easier to concentrate on. But I'm also so far behind on my blogging that I'm going to lump them all together into one post, even though they all deserve their own. Please forgive me short story writers! … Continue reading Short Stories: Ian Colford, David Bergen, Terry Doyle, L.M. Montgomery, and Best Canadian Stories 2019
Several of the Bookmarks on the CanLit Trail are from poems, and since it's April I thought it was a good time to read them. I will also be able to check all of these off the list in one go! "Mexican Sunsets" by Bronwen Wallace, from her collection Common Magic Bookmarked at the corner … Continue reading Poetry Month: The Bookmarked Poetry on the CanLit Trail
Lucy Maud Montgomery wrote The Blue Castle in 1924, at the same time as she was attempting to write Emily's Quest. Unlike the last Emily book, LMM enjoyed writing The Blue Castle. In The Selected Journals of L.M. Montgomery Volume III: 1921-1929, she writes "I have enjoyed writing it very much. It seemed a refuge … Continue reading 5 Reasons Why I Shouldn’t Like The Blue Castle #ReadingValancy
Back in May, Sarah Emsley extended an invitation to read and discuss The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery in November. May was a while ago, but November is coming up fast, so this is a friendly reminder. Please join us by commenting, talking about the novel on Twitter (hashtag #ReadingValancy), and/or by writing a blog … Continue reading The Blue Castle Readalong: #ReadingValancy
Contains spoilers! In The Gift of Wings, Mary Henley Rubio states that "Maud was relieved when she finished the book... It had been a chore." But you would never get that feeling while reading it. To me it felt like it was written in a whirl of headiness; it's a page-turner full of high emotions and … Continue reading Emily Readalong: Emily’s Quest
Contains spoilers! When it came to writing the sequels to her novels, Anne of Green Gables and Emily of New Moon, L.M. Montgomery "felt little interest". According to Mary Henley Rubio in The Gift of Wings, it was "only her personal discipline that got her through the sequels, where her feisty heroines had to be … Continue reading Emily Readalong: Emily Climbs
Many people are familiar with Anne of Green Gables, but Emily of New Moon is not as well known. I'm not really sure why this is... but an article at Literary Hub suggests it's because "Anne has always wanted us to know her; Emily has never been sure." One of Anne's characteristics is that she is … Continue reading Emily Readalong: Emily of New Moon
The Blythes are Quoted, the last book in the Anne series, is a short story collection made up of stories about people who are the friends/neighbours/acquaintances of the Blythes. In every story the Blythes are mentioned or quoted, sometimes fondly, sometimes not-so-fondly. I would like to write everything about this book. I would love to … Continue reading The Blythes are Quoted by L.M. Montgomery
Consumed by Ink 