A scene

time 20 mins

Write about an uncomfortable place to be:

Road trip

time: 20 minutes

Write about being lost somewhere geographically.


Hayley's attempt:
“We must have missed the turn.”
“Damn you and your short cuts, Mel.”
“Oh stop. I know where we are, I just missed the last turn.”
Mel’s sister, Beth was frantically trying to shake her cell phone into picking up a signal. She was pacing along the side of the dirt road, kicking up dust and getting rocks stuck in her sandals.
“And apparently you missed the last gas station too. Why didn’t you stop before we left the last town.”
“Cause I know there’s a gas station before we get to the highway, and it has a cool ice cream shop and clean bathrooms. I wanted to get there before we stopped again.”
“Well we didn’t. Can you tell it’s Friday the thirteenth? Let’s start walking. You’re sure it’s this way?”
“Yeah I’m sure . And don’t be so superstitious.” Mel grabbed the jerry can out of the trunk and a bottle of water for each of them.
As the girls made their way along the barren dirt road, clouds were gathering above them, relieving them from the heat of the sun.
“Mom’s gonna freak out if we don’t call from Jason’s by tonite.”
“We’ll call her once we get close to civilization.” After an hour of walking the clouds got thicker, and darker as they came to a crossroad.
“Which way Mel?” Beth asked as she gulped down the rest of her water.
Mel was looking pensively down all three directions, staring at each road sign, each giving no more that a line number.
“Mel, where’s the map?” Mel was ignoring her sisters rising panic, still convinced she knew where she was.
“Mel, where’s the MAP?”
“I left it back in the car, but don’t worry. This road will lead us to the main road,” Mel pointed to the left.
Beth didn’t think Mel sounded as sure of herself anymore, but before she could voice her doubt, thunder clapped around them, and released thick drops of rain. As the sky darkened suddenly, they noticed lights in the distance, in the windows of an old farmhouse, the first they’d scene since they left the car. Silently they headed towards the house, getting drenched and tired.
As they got closer the house, they could see better the faded wood siding and the abandoned projects in the front yard as the grass started to grow overtop of bicycles, and crates.
“Should be go knock on the door?” Beth asked her sister.
“It looks creepy.”
“We getting a little desperate here. Come on.”
“I don’t like this Mel. It Friday the thirteenth, it’s storming, we’re out of gas, and we about to knock on the door of this gloomy old farmhouse, with one faint light on in the window. Doesn’t this seem like the beginning of horror movie to you?”
“Don’t be ridiculous, Beth. Besides, I think I really am lost.” Mel, said as she knocked the front door of the house.

the playhouse

Exercise: Write about your favourite childhood toy.
Time: 20 minutes

Hayley's attempt:

You know how people say that kids have more fun with the cardboard box, than the toy that came in it. Well, the best birthday present I ever got was a cardboard box. hree of them actually.

My 5th birthday is the only childhood birthday that I vividly remember. I remember my mom trying to put me down for a nap before my party, but not being able to sleep for the excitement. I remember my cake had a barbie doll stuck in the middle, and the cake decorated around her like a gown. I don't exactly remember, but I know it was a money cake, because every birthday cake my mom made for each of us had foiled wrapped coins in it. I remember wearing a pink dress. I had five friends come to my party, and we played games.

But the best part was the playhouse. That was my present. A homemade playhouse made from three large, thick-sided appliance boxes that at five years old, I could stand up in. The bottom had two rooms (2 boxes), and a ladder leading up to the second floor room, and a balcony with a rope railing. There was thin brown carpet throughout, green and yellow flowered wall paper in the kitchen, shutters drawn on the windows, and curtains. I had a front and back door, and a garden drawn onto the side of the house.

I hadn't been allowed to see or go into the lower basement for a couple weeks, while everyone worked on it. When they revealed the playhouse with all my friends there, I was instantly the coolest kid in the world. That playhouse was revered by any kid who came over to play, for many years. My friends and cousins, my sisters friends and my little brothers friends (who prefered to call it a fort.)

That cardboard playhouse entertained me for years. It was my home inside my home. That was my favourite childhood toy.

Dynamic Writing Duo to Appear at Lecture & Book Signing

Six figure freelance journalist Paul Lima, and author and micro-publisher Lorina Stephens, a former Orangeville native, appear at Coles, Saturday, May 16, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. for an informal discussion about the writing process, to be followed by a book signing.

Paul Lima has worked as a professional writer since 1980. In 1993, he started a freelance writing business and has covered technology and business issues for the Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, National Post, Profit, Time Canada, CBC.ca, and many other periodicals and websites. For corporate clients, Paul writes case studies, media releases and promotional copy and conducts business writing and media interview preparation training seminars. He also conducts freelance writing and business writing e-courses.

Paul has written eight books, three e-reports and three university course curriculums on business and promotional writing and the business of freelance writing. His latest book, How to Write a Non-Fiction Book in 60 Days, is published by Five Rivers Chapmanry. While some writers have suggested the book must be a work of fiction, Paul swears it is non-fiction; he has applied the principles detailed in the book to all his writing. Paul maintains a widely-read blog on freelance writing (www.paullima.com/blog). You can read more about him online at http://www.paullima.com/.
Lorina Stephens has worked as editor, freelance journalist for national and regional print media, been a festival organizer, publicist, lectures on many historical topics from textiles to domestic technologies, teaches, and continues to work as writer and artist. In 2008 Lorina established her own publishing house under the umbrella of their family owned and operated business, Five Rivers Chapmanry
Stephens’ books include And the Angels Sang, an anthology of short speculative fiction, and Shadow Song, an historical novel, both published by Five Rivers Chapmanry. Previously Stephens has published Touring the Giant’s Rib: A Guide to the Niagara Escarpment; and Credit River Valley, both by Boston Mills Press; and Recipes of a Dumb Housewife published by Lulu Publishing
She has had several short fiction pieces appear in Canada’s acclaimed On Spec magazine and Marion Zimmer Bradley’s fantasy anthology Sword & Sorceress X.
The event at Coles on Saturday, May 16 starts at 1:00 p.m. with Lima and Stephens discussing their varying approaches to writing non-fiction and fiction, to be followed by a question and answer period from the audience, and a book signing. The event is free and will take place in the Orangeville Mall in front of Coles. Seating is limited, although there will be plenty of standing room.
Copies of How to Write a Non-fiction Book in 60 Days, And the Angels Sang, and Shadow Song are available at Coles Orangeville Mall, as well as through online booksellers worldwide such as Chapters, and direct from the publisher at Five Rivers Chapmanry, www.5rivers.org.
# # #
For more information about Five Rivers or Lorina Stephens:
http://www.5rivers.org/ (519-799-5577), (info@5rivers.org)
For more information, about Paul Lima:
writer@paullima.com (416) 628-6005

5 minute warm ups

Exercise: List as many verbs (action words) that have to do with the ocean
Time; 5 minutes.




Exercise: What vacations do you dream of taking?
Time: 5 minutes

10 words

Set timer: 15 minutes
Exercise: Write the numbers 1 through 10 down the left side of a loose piece of paper. Find a book close by, any book or magazine, whatever is handy. A novel, a cookbook, whatever. Flip to page 87 (pick a random page if there isn't writing on that page). Skim the page from the bottom up, don't read it, just glance over the page. Pick out 10 random words and list them on your piece of paper. Chose one of the words as the title of this piece.

Start the timer and write something, anything that includes all ten words. Try to complete it as quick as possible without going over 15 minutes.

Hayley's attempt:

Windows
I will let you in on a secret. My life isn't that exciting. I've been granted a life of opportunity, but I'm wasting it all. I'm stuck in the middle of two two paths. The passage east is clear, trouble free, predictable. The way west is unknown, troublesome with lots of obstacles. There is a wild river flowing that way, that I'm sure will toss me side to side, bruise me and knock me down. Along path east, there is a dilapidated barn and wandering cows grazing at sunset.

Many years down the road, I want my letter home to dance with joy and excitement. My intention is to live outside the windows I'm looking through now, to go west.

2 part exercise

Exercise: Sides Part 1 (IMPORTANT NOTE :Complete part 1, before looking at part 2)

Set time for: 10 minutes

Remember a time when you had an argument with someone close to you. Now use that memory to write a scene in first person. (i.e. using “I, me, my”).


Hayley’s attempt: I bustled around our small apartment making sure my brother Davey and his girlfriend, were set up for the night. I feel guilty that all I have to offer them is my camping airmattress to sleep on, but they insist they don’t mind. I’m waiting in my pjs for the bathroom, as there is a bit of wait, when there’s four of us. Josh is in kitchen rustling around. He comes down the hall with his hand buried deep in a bag of Cheetos.
“What are you doing? It’s 2am.”
“I’m hungry,” he says with his mouth partley full. I’m mildly hurt. I always like to cook something fantastic or try new recipes when I have company, and I was impressed with how well my pork medallions and blackberry recipe had turned out. But Josh hadn’t finished his at dinner time. Was he just being polite, when he said he liked it? I guess it had been a few hours since our late supper. Ok he’s hungry. But then he turns to go into the bedroom.
I step infront of him.
“What are you doing?” I ask again.
“I want to sit down”
“Not in the bedroom, you’ll get crumbs in the bed.” My biggest pet peeve.
He laughs me off and continues towards the bedroom.
“Please don’t eat in there.” I say again, getting annoyed.
“I don’t want to go in the living room. I’m not gonna eat in there while they’re getting ready to go to bed in there.”
“But…I don’t want crumbs in the bed.” I hear myself and wonder why this sounds so familiar. Now I’ve got my hand on his chest, physically stopping him from entering the bedroom with the dreaded Cheetos.
“Fine.” He says and closes up the bag in an angry flourish of crumpling. He stomps to the kitchen to return the bag to it’s proper place.







Exercise: Sides Part 2

Set time for 10 minutes.

Now write the same scene, from the other persons perspective.


Hayley’s attempt: It had been a long but successful day. Two tattoos. One for my wife’s brother Davey, and one for his girlfriend Steph. They are great customers. They know exactly what they want, and sit pretty well for me. But I’d started late in the day on Stephs and when I was done, Hayley wanted to feed everyone. She spent a lot of time, making a full dinner, but I was too distracted planning Davey’s tattoo to fully enjoy it. I couldn’t eat much, because truth be told, I was a little nervous. When we finished his tattoo successfully, we celebrated by having a few drinks and playing a video game. By the time we were all starting to think about getting to bed it was 2 am! As our guests were using the bathroom, I suddenly realized how hungry I was. I found a bag of Cheetos in the pantry.
That will hit the spot. But man I was tired. I’ll just go sit down for a minute. But Hayley’s giving me this look like I’m about to commit a crime.
:What are you doing? I’m 2 am.” She says.
“I’m hungry.” I head to the bedroom, not wanting to eat in our guests “bedroom”, while they’re getting ready for bed. Hayley stops at the door.
“What are you doing?” She asks again.
“I want to sit down.”
“I don’t want crumbs in the bed.”
What. Does she think I’m a child. Does she think I’m going to dump the bag of cheetos on the bed. I just want a snack. She’s got her hand on my chest now, she’ s serious. But I’m tired and don’t take this well. I want to scream, I can do what ever I want to , but that will make me sound like the child she seems to think I am right now. I close up the bag, and put it back in the pantry. The five cheetos I ate in the hall did little to stop the grumbling in my stomach. I go to bed mad.