Changes in the air

Hey everyone,

The seasons are shifting before our eyes—leaves transforming, daylight waning, and that distinctive autumn chill settling in. As nature transitions, we've got some exciting events and changes to share! (Sorry, we couldn't help ourselves—must be the frost on our creative windows.)

November Events: Come Say Hi!

We've got a busy month ahead with several chances to connect:

1. November 7, 6:15 PM - Join us at the Creative Saskatchewan 10th Anniversary celebration for our reading! (Local Market, 1377 Hamilton Street, Regina)
2. November 16, 10 AM - 4 PM - Find us at the Cathedral Holiday Craft Market (Westminster United Church)
3. November 23, 10 AM - 4 PM - We'll be at the Regina Bookwyrm Book Fair (HMCS Queen/NCSM Queen, 100 Navy Way)

We always love meeting readers at these markets and sharing our stories with you!

Finding Our Voice

Public readings have always felt a bit daunting to us. But this time, we decided to try something different. In preparation for our upcoming reading, we brought in a speaking coach to work with us. Enter Johnny D Trinh, who turned out to be incredibly talented. His thoughts and feedback were transformative, giving us useful pointers while we rehearsed to create a more polished presentation. The most amazing part? When Johnny read our work as an example, he made it sound so natural—and he didn't even write it! That's what you call an expert.

Working with Johnny helped us see our writing in a completely new light. Through the process of reading aloud, we discovered how dialogue tags could sometimes slow down the energy of a scene. We also found moments where we could pull back on character choices, leaving more room for readers to make their own interpretations. These discoveries haven't just improved our readings—they've opened up new ways of thinking about our writing.

Behind the Scenes of a Writing Partnership

One thing most people don't think about when it comes to publishing books: where do you store them all? As hybrid authors (meaning we handle our own publishing), we've learned that book storage is definitely part of the adventure!

Since we started publishing, David's basement has been our unofficial warehouse. But with his upcoming move to a condo, we're experiencing our own version of a book migration. Our entire inventory is making its way to Angie's house—kind of like shared custody of our literary children! It's these little behind-the-scenes shifts that make our partnership interesting, and we're grateful for each other's flexibility as we figure it all out.

Awards Update

The Whistler Independent Book Awards announced their winners this past weekend. While Angie's book "My List, My Rules" didn't take the non-fiction category, we're still incredibly proud of it being a finalist. And it was great to see Regina represented at the awards, with local author Judith Silverthorne winning in Children's Literature.

A Personal Note

For the past year, we have been talking around some events that have impacted our lives and the writing of Wolfe's Blood. Now that David's sister has shared her version of the story, we will too: Last December, while David was out Christmas shopping, he got the call that his sister had been rushed to hospital after a seizure at work. By that night, he was on a plane to BC. The news that followed hit hard—she had glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. David ended up staying in BC for four months, helping her through brain surgery and the start of treatments.

It's strange how something like brain cancer just drops into your life without warning and flips everything upside down. But watching David's sister handle all of this has been incredible. Even with the tough news she got, she's tackled each day head-on. These days, she's living closer to family, taking long walks, catching up with old friends, spending time at the cabin—just making every day count. Looking at her, you'd never guess what she's dealing with. The surgery scar is tiny, smaller than a paper cut, but what she's fighting is huge.

This Brain Tumor Awareness Week, we wanted to share this story—not just for David's sister, but for everyone going through this fight. Brain cancer can affect anyone at any time, and awareness is crucial for supporting both research and the people facing this challenge. To learn more about brain tumours and their impact on Canadians, visit www.braintumour.ca. The more we understand, the better we can support those affected by this disease.

Wrapping Up

As the days grow shorter and the weather gets chillier, we're feeling grateful for this community of readers and supporters. Whether you're coming to hear us read, picking up a book at one of our sales, or just enjoying these updates, you're part of our story. And speaking of wrapping up—we better go find our sweaters!

Until next time, stay warm and happy reading!

Angie & David