Quilt Diva (short story) by Leanne Dyck

Eighteen years ago, when I moved to Mayne Island I had fun joining groups and meeting people. I was proud to clip a quilt guild member's pin to my shirt. Some families play music together. Mine crafted--embroidery, knitting, sewing, quilting. My Icelandic-Canadian grandma taught me to quilt when I was a teenager. Her first step was savaging fabric from old shirts, dresses, etc. No twenty dollar fat quarters for her. I joined the Mayne Island quilters determined to hand sew a quilt--I don't like machines. (It amazes me that my computer and I have developed a more or less amicable relationship.) Then I learned how much work would be involved in my plan. Then I went back to my old friend knitting.

A day before the Mayne Island Fall Fair and parade, I went to lunch with a friend.

"I need your help," she told me. "The quilters need someone to carry the banner."

The quilters are a mighty force on Mayne Island--half of Mayne Island has a membership. It was hard for me to believe that they couldn't find anyone. But my friend seemed desperate.

I felt stuck. I wanted to help my friend, but I'm most comfortable behind the stage not on it. All I'd have to do is carry a banner, but didn't that mean passing myself off as someone I wasn't--a quilter. But my friend had always helped me. And so I marched in Mayne Island's 2017 Fall Fair.

Photo by Tom Hobley

And if you click this link you'll be able to watch the complete performance. Oh, yes, there's singing and dancing and... You've got to see it, to believe it.

As writers, we don't always know what saying 'yes' to inspiration will lead to--will we finish our first short story? Or our fifth novel? Find a publisher? An agent? But it may be empowering to realize that the opportunity to say 'yes' starts with us.

For a Warmer World (short story) by Leanne Dyck

all photos taken by Leanne Dyck on Mayne Island (unless otherwise stated)

Once upon a time, women wore gloves and below-the-knee-length skirts. Men wore fedoras and ties. We all knew what was expected of us. We knew because our mothers had bounced us on their knees to the rhythm of... 

What are little boys made of?

What are little boys made of?

Snips and snails

And puppy-dogs' tails

That's what little boys are made of

What are little girls made of?

What are little girls made of?

Sugar and spice

And everything nice

That's what little girls are made of

Puppy-dog tails always seemed to be a lot more fun than being nice. Especially when this nursery rhyme was used to justify why my male cousins, in their dress pants, could run around, screaming at community gatherings while me in my dress couldn't.

The world was a lot simpler back then, but it was a lot colder. People hid certain things. They had to.

I attended an author reading, not that long ago. One of the authors didn't wear a skirt or a fedora. His well-written short story was about three witches. The story revealed the author's inner strength. He was on the way to becoming herself. 

After the reading, I saw the author standing with friends, waiting for a ride. 

I'm shy, but I had no choice--I had to say, "Excuse me. I'm sorry for bothering you, but I had to tell you how much I enjoyed your story." I received a warm smile and kind words, so I continued, "The courage you showed in claiming your truth has encouraged me to try to claim my own."

Share your truth, you don't know who needs to hear it. Share your truth and the world will grow warmer. 

Next post: (May 1st--published around 5 p.m. PST) May Day! May Day! I've been learning a lot lately about writing picture books. The danger is that I won't remember this information when I need it. I solved this problem by creating a checklist. Want to see it? You will in my next post. 

Sharing my author journey...

The rejection letter read, in brief: 

 'you have an excellent way with words, we feel, with regret...'

#International Woman's Day

As a woman and as a woman's fiction author, I want to celebrate the day.
So let's get this party started...

Helen Reddy sings I Am Woman

Nancy Sinatra sings These Boots Are Made For Walkin'

Sister Sledge & All Star sing We Are Family

Wow, that was empowering--and it brought back happy memories of jumping on the sofa, hair brush mic in hand. And, much later, dancing with my sisters at an ECE (early childcare educators) conference.

How will you celebrate?

-Remembering famous women

Bibliophilic Blather

I'll add a name to that list

Pauline Johnson
I meet her in university. I'll talk about her later this month.

To learn about other famous Canadian women, read 100 Canadian Heroines:  Famous and Forgotten Faces by Merna Forster

-Pay tribute to the special women past and present in your life

Creativepotager's Blog

Here's a great way to end this post...
Women in rural, remote and northern communities key to Canada's economic prosperity says Status of Women Canada

Woot! Woot! Party!
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Next post:  Please welcome Author Manolis