November 4th is I Read Canadian Day. I’ll be celebrating it with some other local authors. For those not able to attend, I thought I’d explain a little about my writing process.

It starts with a word or two. Maybe a slip the tongue, such as the one this musing was inspired by. Something about these words intrigues me and they run on repeat in my mind. They are the beginning of something – but what?

They bounce around and invite others to the party. The ones that stick join together and soon I’m carrying phrases in my pocket.

If I’m lucky, the phrases start to multiply, like dust bunnies under the bed. They morph, one phrase at a time into paragraphs.

The paragraphs reside on my back, weighing me down until I put them in order and turn them into stories.

My load is now lightened. This collection of words is ready to be shared with you.

And then, another word or image intrigues me and the process starts all over again.

This, my friends, is the oh, so unpredictable life of a writer.