Tag: authors

Posted on

Meet Four Writers On A Blog Hop!

Welcome to my blog hop, where you will learn a little more about me and three other authors:

Tracey Allen (Sustainable/Gluten-free/Passive Solar) http://simplifyandsave.weebly.com/blog-save–simplify.html
Luigi Benetton (Technology/Business) http://luigibenetton.com/category/technozen/
Paul Lima (Business of Writing) http://paullima.com/blog/

and here’s my official website:

Heather Grace Stewart (Author/Poet/Speaker) http://heathergracestewart.me

If you’ve never visited my blog before, thanks for dropping by! Hope you’ll stay a while, and please be sure to visit my writer friends’ blogs. Thanks!

I’ve been writing creatively since I was five years old, and my first poem was even published (in the school newsletter!) From that moment on, I was hooked on writing. I went to Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, and wrote for the Queen’s Journal and Tricolour Yearbook. Then I attended Concordia and completed a graduate diploma in Journalism. After a few years working for a newspaper and several magazines as their associate editor, I decided to become a freelance writer, and in 1999, I founded Graceful Publications, my freelance writing and editing business.

Little did I know that one day I’d expand that business to become a book publisher!  I’ve been traditionally published a few times (Jackfruit Press, Bewrite Books and Winter Goose Publishing) and recently, through Graceful Publications, I published a book of children’s poems, The Groovy Granny, my screenplay The Friends I’ve Never Met, and I’m so excited to announce that my 4th collection of poetry, prose & photography, Three Spaces, will be released in ebook format mid-February 2013 (print will come a month later). I really enjoy doing readings and speaking engagements, and am looking forward to doing a workshop on epublishing at the Queen’s Conference on Journalism and Media next month.

I think the best advice I can give to aspiring authors is to follow your passion. You may have to keep a job you don’t like much to pay the bills, but if writing about fly fishing or vampires or poetry is your passion, then find the time to do that, because that’s probably where you’ll do your best work and find your greatest joy. Don’t give up, either. There are so many different ways to get your work out there now – you can make your own ebook for free, or post samples of your writing on a blog, record them in pod casts, or even Tweet them!

So, don’t give up! Write every day, even if it’s a few words on a little sticky note. Those few words could spark a great novel some day.

Posted on

Kim Larocque Celebrates Small Publishers/Indie Writers with Author of the Year Award

Writer-interviewer Kim Larocque of Muse in the Valley has announced her Author of the Year 2012 nominees, and I’m so touched to be among the 12 talented nominees.

Please go vote for any of the authors in the list, if you’ve read them: no account or login required to vote! It’s a fantastic award that celebrates indie publishers, indie writing and indie writers.

Kim writes, “Muse In The Valley was born as”bestisyettocome” a quiet journey into my thoughts and aspirations.  A year later, when I changed the name to Muse In The Valley, I started writing about dreams and how they can assist us into finding the messages our soul is trying to give us.  I had no clue then, nor did I ask the Universe to become a Literary Blogger, yet I did, and I am immersed in a world of literature.  I have met the most amazing poets, indie writers, novelists, children’s book writers and more, thus, opening up doors to new contacts, new friendships and new BOOKS!!”

I agree with Kim – 2012 has been a surprising, thrilling year for me as an author, and I want to thank all of you for being a part of it!

Best always,

Heather

Posted on

Come Say Hello ~ The Old Fashioned Way!

I’ve begun my very first book tour, and guess what I like most so far?

Is it the signing books with a fancy silver pen? No. That’s cool, but no.

Is it the applause after my readings? No. I always feel a little silly about that.

Is it getting to try out new heels? Well, yeah! Of course! But that’s besides the point…

You can stop guessing now ~ I’ll tell you.

In this hyper-networked world, where we Tweet and Like and Google one another, but, at times, don’t actually engage with one another,  it’s comforting to be able to greet people the way I was first taught to say hello.

Looking someone in the eyes. Shaking their hand. (My daughter’s first hello to another human being was sticking her fingers in their ear at 4 months old, but let’s ignore this fact for now).

Friday night, I was listening to the talented jazz singer Kimberely Beyea perform at Herbs Cafe in Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec, and she and the cafe owners kindly asked me to read a few poems from Carry On Dancing. The audience was attentive and kind ~ I even got a few  laughs. A couple of ladies asked where I’d be reading next. I didn’t really expect to see them the next afternoon, but sure enough, Marnie and Ann showed up to see me at my first official Carry On Dancing reading at Librarie Boyer in Pincourt Saturday afternoon.

Ladies, this meant the world to me! I’ll never forget it. It was wonderful to look you in the eyes and thank you for coming, Marnie and Ann, and it was also wonderful doing so with old friends and new friends who came by to hear me read. Thank you so much for coming by to say hello.

Please come say hello at one of my upcoming events.  I may poke, Tweet or LIKE you later. But let’s try the old fashioned way first, shall we?

Here’s my upcoming events schedule!

CARRY ON DANCING: THE BOOK TOUR

Meet the Author (book signing) Chapters Pointe Claire, Quebec: Saturday April 28th, noon- 4 p.m.

Meet the Author (book signing & reading) Chapters Kanata Centrum, Kanata, Ontario: Sunday, April 29th, 1-3 p.m.

Carry On Dancing Launch Party! (party party party) Casa Del Poplo,  4873 St. Laurent Street: Tuesday, May 8th, 8:30 p.m. Featuring Music by Kimberley Beyea & Barry Turner

PWAC (Professional Writers Asssociation of Canada) Literary Night Reading, NOW Lounge, Toronto, Ont., Wed., May 23rd, 7 pm..

Wine & Cheese & Reading & Book Signing, Novel Idea, 156 Princess Street, Kingston, Ontario: Friday, May 25th, 7:30 – 9 p.m.

* I wish to acknowledge the kind support of the League of Canadian Poets and The Canada Council*

Carry On Dancing: The Book Tour Begins! April 21, 2012.
Posted on

Carry On Dancing Launch Party!

Check out the pink poster on the bottom left corner!

http://casadelpopolo.com/contents/casadelpopolo

This is getting exciting. Casa del Popolo is such an excellent venue & I am thrilled to be celebrating the launch of Carry On Dancing there with my friends! I know many of you live too far away to attend my launch party May 8, but I’ll be sure to post photos and maybe even a video clip.

I’m going to be busy holding many readings & book signing events this month and next. I hope to see some of you there! Thanks to the League of Poets and the Canada Council for their support.

Here are some of my April events (Please check back soon for info. on May events)

https://www.facebook.com/heathergracestewart/events
More poems coming to this blog soon – I promise.

Thanks to everyone for reading & sharing news about Carry On Dancing.
XX
Heather

Posted on

I Eat Bugs, Yum Yum (The Carry On Dancing Interview)

Hey guys,

First, apologies for the gi-normus photo of me hula hooping in your inboxes. WordPress has changed a lot recently, so I made a  technical error and I am totally red faced about it. I hope it made most of you smile instead of going, wah? Sigh. Is today Monday?

Onto the reason for this post: I’m not yet used to being the interviewee. I’ve been working as a journalist for 18 years now, so being the one ASKED the questions can at times feel a little uncomfortable. Not so when it’s poet mark Stratton asking the questions! His were fun, unique questions that put me at ease. Here’s the interview:

mark Stratton’s Carry On Dancing Interview

Et moi, being moi, photographed by my talented six-year-old, on a record-breaking hot day here in Montreal (24 degrees on March 18th):