Here I am in Manitoba, at the University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, to be precise. Just started my Writing Residency here at the Centre for Creative Writing and Oral Culture.
Red squirrels dashing about on the grass trying to avoid the dozens of Canada geese also loitering on this fabulous, hugely multi-racial campus. The weather is changeable but generally hot and with a good wind, perfect for walking. Although residents here predict both an early and a late winter, depending on their experience. When they show me their winter clothing it reminds me of that old John Carpenter film, The Thing!
On Sunday, I'm reading at an event called Writers from Abroad, together with writers, Meira Cook and Ulrikka S. Gernes at Ralph Connor House at 2.30. It's part of the Thin Air International Writers Festival 2015. Then on the 23rd I have a Welcome event at the University in the Great Hall at University College, where I will be reading from old and new work.
I'm looking forward to meeting up with students in a few days time, offering advice on their writing and then running a weekly fiction workshop.
So many talented people in the department, I feel in awe of their accomplishments and aspirations but hope this will be a new learning curve for me.
My writing is going well, inspired by the time and space available here to enable me to create and also because I am working on fiction that has been lurking around for quite some time. I have dipped in and out of it, waiting for that moment when you know the idea has reached its birthing time. Here's to a good delivery!