Life at Large
Celebrating the one-month anniversary of our new apartment, we regularly catch ourselves commenting on how much we love it, and how grateful we are to finally call it home.
The spare room has hosted visitors, and now Petra is staying with us. We’ve met neighbours, as people slowly move into the building. We’re making friends and forming memories here.
I love my new workspace. Over time I’ll add shelves, art, a whiteboard, but there’s no rush. It already feels peaceful, inspiring.
We also have confirmation that the flood damage will be repaired in September – and thoroughly.
Life is good.
And, as this newsletter lands in your inbox, Michal, Petra, and I will be loading up a rental car and setting out on a road trip across Spain, into Andorra, and back. We are of course paying close attention to the wildfires tormenting parts of Spain and France – our route should keep us well north of them.
Travelling by car, straight from home feels like a treat – RyanAir doesn’t get to dictate how much camera gear I can take with me. Giddy up!
Projects and Events
The last two weeks have been full of matters related to the apartment, and hosting guests. Aside from continuing work on my novel, I haven’t made progress on any other projects on my perpetual list.
I have (mostly) decided, though, that I need to revisit the tête-bêche format of By Happenstance. The format is terrific for in-person sales, but challenging for online sales in a few ways.
Firstly, Bookvault, the company that is printing them, takes about a month to print each order, whether that’s a batch for me, or a single book ordered through my website. That was a nightmare when I was in Canada, and running out of books; at one point I had to get a short run printed at a local printer because Bookvault’s turnaround time was unworkable. The most unfortunate part of it is that Bookvault provides an “estimated” shipping date of about three weeks, which they very rarely meet. That sets customers up for a disappointing experience – one they blame on me, not Bookvault.
Secondly, one of Bookvault’s services is to push the book to Amazon so readers can buy it there. That has never quite worked – well, not entirely true. At one point it was listed on Amazon, but with Mom credited as the author. It had also stripped all the spaces from the book description, presenting readers with a jumbled blob of word goo. No self-respecting reader would buy a book with an unreadable description.
Lastly, even if all those other elements were working, the two stories are different enough that marketing them together – particularly when only one cover can show in the thumbnail – is tricky.
I think the solution is to keep the tête-bêche format for in-person sales, author talks, and the like, and additionally publish the two stories as separate paperbacks specifically for online sales. I’ll look into that when we’re back from the road trip. It shouldn’t involve much more than creating a back cover for each story.
I know. Famous last words…
Writing
I’m six chapters into what Anne Lamott aptly refers to as the ‘shitty first draft’ of my novel, and there are a few things I’m noticing.
I started with most elaborate outline I have ever made for anything. The story has strayed from it a bit, but that’s ok. The outline got it started, but now the characters are pulling the story along. That means there are surprises along the way – obstacles the characters encounter that I hadn’t thought of, complexities that weren’t immediately apparent but have slipped out in dialogue. I’ve heard writer friends talk about “interviewing their characters”, and “letting the characters lead” but I didn’t think they meant it literally. I now see they did. It feels like the story isn’t all on me, and that’s a relief.
The second thing I’ve noticed is that my intention to “dump out” a messy first draft, just to get it all down and refine later, is really tough to stick to. There’s so much to learn. And when I learn something, I want to immediately practice it, and there’s always a scene I’ve already written that seems like the perfect place to apply a new idea. That keeps pulling me back to reworking sections, rather than moving forward. I don’t think that’s a bad thing, I need to learn these skills: writing dialogue, dialogue tags, pacing. Any practice is good practice.
A few writers whose knowledge-sharing has been particularly helpful in this process have been Janice Hardy, and the bite-sized tips from Andrew Saxsma. Janice’s blog posts and Andrew’s reels always seem to arrive at just the right time, when I’m a bit stuck on something. I’ve always thrived in a “just in time” learning environment, where a new skill shows up just when a problem demands it. It worked as I learned photography, and I’m finding it energizing now as I muddle through the first draft of a novel.
Photography
One of the things I daydreamed about regularly over the last three years was the opportunity to do a photoshoot in the dramatic entryway of our new apartment building.
And last week, the day finally came.
My friend Liz and her daughter Kathryn came to visit for a few days, and Kathryn was an enthusiastic model for a photoshoot. We pulled out two dresses another friend had gifted me specifically for creative shoots – her own wedding dress, and her mother’s wedding dress. I desperately want to create images with her mother’s dress, but alas, her mother must have been tiny, and I have yet to find a model who fits the delicate lace bodice.
However, there’s also the glorious gown that my friend wore in the ‘80s for her own wedding, and that’s the one we worked with.
Now, never mind that Kathryn is 15 years old, and the dress is – a lot. Kathryn has more than enough presence and attitude to pull it of.
We really had no plan. Kathryn did her hair and makeup, and Liz helped her into the dress. As an aside, right about this time, Kathryn’s dad texted her a casual “how’s your day going?” text. Of course, she replied with a selfie of herself in a wedding dress. The poor man probably had a bout of chest pain, though it’s likely he’s accustomed to the unexpected at this point. It was rather funny.
We set out from our apartment and experimented with moods in the different areas of the building. The first stop was the inner courtyard. It’s stark and angular, so we tried out “80’s Vogue” poses.
From there, we moved into “Building B” which has an interesting round vestibule and striking tile floor. It gave much different energy, and Kathryn went with it.
Finally, we made our way to the marble staircase, a key feature in the entrance of the main building.
That was where we made my favourite image from the session, Kathryn twirling at the bottom of the staircase, lit by the skylight, while I photographed from above:
Considering we did this on the spur of the moment (the other option on the table for that morning was a game of Uno) and had no concept in mind at the outset, we had a great time and were happy with the resulting images.
One more warm memory made in the new building.
Final thoughts
This time last year we were also setting out on a summer road trip (I wrote about our trip through the Baltic States here). The difference is this year we are setting out from our very own home. It’s perhaps silly that it feels different, but it does.
I’m eagerly anticipating this trip, and I’m equally eager to return to Porto and spend more time at home.
Life is good.
Até a próxima,
Kathy
More from Kathy…
By Happenstance: the stories of my parents before they were my parents
Two lives. Two stories. One unlikely connection.
By Happenstance is a tête-bêche memoir – two complete books bound as one – following a bush pilot shaped by the rugged landscapes of Canada’s North, and a Liverpool nurse who remade her life on the remote BC coast. Flip it one way for Walter’s Story, flip it the other way for Tricia’s, and discover how two ordinary lives, lived on opposite sides of the world, came to intersect by chance. Available in paperback and ebook.
Resilience in the Rubble: a true tale of aid and survival in Kashmir
As paramedic Kathy Harms navigates the devastation in the aftermath of the catastrophic 2005 Kashmir Earthquake as a first-time medical aid worker, she is confronted by the scale of suffering she observes in the region, and her own lack of experience in the area of humanitarian work.
In the field, she meets Nadeem Malik, a 19 year old student struggling to come to terms with personal loss and the destruction of his home and everything that was once familiar.
“Resilience in the Rubble: A True Tale of Aid and Survival in Kashmir” weaves together the firsthand accounts of both Kathy and Nadeem. Though heartbreaking, their personal stories show the strength of the human spirit, and the resilience of a population in the face of unthinkable adversity. Available in paperback, ebook and audiobook.
Relocurious Blog and Podcast
Relocurious is all about navigating the ups and downs of moving abroad with intention. It is meant to be of value to individuals and families considering a move, as well as those already on the way.
Instead of offering advice on visas or shipping companies, we invite you explore the deeper questions related to moving:
What fears are holding you back, what values are pushing you forward?
How does considering a move change your sense of identity?
What makes some people thrive in a new country, while others struggle?
What can you thoughtfully consider now, to save yourself headaches later?
The big question is, what does it take to prepare emotionally for such a transition?
Safe travels out there and enjoy the roap trip style of adventure! Can't wait to hear of the next adventures and updates
Stunning photos! We are preparing to head out on a road trip later this week and also looking at the wildfire situation. Safe travels!!