tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30851021928603130462012-02-15T09:16:10.737-05:00Marie Bilodeau is a storyteller and award-winning author living in Canada's capital region. This blog will contain LOTS of writing and caffeine talk and is pro-Second Cup (just to make it clear right off the bat).Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.comBlogger1561100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-75815383584583211832012-02-02T07:33:00.000-05:002012-02-02T07:33:15.830-05:00

The nomination period for the Aurora Awards is now open. I have one eligible short story: The Legend of Gluck, from Dragon Moon Press' When the Hero Comes Home anthology.  Check out a list of eligible works. Again, all Canadians can vote for Canadian works of SF/F.  Simple enough. Important note: They changed the nominating/voting rules this year.  It used to be that you could nominate for free

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-82356109575298210742012-01-31T07:48:00.000-05:002012-01-31T07:48:27.527-05:00

Check out my last post on The Odyssey (Finding my Inner Klingon). <!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-2162588957017409982012-01-25T08:49:00.000-05:002012-01-25T08:49:20.963-05:00

This weekend is G-Anime and I'm very much looking forward to it. It's unfortunately also a huge rehearsal weekend for June's Odyssey show, so I can only attend the con during the evenings.  If you're around, you can find me here: Friday Writing 101: Tight Plotting (7 pm) Writing 201: Characters (9pm) Cutting Edge Sci-Fi (10 pm) Saturday Writing 301: Tips of the Trade (Saturday at 10pm) I'll

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-76748683256112333712012-01-17T07:51:00.005-05:002012-01-17T10:24:37.146-05:00

I have to vent. In a public forum. I usually vent at home while sitting on my couch and eating popcorn, spitting little pieces across the room at Roomy who desperately tries to dodge them, but I think I need to say this publicly.  Why not?  And, as an aside, I'm not suggesting no one's reality sucks.  I'm ranting against the use of the "realist" self-label. The Rant Every time I hear someone

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-7155888049027252212012-01-16T07:46:00.001-05:002012-01-16T07:47:11.900-05:00

I consider myself lucky to have an older brother. Don't get me wrong - he's a pain. He's always been one, but that's part of the fun and, I believe, the Big Brother Call of Duty (not the 1984 big brother, to be clear). When I was growing up, I followed him all over the place. I'm sure he thought I was a pain, too... I flushed his truck, once. His favourite toy truck. He apparently has yet to

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-87261112984392771352012-01-13T07:49:00.001-05:002012-01-13T07:51:26.636-05:00

Dear friends, The new year is already plodding along and I've not yet made a peep on my blog. It's hardly intentional, but rather an unfortunate side-effect of my current situation. Over the holidays, you see, I invited a new person to share my life.  His name is WIP, short for Work In Progress.  It's a beautiful name, isn't it?   Mostly, I call him "Man," short for manuscript.  We're still

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-33877168098696456832011-12-31T19:59:00.000-05:002011-12-31T19:59:48.334-05:00

Dearest 2011, Although I've now lived with you for exactly 365 days, I can't help but feel like I don't know you yet. A distance deepens between us as midnight trudges nearer, and I fear I welcome it. It's horrible to say, after dedicating so much of my life to you, but I believe we never truly connected. It's not your fault. Really, it's me. No, really. You see, I rushed into my relationship

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-32977829014859693502011-12-21T08:59:00.005-05:002011-12-21T09:07:14.783-05:00

Yesterday I posted a letter I had sent to Facebook.  My account was reactivated, I had my giggle, and I continued on my way.  But then, in an act of unprecedented customer service responsiveness, Facebook responded to me!  I squeed when an e-mail popped up in my inbox from "The Facebook Team."  And this is what they said: Hi Marie, Thanks for verifying your identity. Note that we permanently

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-12980291336531143672011-12-20T07:57:00.005-05:002012-01-16T15:32:05.203-05:00

By far the longest set-up for a Letter with no Reply.  Isn't it exciting??? Somewhere between my Voices of Venus set, sending off Destiny's Fall to my editor, finishing a short story for an anthology and doing all the fun holidays prep, my brain blew up.  It really did.  In the past few days, I lost my lunch (I found it behind my door, under my coat.  It wasn't very good anymore, which made me

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-13008423754303146532011-12-15T07:26:00.003-05:002011-12-15T09:56:27.064-05:00

Grandmothers Today is my maternal grandmother's birthday.  Her name was Laurette Desjardins. She would have been 99 years old. Every year, my mom sends out an e-mail to me and my brother, reminding us that it's her birthday. Every year, it leaves me nostalgic because I never really knew my grandmother.  She died when I was only two years old.  My memories of her are patchwork at best. Once, in

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-24270144076753148822011-12-13T08:27:00.001-05:002011-12-13T08:28:32.997-05:00

I was recently gripped by a psychotic zombie reading spree. It started with distopic, post-apocalyptic futures ranging from human-eating plants to city-destroying sasquatches, and then eventually focused solely on zombies. Depersonalized apocalypse worked best for me, apparently. I read pretty much every zombie book I could get my hands on, often reading one a day. With the last one I'm reading,

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-65245281762055036702011-12-09T08:51:00.003-05:002012-01-31T07:40:05.220-05:00

On June 16 2012, eighteen storytellers will gather at the National Arts Centre's Fourth Stage to bring listeners on a journey with Odysseus, from the fall of Troy to the shores of Ithaca.  The show is a collaboration between the Ottawa Storytellers and 2 women productions, and is artistically coordinated by Jan Andrews (one of Canada's most acclaimed storytellers) and Jennifer Cayley (ditto). I

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-9463563299811902252011-12-06T07:18:00.002-05:002011-12-09T09:22:53.575-05:00

With four published books under my belt and another coming out next year, I sometimes get caught in this nasty little cycle of thinking. It blocks my writing and makes me sad. It doesn't temper the words that tumble onto the page. Instead, it makes me fear them. I've had my share of successes and failures. I'm afraid of neither, though I must admit to preferring successes.  With every book, I

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-60604531504084339912011-12-02T07:42:00.000-05:002011-12-02T07:42:08.203-05:00

Woa. The week flew by! I'm up against deadlines for three short stories and a novel, so I fear the blog fell a bit to the wayside this week. Here's some stuff I enjoyed reading on the great Interwebs this week, should you care for some light Friday fare. In fact, these are the tabs still open on my browser.  Bwa ha. The most annoying comment, The Incidental Cyclist blog.  Freaking hilarious.

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-69472826417081542272011-11-21T07:33:00.000-05:002011-11-21T07:33:39.177-05:00

It struck me yesterday that a lot of my creative friends are very ambitious.  And they have to be, to survive.  Anyone who's received multiple rejections for one story, who had no one show up to their show or their book launch has to have ambition or passion or a thick skin to get back on the wagon (possibly after downing several pints). I often hear about the failures. How a story didn't come

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-73533417366536641072011-11-10T07:39:00.001-05:002011-11-10T07:40:14.692-05:00

So it turns out I won't be at Hal-Con this year since I didn't get on programming due to some miscommunications. I'm sorry I'll miss all the cool and fun people (you know who you are!), but the budget is tight this year and cons have to pay for themselves. And programming is the golden ticket to getting known. But no biggie - the con-com is awesome and barring any horrible circumstances, I'll be

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-43854585544791999912011-11-01T07:19:00.000-04:002011-11-01T07:19:40.508-04:00

Last year, I was approached by a Sudbury writers' group to give them a kick-off message for their NaNoWriMo adventure.  I'm not participating in NaNoWriMo this year - too busy editing the sequel to Destiny's Blood. But I wish all of you who are participating the best of luck, and share the message I wrote last year.  I hope a couple of tips will prove useful!  In 2009, my first novel was

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-90046752841463298292011-10-28T09:34:00.001-04:002011-10-29T09:24:21.755-04:00

The talk lately has been loud about bullies. And well it should be.  Kids hurting kids, kids feeling the only way to escape the world by killing themselves... it's not right, it never was, but it's always existed. And it's something we don't really speak of, still. More and more people mention it, but it's not spoken of that much when you consider the devastating consequences it can have on

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-76348495334667188732011-10-27T14:04:00.001-04:002011-10-27T14:04:29.232-04:00

Winning story told at the first slam of the second season of Once Upon a Slam in Ottawa.  But really, need I say more than the title? 

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-49536834199849939282011-10-21T07:35:00.002-04:002011-10-21T07:35:34.795-04:00

I totally had made diagrams and included pictures, but unfortunately lost them.  It was by far the most complex letter I'd ever sent.  But fear not - I reproduced a diagram just for you!  Or what I imagine it looked like, anyway.... Dear caretakers of Sears Canada Online Catalogue, Let me begin by saying that yours is a very friendly service and that despite growing doubts that I will ever

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-67181746421752947492011-10-14T08:22:00.000-04:002011-10-14T08:22:12.113-04:00

Destiny's Blood has been making the rounds, partying with people across the world.  It made the ballot for the Aurora Awards, and we celebrated by offering it as a free ebook for a while.  It won the bronze medal in science-fiction in the Foreword Book Awards, and we got slightly tipsy on mimosas.  It's such a party even Layela's partying! No drink for her, though.  Best to keep sober when so

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-16432386343854011952011-10-11T12:07:00.000-04:002011-10-12T08:22:50.205-04:00

I'm off to Con*Cept in Montreal next weekend.  For those of you who'll be around, here's my schedule: Friday 18:30, St-Francois Reading I'm thinking I'll read from works in progress.  Fun times! NOTE: Claude Lalumière's reading will be taking place right before mine.  Why not come listen to his stuff, too?  22:00, Terrasse The Growth of Cruelty in SF Marie Bilodeau(m), Violette Malan, Danny

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-80942387756316051862011-10-05T15:20:00.000-04:002011-10-05T15:21:11.918-04:00

That's what Roomy calls it, and any Canadian out there knows exactly what I'm talking about. Its suddenness takes me by surprise each year, somehow. One day I'm getting up and light is gently streaming into my room, and then the next day the sun seems to wait until I'm well into my writing morning before showing up. This time of the year is when energies start to fizzle out. The desire to

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-68868563559974062442011-09-30T13:14:00.000-04:002011-09-30T13:14:21.834-04:00

Sometimes it's best not to get replies. Or send letters.  Still, a letter needed to be written to this evil, uncooperative manuscript.  It was going to be an awesome book, a prequel to Destiny's Blood, but it was not meant to be. Heck, it didn't WANT to be!  I was struggling (for a whole month!) Meanwhile, not knowing I was working on this despicable book, Dragon Moon Press requested two sequels

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-70773386259463550122011-09-21T08:35:00.002-04:002011-09-21T08:42:54.404-04:00

I'm very excited for Windborn this Sunday. Not only do I get to hear wonderful tales and poems from fellow Kymeras Sean Zio and Ruthanne Edward (Kathryn Hunt is sadly out of town), I'll also get to enjoy The Fruit Machine by special guest Brendan McLeod.  I saw this show during the last season of Once Upon a Slam, and it was good fun. Well worth coming out to see.  On top of all of that fun and

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-39832421151744943022011-09-16T11:08:00.000-04:002011-09-16T11:12:27.883-04:00

Videotron is a huge cable and Internet provider in Quebec.  I loved them and then I didn't.  Really not.  I believe this is the original letter with no replies.  To be fair, I never did receive another bill, which I suppose is a type of reply.  Dear Videotron, Although I truly sympathize that business may currently be financially challenging, I find myself within the impossibility of paying

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-45545539073931580372011-09-12T07:28:00.000-04:002011-09-12T07:32:22.373-04:00

This weekend was Can-Con 2011 in Ottawa, and it was awesome time.  I had the pleasure of seeing lots of old friends and make new ones, talked books with some fun people (and got some awesome trades!), was brought peach juice by klingons and the wonderful con suite folk, and ate lots of chocolate.  Really, that makes for a perfect con. But, above that, this con will always be special to me since

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-10123219134926241302011-09-08T09:50:00.001-04:002011-09-08T09:51:05.109-04:00

Today is Star Trek's 45th anniversary! I remember when I first encountered Star Trek. My parents had forbidden me from watching it (even though neither one of them remembers why). I used to hide under the dining room table and watch it from there, with chair legs in my way. But I still thought it was awesome cool. Of course I was allowed to watch cartoons and, when I was a kid, a lot of

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-10421589592899719722011-09-07T07:17:00.001-04:002011-09-07T07:17:51.680-04:00

<!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--> <!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]>

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-70998388482519074482011-09-02T08:18:00.004-04:002011-09-16T11:09:52.545-04:00

When I posted the Hallmark letter, I knew I had written a few other letters but couldn't find them. Over the weekend, I found some more and realized that wow, I may have written too many of these. They entertain me. I note that I don't write as many of them now, but instead indulge in battles with computer answering services and untrained customer service representatives. According to this letter

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-48877179780442531442011-08-31T10:46:00.000-04:002011-08-31T10:46:53.266-04:00

I'm not usually a big fan of book trailers, but this one is worth a look because it is, quite simply, made of win. This awesome trailer happened thanks to the vision and artistic direction of author J.M. Frey, and the acting skills of author Erik Buchanan.  These are talented people, my friends! 

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-66924020192170659572011-08-30T09:32:00.003-04:002011-08-30T09:34:44.259-04:00

The promotion put on by my wonderful publisher, Dragon Moon Press, is drawing to an end!  If you're Canadian and are going to vote in the Aurora Awards (and why wouldn't you?), please nab your free copy of Destiny's Blood and make an informed decision. You have until Friday this week (gasp!) Hope you enjoy the read! (Check out the sidebar and go through shopping bag process to get free copy.) 

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-43377280202370907782011-08-17T08:35:00.001-04:002011-08-17T08:35:56.506-04:00

I just had an awesome weekend at When Words Collide in Calgary and now I'm chilling in PEI, and it's loosening up the spirits (in a good way).  It's making me come to terms with some aspects of my life and wanting to confess them. To all of you. (If you expect anything serious here, you're obviously new to my blog.  Welcome!) You see, I post a lot about coffee and caffeine.  And yes, I love them

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-75318550487251078042011-08-09T08:23:00.001-04:002011-08-09T08:25:28.700-04:00

This Friday I'm off to Calgary to partake of the new readercon-style When Words Collide.  They have an awesome line-up of guests and I'm really looking forward to seeing a bunch of my friends.  I haven't been to a Western con since World Fantasy in 2008!  That's just wrong, I know. This is the list of my fine panels: Saturday, 8pm Foothills 2 Story Time With Marie My usual con fun storytelling

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-56556264805534741072011-08-04T07:53:00.001-04:002011-08-04T07:57:45.098-04:00

Remember a loooong time ago when I promised I'd reveal my five-year plan?  And I revealed my main goal and then said I'd reveal my strategies regularly and soon?  Well, I lied.  There you go.  Just getting it out there. I've found lately that my focus is wavering, so I guess that's a sign that I should post a bit more about my plan. Well, it'll probably help me re-focus, anyway, so here we go!

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-15130586475227415212011-07-26T07:06:00.000-04:002011-07-26T07:06:48.672-04:00

The Aurora Award voting system is up and running!  If you read and loved Destiny's Blood, please vote for it in the Aurora Awards by clicking here!  If you haven't yet had the chance to read it, I'm excited to announce that Dragon Moon Press is offering the e-book version for free (see my fancy side bar).  I'll also be selling Destiny's Blood for a special price at my upcoming cons - When Words

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-43705942461912656622011-07-22T07:08:00.000-04:002011-07-22T07:08:40.599-04:00

Exciting news!  I sold two short stories this year (woo!), and the second one is now available! Co-written by the lovely and talented Gabrielle Harbowy, Deserter is part of Beast Within 2: Predator & Prey, edited by Jennifer Brozek and published by Graveside Books. Co-writing a story was lots of fun.  I wouldn't recommend doing it with someone you don't trust and respect.  In my case, that was

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-50319985702651665192011-07-21T07:17:00.003-04:002011-10-04T13:31:09.128-04:00

The past two weeks have been rollicking crazy fun.  Roomy and I started off by going to the My Little Pony Fair in Providence, Rhode Island.  (She's the collector. I'm the enabler, the ride and the booth bunny!)  We started off our stay in Providence with a Lovecraft tour.  For the poor souls amongst you who are not aware, H.P. Lovecraft spent quite a bit of his life in Providence.  So did Edgar

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-77926578338147898982011-07-11T20:30:00.000-04:002011-07-11T20:30:44.282-04:00

I'm back from Rhode Island and off tomorrow to the land of no Internet (gasp!)  I'll be back with updates next week, including pics from last week's My Little Pony Fair.  Our computer had issues, so no pictures could be downloaded.  Ah well, trust me, they're worth the wait (and so very pink!) Next weekend I'll be at Polaris!  If you're gonna be there too, make sure to come say hi by the Dragon

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-65766957620072175692011-07-05T07:28:00.004-04:002011-07-05T07:35:06.287-04:00

Usual disclaimer - Roomy is the pony collector.  I'm the enabler. And boy am I good at enabling! Roomy and I are off on an adventure tomorrow!  Rhode Island it is for us, for the My Little Pony Fair (did I ever mention I'm a sucker for a road trip?)  The actual fair will be at Hasbro headquarters, so much excitement abounds in the pony community.  I'm looking forward to seeing it, too!  I've

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-3339474304847452992011-06-29T08:54:00.001-04:002011-06-29T12:34:23.836-04:00

The good people of Dragon Moon Press believe in the power of informed decisions (truly).  Since Destiny's Blood was nominated for the Aurora Awards, my wonderful publisher is running a few specials to encourage readers to check it out and consider voting for it.  How awesome is that? For those of you who love a good e-book, you can now get Destiny's Blood for free (100% discount).

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-14606939925921033452011-06-27T08:50:00.000-04:002011-06-27T08:50:53.702-04:00

Last week was awesome.  By last week, I mean Monday to Sunday.  It was a good stretch!  First of all, two reviews were spotted for When the Hero Comes Home, and both gave a nod to my story.  And both loved the title of my story.  Andrew Jack said: "There’s also a story in there called The Legend Of Gluck by Marie Bilodeau. If a title that awesome doesn’t interest you then you’re dead to me." Who

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-32076420431050678802011-06-21T07:48:00.002-04:002011-06-21T07:51:17.052-04:00

The Dragon Moon Press team is proud (and giddy!) to bring you a Canadian launch of When the Hero Comes Home, at Polaris on July 17!  Confirmed authors so far include Erik Buchanan (author of Small Magics and Cold Magics) and J.M. Frey (Author of Triptych), and myself!  Here are the details: WHEN: Sunday, July 17, 2011, 11 am to 1 pm WHERE: Ten-Forward at Polaris WHY:  Really?  Do you really have

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-74522962032261256752011-06-17T15:16:00.000-04:002011-06-17T15:16:37.033-04:00

I'm super excited to announce that I'll be a Guest at this year's Hal-Con!  If you're there, make sure to come say hi! The con is in Halifax, on November 12 and 13.  I've heard awesome things about this con, so I'm very much looking forward to partaking of the fun.  I'll post more info as soon as I have it! Click on the logo to go to the con site.  Aren't I just super tech-savvy today? And may I

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-76648766208736710162011-06-15T11:02:00.001-04:002011-06-15T11:02:36.816-04:00

I received quite a few questions on my five-year plan.  I um'd and ah'd for a few weeks, but I decided to share selected pieces of my plan and how I came up with it.  This will be a blog series for the next four to five weeks.  I love blog series!  Makes it all sound so official. It took me months to figure out what I needed to do and how (with the action plan.  Weeks only for the blog posts.) 

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-2693054974932181242011-06-10T07:06:00.001-04:002011-09-16T11:10:09.965-04:00

I was cleaning out my really, really messy filing system, and came across a few letters that never received an answer.  Which was too bad, as I had lots of fun writing them. Oh well, at least they'll make for fun blog material, now! This one was drafted to Hallmark, several years ago.  I lost the accompanying screenshot, which saddens me a bit.  I had e-mailed AND faxed it, to cover my bases,

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-59253016032874248012011-06-08T07:53:00.000-04:002011-06-08T07:53:41.117-04:00

Well, a blog week.  I certainly didn't lose the week per say. I was busy running around and had no good Internet connection.  Note to self: next time, prepare posts in advance.  Ah well, live and forget what you learned.   I'm not going to try to go over everything, even though some awesome stuff happened. Instead, I give you a week in pictures! On our way to AnimeNorth, my car (Maude)

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-88071434387788208862011-05-26T07:36:00.016-04:002011-09-07T07:34:33.675-04:00

Two years ago I stumbled on a magnificent place to write - a convent. It was perfect. Quiet and clean, filled with dark hallways and surrounded by protected land, on an island by the St-Lawrence Seaway, great freighters floating by on their journey to Montreal. The rooms were small, with only a single bed, a reading chair, a desk and a sink. The low fee included three meals, buffet style.  And

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-71684503604943857282011-05-24T11:43:00.000-04:002011-05-24T11:43:11.401-04:00

After an awesome weekend of writing mercilessly (45k words in two days - a new personal best), I'm very much looking forward to next weekend's activity - Anime North! Anime North will be doubly special for a con since Roomy will be making her first con guest appearance as a My Little Pony collector and customizer!  An award-winning one too, to boot. She just finished a cute booklet she'll be

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-19077781411083741572011-05-16T07:14:00.003-04:002011-05-16T08:28:13.848-04:00

I had the luck of being at the Prix Aurora/Boréal ceremony at the Congrès Boréal yesterday when they announced the English Aurora Award Ballot.  And Destiny's Blood made the ballot! WOO HOO!  :D I can't thank everyone enough for taking the time to enjoy and nominate Destiny's Blood.  This wouldn't have happened without your support! So now it's been nominated for the Foreword Book Awards, a

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-80433024799035135852011-05-09T09:45:00.002-04:002011-05-09T10:13:28.319-04:00

On April 18, I had the pleasure of performing in Monteral with the talented storyteller, JD Hobbes, and wicked musician Shayne Grin.  The two of them often perform together as Taelstrum  They're awesome.  It was the first show of our whirlwind cross-Canada tour, the second show being in Ottawa on May 14.  (Okay, maybe not cross-Canada. Give us time and maybe about a decade.  We'll work it.) This

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-43595510668783048892011-05-03T07:48:00.005-04:002011-05-03T12:50:24.148-04:00

... really?  I mean, I don't mean to knock anyone who suffers, who is suffering, who has suffered, which right there probably covers the entire scope of mankind.  So I guess I don't mean to knock anyone. But I've heard this saying a few times over the past year and, truth be told, it bugs me.  There are variations of this, of course.  Here are a few I've heard: You must use your disturbing past

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-80612075786361712052011-04-29T08:02:00.002-04:002011-04-29T08:04:59.610-04:00

Some of you may have heard of the iPhone tracking system.  It's not cool because users don't know about it. It's a stalker phone. Curious, I looked at the files from my iPhone and this is what I found: This looks pretty accurate, location-wise.  Halifax, Calgary, and... Everything in the Quebec City - Windsor corridor, my main traipsing ground.   Okay, but how accurate is this? Let's have a

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-57272635359145993782011-04-24T20:34:00.001-04:002011-04-24T20:36:52.323-04:00

Imagine you are writing a story.  Your hero will have good days.  And horrible ones.  Days filled with light and sunshine, and some so direly dark it's a wonder anyone gets through them. There are demons, too, and faerie princesses with special powers.  There are lovers and enemies, sleepless nights and stormy weather, frightful days and then, out of nowhere, sunlit meadows.  They vanish again,

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-21391894998555121412011-04-20T09:00:00.002-04:002011-04-20T09:01:06.889-04:00

It's a one-year anniversary today, so it's special blog post time!  I don't tend to write too much about the business side of writing, mostly because I'm still figuring it out, but here's a little glimpse of some of my more recent thought processes.   (Warning: My thought processes are at times questionable.) I spent most of last year analyzing immediate vs. long-term gratification.  I didn't

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-69191650812379759652011-04-19T21:09:00.000-04:002011-04-19T21:09:18.075-04:00

I had an awesome time in Montreal last weekend telling stories with JD Hobbes, accompanied by amazing musician Shayne Grin, at Hurley's Pub.  The evening started off a bit dicey.  The reservation for our room was lost, so we no longer had a private performance space.  Instead we were offered a room not fully closed off from the pub.  Hobbes ordered a cider and *gasp* they were out.  And I got a

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-87305749704359319592011-04-15T08:36:00.001-04:002011-04-15T08:37:09.056-04:00

So far this year I've sold stories to two anthologies, and both tables of contents are now available!  S'gonna be awesome, my friends! WHEN THE HERO COMES HOME Co-edited by Gabrielle Harbowy and Ed Greenwood Coming out August 2011 from Dragon Moon Press A Place to Come Home To by Jay Lake and Shannon Page An Evil Not Forgotten by Erik Buchanan Full Circle by Steve Bornstein Lessons Learned by

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-23933973063843979642011-04-13T06:41:00.000-04:002011-04-13T06:41:58.229-04:00

Before every wonderful detail of Ad Astra gets crushed in the daily grind, I wanted to thank everyone who made it so special.  I'm not going to make a list, just to be clear, for fear of forgetting somebody, but to the authors, panelists, DMPers, ConCom members, fans, vendors, security, party throwers, drink handlers, travellers and bread breakers - you're all awesome.  Seriously. Ad Astra

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-19053999042730018072011-04-11T17:59:00.002-04:002011-04-11T20:16:37.416-04:00

The worst part is not the final verdict, not the whispered farewell, not the last sigh, nor the tearful drive back. The worst part is coming home with an empty carrier. Good bye, Buster Bear.  You were deeply loved.  You are sorely missed.

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-34540373377779888712011-04-07T08:34:00.001-04:002011-04-07T08:36:05.204-04:00

Tomorrow I'm off to Ad Astra for much fun and reconnecting with old friends.  And making new friends, too!  My storytelling show is ready, with multiple stories on the stars.  I have a folktale, a fairy tale, a literary tale, a historical story and possibly a poem, depending on whether or not my mind is still functional by the end.  It's going to be fun, so I hope you'll come out!  It's Friday at

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-68774140136677200382011-04-05T08:36:00.000-04:002011-04-05T08:36:04.532-04:00

Nominations close on April 30, so there's less than a month to go before your vote has to be in!  Why should you vote?  Well, because democracy rules, and because it's a nice way to recognize the efforts of fans and pros across Canada.  The sci-fi/fantasy community in Canada is awesome, let's face it, and full of amazing talent. The Aurora Awards are Canadian and fan voted, and made of win. Any

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-91544505126051054222011-04-01T11:56:00.001-04:002011-04-01T12:00:41.200-04:00

I usually write at Second Cup in the mornings, from 7 to 8, give or take 15 minutes either way.  I crank out at least a thousand words when writing, or edit two to five pages, depending on how bad the first draft was (sometimes atrocious.  Would make my editor faint.) But coffee houses are banding against productive mornings.  I'm certain of this.  Oh sure, they offer you coffee and a seat, two

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-50054466919831241272011-03-25T13:27:00.001-04:002011-03-27T19:48:52.694-04:00

I've been meaning to put on a storytelling show in Montreal for quite some time now. There are lots of awesome people in Montreal, and I just love the city of my wee Marie years. Meanwhile (the plot thickens), a Montreal teller and good friend, JD Hobbes, had been meaning to invade Ottawa with a launch for his storytelling CD – The Bard's New Hat.  And so (truly thick, now), we're launching a

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-77236250119236731362011-03-22T08:09:00.002-04:002011-03-22T08:22:09.766-04:00

This is where you can find me at Ad Astra this year (Toronto, April 8 - 10). It's their 30th anniversary, and in honour of it I'll be doing a show entitled To the Stars.  I'll be telling stories of astronomers, magical journeys and the end of the world.  It's at 11pm on Friday night, so I hope some of you will make it!  It'll be a lovely way to end the first day of the con, and we can go for a

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-15595338452864101572011-03-14T21:02:00.001-04:002011-03-20T16:24:57.801-04:00

Destiny's Blood is a finalist in the 2010 Foreword Book Awards, in the Science-Fiction category!  The Foreword Awards recognize fine books from independent publishers in Canada and the U.S.  This year, there were more than 1,400 entries from 350 publishers (for all categories).  W00t! (I always feel that Destiny's Blood being classified as science-fiction would make Isaac Asimov cry.  Yet I go

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-78825587644567857922011-03-08T08:04:00.002-05:002011-03-08T10:11:12.736-05:00

This blog will not be updated this week due to final stages on next book.  Blogging is awesome, but what a great procrastination tool!  If you need to reach me, well, good luck.  Expect a one-week delay for answers, unless it's urgent of course or you hold some sort of power over me, like my publishers and cat-sitters. If you miss me terribly, read Destiny's Blood for free, draw a picture of me

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-23227631170514874742011-03-04T07:34:00.000-05:002011-03-04T07:34:38.843-05:00

This is where I was: These are the shoes I wore: This is where I dreamed of being: This is my tabby in a bag:  This is where I'll be on Saturday: Cheers!

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-35478533246172444372011-03-01T07:09:00.002-05:002011-03-01T07:12:58.287-05:00

I've been left alone in a hotel room with a manuscript and a laptop with a camera.  Add needing a blog post to the mix, not wanting to stop writing so taking only five minutes to make a video, and this is what you get. My scrolly things are fast, I whisper too low at the end, but that's okay.  If it was remotely professional, I might have put on a smidgen of make up.  But that's why shadows

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-54519226870898309302011-02-25T07:02:00.002-05:002011-02-25T07:05:19.710-05:00

I received two great reviews this week on two of my favourite things.  The first was for Destiny's Blood, from The Future Fire.  The reviewer gives a very lovely review, capping it up with: "[...]this story is well-crafted and often cinematic, at times reminding me of Firefly/Serenity or Star Wars: A New Hope. The story’s pace is fast, with many plot turns. This wouldn’t be the type of story I

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-52281568355824799252011-02-22T07:37:00.001-05:002011-03-02T22:25:17.805-05:00

This July, Roomy and I are heading to Rhode Island to the My Little Pony Fair!  To be clear, I'm the ride and booth keeper.  She's the pony collector.  But I'm totally an enabler.  I remember when eBay was still young and innocent, and so were we all, encouraging her to buy her first lot of vintage ponies, for old time's sakes.  And now, as penance, there are hundreds of ponies in our home.  Ah

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-40328344408561014152011-02-15T07:48:00.001-05:002011-02-15T07:55:36.952-05:00

A few weeks before Christmas, I was chatting with Gabrielle Harbowy, Editor-in-Chief and Associate Publisher of Dragon Moon Press, and a published writer, to boot.  She mentioned that she had been invited to submit to Graveside Tales' The Beast Within 2, edited by the talented Jennifer Brozek.  It's an anthology of lycanthrope tales, which isn't usually my favourite type of character to explore.

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-22504673890076122442011-02-08T08:37:00.000-05:002011-02-08T08:37:10.995-05:00

Spoiler! The answer is no. I cannot not ramble. I spoil with double negatives to throw you all off. I was invited to this year's G-Anime by Fingers Delaurus, the esteemed Panel Guru. We had met at Can-Con, and he thought I would have fun at an anime con. He was completely and utterly right. I had never been to an anime con and expected many colourful things to see. And boy did I see loads.

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-70537671758173472102011-02-04T07:25:00.011-05:002011-02-04T07:53:39.702-05:00

This year, I have the honour of being Guest Author at G-Anime in Gatineau!  It's my first anime con, too, so it's doubly fun! This is where I'll officially be: Saturday, February 5 12pm Comment créer un personnage convainquant 1pm How to develop plot in fiction 3pm Making realistic characters Sunday, February 6 1 pm Writer's Block and how to deal with it I'm sharing all of my English

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-10765681043285075272011-02-01T07:25:00.001-05:002011-02-01T07:48:34.310-05:00

Dragon Moon Press has officially announced its latest anthology, When the Hero Comes Home, edited by Ed Greenwood (creator of Forgotten Realms and amazing writer) and Gabrielle Harbowy (Dragon Moon Press Associate Publisher and a wicked writer herself).  My sword and sorcery story, The Legend of Gluck, is included in it! Woo! It was a fun theme to tackle.  What does happen once the dragons and

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-61233133126876536602011-01-28T07:20:00.000-05:002011-01-28T07:20:11.916-05:00

I wonder why my Second Cup cup has the words "Take care of you," with the "you" underlined, written on it. Is it trying to tell me that perhaps starting my day with a large coffee is not smart, therefore rendering itself obsolete? Nah. Is it trying to say it's poisoned and shouldn't be ingested? Well, so far so good. Does it believe I take my daily wisdom from a cheap, throw away piece

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-68467436153488025402011-01-26T15:58:00.000-05:002011-01-26T15:58:12.070-05:00

Friday evening, tired from a long but fun day, I stumbled home, threw a book on the stove (seems I always have one of those with me.  Books, not stoves), and continued stumbling all the way up the stairs to my bed.  Very exciting. On Saturday evening things were shifted around in the kitchen, including said book, and Roomy remembered that I had received a package notice in the mail.  I didn't

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-6408147583522628412011-01-21T11:42:00.001-05:002011-01-21T16:15:08.465-05:00

The Aurora Awards are Canadian and fan voted, and made of win.  Nominations are now open, and any Canadian can nominate a work of science-fiction or fantasy, by going here.  You have to become a member of the CSFFA, but it's quick, free and painless. This year, I would be honoured if you'd consider nominating: In the long-form works category:   Destiny's Blood Published by Dragon Moon Press. 

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-15922671544246913072011-01-21T07:51:00.003-05:002011-01-21T15:30:14.978-05:00

I've been going on about prep work for our show, Chasing Boudicca (including many tick illustrations), and last night was showtime.  I don't think I managed to sleep enough to put coherent thoughts together, as my thoughts need to percolate (or at least be caffeinated), but I woke up with all of these wondrous moments and impressions still wrapped around me like a comfy blanket. The bogging

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-87010519946410363252011-01-20T09:06:00.000-05:002011-01-20T09:06:55.606-05:00

After months of research, story creation and rehearsals, the day is finally here!  Tonight is the premiere of Chasing Boudicca at the National Art Centre's Fourth Stage!  I say premiere since we're hoping to tour this one a bit.  We'll see what we pull off! I loved preparing for this show.  It was even worth getting a tick.    The show was built on what little we know of Boudicca's story, based

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-60641671657576858412011-01-11T14:55:00.000-05:002011-01-11T14:55:23.434-05:00

I can safely make that statement because early this morning, my niece, Something Something Bilodeau, was born.  As one of my friends pointed out, she'll probably live to see the 22nd century, and that's just awesome!  I hope she has the curiosity of her father and the willpower of her mother, the intelligence of both and the fashion sense of her mother.  Or her auntie.  But not of her father. 

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-34193408126534741102011-01-07T11:04:00.000-05:002011-01-07T11:04:53.715-05:00

In 1998, Roomy's cousin, Christopher T. Gerow (no, the "T" doesn't stand for Tiberius), released a comic book entitled Sojourn.  It was an enjoyable journey and I was disappointed to see it end.  So I was ecstatic to hear it was being re-released on the Internet, as well as the potential for more, um, stuff?  I dunno.  Guess we'll find out!  It's a dark urban fantasy tale and I'll say no more.

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-15792844210619763612011-01-04T16:41:00.002-05:002011-01-04T16:42:18.921-05:00

Last year was fun.  Sorceress of Shadows was published in March, concluding the Heirs of a Broken Land series.  I've missed those characters ever since.  Then Destiny's Blood was published in August and has been making the rounds since.  I told at loads of new venues and learned new stories, and met so many wonderful people I can barely keep track. I hit Ad-Astra, Can-Con and Con*Cept, and

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-15333561052622354462011-01-01T09:45:00.001-05:002011-01-01T11:02:21.250-05:00

It struck me that you may think my Roomy is only about ponies.  Not that I'm overly concerned about three-dimensionality on my blog, but I wanted to ensure, at the cusp of this fresh new shiny year, that you knew she was more than just a collector. Oh no, she's so very much more.  She's also a baker. You heard me.  A baker.  She makes fresh breads, cakes, treats and cookies that my tabby loves

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-45164956390267187762010-12-29T08:40:00.003-05:002011-10-04T13:32:38.763-04:00

At first my roomy’s collection involved a lot of eBay shopping when My Little Ponies were but a toy of Christmases past. It was pretty exciting, truly. I spent loads of time with her (way more than I care to admit) learning the various collecting tidbits (discoloration, hair condition, pony cancer – yes, ponies get sick too), and I even knew enough to buy her some coveted ones for her birthday,

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-33724566977666048102010-12-23T09:29:00.003-05:002011-10-04T13:32:12.600-04:00

Whenever I think I'm insane (as opposed to the times I'm sure of it), I stare into Roomy's spare room to comfort myself.  Roomy, as you most of you know, is a My Little Pony collector.  Ergo, her spare room is full of ponies.  Not a little bit of full, either.  Lots of full. This is a My Little Pony from the 80.  Her name is Firefly.  Ain't she cute? Since the 80s, they've released three

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-81693905470052889192010-12-17T09:35:00.003-05:002010-12-17T09:39:03.190-05:00

Note: I was going to start posting magical things this Friday, but I've been informed I shouldn't post said magical things until after tomorrow, since magical things won't be revealed until then. But I will tell you that these magical things are my Roomy's Christmas hobby this year, and it's pretty fun.  I'll post some on Tuesday.  For now, here's a What The Friday?  :P Sometimes I cry when

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-89600326530397549842010-12-14T08:06:00.004-05:002010-12-14T09:37:37.647-05:00

End of year is always a bit nuts.  For the past three years, I've been working on either final edits or final writing touches on an upcoming novel. This year is no different, with Destiny's War getting close to completion (after many, many wrong turns on my part).  I also have the Chasing Boudicca show on January 20, and it requires lots of preparation.  Any story where you bring in another

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-84889460274904494842010-12-10T08:46:00.002-05:002010-12-14T08:18:13.310-05:00

Here's my tick update, as I've been informed that many of you are curious.  I'm touched.  Surprised, and perhaps a little bit worried, but touched nevertheless. So, following two more trips to the doctor, one lung infection, one badly infected wound, one round of an-tick-biotics and a whole tube of bactroban (to be said with a dramatic accent), Telehealth Ontario doesn't feel I'm worth a health

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-17934378486888770242010-12-07T09:44:00.002-05:002010-12-07T09:46:44.411-05:00

When I was just scouting storytelling as a performance option, I attended the 2005 edition of the Ottawa Storytelling Festival.  And that's where I became a fan girl. The specific set I'd targeted was a telling of the Lady of Shalott, the tale of the beautiful maiden who loved the not-so-pure knight Lancelot.  Hark!  Forsooth he never loved her back, never even truly noticed her. And she, like

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-44114542627134880952010-12-03T09:09:00.001-05:002010-12-03T09:19:11.155-05:00

A long, long time ago I bought an IBM ThinkPad on eBay and named it Utnapishtim (Utni, for short).  Utnapishtim is the guy who survived the flood in the Mesopotamian flood myth, and the gods offered him the gift of immortality.  (His wife, too.  She bakes him bread.  Sounds thrilling.) I figured the laptop would last forever, since he'd obviously take on his namesake's mythical traits.  

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-36991651046001280822010-11-29T12:51:00.001-05:002010-11-29T12:52:51.689-05:00

'Tis the season to be chilly... Amazon.ca has run out of copies of Destiny's Blood, and shipping is now scheduled for after Christmas (gasp!).  Well, that simply won't do.  To compensate for this unfortunate turn of events, and to encourage you to give this wonderful read to your loved ones, I'm offering a super duper fantastic discount thingy. Buy Destiny's Blood from me for a straight $20,

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-86637820400154899312010-11-23T08:02:00.000-05:002010-11-23T08:02:11.501-05:00

Last weekend was the Ottawa Storytelling Festival, following a one-year hiatus so that it could be revamped and refocused.  Pat Holloway, Festival Co-chair, Caitlyn Paxson, Managing Artistic Director, and all of the festival committee should be proud of what they accomplished. Thursday night featured Ivan Coyote, a storyteller and writer from the Yukon.  She was amazing, and what was even more

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-56391704563109535052010-11-19T08:25:00.003-05:002010-12-10T09:35:53.827-05:00

I was totally going to illustrate the tick story.  It was going to be great.  See, I even started:  But then I remembered I couldn't draw.  I figured it out out when I couldn't draw legs for me or a body for Roomy, since she was sitting down at the time and that proved too complex.  And I look pregnant, and my skirt is see-through, and there's just something generally wrong with all of this.  

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-18562973455951033252010-11-17T08:33:00.000-05:002010-11-17T08:33:55.478-05:00

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Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-7498265536631464322010-10-22T09:52:00.002-04:002010-10-22T09:58:10.405-04:00

I recently rambled about being invited back to my alma mater, Wilfrid Laurier University, to participate in a Religion and Culture alumni panel.  The idea was to show arts students a slew of career possibilities and that there was indeed life after an arts degree.  We were four, and it was great hearing the three other panelists, Jason Shim, Christine Mckinlay and Elysia Guzik, describe their

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-64671269305671674902010-10-05T09:20:00.002-04:002010-10-06T05:57:47.001-04:00

I spent the weekend in Montreal at Con*Cept, and I had an absolute blast reconnecting with old friends and making new ones.  Friday night, Erik Buchanan and I held a double book launch, which was well-attended and fun.  We served chips and warm pop, and gave away some prizes.  It was fun sharing "reading space" with Erik, since he's an actor and gives a heck of good reading! The con was great

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-62621854480262592512010-09-27T07:44:00.000-04:002010-09-27T07:44:48.327-04:00

Here's where I'll be at Con*Cept in Montreal this weekend: Friday 8 pm, Gatineau Room Writing A Series  (Marie Bilodeau, Violette Malan(m), Karen Dales, Jo Walton)  9-11 pm, St-François Room Blood and Magics - A Double Book Launch Montreal launch of Destiny's Blood and Erik Buchanan's Cold Magics.  Yes, there will be treats AND door prizes! Saturday 11 am, Grand Salon Storytelling (English)

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-56354913417038446762010-09-24T16:31:00.001-04:002010-09-24T16:32:32.736-04:00

This weekend was supposed to be a Kymeras escape weekend (minus Sean Zio), so we could plan our set for the Boudicca show (National Arts Centre, January 20.  Be there or be square!) But events move quickly, sometimes.  My car blew up.  Then the lovely Ruthanne Edward is down for a few days.  As far as I know, Kathryn Hunt is still intact, although a bit stressed with final preparations underway

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-35095614344387894342010-09-21T15:54:00.000-04:002010-09-21T15:54:37.979-04:00

I've dealt with them both, you see, and therefore feel I have a good grasp of both systems.  Why compare them?  Um, because I can? First team:  Parliament Security.  Parliament is a big place where Canada is run, and it's nested on a Hill.  Quite pretty.  Their security team, incidentally, is also referred by some as the RCMP.  Check out the Parliament of Canada. Second team:  Ad Astra

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3085102192860313046.post-71686832058553922362010-09-17T11:02:00.002-04:002010-09-17T13:08:09.931-04:00

Once back at Laurier, I made a vow to try harder.  I'd made it this far, and it seemed silly to give up now, just because of a language barrier.  So I strapped down, visited the writing centre, talked to my teachers, got used to people screaming "pamplemousse" at me once they heard my accent (and stopped asking "excuse me?"), and joined clubs to meet new people. I in fact became an exec with

Marie Bilodeauhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09267048318492032120noreply@blogger.com3