Kim Neville

It’s now been a full year since we moved our family from East Coast to West and settled into a new life in the city where we started it all. Here’s what’s happened since then:

1) I took a horrendously messy first draft and rewrote it until it resembled a novel. I just spent the last three days reading it from start to finish. It’s come a long way. It took a lot of work, but I can honestly say that it’s become a story that I will soon be able to query to agents with confidence and pride.

2) I had my first short story published by a semi-pro magazine. You can find Meriel’s Brownie in the current issue of Leading Edge.

3) I took my reborn love for my city and turned it into a weekly article for my favourite Vancouver website. It was so much fun writing for Vancouver is Awesome, and I was sad to leave my role as editor of The Playground, but once I started working again I knew I had to let something go if I was ever going to finish my novel.

4) I went back to work. This wasn’t part of the plan, but I’m glad I decided to do it. As it turns out, I am much happier when I’m making a financial contribution to our family (even if, as a half-time employee, it’s a small contribution). I hadn’t worked since I was pregnant with Cassandra in 2007; it’s a part of my life that I didn’t realize I missed. It means I didn’t get as much writing done as I’d planned, but overall, I feel I’ve created a good balance between a job I enjoy, writing and time with my family.

My goals for next year are simple: get my current novel finished and out to agents, and write the next one. See you in 2011.

Issue #59 of Leading Edge magazine is now available. In it you will find my short story, Meriel’s Brownie. Yay! You can order a copy here.

You may think, based on my last post, that I’m spending the next two months hiding in a dark room with my laptop. I *may* have exaggerated. A little.

I am working hard but the work is fun. Also, I’m beginning to see the fruits of my labour, and that’s gratifying. I received the proofs for Meriel’s Brownie from Leading Edge this week. Complete with illustrations! Seeing the print version with my name at the top — that felt good. Issue #59 of Leading Edge will be available soon. I will keep you posted.

I’m still having a summer. There’s still time to play at the Granville Island Water Park. There’s time to stop by the Market for fresh local raspberries to put on my cereal and Maui ribs to put on my BBQ. There are, occasionally, long lunches with old friends. There are evening walks on the beach.

And I may not be swinging in a hammock, but I did just spend half an hour rocking in a chair while my child’s head grew heavy against my chest. Which is at least as good as a hammock session. Probably better.

Leading Edge Magazine has offered to buy my short story, “Meriel’s Brownie”. This is the same story I recently decided was too long to stand a chance at getting published. I’m happy to admit I was wrong about that. I’ll post details on when and where you can find “Meriel’s Brownie” in print as soon as I can.

Oh, and yay! May’s been a great month so far.