New Blogpost Series - Pen Pal Posts

With a brand new year waiting to be filled with stories, I'm starting a new series here on my blog. Something informative, interesting and inspiring, I hope. Over the years, much to my delight, I've had the chance to get to know many writers, some face-to-face, some online. These people write books, or have newspaper columns and/or maintain blogs. They're from many different places in Canada and the United States, and I consider them my friends. Over the years they've been a source of inspiration in my own writing journey, at one point or another. This is my way of sharing a little about the writers I've 'crossed paths' with, and how their friendship have provided me with many special memories.


Hence, my decision to start this series, which I'll dub, 'Pen Pal Posts'. In trying to come up with a name for this series, I fondly remembered, years ago people (myself included) had pen pals, whom they regularly penned letters to. I loved opening those long newsy letters. (Actually I got one of those hand-written wonders from an Amish friend, just before Christmas, and dutifully wrote one back.) I've often said, 'back then, my best writing was done in letters'. But, thanks to costly postage stamps, pen and paper letter writing has almost become a lost art. And I was left to find a different type of stationery - quick, free and easy. If my writing has improved since then, however, is up for debate. So, it's with a touch of nostalgia, I've come up with the name for these upcoming posts. Since these posts are about writing friends, I thought Pen Pal Posts would be a good fit, plus it somehow has this nice ring to it.

In any case, each blog-post will begin by introducing the writer and vignettes about how I got to know that person. This will be followed with an interview about their writing life, and links to their books, columns, websites or other writings. If those writing friends will be fine with it, I'll include a picture of them as well.

I'm not sure when the first Pen Pal Post will be published or how often they'll run, as there are a few details that still need to be ironed out, so stay tuned. (Update: the first Pen Pal Post is out now. Check it out.)

On that note, I wish you a year full of memorable stories and at least a few hand-written letters sprinkled in.