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The BAR*D Newsletter

Spring 2026

* BAR’D: a lighthearted combination of my initials, BAR, and a nod to the bards, those gifted with writing and delivering fine prose.

An unscientific and whimsical perspective on what makes a writer.

My favourite piece of the pie is “Delusion!”

Welcome

Thank you for being here and following me on this writing journey.

I hope the winter was kind to you and you’re feeling reinvigorated by signs of spring.

If you read to the end of this newsletter, you’ll find a little offer of thanks to you for your support and interest in my writing. 🙏 🎁

Status of My First Manuscript

No major updates on this front.

I’ve sent my manuscript package to a second batch of literary agents in North America and the UK, as well as several Canadian independent publishers who accept submissions directly from authors; those who do not require writers to have agents. I’m hoping to hear from them in the second half of this year.

As I’ve noted before, this process really tests one’s patience, confidence, and resilience. I’m reminded it’s often a writer’s second or third manuscript that breaks through.

Still, I remain dedicated and determined to see GRAND EXPLOITS in print!

The Writing Life & What’s Next

• I completed the eight-week short story writing course I mentioned last time. Short story writing is quite different from writing full length novel manuscripts, yet I added tools to my literary belt, including a reminder of the importance of making each sentence count.

  
  

• My second manuscript is getting traction. I’m feeling the flutter of excited butterflies in my stomach and am eagerly conducting research, so I’m optimistic this new idea has potential. Writers are advised not to speak too soon about their work-in-progress, so I’ll keep my ideas to myself … for now. In future newsletters I’ll describe how story ideas emerge for me, and a unique approach I’ve used to round out characters to make them fully formed and nuanced. Hint: I enlisted my sister and her interest in astrology! 🌗 ✨

• Part of the writing life is supporting and learning from other writers. I’ve been serving on the board of directors of the Atlantic Book Awards Society (ABAS) for the past two years, and at the recent Annual General Meeting, I was selected to become President and Chair of the board (volunteer roles). This is an honour and privilege, and enables me to interact with, and promote, Atlantic Canadian writers. This role will allow me to blend my corporate governance experience with my love for writing and storytelling.

• I’m excited to have been invited to read from my manuscript at the University of King’s College’s MFA in-residence session in June, at the Halifax Central Public Library.

• I won’t be attending the Historical Novel Society conference near Dublin this summer given travel challenges.

  
  

  Instead, I’ll be attending the 25th Anniversary of the Winterset In Summer Literary Festival in Eastport, Newfoundland. The line up of guest writers is spectacular and I’m sure I’ll gather heaps of good ideas and connections while there, including participating in a writers’ workshop hosted by award-winning NL writer, Lisa Moore. I’ll be sharing details about the Festival in the summer edition of this newsletter.

Writer in the Wild

Many of you may have assumed or hoped you’d have been able to read my manuscript by now. Me too! Unfortunately, the route to traditional publishing is slow and circuitous.

As a special offer of thanks for your continued support and patience, I’m offering to send a copy of the opening chapters of GRAND EXPLOITS to the first ten subscribers who send me an email asking to receive it. I hope you like it!

And, I’ll randomly pick one of those ten subscribers, and send that person a FREE copy of the novel that wins this year’s Thomas Raddall Atlantic Canadian Fiction Award! The winning novel will be presented at our ABAS gala on June 4th. If you’ll be in Halifax, come join us!

The five nominated novels – A Sense of Things Beyond (Renée Belliveau), milktooth (Jaime Burnet), We Were Not Kings (Robert de la Chevotière), The Ignis Psalter (Danny Jacobs), and Five Seasons of Charlie Francis (Danica Roache) – are shown below. If you haven’t done so already, I recommend you read one or more of these novels this summer to support storytelling in our communities.