We met back in the early 90's, mid-teens, starting to experience glimpses of life outside the confines of a parents wing. I cannot say I remember where we met, under what circumstances, what we said.
What I do remember is the letters. I loved to write, she loved to write. We were instant penpals, scribbling frantically back and forth week after week, talking about boys and school and disagreements with our friends. I was the pristine penpal - excellent penmanship, floral stationary paper with matching envelopes, stamp placed perfectly square in the top right corner.
She, on the other hand, wrote as she thought - much too fast for her hand! She would start out in "proper" form with "Dear Myrna, Today I ...blah blah blah..." and then suddenly you could see her thoughts taking over with no care for aesthetics. There were circles of words, words written off the page, sentences run out of space and continuing down the outside, flipped over to the back of the page, upsidedown. Stationary and envelopes were often recycled before recycling was the "in" thing - it was crumpled brown wrapping paper posted in an envelope someone else had sent her, turned inside-out and taped back together.
I loved receiving those crazy letters - I looked forward to the mystery that was inside, piecing together the details of whatever fantastical highschool journey she had been on that week.
And so, I was not surprised in the least, when we "met" again on facebook after several years, and she was in the middle of working towards her first published novel, "Harvest Moon".
Let me introduce to you my friend, Krista D. Ball, in her debut blog tour interview:
A Writer's Essential Blog Tour Foods
Hello everyone! I’m Krista D. Ball, a science fiction and fantasy (SFF) writer from Edmonton, Alberta. Today begins my blog tour, which I’ve seriously named “Krista Taunts the Internet: The Officially Unofficial Blog Tour.” Between now and August, I’ll be visiting a number of different blogs all over the web and doing guest spots.
Now, blog touring is a lot of work and a girl has to keep up her strength. My emergency blog tour snack kit will include:
· (Canadian) Smarties
That’s right. Smarties are not the same the world over. This shocked me to discover on my first trip to the US. Then, people tried to convince me that our Smarties were like M&Ms. Oh heavens, no! For maximum blog touring energy, Smarties should be mixed with ice cream.
That’s right. Smarties are not the same the world over. This shocked me to discover on my first trip to the US. Then, people tried to convince me that our Smarties were like M&Ms. Oh heavens, no! For maximum blog touring energy, Smarties should be mixed with ice cream.
· Walker’s Shortbread
There are very few store bought cookies that are better than homemade. Walker’s Shortbread is at the top of that elite list. Leave it to the Scottish to make the best cookie on the planet. Do not purchase if you are on a diet.
There are very few store bought cookies that are better than homemade. Walker’s Shortbread is at the top of that elite list. Leave it to the Scottish to make the best cookie on the planet. Do not purchase if you are on a diet.
· Poutine
French fries. Gravy. Cheese curds. It’s gooey heaven. One of the best things about cooking a turkey is that you can use the leftover gravy to make homemade poutine the next day. Yum!
French fries. Gravy. Cheese curds. It’s gooey heaven. One of the best things about cooking a turkey is that you can use the leftover gravy to make homemade poutine the next day. Yum!
· Newfie Screech
As a writer, I believe it is important for me to continue the stereotype that all writers are half-cut most of the time. Being a Newfoundland gal myself, I would be remiss if I didn’t have a 40 ouncer of Screech in the cupboard. In case of emergencies, of course. Not for 10 am drinking.
As a writer, I believe it is important for me to continue the stereotype that all writers are half-cut most of the time. Being a Newfoundland gal myself, I would be remiss if I didn’t have a 40 ouncer of Screech in the cupboard. In case of emergencies, of course. Not for 10 am drinking.
· The Spud’s Onion Rings
There are only 5000 or so people in the world lucky enough to have visited The Spud. It’s like a chip wagon, only in a building. They make onion rings so good that I have been known to arrive in Deer Lake, NF after a 10 hour flight and asked the cab driver to take me straight to The Spud, even if it’s 2am.
There are only 5000 or so people in the world lucky enough to have visited The Spud. It’s like a chip wagon, only in a building. They make onion rings so good that I have been known to arrive in Deer Lake, NF after a 10 hour flight and asked the cab driver to take me straight to The Spud, even if it’s 2am.
· Mc Lobster
There is something so awesome and terrifying about eating lobster at McDonald’s. Yet, every year, McDonald’s in the Eastern Provinces (and I’ve heard some US states) serves up its famous McLobster. It’s been a decade since I’ve had one, but I demand several to survive a summer tour.
There is something so awesome and terrifying about eating lobster at McDonald’s. Yet, every year, McDonald’s in the Eastern Provinces (and I’ve heard some US states) serves up its famous McLobster. It’s been a decade since I’ve had one, but I demand several to survive a summer tour.
With this group of foods, I’ll make it through this summer tour with flying colours!
A special thanks to Myrna for letting me kick off my tour on her awesome blog.
For more information on Krista or her upcoming novelette, Harvest Moon, check out her website at http://www.kristadball.com/
A special thanks to Myrna for letting me kick off my tour on her awesome blog.
For more information on Krista or her upcoming novelette, Harvest Moon, check out her website at http://www.kristadball.com/
5 comments:
Hey Myrna,
We met when I was 15, I believe, in Cox's Cove at a church retreat.
Any other person would be annoyed at the thinly-veiled questioning of my sanity. But, since it's true, I'll let it go.
You did have outstanding penmanship back then. No wonder you took up the hobby that-shall-not-be-named. I was lucky if the stamp made it on the envelop!
I lost all of your letters in an apartment fire in university. They had too much smoke damage to recover them. It's one of the things that I miss about having lost.
Thanks for having me!
Wow that's awesome, I had no idea Krista was now a writer. Congrats :) Great feature Myrna!!!
Yup, I'm writing! Well, I was back then, too, but people actually want to publish me these days :) Less angst, more blood!
ain't it a kick, Kista, to discover that people do want to publish your work? lol.
I didn't really misspell you name. My keyboard--certainly not me--some times drops letters. plays hell with the verifications.
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