The next chapter: April 2026 update

May 3, 2026 / Melanie Marttila / 1 Comment

The waiting game and existing in uncertainty.

A dynamic sky that looks like the ocean.

Life in general

As April started, I was deep in the well of uncertainty. Essentially, it’s where I dwell until I get the letter indicating my departure date.

But the Artemis II mission provided welcome hope and distraction. I watched the NASA livestreams every day. Just seeing these four people, including one Canadian, one woman, and one Black man, work together and express true wonder and joy in their jobs was a balm to my worn spirit.

Then, on the 7^th, Trump’s social media posted his announcement that “a whole civilization will die tonight.” The only way he could have done that was with nuclear weapons. With Trump’s increasingly erratic behaviour, no one could say for sure what he’d do.

The next day, he postponed his Armageddon by two weeks. A ceasefire was facilitated by Pakistan. But while the lists of demands on both sides were tentatively accepted, subject to negotiation, Israel’s refusal to stop attacking Lebannon threatened to put an end to both negotiations and the ceasefire.

Under pressure, Netanyahu authorized direct talks with Lebannon to disarm Hezbollah militants but insisted there was no ceasefire. The two nations have been at war since 1948.

There was a lot of back and forth — negotiations are back on, no, they’re not, the US is blockading the Strait of Hormuz — so much so that I stopped trying to keep track.

Other things happened, and I kept up with those through Heather Cox Richardson (on YouTube), to whom I’ll refer you if you want to find out more. The ceasefire was due to end May 1^st.

At work, my team lead departed and my team was left without supervision. Not really, other team leads stepped in, but it meant that I could (and was) be assigned work from multiple people at any given time. After two days of putting out fires and diverting to “side quests,” I was extra dysregulated and in need of a break.

Then, a week full of appointments and a meeting with my director to discuss whether I wanted to abandon the voluntary departure program and opt into the newly-minted early retirement incentive had me further dysregulated. But I managed as I put my workload back in order and took my time.

In the last days of April, all fires put out and mysteries solved, I got back to what was supposed to be my “A” project and things started to settle.

The month in writing

The first decision I made was to set aside work on the two short stories that have been languishing since the beginning of the year. Both stories aren’t quite “right” yet and the solutions to their respective problems haven’t emerged. I realized that this was a form of procrastination.

So, I got back to Reality Bomb because solutions to that story’s problems have been bouncing around in my head since January. It’s time to implement them.

And I hoped to catch up on a couple of reviews that I’d been sitting with. They’re both for poetry collections and I’ve felt like a bit of a fraud in that arena. I only have the one collection out myself and both collections are deep and intricate, and I worry that I won’t do them justice. I have to set those concerns aside, as well. It’s another form of procrastination.

But then, a new publishing opportunity and deadline opened up, and had to think about which story had the potential to fit the submission guidelines.

After only a few days, I lapsed into inactivity again, though. I’m still so dysregulated … I can’t even.

On April 1^st, I was River Street Writing’s first poet in their 2026 National Poetry Month promotion.

The River Street Writing National Poetry Month promo for "time and tide."

Then, on the 3^rd, Murgatroyd Monaghan posted a promo for the Neurodiverses poetry showcase.

On the 4^th, I received a set of interview questions for the Sustainability vs. Ambition blog series Nina Munteanu is doing for Reality Skimming. I set to, despite my fraud-like feelings at the prospect.

My review of A.L. Jensen’s (AKA Liisa Kovala’s) Hygge and Homicide was published in The Seaboard Review of Books on the 6^th.

The cover of Hyyge and Homicide by A.L. Jensen.

A rejection for the flash fiction piece I submitted early last month came in on the 7^th. Though I’m disappointed, I really like the story and am already thinking about other opportunities.

My publisher, Latitude 46, promoted their poetry backlist for National Poetry Month, and The Art of Floating received its promo on the 7^th. They even tied my moon poems into the Artemis II mission! Adored!

My interview with Emily Andrews for her CKLU radio show was on the 11^th. I had a lot of fun chatting with Emily. I’m looking forward to the broadcast!

Also on the 11^th, I received notification that I had not been selected for the shortlist of the contest I submitted to last month. Again, I like the story, but it’s not my typical SFF subject matter. It’s going to be a challenge to place it elsewhere.

And I participated in Neurodiverses: A National Autism/National Poetry Month showcase on the 18^th. It was a fabulous, intimate event, and I got to read some of my more recent autism poems.

Filling the well

The full sugaring moon in Libra was on the first, also April Fool’s Day, on which I was grateful to escape the bulk of jokes and pranks.

The Easter long weekend followed, and my small family eschewed a stressful celebration this year, opting instead to celebrate my sister-in-law’s birthday (April 6^th) at our favourite restaurant.

The new alder moon in Aries was on the 17^th.

And it’s the triumphant return of MOON pictures!

In writing-related events, I signed up for K.M. Weiland’s “Ego-Driven vs. Soul-Driven Character Arcs” course on the 1^st. She’s starting a new story school and because I’ve been a newsletter subscriber, I received early notification. I love what Katie’s doing with story structure and character arcs these days.

I also signed up for her next course, “The Villain as an Aspect of the Hero’s Psyche,” on the 15^th. I had the option to watch the replay. This course played into the idea of the villain being the hero’s shadow, and delved into the negative archetypal aspects of the character archetypes.

Can-Con Virtual was on the 18^th. But because of work-related dysregulation and the Neurodiverses poetry reading, I decided to catch these on replay.

And I finished the month off with The FOLD online from April 26^th to 29^th. Again, as I was working, I chose to pace myself and watch the sessions I was interested in later.

Also on the 26^th, I signed up for “How to get out of burnout and back to creating” with Gauri Yardi. This course was a referral/recommendation from Golden May. It was an excellent session, and Gauri has a lot of experience addressing burnout.

On the 28^th, I signed up for a presentation on “The Queen of Wands: Fairy Lore in the Tarot” with Sara & Brittany of the Carterhaugh School. Being a tarot fan myself, I wanted to see what they had to say about the intersection of fairytales and tarot.

Finally, Kisten Keiffer offered a mini-course called “The 7-minute Method.” It was about challenging resistance and getting back to creating.

I’m seeing a theme with all these courses. Functional burnout for the win!

I registered for intermediate Finnish through the Sudbury Finnish School. Lessons started April 13^th and will continue for eight weeks.

Because of a conflict, I selected a different night to attend my support group this month. Good Company met on the 16th and the topic was hormonal changes and menopause. It was great!

My massage therapist was injured back in January, but she informed me late last month that she was fully recovered and taking clients again. My first scheduled massage of the year was on the 22^nd. I missed her SO much! Apparently, I’ve been carrying ALL my stress in my neck (!)

I took my mom to her doctor’s appointment on the 23^rd. I’m going to accompany her to these in the future, so I can better provide for her care.

My next therapy session was on the 24^th. I lied last month. There were still two value domains to explore and we managed them in addition to my monthly brain dump.

Torvi’s monthly touch up was on the 25^th. The groomer suggested that we try a full bath again. I don’t think she knows what she’s asking for.

Finally, on the 30^th, I made an appointment with my orthodontist to have my retainer assessed. I’ve been feeling some pressure on my teeth and was concerned that maybe I’d need to have it replaced. Not so. The retainer is fine. It just needed a little adjustment, I was out of the office in 15 minutes, and there was no charge.

And then I went out to a family birthday (2-in-1) at a local restaurant. Good evening. Tasty food. Still had to recover after. Yes, even fun stuff costs spoons.

What I’m watching and reading

The first series I finished watching in April was the second season of The Artful Dodger (Disney +). At the end of the first season, Jack was arrested just as he was about to operate on Belle’s heart (!) Fortunately, he was allowed to operate, though off-screen, as the second season picks up months later, with Belle fully recovered and Jack in prison. Fagin arranges to Jack’s conditional release and immediate embroils his former apprentice in his latest scheme. But Jack isn’t the only one drawn in. Belle’s sister Fanny turns out to be a deft hand at forgery. Medically, there is a serial killer on the loose who removes their victims’ organs (of course, Jack is under suspicion), and Jack and Belle must work first to discover the cause of an outbreak of cholera, and then to find a cure for it. Though the season ends with both medical mysteries solved and Belle and Jack firmly reunited, Fagin’s desperate play to fake his own suicide has backfired on him and he comes to in his own coffin, buried alive by his crew. I assume this means a season three is in the works, though no official announcement has been made yet.

Then, I watched Wicked for Good (Prime). I have not read MacGuire’s book, nor have I seen the musical (I know). Despite that, I enjoyed the conclusion to the tale and the ultimately hopeful ending. I know it would have meant an even longer movie, but I would have appreciated seeing more of Dorothy’s journey (most of which happened off-stage or in shadow play or only looking at her back) and a bit more about Fiyero’s transformation and role in Dorothy’s adventures.

Next, I finished watching the second season of High Potential (CTV/ABC). Morgan and Karadec solve a bunch more cases, relying on Morgan’s HP intellect, Morgan and captain Wagner get close, and the search for Morgan’s missing husband Roman takes a series of increasingly dark turns. The finale blows up several relationships and leaves one life hanging in the balance. I continue to enjoy this series.

I finished watching the second season of Cross (Prime). Alex Cross is conflicted this season as he pursues Luz, a virtuous serial killer taking down the Billionaire tech-bros whose experimental treatments killed her mother and who use children as slave labour in their labs and factories. A solid second season.

Then, I watched the second season of The Pitt (HBO Max/Crave). This series has consistently been one of the best I’ve seen in recent years. It has a truly diverse cast (looking at you, Dr. King) and every character has their own arc that weaves its way through the chaos of patients in the emergency department. This season is centred around Dr. Rabinovitch (Robbie) as he prepares to leave on a three-month sabbatical/motorcycle pilgrimage once he finishes an apocryphal Fourth of July dayshift in the ED. A systems outage and the detention of one of their own by ICE officers are just the tip of the iceberg. The season centres on mental health and asking for help and finding healthy ways to deal with the stress. Superb!

Phil and I finished watching the fourth season of Invincible (Prime). This one’s a heavy season. In the first episodes, almost every enemy from past seasons returns to challenge Mark and the other heroes. Eve gets pregnant and it wreaks havoc with her powers, but before she can tell Mark, Nolan and Allan show up and recruit Mark to help them kill the remaining Viltrumites. Of course, Oliver has to go, too. And it gets bloody. In a desperate final effort, Nolan, Mark, and Thaedus burrow through the Viltrum home world and destroy it, but there are still 37 Viltrumites left alive. Mark and Oliver and even Nolan almost die multiple times. Mark, plagued by PTSD, makes a fateful deal, and Allan, who has become the leader of the Coallition after Thaedus’ death, is asked to commit genocide. A bloody, but compelling season. Looking forward to season 5!

Next, I finished season three of Shrinking (Apple TV). Everything changes this season! Alice graduates and leaves for college! Louis moves on! Paul retires and moves away! Brian and Charlie welcome their baby! Derek has a heart attack, and he and Liz apply tough love with their son. Sean gets the job of his dreams and moves out of Jimmy’s pool house. Gaby suffers a professional and personal setback and does a reverse ninja proposal! And Jimmy? He tries dating Sofi, but everything implodes when his dad comes to visit. But Paul “Jimmy’s” Jimmy at the last minute before he leaves. How will Jimmy fare now that half his support system is gone? That’s what next season is about (I think). Excellent!

Finally, I finished watching the first, short (9 episodes, not necessarily short in terms of streaming series, but most networks are still producing between 19 and 22 a season) season of RJ Decker (ABC/CTV). RJ was a photojournalist until he beat up a kid who stole his camera. The kid’s sister testifies against him and he’s sentenced to prison. Upon his release, he starts up a PI business in south Florida with the help of his ex-wife, a journalist, her wife, a cop, a fellow ex-con and bartender, and the woman who sent him to prison. The series is based on the novel Double Whammy by Carl Hiaasen and was entertaining. ABC has not decided about renewal … yet.

My first read of April was The Book of Interruptions by Khashayar “Kess” Mohammadi. These poems meet at the intersection of war, immigration, sexuality, history, and the crossroads of Perso-Islamic and Western philosophy. Like Margo Lapierre’s Ajar, it’s taking me some time to let Khashayar’s poetry find a home in me. Heady and heavy stuff.

Then, I finished listening to Popular Tales from the Norse, translated by George Webbe Dasent. All the favourites are here and, oddly, at the end, several Anansi tales are thrown in (?) I always enjoy folktales and fairy tales, regardless.

Next, I listened to the Audible Original/Great Courses collaboration Self-Care Strategies: Nourish to Flourish by Katie McDonald. In 15 lessons covering everything from work to spirituality, McDonald provides foundational practices that go beyond getting a mani and pedi at the spa. I do most of what she suggests already, and some of what she advised reminded me of the values work I’ve been engaged in with my therapist.

Then, I finished reading Freya Marske’s A Marvellous Light. Young and cash-strapped baronet Robin Blythe feels fortunate to have been assigned to a minor government post. He soon learns that he’s been named liaison to a secret magical society he never suspected existed. Edwin Courcey walks into Robin’s office expecting to find his predecessor, Reggie, and is distressed to learn he’s missing. When Robin is cursed and begins to have visions of the future, he reluctantly turns to Edwin—the only magician he knows—in an attempt to gain relief from the wracking curse and find the artefact the mysterious people who cursed him seem to want and think is in his possession. Together, they uncover a plot that threatens every magician in the British Isles. And not unexpectedly, they also uncover romantic feelings for each other, risky in this alternate Edwardian setting. Excellent!

Next, I read One Day Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This by Omar El Akkad. It’s a devastating book that indicts the systems we live within, where liberals are more likely to be centrists, or even conservatives in disguise; where genocide is a word best not spoken; where politics trumps basic human values. Between reflections on the world and how it’s changed since October 7, 2023, El Akkad recounts his own emigration, his initial belief that the west was better than the country of his birth, his development as a journalist and author, and his disillusionment beginning with the attacks of 9/11. This book is both his Dear John and a fuck you to the west and its systems of oppression. The book’s title was taken from the author’s tweet of October 25^th, 2023: “One day, when it’s safe, when there’s no personal downside to calling a thing what it is, when it’s too late to hold anyone accountable, everyone will have always been against this.”

I listened to T. Kingfisher’s Paladin’s Strength. I’d listened to the first in the series, Paladin’s Grace, last year and adored it. Istvahn is a paladin of the dead god the Saint of Steel and a berserker without divine guidance. He’s on a mission tracking the smooth men, a supernatural threat, across the continent. On the way, he meets Sister Clara, who’s on a mission of her own — to rescue her sisters, who were abducted after their convent was burned. They team up to accomplish both their goals, but Clara has a secret she’s loathe to reveal, even to the paladin she’s falling in love with. I just love, love, love T. Kingfisher’s novels!

So, of course, I listened to Paladin’s Hope next. Galen is another of the dead Saint of Steel’s paladins, now working for the Temple of the Rat. The death of the Saint left him with PTSD and night terrors in which he relives the chaos that followed his god’s death. No one can touch him when he’s trapped in his night terrors as he is deep in the battle tide and strikes out at anyone nearby. He’s come to terms with the fact that he’ll always be alone, except for his fellow paladins, who are the only people he feels safe around. Piper is a lich-doctor (read coroner) who determines the cause of death for the Rat’s lawyers and the city guard. When gnole constable Earstripe draws Piper’s attention to the latest in a series of mangled bodies washed ashore, the investigation takes all three of them into an ancient maze of deathtraps. As they struggle to survive, secrets are revealed, including the secrets of the heart.

Next, I finished reading Yield by Jaime Forsythe. This long poem dives into the experience of postpartum depression to which one has no choice but to yield. Presented against the backdrop of the Maritime coast, the metaphors are oceanic, reaching back to the amniotic fluid in which we all first learn to swim, and forward to a time when the postpartum veil is lifted. Liminality and the juxtaposition of states play out in couplets. A gorgeous collection.

Finally, I brought myself up to date with the Saint of Steel series by listening to Paladin’s Faith by T. Kingfisher. Margeurite Florain, an operative (read spy) returns after her appearance in book one of the series as Grace’s best friend. She is currently being hunted by her former employer, the Red Sail, and comes to the Temple of the Rat for help. Bishop Beartongue provides her with two paladins, Shane and Wren, to support her mission of finding an artificer who has made a machine that will extract salt from seawater, breaking the monopoly the Red Sail has on the market.

Shane trained for years to become a paladin of the Dreaming God, but he was never chosen. When the battle tide took him, Shane became a paladin of the Saint of Steel, but when that god died (or was he murdered?) it left a hole in Shane’s soul he’s been desperately trying to fill with good deeds since. He’d willingly die to protect Margeurite. It’s what he’s for, after all. Wren is short and doesn’t look like a paladin at all. Her preferred weapon is an axe. The three of them head to the Court of Smoke and then fall prey to an odd demonic cult in their quest to find the artificer and bring her safely back to the Rat. These books are so fun to read. Just my speed, these days.

And that was the month in this writer’s life.

Until next month, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

The next chapter: A month in the writerly life. https://melaniemarttila.ca

I acknowledge with respect that I am in Robinson-Huron Treaty territory, that the land from which I write is the traditional territory of the Anishinaabe and home of Atikameksheng Anishnawbek and Wahnapitae First Nation.

The next chapter: February 2026 update

March 1, 2026 / Melanie Marttila

Thawing out and waking up

Life in general

I started February off with a week of leave, ‘cause I always take the week of Imbolc off. Winter is tough with perma-grey skies and sub-zero temperatures and I’m like that meme asking, “Why do I live in a place where the air hurts my face?” Look it up. Have a chuckle.

This week off in early February is the first of two resets to my system. In February, the light feels like it’s just starting to come back, though it’s been rebounding since the winter solstice. It’s a seasonal need to bring myself out of seasonal affective disorder (SAD) territory.

But I needed it more this year because January was hell in multiple ways and I’m trying to sit in the uncertainty of workforce adjustment (WFA) and not panic and calmly gather the information I need to make a decision. That the decision doesn’t need to be made until March 26^th doesn’t really help. It just prolongs the agony.

Part of me wants the time between now and March 26^th to collapse, so I can submit my form and find out what happens next. My efforts to get the answers I feel I need to make an informed decision have been met with a wall of “we don’t know.” The closest I’ve been able to learn about how long I will continue to work after making my decision is that management commits to working closely with human resources, the pay centre, and the pension centre to ensure that every employee has “enough” time to make all the necessary arrangements prior to departure. Whatever “enough” means …

Listing some smol victories to help me feel more person-like in this weird and dysregulating moment:

I managed to avoid a full case of sinusitis over the fall/winter of 2025!
My eczema finally responded to the ointment. Only three months before the last bits of leathery, discoloured skin came away from the knuckle.
Coming up on a year after its expiry, I finally got new passport pictures taken so I can submit my passport renewal form (!) Thanks to my friends who agreed to serve as references. Also, mailing the application (thanks to Phil for taking it to the post office for me). I have no imminent travel planned and don’t want to brave the less-than-safe downtown to submit in person.
I got a new set of Bluetooth earbuds (Flare Studio Pro), and I figured out how to unpair my old ones (which I’m keeping as a backup set) and paired the new ones. Feeling competent!
I got appointments made (see Filling the well for deets)! Appointments were met! Things got done!
I’ve been slowly walking back my bedtime to a reasonable hour!
I’ve been listening to my body/mind and adjusting accordingly!

Signs of recovery, in my humble opinion.

The hits kept coming, though. On the 10^th, a mass shooting incident second only to École Polytechnique occurred in the small community of Tumbler Ridge, BC. The news made waves across Canada and beyond.

Misinformation ran rampant in the following days, right wingnuts glomming onto the fact that the shooter was a trans woman. It was a time for community healing and support, not to spread malicious hate speech on social media.

I’ve been sticking to the coverage of The Walrus, The Tyee, and Rachel Gilmour and avoid inflammatory rhetoric online.

At work, I was assigned a new project, but a week later, the client informed us that internal reorganization meant the project would be shelved. Though I hadn’t done a lot of work, it felt like the work I’d done was wasted. Surprisingly, I was not further dysregulated by this change of priorities. I didn’t really care, which may have something to do with other things happening at work that really put the day-to-day into perspective.

Then I was assigned the task of reviewing a draft e-learning course. It took me two days to get an updated link to the course and just as I was running through the course for the first time, I was asked to observe the pilot delivery of another course in development from 10 to 2 Monday and Tuesday the following week.

So, I cleared the decks of other obligations.

But the 4-hour-a-day for 2 days course turned into 5-hours-a-day for 3 days. I hadn’t planned for that and couldn’t pivot further. I’d forgotten how demanding training was and I was already considering a day off …

When, on the 27^th, we had another meeting about the WFA process. There were now tentative timeframes, nothing confirmed, and everything subject to change. The TL;DR of it is, those opting into voluntary departure are to leave as soon as possible, and I now had an idea of the worst case scenario, which will be financially destabilizing, especially considering we’ve already been told transition payments and separation monies may not be issued in a timely manner, depending on how many people are leaving at any given time.

There is a possibility that some of us might be kept on longer, which would be better for me, but it’s dependent on business cases and the approval of our ADM, which again, we have no guarantee of.

So, more information, sure, but a lot more uncertainty, too.

I took that afternoon and the next day off to process, regulate, and try to find away forward. Phil’s still being reassuring, but I am not reassured.

The month in writing

I started the month still in the no-write zone.

But by the end of the second week, I started writing a new flash piece for an upcoming submission call. The deadlines I was working toward with the other two pieces of short fiction flew by, and so I no longer felt the urgency to revise them. I’ll get back to them, though.

I also registered for The Karen Gansel Short Fiction Contest through the Canadian Authors Association. This was a bit of a risk, as the contest involved writing to a prompt issued March 1^st and the contest deadline would be March 14^th. Check back next month to see how this experiment went.

I also got back to writing some poetry.

Baby steps.

On the 20^th, the Sudbury launch of SuperCanucks was announced. It will be on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at the main branch of the Greater Sudbury Public Library (74 Mackenzie St.) from 1 to 3 pm!

Promotional card for the SuperCanucks launch.

On the 23^rd, my review of Shani Mootoo’s Starry Starry Night was published in the Seaboard Review of Books!

The cover of Shani Mootoo's Starry Starry Night.

And the month ended back in the no-write zone, as it started, because WFA shenanigans.

Filling the well

The full bear moon in Leo was on Imbolc/February 1^st. The generally overcast sky meant no moon pics or sightings, but I lit my altar as I tried to come to terms with the changes entering my life.

The new rowan moon in Aquarius was on the 17^th. This was also the start of the Chinese New Year and year of the fire horse. As an earth rooster, I’m going to embrace the energy and change of the year of the horse to try to develop resilience and find balance.

I attended the online launch of Fairylore, by Brittany Warman and Sara Cleto (of the Carterhaugh School) on the 10^th. It was fabulous and Terri Windling, who is herself fabulous, sent a pre-recorded message of support. I wouldn’t receive the book, which I pre-ordered, until the 19^th. Grrrrr …

On the 11^th, Jessica Strawser presented “What Do Your Characters Want?” through Jane Friedman. I watched the replay, because work. Not a lot of new information here, but good reinforcement, nonetheless.

Also on the 11^th, I signed up for SFF book recommendations with Elizabth Bear and the Ashland Publish Library. Some of the books, I’ve already read, many I hadn’t, though, and now I have even more fodder for the TBR monster!

Back in October, I had signed up for the League of Canadian Poets Fall Poetry Intensive. Unfortunately, It fell on the same weekend as the Writing on the Rocks retreat and though I could have tried to attend, I decided not to. Recordings were promised. I finally received the recordings on February 17^th (!) and am slowly working my way through them.

Finally, on the 25^th, I signed up for a free workshop, “Fix Your Novel – The Top 5 Problems and How to Fix Them,” presented by Emily and Rachel of Golden May. I found this through my subscription to Kristen Keiffer’s newsletter. She’s a neurodivergent writer and book coach and it turns out that Rachel is ND too. Again, nothing revelatory, but a good webinar nonetheless.

And that’s it for writerly events.

I had my annual doctor’s checkup by phone on the 4^th. Five minutes later, I had my annual referrals for insurance and a requisition for bloodwork.

Also on the 4^th, I attended a union information session on the WFA process. No new information, really, but every iteration cements a few more things in my brain.

On the 7^th, I took my mom to the hairdresser and she managed the steps! Potential good news: our hairdresser may be moving to a more accessible house later in the year.

On the 13^th, I had bloodwork done as requested by my doctor.

The 14^th was Torvi’s slightly overdue touch up service at Petsmart. My girl was in her mid-winter coat blow, and I’d been plucking handfuls of hair off her daily for weeks, but she was still a shaggydog. Like SHAGGYDOG! The groomer took Torvi into the back room and used the handheld blow dryer to get the worst of the loose hair off and finished with a brushing on the table. I wish I’d had the foresight to take before and after pictures. The transformation was startling!

My dog Torvi, all curled up on her bed in the living room. — But here’s one of a tuft-free Torvi curled up on her bed after walkies.

On the 19^th, I had my next therapy appointment. I had considered booking an extra, emergency session when I was informed of the WFA, but I didn’t feel the legitimate need for emotional support. I got that from Phil, Mom, my coworkers, and my friends. What I needed was more information.

The appointment was incredibly affirming, though, and we even got another values domain conquered. Only two more to go.

Finally, my support group met on the 25^th to discuss burnout and energy management. Good session.

Finally, I brought wine and take out to a friend’s and kept her up way too late chatting about all the things.

What I’m watching and reading

Phil and I watched Wonder Man (Disney +). This superpowered bromance between Simon Williams and Trevor Slattery was a fun critique of Hollywood. Simon is comic-accurate in his unlikability, but the show roots that in a deep insecurity and love for the craft of acting. After being cut from American Horror Story for being too “high maintenance,” Simon meets Trevor at a movie and the two bond. Trevor casually drops that he’s auditioning for the Von Kovak remake of Wonder Man, a movie Simon loved as a child. Simon wrangles himself an audition at the last minute. This is the role he was born to play.

Secretly, Trevor has made a deal with Agent Cleary of the Department of Damage Control (DoDC) to obtain evidence of Simon’s dangerous superpowers so he can stay out of prison. The DoDC has prisons to fill and a government to appease and agents are being fired if they fail to “produce.” And Simon, who does have dangerous powers, is desperate to keep them hidden because for the “Doorman Clause,” the explanation of which only enhances the series’ charm. Of course, things do not go as planned (!) One of the best Marvel series to come out since Loki.

Then, we watched the second season of Fallout (Prime). Coop’s backstory continues to trickle through the episodes as he and Lucy make their way to Vegas. Coop just wants to find his family, while Lucy is more interested in bringing her dad, Hank, to justice. When they get there their goals clash and Coop does Lucy dirty. Max tries to reform the Brotherhood of Steel from within, but when that fails, goes on the run with his old squire Thaddeus, now a ghoul, in search of Lucy. And Lucy’s brother Norm, trapped in Vault 31, revives the cryogenically frozen Vault-Tec executives and pretends to be their manager. Tensions between Vaults 32 and 33 rise over a water shortage. Next season promises a battle royale as the Brotherhood, the New California Republic Army, and the Legion converge on Vegas. Stephanie (Hank’s secret wife?!) launches Phase 2, whatever that is. Hank erases his memory, Lucy and Max reunite, and Coop is on his way to Colorado. A wild ride in a fun universe.

Next, I watched The Muppet Show (ABC). This 50^th anniversary special is the latest revival of the original sketch comedy and appears to be a one-off, or maybe a proof-of-concept for a true return of the show. Regardless, this was a true return to form and the show was fabulous. I hope they do bring it back. Everyone needs more Muppets in their lives (from a diehard Muppet maniac)!

Interestingly, Wil Wheaton said pretty much the same thing (about needing more Muppets in our lives) on Threads! I’m in amazing company, there!

Then, I watched Predator: Badlands (Disney +). Back in the wayback, I’d watched the first couple of Predator movies but became disenchanted when the Predator vs. Alien movies started. I’d wanted to check this out after hearing good things about it from various people I follow online. They were right! It was awesome!

Dek is a younger son of his clan leader, Njohrr, who considers him a runt. Njohrr orders Dek’s brother, Kwei to kill him, but Kwei refuses, and fights Njohrr, shoving Dek into his ship, and triggering the ship to take Dek to Genna, where he can prove himself by hunting the Kalisk, which even Njohrr fears. Trapped in the ship, Dek watches helplessly while Njohrr defeats and then executes Kwei before the rapid departure of the ship incapacitates him.

Dek is rudely awakened when the ship crash lands on Genna and he rapidly loses all his gear as the flora and fauna of Genna trounce him repeatedly and thoroughly. During one battle, Thea, a Weyland-Yutani synth offers to help Dek and proves herself by saving him. Then, they befriend a mischievous young alien they call Bud.

That’s all I’ll say, though I’m sure most of you have caught this one by now. A story about found family, and healing from toxic family dynamics. I’m encourage to check out Prey, which has been similarly praised. Look forward to that in the future.

A note moving forward: I will specify whether the book I finish is a listen (audiobook) or a read (e-book or print book) from here out.

My first listen of February was Tananarive Due’s The Reformatory. This work of historical horror is based on the true story of a relative of Due’s. Twelve-year-old Robert Stevens Jr. is sentenced to six months in the Gracetown School for Boys after kicking the son of a rich, white landowner who was harassing his sister, Gloria. Their mother died years before and their father was forced to flee because he tried to organize a union, leaving Gloria and Robbie in the care of elderly Miss Lottie. Robbie can see haints, a comfort after his mother’s death, and Gloria sometimes sees premotions of people’s futures. When Robbie is sent to the reformatory, the superintendent sees in Robbie’s gift a way to rid himself of the ghosts of the boys he’s killed in the past. Meanwhile, Gloria does everything she can to get her brother released before he suffers the fate of so many Black boys sent to the reformatory before him. Can Robbie survive or will he become another haint bound to the cruelty of the Gracetown School for Boys? Eerie and excellent.

After that, I took a break from audiobooks and caught up on some Audible podcasts, starting with “It’s Storytime with Wil Wheaton.” Some fabulous short fiction, including a number of Canadian authors, all read in Wheaton’s wonderful voice. Since this is an ongoing podcast, I’ll listen to new episodes between future audiobooks.

A note about Audible podcasts: I do not like the default play mode for podcasts. It recycles the same 5 episodes from the current year/season, and I must manually intervene to play episodes in the order they were released. A true pain. Later on in the month, I discovered that listening to the episodes does not necessarily mark them as finished. So, I marked the ones I’d already listened to as finished and listening seemed to progress more easily from there on, though I’d still have to stop the podcast, manually mark the episode I’d already heard as finished AGAIN, and proceed.

Then, I finished reading John Scalzi’s short story (novelette?) 3 Days, 9 Months, 27 Years, his contribution to the Time Travellers Passport collection. The title of the story refers to the resonance intervals at which it’s possible for time travel tourists to return from their journeys. Scalzi’s narrator is the technician operating the time machine, sending people back to significant moments in history, their own pasts, and pre-human eras. What makes this kind of time trave unique is that each trip to the past spawns an alternate reality that will never affect the originating timeline. Of course, there’s a twist, and it’s devastating. Highly recommend!

Next, I read The Autistic’s Guide to Self-Discovery by Sol Stein. While most of the information in this book was not new to me, the context, and Stein’s delivery (read snarky footnotes, of which I’m a fan) was helpful. Stein also offers a process to recognize and address rumination that I really appreciated.

Then, I finished reading Martha Wells’ “Home,” a short story in the Murderbot universe. Told from Mensah’s point of view, the story covers her attempts to resolve the bureaucratic and political fallout of the events of Exit Strategy, when she, Murderbot, and the rest of the team return to Preservation Alliance. One of the bureaucratic hurdles? Murderbot’s status as a sentient being. As good as the rest of the series, despite its brevity.

I also finished reading R.F. Kuang’s Making Space, her contribution to the Time Traveler’s Passport. Jess, once disinterested in having children and then traumatized by years of unsuccessful attempts to conceive with her husband, finds a boy, naked and wounded, in a nearby forest. When the social worker she contacts is overwhelmed and unable to place the boy while she searches for his family, Jess volunteers to foster him. He will not offer his name or any information about himself, and Jess’s husband facetiously calls him Buddy. When Buddy finally reveals his secret, Jess learns just how far she’s willing to go to protect herself and Buddy. A fraught tale about fertility, women’s autonomy, and the burden of choosing to bring a child into a world beset by political turmoil and climate disaster. And time travel, as the series title suggests.

Then, I read Premee Mohamed’s The Butcher of the Forest. When the Tyrant King’s children wander into the Elmever, he summons Veris Thorn, the only woman to have rescued a child from the forest and lived. Being a tyrant, the King commands Veris to retrieve his children — alive — and sends his warriors to guard her home and elderly relatives. If she does not return with the children, not only her family, but her entire village will be put to the flame. Thus begins Veris’s odyssey into the deadly and enchanted Elmever, where nothing is as it seems. But the denizens of the Elmever have long memories. They know Veris and what she has done. It will cost her dearly to escape the forest’s clutches a second time. Eerily fantastic.

The next Audible podcast I listened to was Stephen Fry’s Edwardian Secrets. I’d listened to Secrets of the Roaring 20s a few years ago and enjoyed it. I seem to be listening to them in reverse chronological order (!) Interesting insights into the less well-known aspects of the period from Edward himself, through the suffragette movement, to human sexuality, and more. Very good.

I progressed to Stephen Fry’s Victorian Secrets and learned about women detectives, murder, gay, trans, and lesbian love, spiritualism, and Sherlock Holmes and his creator Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.

And that was the month in this writer’s life.

Until next month, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

The next chapter: December 2025 update and year-end review

January 4, 2026 / Melanie Marttila

Hi-ho, hi-ho …

Life in general

I returned to work on December 1^st, after a five-week leave. And discovered things were pretty much as I’d left them. Yes, the training for trainers had taken place and everyone was impressed with my reworking and additions to the Nation Learning Roadmap courses for facilitators. Yes, the pilot had taken place and was a little bit of chaos.

But now we had another slate of recommended changes to be made by the 19^th.

I got back to the grind.

Come the 19^th, there were still outstanding courses and modules left to be received from the content writers (or rewriters in this case) but I turned on my out of office notification and logged out of my work computer determined not to think about work for the next nine days.

On the 4^th, I received an email advising that I was eligible for the Early Retirement Initiative, which was part of the recently-passed budget. Immediately, I went into panic mode. WHAT DID THIS MEAN?! I called my team lead, who’d received the same email. We discussed. Then I did the smart thing and contacted my sister-in-law, who’d been looking into the situation for months.

TL;DR: Hold steady. This is just the first volley of the employer trying to get people to leave without availing themselves of the workforce adjustment provisions in our collective agreement.

I later learned that 60,000 emails had been sent in the hope of getting 40,000 employees to opt in. Another article released in Quebec, perpetuated the rumour that the return to 5 days in the office would start in 2026.

Still later, the news and the union started to report that job cuts would begin in the new year. Management indicated that they had no information to report, but they were committed to transparency.

On the 7^th, I slipped and fell while walking Torvi (a combination of unplowed sidewalk and a dancing dog) and sprained the middle finger on my right hand (fuck!). It was purple, swollen, and had limited mobility for the first few days. And boy, did I learn how much I use my right hand to grip, lift, and carry things. A friend suggested that maybe I’d broken it, but I could still move it and didn’t think so.

A picture of a sprained, or possibly broken finger.

Typing wasn’t an issue (thank goodness), but the accident really made me aware of my body, or at least my hand, in a way I hadn’t been for ages.

By the end of the first week, the bruising had worked its way through black to brown to yellow, though it was still painful and swollen. I finally checked Dr. Google, and it is possible that I’ve broken the finger. If I have, it’s a stable fracture (no deformation) and the only thing that might have been done was to splint the finger or buddy-bind it with another finger. Movement would probably still have been advised as a form of physiotherapy. I honestly didn’t think I needed to go to the clinic, though. I would have been waiting for hours in a room with a bunch of people with seasonal viruses I don’t need to catch.

I was still treating my seasonal sinus thing. Once the snow stayed, the allergic triggers shouldn’t have been an issue. At one point, I was feeling well enough to try going without the Ryaltris, but within a few hours, a headache set in, followed by chunks of bloody mucus in my blowings, so I resumed.

It soon became apparent that the bloody snot would continue, regardless. I chalked it up to the dry winter air, inside and out, and let my immune system deal with it as it would with neti-pot and supplemental (Emergen-C and Cold FX) support.

I also deduced that the continued use of the Ryaltris when I no longer needed it may have made my nasal tissues more sensitive. Whatever the cause, the bloody snots slowed down after a couple of days.

Also still dealing with the dregs of the eczema. Though it’s no longer itchy or swollen, eczema’s not really gone until the discoloured, leathery skin returns to normal.

I got the notification on the 9^th that I was not selected for the intake unit. There may be opportunities in the future, as I was advised that they may rotate people through the unit.

Which made the Power BI course I took from the 8^th to the 11^th less relevant/urgent. It’s still an asset, but I might have been able to use the 3 hours of class a day in a more productive manner. Productivity matters at work. A year and ten months until pre-retirement leave. Three years and ten months until retirement. Unless I’m surplussed, and then workforce adjustment provisions should compensate me appropriately.

Then, my team lead advised that, while we still had to fulfill our commitment to the current (albatross) project, we would be the design team attached to the intake unit and would handle any learning materials that did not already have a design team committed to the subject matter. This meant that we would be doing several different short-term projects in the new year.

I was looking forward but still dwelling in the uncertainty of potential lay offs. As a unilingual English employee within five years of retirement, I’ll probably be one of the first to go … after the term employees.

But I was grateful to have the week of Christmas off. After only 3 weeks of work, I needed another break.

The month in writing

After finishing the last cutting pass last month, I took a break from Reality Bomb and let the project simmer in the back of my mind. I’m already mulling over ideas for how to rewrite the first chapter and further tweak the draft.

In the meantime, I’ve turned my attention to working on a couple of short stories for future submissions as well as some poetry.

While I was at my latest appointment with my therapist, I articulated a decision I hadn’t even known I was contemplating. I’m going to put off the cleaning/reorganizing of my office until I have RB in the query pipeline. I’ll have the headspace/spoons to dedicate some time to it without having to worry about a creative project.

Yes, I’ll then have to get back to working on my next creative project, but I figure I can take a week or two to deal with my environment and dive back in refreshed and feeling like I’ve accomplished something. Until then, I’ll just do a few small things. There’s already more candle glass to clean up, more essential oil bottles to clean, plants to repot, a bulletin board and white board I haven’t been using to take down and store, that kind of thing.

On the 4^th, Frances Boyle’s lovely review of The Art of Floating was published in ARC Poetry Magazine online. I’m so grateful that my debut collection is still getting attention more than a year out from publication.

I took part in the open mic reading at the Latitude 46 stop in the Downtown Sudbury Art Crawl on the 6^th. Had a lovely afternoon chatting with writerly friends.

On the 12^th, the revised cover of Super Canucks was released. Apparently, there were problems with the original.

The SF Canada annual general meeting was on the 14^th. And it went swimmingly! We have a complete board, internal auditors, and a few ideas for the coming year!

The year in review

In 2024, I started out in the usual fashion, establishing which projects I would work on and word count goals to achieve, and entering everything into my Excel tracker, but something happened early in the year that made me change course. I realized that having these goals was stressing me out. Because of my uneven productivity, I wouldn’t always (or even often) meet these arbitrary goals and every time I missed one, I’d get distressed.

So, in 2025, I just put in the projects I hoped to work on, but no word count goals. Accordingly, my Excel has become a true tracker of my progress, and I can use the totals page at the end to show me what I accomplished rather than flog myself with all the goals I missed in the year.

It’s been a great boost for my mental health.

A screenshot of my writing and revision totals for 2025.

Here’s how the year broke down:

I wrote 58,075 words. 7,549 of them in creative non-fiction. Mostly these were my book reviews, but there was also a CNF flash piece that I wrote and submitted. The remaining 50,510 words were my newsletters/blog posts.

I revised -7,620 words, subtracting 7,301 words from Reality Bomb and the remaining 319 from a couple of short stories I was revising.

I reviewed my annual writing totals since I started using the tracking Excel. In general terms, from 2014 to 2020, I wrote between 150,000 and 300,000 words a year. In 2021, the year I suffered a crisis of creative confidence and obtained my autism diagnosis, my annual writing total was 68,000 words.

That was the first crack in my writerly façade, and the first year of my latest burnout. In 2022, I felt I had recovered, and my total went up to 100,000 words, but it’s clear that was unsustainable. Since then, I’ve written between 45,000 and 60,000 words a year, most of them on my blog/newsletters. But my focus has also shifted from drafting to revision, with regard to my novels and short fiction.

My word for 2026 is balance. I need to find the balance between creative production and rest and work. My autistic brain needs it.

In terms of reading (paper, e-book, and audiobook), I read 97 books this year! I’d actually set my goal low, at 60 books, raised it twice, and still read more than my goal.

A note about my reading habits. Because I work, I’ve structured my reading time around my lunch and breaks, and I usually have 6 books on the go at any given time. A paper book, a kindle e-book, a Kobo e-book, a pdf e-book (usually a review book these days), another book that could be a reread, and therefore paper, or research, and likely a library e-book loan, and an audiobook that I listen to while I walk Torvi and do random tasks.

This is why I appear to be a fast reader, but am, in fact a very slow reader. Sure, I go through audiobooks at a rapid pace, but reading a paper or e-book takes time. Sometimes a lot of time. This is low-key distressing, because in my youth, I used to read very rapidly. A book a day sometimes. I can’t do that anymore in middle age.

Also, I’ve tried to continue reading when I’m not working but find it’s difficult to fit reading in when I don’t have a designated break or lunch within which to read. I’ll have to figure out a system by the time I retire but, for now, it’s easier to read in short bursts while I’m working than when I’m off.

This year has not been a productive one. Because I’ve been struggling with burnout, I haven’t produced a lot. I only have one publication this year (aside from reviews) and that is a very short poem, “Pocket Dimension,” that was published in Polar Starlight 17 in February.

Still, I’m going to submit it for consideration for the Aurora Awards and to Year’s Best Canadian Fantasy and Science Fiction, Volume 4 for consideration. I had hoped that Super Canucks, and therefore my story “Old Crow,” would have been published in 2025, but due to various factors, it could not be added to Latitude 46’s 2025 release schedule.

With my publications over the past few years (at least one story and several poems) it’s felt weird to have a “fallow year.” But I recognize that I must be gentle with myself. If I push and try to produce while my brain is giving “hard no” vibes, it’s not going to do me or my creative work any favours.

Filling the well

The full freezing moon in Gemini was on the 4^th. Though it was a sunny day, it was dark by the time the moon rose.

A picture of the three quarter waning moon.

The new reed moon in Sagittarius was on the 19^th. It was raining and melty, which was a bit of a downer at this time of year.

And winter arrived on the 21^st with the solstice. After this, the light slowly began to return.

The final class of Unmasking through our writing with Muratroyd Monaghan was on the 4^th. It was a great course, and I would highly recommend it to any ND authors. She’ll be offering it again in 2026. Stay on the look out. The organizer is Off Topic Publishing.

I finished the Christmassing on the 11^th! I’ve been a little slower this year than in the last couple getting the tree and decorations up.

My next therapy appointment was on the 15^th. We chatted about my plans for the holidays and when I outlined my week ahead (three appointments during the week while working, hair appointment and Mom’s birthday dinner on the 20^th, and a cookie exchange on the 21^st), she asked me how I felt about that. In the moment, I’d said that I was trying to spread things out and that the appointments during the week were focused on self-care. Once my very busy week had passed, though, I realized that I hadn’t done myself any favours. I think she was trying to cue me to the fact that I was doing too much. In retrospect, I agree, but hindsight is always clearer, especially when you have trouble living in the moment.

I had another glorious massage on the 17^th.

Also on the 17^th was my support group meeting. The topic this month was family. Good preparation for the holiday season. This time around, I was the odd one out, having a small family and no real family conflicts at this time of the year.

Torvi got her regular touch-up on the 19^th.

On the 20^th, I took my mom out for a pre-holiday trim and then Phil and I took her out to her favourite restaurant to celebrate her birthday.

My sister-in-law hosted a cookie exchange on the 21^st. It started at 1 and Mom and I left at 3:30. It was a very social afternoon with mimosas to start, a buffet-style assortment of finger foods and appetizers, and, of course, cookies.

One thing I realized after the fact, as I was recovering from my “social hangover,” was that these kinds of events are not my cuppa. Too loud, too many people talking all at once. I’ll probably go again, but I may have more of a strategy around it. Prep for a few days before (and clear the decks of all other obligations, appointments, etc., if possible) and make sure I have time and space after to recover.

We celebrated Christmas on Boxing Day, to allow my sister-in-law and mom-in-law to attend their in-law celebrations on Christmas Day. It was a nice, family-focused evening, but stormy weather added to the stress of travelling (even a relatively short distance), and I found myself in recovery mode again, following.

Finally, friends from out of town visited on the 27^th. Unfortunately, because my brain was mush, I wasn’t a particularly good host, but I enjoyed the evening.

What I’m watching and reading

The first series I finished watching in December was the full run of Inu Yasha (Netflix). It’s taken years, y’all! I used to watch episodes on YTV … way back, and when I saw that the whole series was available, I started a rewatch. This is another comfort watch for me. The whole series is too involved to get into any detail. Suffice it to say that Kagome falls through the Well of Bones back in time to feudal-era Japan, where she teams up with a half-dog-demon (Inu Yasha), a fox demon pup (Shippo), a lecherous monk (Miroku), and a demon hunter (Sango) to collect the scattered shards of the Shikon jewel before the half-demon Naraku (with whom everyone has beef) can. There are lots of recurring secondary characters that are as interesting as the main cast. Very fun. All the nostalgic.

Then, I watched Wake Up, Dead Man (Netflix). Rian Johnson’s latest Benoit Blanc mystery is engaging, amusing, and all kinds of awesome. Father Jud, a former boxer from New York, is assigned to the rural parish of Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude after he punches a deacon. Even the bishop agrees that the deacon was a jerk, but it’s probably a good idea for Jud to get out of the city for a while. Father Jud is immediately at odds with Monsignor Wicks, the parish priest who insists on the title of monsignor. Wicks has driven away almost all his parishioners with his condemning sermons. On Good Friday, Wicks retreats into a closet to “recover” from his homily, and Jud takes over the service only to hear a clatter from the closet. Opening the door, Jud finds Wicks face down and stabbed in the back. Jud is the prime suspect, for reasons (watch the movie, people!).

The ultimate locked room mystery causes the local police to call in the renowned Benoit Blanc, who is as over-the-top and overconfident as ever, to solve the murder. Great performances from a stellar cast, and a twist that will have viewers wondering whether Benoit Blanc has at last met his match. Loved!

After I finished the latest season of Only Murders in the Building last month, Disney + recommended the Only Murders in the Building Official Podcast. It was apparently intended to be viewed as the new episodes were released, but I found the behind-the scenes interviews with the cast, writers, and showrunner interesting and entertaining.

Next, I finished watching The Bad Guys series and seasonal specials (Netflix). I started with Haunted Heist, moved through the Breaking In series, and finished with A Very Bad Holiday. These are all prequels to the first movie and lead up to the Bad Guys becoming the less-Bad Guys – Lol! Mostly, the series focuses on the gang trying to make the list of the baddest of the bad. And failing. But they each have their own journeys preparing them for the first movie switch.

Then, on the recommendation of Friendly Space Ninja, I checked out Kill Boksoon (Netflix). This is a dubbed Korean movie that’s basically John Wick with a single mother as the protagonist and no dead puppies.

Gil Bok-soon is a professional assassin working for the MK company. She has this skill, much like Holmes in Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes movies, where she runs through the possible outcomes of her actions before she decides what to do. Bok-soon tries to be a good mother and protect her daughter, Jae-yeong, from the dark life she leads. She considers leaving the business, but when Jae-yeong stabs a fellow student in the neck (not fatally) and is under threat of expulsion, MK’s director convinces her to take on another contract, or show. In the middle of Bok-soon’s show, Jae-yeong calls her to confess why she stabbed her fellow student and Bok-soon decides not to complete the contract. Things devolve from there, forcing Bok-soon to kill her way free of MK’s current management. A little slower than John Wick, but the fight scenes are excellent, and the story is more compelling.

I watched the first season of The Mighty Nein (Prime). I tried to get Phil interested, but he wasn’t as keen on this Critical Role offering as he was on The Legend of Vox Machina. Most of the season was about the group coming together while the Trent Ikithon stole the Beacon from the Kryn Dynasty. The two storylines are brought together when the Gentleman hires the Mighty Nein to steal the Beacon from Trent. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Because I’d enjoyed the first The Bad Guys movie, series, and seasonal specials, I decided to watch The Bad Guys 2 on Prime. Picking up after the events of the first movie, the Bad Guys are having a rough go trying to find work with criminal records. After serving their time, they’ve gone straight, but no one is willing to give them a chance. They try to prove themselves by bringing in the Phantom Bandit. Instead, the Phantom Bandit blackmails them into performing one last heist. She has footage that identifies Diane Foxington, now governor, as the Crimson Paw and will release it, ruining Diane’s career, unless the Bad Guys comply. All sorts of call backs and shout outs to various movies and series. It’s a lot of fun.

Then, I saw Hazbin Hotel Live on Broadway was out on Prime (!) and had to watch it. Like the OMitB podcast, it was intended to be viewed before the second season aired. Regardless, it was a beautiful fan-fest with cosplayers and musical performances of songs from the series. I may have to get the soundtrack.

I finished watching season 4 of The Witcher (Netflix). Liam Hemsworth makes a nearly seamless new Geralt (I feel I should not be surprised, but I was). Ciri has relinquished her powers and taken the name of Falka, joining The Rats, a gang of thieves. Thinking that Ciri is in Niflgard, Geralt, Jaskier, and Milva fight their way there. Yennefer gathers the remaining sorcerers and initiates in an attempt to defeat Vilgefortz. The end of the season sees Ciri in the hands of Bonhart, a witcher-killer, Geralt sworn to Queen Neve’s service, and Yennefer off to confront Vilgefortz alone.

Finally, on December 31^st, Phil and I watched the finale of Stranger Things (Netflix). The Duffer brothers managed to bring everything around to a satisfying close. Hawkins is occupied by the military and “rockin’” Robin and Steve take over the local radio station to keep the residents informed and secretly organize Hopper’s “crawls” in the upside down in search of Vecna while El trains to confront him. Then Holly Wheeler is abducted and Vecna’s plot is slowly uncovered. I won’t get into the rest of the season, because it is a worthwhile watch, if you’ve been following the series. Mind you, if you’re a fan, or just a completionist, you’ve probably already seen it.

Yes, there are a fair number of pivotal events that happen off screen. Yes, there are plot holes and unresolved plotlines. But it’s an entertaining and dynamic season of an entertaining and dynamic series with much nostalgia and 80s fan service. The ending is bittersweet, with the older gang members reminiscing and making plans to keep in touch, Hopper proposing to Joyce, and Mike’s post-D&D storytelling making hopeful, if fictional, sense of everything. It was also nice to see the next generation of gamers taking over the table.

My first listen of the month was another Great Courses/Audible original collaboration, Witchcraft in the Western Tradition by Jennifer McNabb. From the witch hunts of early 15^th century Europe through the “satanic panic” of the 80s to the current moment of neo-paganism, McNabb examines not only what happened, but the causes and the sometimes-surprising results of witch hunts through the ages.

Then, I listened to Mistletoe Murders 4 by Ken Cupris. Mild spoilers for MM3 if you haven’t listened yet. After finding the body of her former lover and fellow agent under her Christmas tree, Emily Lane is forced into hiding for 11 months with only a voicemail to Sam, the police officer she’s falling in love with. When she returns to Fletcher’s Grove, the entire town is undergoing a facelift, Sam has a new girlfriend, and Sam’s daughter Violet has left for college. Everything’s changed, except murder. This edition features three new mysteries for Emily to solve. Fun, cozy, and just the thing to put you in the mood for the holidays.

My next listen was Grimm’s Fairy Stories, translated by Margaret Hunt. These are all the traditional tales, Little Snow White, Thumbling and Tom Thumb, Brian Rose, Cinderella, Little Red Cap (with alternate ending), The Frog Prince (which is more bizarre than I remember), and more. 25 tales that will give you all the background on the Disney princesses you’ll ever want. Just kidding. A classic.

I also listened to The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. Yes, another classic I hadn’t read! I loved this gentle fable about the power of nature to heal. When Mary is the only survivor of a cholera outbreak that sweeps her home in India, she is sent to live at her uncle’s house in Yorkshire. She arrives a thin, jaundiced girl with a sour disposition, having only ever been waited on hand and foot by Indian servants while her parents lived their lives as if she didn’t exist. Her uncle, Archibald Craven, is often away and his housekeeper meets Mary at the train. In her first days, she’s told the tragic tale of how her uncle’s wife fell out of a tree in her favourite garden and died, prompting her uncle to lock the garden and bury the key. She soon becomes obsessed with finding the secret garden. It’s absolutely lovely and I really enjoyed the authentic Yorkshire spoken by the narrator. It added so much to the tale.

Then, I read Incantations by N. (Nicole) Milanne, the first self-published book in her projected Jeannie’s Bottle series. This sweet middle-grade tale follows 12-year-old Jeannie, whose mother Clara, disappeared and is presumed dead. After her father’s dental practice fails, Jeannie, her dad, and her little brother move to Shallow Cove to live with Aunt Marid (in Islamic tradition, a marid is a demon like an ifrit), whose vegan cuisine Jeannie considers a trial. At her new school, Jeannie makes friends with UFO-obsessed Rita but is also harassed by “Glam Girl” Leah, and her English teacher, Mr. Queue, gives her the creeps. While helping at Aunt Marid’s second-hand shop, Mr. Queue shows up with a box of donations and Jeannie finds a brass bottle inside, which she promptly takes when it begins to glow.

Later, when she deciphers the inscription and recites it, Anpudru (Dru) the jinn emerges from the bottle. Bound to the bottle, Dru must obey many rules, like speaking in awkward forced rhyme. He can also grant Jeannie one wish per day. Jeannie’s first wish? That Leah can’t talk anymore. That goes about as well as you might expect. The story follows Jeannie as she learns to use her wishes more responsibly, while trying to solve the mystery of why Mr. Queue seems to have an interest in her. The crisis culminates on Halloween night under a blood moon lunar eclipse, and Jeannie learns who Mr. Queue really is.

I finally finished my reread of C.S. Lewis’ The Horse and His Boy. As lovely as I remember. One of my foundational series that got me into writing fantasy.

Next, I listened to Mur Lafferty’s Station Eternity, the first in her Midsolar Murders series. Mallory Viridian seems to attract murders wherever she goes, and she only failed to solve the first few — including the murder of her mother — because she was too young to put the pieces together. But as she grows up, her talent only seems to put her on the list of suspects, and the authorities actively block her from becoming a police officer or private detective. She can’t go to school or hold down a job because if she’s around people, they eventually get murdered. Stuck volunteering at an animal shelter and writing novels about the mysteries she solves to earn a living, Mallory eventually witnesses one murder too many and appeals to the alien-only sentient space station Eternity. If she can live someplace where there aren’t humans around, maybe she won’t be responsible for any further death. Unfortunately, Eternity subsequently accepts human tourists and before they even arrive, another murder — that of Eternity’s alien symbiont, or host — throws Eternity into chaos and threatens the life of every sentient species aboard. Can Mallory solve the murder before Eternity self-destructs? Awesome in every way. LOVED!

I loved it so much, in fact, that I immediately started in on the next audiobook in the series, Chaos Terminal. Mild spoilers for Station Eternity follow. Mrs. Brown, Eternity’s new human host, must travel to Eternity’s home world to learn how to be a proper host to a sentient space station. She takes Eternity’s daughter, the shuttle Infinity, depriving Xan, a former soldier claiming sanctuary on Eternity, of both his living quarters and his symbiotic partner. She also leaves Mallory in charge because of her symbiotic bond with the wasp-like sundry, who maintain Eternity’s systems. Eternity herself will be dormant for the duration of her host’s absence.

When another shuttle from Earth arrives with the new human ambassador, Mallory is completely blindsided to find the other passengers include the SBI agent who claimed the credit for all of Mallory’s solved murders on Earth, Mallory’s best friend from high school, now a quantum physicist, and her brother, Mallory’s high school crush — who, until the moment she saw him again, she had completely forgotten existed (!) Of course, murder follows on the heels of the shuttle’s arrival, and Mallory must try to solve the murder on a dormant station. Worse, she discovers bodies of hundreds of sundry and loses her connection to their hive mind, the very connection that allowed her to solve murders in the first place. How will she solve the murder during all this chaos? Another amazing listen.

So, of course, I headed right into book three of the Midsolar Murders, Infinite Archive. For a few months, Mallory is blissfully murder-free, but her time is taken up with raising the sentient ship Moebius and trying to reconnect with the sundry hive mind. She’s so absorbed in these tasks that she misses a visit from Queen Tina and Ferdinand, her nice (a rock-like alien species, not the adjective) friends from Bezoar … and a bunch of messages from her agent telling her that he’s coming to Eternity on a murder mystery convention on a giant, one-of-a-kind sentient ship called Metis and wants to talk about her next novel and, oh, and by the way he’s signed her up to be the keynote speaker and participate in a murder mystery LARP. By the time Xan prompts her to check her messages, Metis is already in transit. Never having delivered a keynote, Mallory panics and then enters research mode. When she meets with her agent, he wants her to write a cozy mystery instead of waiting for the next murder to happen, causing her to spin out further.

Then Tina returns with a “new friend,” an unknown alien, from Bezoar, and Moebius goes missing, and Mallory’s agent turns up dead in the ladies restroom where his newest author has also been assaulted, and Metis, who contains a copy of the entire internet in pocket dimensions, starts to malfunction, and things get more chaotic from there. An interesting commentary on the writing life, the publishing industry, and fan fiction. Wild but fun. I hope she continues the series.

I’ve listened to Mur’s podcast, I Should be Writing, for years, and she did a lot of research to learn how to write a mystery, like studying Agatha Christie’s entire oeuvre.

And that was the month in this writer’s life.

Until next month, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

The next chapter: November 2025 update

December 7, 2025 / Melanie Marttila

Rebooting …

Life in general

What follows may seem like a middle-aged white woman whinging about first world problems, but, you know, I’m learning to listen to my body and honour what it’s telling me. Even small disruptions can dysregulate me, and I hope that sharing my experience will help one of my neurokin validate theirs.

Life isn’t always one crisis after another, even if the world in general seems to be burning down around us.

Now that my travel and writerly events over the last couple of months were over, November started with the return to standard time, which messes me up for a couple of weeks (at least). This happens regardless of whether we “gain” or “lose” an hour.

Occasionally, some politician talks about eliminating the time change, but the various governments and powers that be can never agree on whether to stick with standard time or daylight saving time, and the agreement of one government depends upon the agreement of all the others. So, Ontario won’t repeal DST unless Quebec and the States with which it trades also agree. If one state or province refuses, the proposition is dead.

And now, with Canada’s provincial trade barriers potentially coming down, there may be more domestic players to take into consideration. Even though Saskatchewan has never been on DST. It is to sigh.

Though I’d been using a neti-pot twice a day throughout the year and started taking Ryaltris (also twice a day) since the beginning of September, it became clear in the early days of November that I would be sick for at least part of my month off. I increased the frequency of Cold FX and Emergen-C, planning for the worst but hoping for better.

On the 3^rd, I received an invitation to interview for the new Intake Team our directorate was creating on the 7^th. It was only a half hour, but I did my best, geeking out about learning and development and my passion to align with the new vision for our department. They said they wanted to make decisions fairly quickly, but as of the end of November, I still hadn’t heard.

Nor had I heard whether I would be one of the many employees to be cut, as per the recently passed budget.

Living on tenterhooks about both situations.

No sooner had I started to recover from the time change than I had my double vaccination of flu and COVID shots. Look, I don’t plan these things, and I think it would be difficult to try to predict my reaction to any given set of vaccinations. They change formulation for both every year. Vaccinations were a thing on my to-do list, and I made the earliest convenient appointment the pharmacy had. It just turned out it was on the 12^th.

Besides, other than a day or so of soreness, I’d never had a bad reaction in the past.

Folks, I’ve never had such a bad reaction. This year’s Moderna resulted in two days of Advil-surpassing pain and feeling like utter crap. And, of course, my sinuses ramped up toward infection with the tell-tale post-blow squeal, headaches, and — joy — cough.

I didn’t recover from the soreness and general feeling like crap until the following weekend, though the sinus symptoms persisted throughout the month.

For most of November, daytime temperatures were above zero degrees Celsius, so the various dustings of snow we received melted the next day or were washed away by rain. On the 29^th, however, the daytime temperature remained below zero and so the snow stayed. The dusting we received on the 29^th wasn’t impressive, but the snow that followed on the 30^th required Phil to use the snow blower. And the city ploughs emerged, though they didn’t touch the side streets.

Wonderful things: In the last days of November, I remembered my dreams for almost a week! Nothing story-generating, but weird and fun, nonetheless. And I got a non-dream, super-cool idea for The Fenwoman’s Tale that will make the story SO much better. When I get back to it.

The month in writing

The early days of November were a mess.

Even though I returned from the Writing on the Rocks retreat inspired and ready to devote some time to my writing … I didn’t … (?)

Instead, for some reason, my ND brain decided to start cleaning/reorganizing my office (!) I cleaned out all the candle glass (i.e. the containers candles come in) that had been sitting around my office for a year +, cleaned all the essential oil bottles that had been sitting around for at least as long, cleaned almost all of the glass (hurricane lamps, bowls, jars, etc.) in my office (I always find 1 or two containers I forgot afterward), and removed the prisms from their suction cups in my window and strung them up on a ribbon. I also cut back one of my 2 pothos plants because it was losing leaves at a rapid rate, a sure sign it was pot bound.

My assembly of suncatchers, crystals, and wind chimes.

And then, I realized I was prioritizing the wrong things and returned to writing tasks. This was, in part, why I was late posting about Can-Con, the retreat, and didn’t publish my last update/newsletter until mid-November.

After I took care of those writerly tasks, I finished an overdue review and got back to cutting Reality Bomb down to size.

All of this in the middle of major dysregulation due to the time change and double vaccination and sinusitis. Yay, brain!

By the 23^rd, I finished my second cutting pass. The total word counts currently stands at 115,661. I only managed to cut 2,345 words. But progress is progress.

Then, I returned my attention to my office clean up.

Which … I did not do.

My body and brain demanded REST and I had to obey. I did pull up a couple of older short stories and started to rework them. And I was mulling the next round of RB cuts, including a rewrite of the first chapter, in the back of my mind.

My review of Like Water for Weary Souls by Liisa Kovala came out in The Seaboard Review of Books on the 12^th.

The cover of Like Water for Weary Souls.

My review of Mona Awad’s We Love You, Bunny was released into the wild by The Seaboard Review of Books on the 19^th.

The final SF Canada board meeting of the year (before our AGM) was on the 24^th. We’re a friendly bunch and everything was decided fairly quickly. We’re a go for a December 14^th AGM.

Filling the well

The full freezing moon in Taurus was on the 5^th. It was a rainy day.

I think I’ve finally figured out how to take a good moon photo with my phone! At maximum zoom, this weird grid appears in the corner, and when you focus on the moon, the surrounding sky darkens. When you take the picture, the sky turns black, and the details of the moon come out. Some new feature on my phone. Yay!

After the full, the days alternated. One overcast and possibly raining, the next blue skies filled with sky floof that obscured the waning moon, wherever she was.

The new ivy moon in Scorpio was on the 20^th.

After the new, the sky was consistently cloudy. Also, we were entering the dark times, and my second dog walk of the day was inevitably after sunset.

I attended the virtual launch of The Pollination Field by Kim Fahner on the 5^th. It was a great event co-hosted by Alice Major. Great conversation, great questions, and great poetry. I’m looking forward to the in-person launch in the spring!

Unmasking through our writing with Murgatroyd Monaghan continued Thursday afternoons through November. It’s been a fabulous journey of self-discovery and affirmation. I would highly recommend it to any ND creative folk who want to create/define a process unique to them.

On the 8^th, I attended Books Today: Creativity, Monetization, and the Publishing World with Andrea J. Lee, Sam Hiyate, and Katie Curtin. Interesting, although it ended up being a sales pitch for a course they were offering.

I attended the in-person book launch of Liisa Kovala’s Like Water for Weary Souls on the 9^th. I had a little trouble getting where I needed to go because there was construction at the 2^nd Avenue entrance to Finlandia Koti, and I hadn’t been there since my great aunt was a resident … a long time ago. After being ranted at and threatened by the site foreman (I assumed) he finally told me where I needed to go, and it turns out I arrived just at the interview and reading were getting underway. I love Liisa’s book and wanted to support her. She and Emily De Angelis had a great conversation, and I got to chat with a few friends at the reception. Kahvi oli vahvaa, ja pulla oli hyvää!

The Clarion West workshop Revision: Turning Writing into Art Using Craft Analyses & the Reverse Outline with Naseem Jamnia took place on the 13^th and the 20^th. It was a great session, combining reading like an author with the reverse outline (outlining after first draft completion). Very in my wheelhouse as I tend to be a discovery writer (or pantser) no matter how I try to outline.

I enjoyed a lovely visit with friends from out of town on the 8^th. Our visits always tend to feel short, given we have so much to catch up on, but we had a great time.

I skipped my support group meeting on the 26^th to attend my mother-in-law’s birthday party at a local restaurant. Fabulous food and family festivity! Of course, I had to REST afterward.

My leave with income averaging continued through to the 28^th. I didn’t accomplish much aside from relaxing and resetting.

I had my semi-annual (soon to be tri-annual) dentist’s appointment on the 4^th. My insurance finally approved additional “units” of descaling for me after years of my dentist’s office applying for additional coverage. So now, I have a better chance of staying on top of the staining my teeth are prone to.

On the 10^th, I had my next session with my therapist. Mostly, it was decompressing about the month past, but we’re going to get back to values next time.

On the 12^th, I got my flu and COVID shots. I already told you how that went.

What I’m watching and reading

The first series I finished watching in November was a comfort rewatch of Gargoyles (Disney +). This series was a favourite, and the animation was done by Nelvana, a Canadian company. I watched the whole series when it originally aired (1994 -7). I appreciated the multiple mythologies used to develop the series, and I fell in love with Goliath (I’m definitely not ashamed to say). Keith David has the most amazing voice.

I’ll refer you to the Wikipedia entry, so you can think about whether you’d like to go down the Gargoyles rabbit hole.

I had no idea that Diane Duane and Peter Morwood were on the writing staff in season 2! Now I love the series even more.

Then, I watched the first season of Alien Earth (Disney +). Having finished another Noah Hawley series (Legion) not long ago, I was prepared for some weirdness. Overall, I enjoyed the series, but there are a lot of unanswered questions. FX hasn’t greenlit a second season yet, but Hawley has said that the series is intended to be 5 seasons. It’s supposedly the highest rated offering in the Alien franchise, so we’ll see.

Set after Alien: Romulus but before the events of the original Alien movie, Alien: Earth follows 6 terminally ill children as their consciousnesses are uploaded into synthetic bodies by Boy Kavalier, trillionaire CEO of the Prodigy Corporation. Shortly after their uploading, the “Lost Boys” as the hybrids are known, Wendy, Slightly, Curly, Smee, Nibs, and Toodles are sent to the crash site of the Maginot, a Weyland-Yutani ship. Because of their synthetic bodies, Boy figures they will not be targeted by the alien payload. While they do recover the aliens, including the title creature, Weyland-Yutani wants them back, and shenanigans ensue. As you may have surmised, Peter Pan is the framing metaphor for the series.

Next, I finished the first season of Chief of War (Apple TV +). Jason Momoa executive produced and starred in his latest passion project, relating the struggle to unify Hawai’i under Kamehameha I. Set at the end of the 18^th century when the four major kingdoms of the Hawaiian Islands were in a state of war: Hawaiʻi, Maui, Oʻahu, and Kauaʻi, the series follows Kaʻiana (Momoa), a warrior chief (aliʻi) of Kauaʻi. Picked up by a British ship when he falls off a cliff and is presumed dead, Ka’iana experiences the world outside of Hawai’i and returns with a shipload of guns. They had cultural advisors in every department to ensure authenticity and to present these historical events with as much accuracy as possible. Most of the dialogue is in Hawai’ian, so make sure you have captioning on. An amazing epic about a culture I’ve had the curious for.

Then, I watched Fantastic Four: First Steps (Disney +). I liked it. A friend had just watched it and said it felt like an incomplete story. It wasn’t an origin story (they took care of that in the opening montage), but I also felt it was merely the beginning of a bigger story, which conforms to the subtitle, first steps, and to the postscript advising that the Fantastic Four would return in Avengers: Doomsday. Add to that the post-credit scene in the Thunderbolts*, and it’s very much giving “to be continued …” vibes. For all that, I did enjoy the story and how Sue Storm and Shalla Bal end up being the best characters of the bunch. And the family dynamics were great. The F4 really demonstrate how a healthy family interacts. There are a lot of other reviews and analysis videos out there, so you can peruse those if you wish. For me, Thunderbolts* is still the standout Marvel movie of the last few years, though.

Next, I finished the second season of Hazbin Hotel (Prime). The first season culminated in the ascension of Serpentous/Sir Pentous. In this season, Charlie struggles to spread the good news that redemption is possible while Vox undermines her at every turn and foments war with heaven. Musicals aren’t my favourite, but the songs are bangers (!) And I love the animation style.

I finished watching season five of Only Murders in the Building (Disney +). Lester the doorman was found dead at the end of last season, and then Oliver gets tangled up with a second corpse in the dry cleaner’s next door. The main suspects are four of the richest people in the world, who sabotage the podcast to keep their secrets off air. And one of them buys the Arconia and kicks everyone out to build New York’s first casino (!) It felt for a moment like this would be the final season, but the gang sorted things out. Also, an old frenemy of Mabel’s shows up to complicate things, the board wants to have a robot doorman, and Charles is involved in a drug study. A slightly different tone to the season, but very fun. The murder setting up next season is killer.

Then, because Amazon snagged the rights, I watched both seasons of Helluva Boss (Prime). Blitzo (pronounced Blitz — the O is silent), an imp raised in the circus, goes independent as an adult, after having made a deal with goetia prince Stolas (to whom he was once “sold” as a playmate) to obtain a book that facilitates travel to the mortal realm in return for sexual favours. Yes, this is an adult animated series. Blitzo founds IMP (immediate murder professionals) offering his team’s services to kill mortals at the request of various of hell’s denizens. Blitzo’s team consists of Millie and Moxxie, passionate partners as well as assassins, and Loona, Blitzo’s adopted daughter and hellhound.

This is the background against which the real story — that of love between deeply damaged people — plays out. The main romance is between Blitzo and Stolas. Stolas, trapped in a loveless, arranged marriage, falls deeply for Blitzo. He loves his daughter, Octavia (Via) but, not having had loving parents himself, he cannot show Via affection in a healthy way. Blitzo loves Stolas, too, but feels unworthy of love because of his own upbringing. Other relationships — Millie and Moxxie, Ozzy and Fizzie — compare and contrast, while Blitzo’s relationship with Loona plays against Stolas’ relationship with Via. Amazingly complex for an animated series. Absolutely loved it.

My first listen of the month was Hex Around and Find Out by Molly Harper, the second in her Moonshadow Cove series. This cozy paranormal romance focuses on middle sister Coral (Cora) Seaworth. All three Seaworth sisters have lived in isolation after the deaths of their parents. They’ve had to figure everything out on their own, including that they are fae fin folk as well as witches charged with the tasks of managing the ghosts of Starfall Point and guarding the egg of a kelpie (AKA the Loch Ness Monster AKA a seahorse-dragon). Cora’s the quiet one who’d rather curl up with a book, but when she runs into charming but shiftless Igor (Iggy) Galinsky, it’s not long before irritation turns into infatuation. When Iggy is shot in the ass with a tranquilizer dart, Cora has no choice but to take him to Moonshadow Cove … and keep him there until they can be sure he’s not going to spill the magical beans. Another fun, lighthearted read.

Next, I finished reading Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune. Wallace is a lawyer and, if we’re being honest, a jerk. When he dies of a heart attack and Mei reaps him at his funeral, he’s desperate to return to the corporate hamster wheel. He has work to do! Instead, he’s taken to the Charron’s Crossing Tea Shop, where Hugo, the owner and ferryman, promises to help him cross over. The ghosts of Nelson, Hugo’s grandfather, and Apollo, Hugo’s dog provide no end of irritation to the newly deceased Wallace. Complicating Wallace’s journey of undead self-discovery are husks (remnants of ghosts who refuse to cross over and wander the world outside the tea shop), charlatan psychics, grieving mothers, and the most terrifying being of all, The Manager. Another lovely, and loving, Klune novel.

So, of course, having read a couple of cozy (or cozy-adjacent), paranormal romances, I headed for the epic grimdark romantasy of Danielle L. Jensen’s The Tempest Blade, the sixth in the Bridge Kingdom series. It’s not out yet in print but Audible released the audiobook early.

This is the second novel of Ahnna’s story. At the end of book five, though Ahnna and James have fallen in love, Ahnna learns that James is part of a plot to claim the Bridge for Harendell, and Ahnna is framed for the brutal murder of King Edward, James’ father. She flees and he pursues her, swearing bloody vengeance. The previous couples — Lara and Aren of Ithicana, and Zarrah and Keris of Valcotta — all have POV chapters in this book. Lara and Keris’ sister Zarhina has ceded to a democracy in Meridrina, but there’s still the rulership/governance of Amarid and Cardiff to settle. Though the ending felt pretty definitive, which may indicate that this 6^th book is the last in the series, I’d think the author would want to ensure all the countries of her world are established with passionate couples that have been through literal hell for one another. Cardiff and Amarid have yet to be explored in detail, and Cardiff has an interesting, witchy culture to delve into. I guess we’ll see when the print book comes out next March.

Then I read Tobias S. Buckell’s The Executioness. Tana’s father is an Executioner, given the task of beheading those who use magic, causing the irrepressible and poisonous bramble to grow. But he’s dying when the call comes from the Jolly Mayor that his services are needed, and because her husband is useless and she needs to feed her family, Tana takes up her father’s axe, dons his hood, and goes to do his duty, in a move reminiscent of Mulan. And like Mulan, Tana is caught up in war when raiders burn her village and abduct her sons. Immediately, she sets out to rescue them. Buckell writes Tana’s grief and rage well.

Next, I finished reading The Book of Life by Deborah Harkness. When Matthew and Diana return to the present, it’s to find that Emily has been murdered. The Congregation’s been up to their old tricks and though the witch responsible is removed, the de Clairmonts still have formidable obstacles to overcome if they want their happily ever after. Like rescinding the Covenant, which prohibits “inter-species” marriage, which Diana and Matthew are in violation of. Like Benjamin, the son Matthew abandoned, who now wants to possess Diana and her children. And like finally finding the Book of Life and restoring its pages so that the riddles of blood rage and weavers can finally be solved. A satisfying conclusion to the All Souls trilogy.

Then, I listened to The Quantum Labyrinth: How Richard Feynman and John Wheeler Revolutionized Time and Reality by Paul Halpern. This fascinating biography documents the development of Feynman and Wheeler’s academic and personal relationship. Over the years, nearly every great mind in physics becomes a part of the story from Einstein and Bohr, through Oppenheimer (both men participated in The Manhattan Project), to Thorne. It’s as much history as it is biography and science book. Fascinating.

I listened to J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, having been prompted by Alien: Earth (see above). I hadn’t actually read it before, and it was interesting to compare the ominous narration of Boy Kavalier with the original text. Mother’s “cleaning up” their children’s minds after they’ve fallen asleep. Peter “culling” the lost boys from time to time. More interesting was the narrator’s overt critique of Mrs. Darling as a bad mother because she was kind to her children. Mr. Darling’s outright incompetence is given a pass. There’s a lot in this children’s book that bears examination.

Next, I listened to American Fairy Tales by L. Frank Baum. Originally published in syndication (much like Dickens published much of his fiction) following the publication of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the twelve stories in this collection include knooks, ryls, and other fairies, how the king of the polar bears loses and then recovers his pelt, a beetle that grants the poor woman who saves him with a pump that produces gold, a storefront mannikin that comes to life, a young cowboy who lassoes Father Time, and other entertaining tales. Many of the stories offer somewhat clumsy morals at their conclusion, however.

Then, I listened to John Wiswell’s Someone You Can Build a Nest In. Sheshesen is a shapeshifting monster just trying to survive and avoid the human monster hunters who killed her mother. When one of those hunters, Catharsis Wolfire, disturbs her hibernation, Shesheshen has no choice but to defend herself. Though she kills Catharsis, the other two monster hunters with him escape. Again, Shesheshen must pursue them if she hopes to protect her home and privacy. They’ll come back and bring even more hunters with them. But Shesheshen is exposed during her investigation in the local town and, like many a monster before her, she is pursued by an angry mob and falls off a cliff, it is thought, to her death.

A kind woman named Homily nurses Shesheshen back to health and the two begin to bond. Distressingly, Shesheshen’s eggs have decided that Homily would make a most suitable nest and Shesheshen is conflicted. Explore the bond they share or implant her eggs and lose Homily forever? Things get even more complicated when Shesheshen learns that Homily is a Wolfire, and her family has dedicated themselves to killing the shapeshifting monster who cursed them years ago, who is apparently Shesheshen, and she has no memory of cursing anyone. A fabulous novel with a series of truly surprising twists. And Shesheshen is autistic-coded! Hear me out. I’ve often felt like and alien or, yes, a monster. I related to Shesheshen HARD.

And that was the month in this writer’s life.

Until next month, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Can-Con, October 17 to 19, 2025

November 6, 2025November 6, 2025 / Melanie Marttila / 1 Comment

A post-con report

A stylized C that looks like a planet with a ring with the word Can-Con below.

This year, Can-Con moved to a new venue, the Brookstreet Hotel. It was a beautiful event space and the hotel had all the amenities and then some.

But I’m getting ahead of myself.

I booked both Friday the 17^th and Monday the 20^th off work. In hindsight, I should have booked the Thursday as well and given myself some extra time to drive out, settle in, relax, and prepare. I’ll have to remember to do that, next year. And yes, I’ve already registered for next year’s convention.

Friday morning, my intention was to take off at 10 am, arrive around 4 pm, check in, and then attend the opening session at 5.

Unfortunately, my body decided to delay my departure until 11 am. I also had to top up the gas tank and grab a caramel toffee cold brew from Tim Horton’s before I could zoom.

One thing I finally figured out on my September trip to London was how to properly use Google Maps (!) Fun fact: I am weirdly selective about learning how to use technology.

The journey was uneventful. And beautiful!

There’s this point on Highway 17 between Mattawa and Deux Rivières where the road crests a hill and you get your first site of the Laurentians. It was particularly breathtaking on the 17th. Most of the surface was covered in pine and spruce, but there were vibrant patches of gold (birch and poplar) edged in orange and red (oak and maple). The cloud was low and scudded over the worn tops of the mountains.

I couldn’t stop to take a photo, but I wrote a poem about it afterward.

A picture of the Murderbot? Murderbot! panel.

Because of my delayed start, I didn’t arrive until after 5 pm. I checked into the Brookstreet, parked, resolved an issue with my key card, dropped everything off at my room, and headed down to catch one of the panels before mine.

The Art of Rest panel was a lot of fun. I discovered that one of the other panelists is also from Sudbury (!) Many thanks to moderator Kaitlin (KT) Caul for organizing a great panel experience and to Nina Nesseth for being a great co-panelist. It was among the last panels on Friday night.

After, the lot of us migrated to Options, the hotel’s jazz lounge, and I enjoyed a late supper and their signature cocktail, the paper plane. Lovely. Again, much fun was had.

The cover of Years Best Canadian Fantasy and Science Fiction, Volume 3.

After a morning swim and breakfast, I attended panels all day on Saturday, as well as an unsuccessful pitch session (the publisher and I were hopelessly mismatched), and the launch of Year’s Best Canadian Fantasy and Science Fiction, Volume 3, in which my poem “Vasilisa” was reprinted.

While I was moving between panels, I met several SF Canada members and other friends, including Andy Taylor, who shared some fabulous news. The anthology my next piece of short fiction will be published in, Super Canucks, had a cover! It won’t be published until March 2026, but it’s up on the Latitude 46 site! Pre-orders are open!

SuperCanucks: An anthology of Canadian small-town superheroes

Highlights from Saturday:

After a long day of panels, I treated myself to a solitary supper at the Perspectives restaurant. Compressed melon salad, summer vegetable and truffle risotto, and a limoncello tartufo. Heaven!

On Sunday, I treated myself to another morning swim before breakfast. I attended even more panels, and the launch of Cait Gordon’s Speculative Shorts: Stories That Fell Out of My Brain.

My second panel, “The Taste of Sadness: Writing Emotional Dysregulation” was in the last time slot of the convention and was another great experience. I may have babbled a bit, but everyone else on the panel stepped in and we all made each other look good. Gratitude to moderator Gregory A. Wilson and panelists Deanna Valdez and Sienna Tristen for making my second panel a memorable one.

Highlights from Sunday:

After, I walked the convention space as the panelists and exhibitors packed up and departed.

Then, in a different mood from the night before, I opted for a burger and fries with a caramel apple crisp for dessert at Perspectives. The apple crisp is to die for, folks.

I opted to stay over Sunday night and drive back in the morning after one final swim and a full breakfast.

I’ve attended several Can-Cons over the years, but this was my first as a panellist. It was a fabulous experience and, as I said off the top, I’ve already registered for next year. I hope to get on another panel (or two) and maybe organize an SF Canada meet and greet/networking event/membership drive.

We’ll see what happens.

As ever, I’ll let you know how it all works out.

Auroras eligibility post

March 21, 2025 / Melanie Marttila

It’s that time of year again. Again? Yeah. Feels weird. But good-weird.

The Aurora Awards eligibility lists are now up, and I have a story and two poems on those lists!

In the Best Short Fiction Category, you will find my short story “The Beekeeper,” which was published in Through the Portal: Tales from a Hopeful Dystopia, edited by Nina Munteanu and Lynn Hutchinson Lee, by Exile Editions, December 31, 2024. ISBN: 9781990773341, pp 178-191.

This story is not available online, but if you get in touch with me, melanie dot marttila at gmail dot com, I can send you a pdf copy.

In the Best Poem/Song category, I have two poems:

“Time and Tide,” Polar Starlight 13, February 2024.

“Vasilisa,” Polar Borealis 30, June 2024.

If you select either linked title, you can download the pdfs of both issues (or any other issue you’d like to read) for free.

If you’re Canadian who loves science fiction and fantasy and can spare $10 for an annual membership in the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association (CSFFA), please consider joining so you can nominate. You don’t even need to nominate me. There are so many fabulous Canadian authors. This is not a zero-sum game.

But if you want to nominate me, I’d be grateful.

How do you join the CSFFA, you ask?

Simply visit the CSFFA site.

You will see, front and centre, two options: Not a member yet? and You are a member?

Select the option that applies to you and follow the directions.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

The next chapter: December 2024 update

January 5, 2025 / Melanie Marttila

Settling into recovery mode … (cue olde-timey modem squealing)

Picture of the quarter moon above a tree.

Life in general

The illen settled in, but I hadn’t yet gotten headaches, facial pain, or any of that ilk, so I continued on with the neti-pot, Emergen-C, and Advil Cold & Sinus. If things got worse, I figured I’d go to the clinic as I’d done in the past and see what came of it.

If I made it through to my January doctor’s appointment (not my preference—I really didn’t want to be sick over the holidays) I’d see what he’d say about it.

In the meantime, I’m trying to take care as best I know how. Staying hydrated, eating well, getting as much sleep as I can, though I rarely get the sleep I need during the work week. And that’s the blessing and curse of working from home. I can still work while I’m sick without exposing anyone else to what I’ve caught, but sinus infections aren’t contagious, per se.

There was work to be done, though, and so work I did.

I sought the advice of a pharmacist who recommended Cold FX. So, I tried that out. I thought the illen was too far advanced for it to help but combined with meds to reduce symptoms and the irrigation of the neti-pot, it seemed to help with sleeping through the night. I also added hot toddies in the evening (tea with honey and rum). I’m pulling out all the old home remedies and supports I can.

And…toward the end of the month, after some narsty nights plagued with coughing—more the result of stubborn snot clinging to my airways and turning my throat into some bizarre mucus air harp (wheeze, whistle, gurgle) than anything else—I finally managed to sleep through the night.

Things seemed to be turning the corner in a positive direction.

I’ve discovered that if I have anything other than work scheduled on a weekday evening, be it a critique group meeting, support group meeting, haircut, taking Torvi to get her nails ground—anything, I’m out of spoons for the day.

I’m trying to respect my energy levels, day to day, and I’m learning that my executive function and support needs also vary daily. What I was once able to do easily, I may now struggle with. It’s a difficult lesson to learn.

Thank…whatever, I have some time off over the holidays.

The month in writing

Getting back into writing mode is an iffy proposition. I worked on some edits for a short story early in the month and that seemed to go well.

I wrote a poem. Not sure of its quality, but it felt good in the writing.

But when it came to Reality Bomb, the going was tough. I got back to it on the 9^th but managed maybe half a page. Still, I touched it!

The next day, I had an appointment after work and my Dispatches meeting, so I wasn’t able to get to RB.

I did a little more work on it the next evening, but the following two days were challenging at work, and I had no energy to speak of in the evenings. I also had a sneezing fit (one every 10 to 15 seconds for about a half hour) the first night and that took all the fight out of me. The second night it was coughing fits over the course of an hour, which aggravated my GERD. I’m sure both helped to usher out infection (it’s what they do, after all) but both were exhausting and not conducive to trying to write (or do anything else).

But I finally finished rewriting the troublesome chapter I started working on last month and moved on with my re-read. I finished that in a couple of evenings, with minor touch-ups.

When I got back to the drafting of the final two chapters, though, I stalled again, but just for a couple of days while I was focusing on recovery, finishing up the Christmassing, and doing some associated running around.

The going was slow, but I got back to it.

Along with preparing my application to the Banff Centre for Arts & Creativity SFF Program, and some grant applications.

Something I neglected to mention last month was that an old friend of Siobhan Riddell reached out to me and offered to send me one of the sketches she’d done for him. I couldn’t justify accepting one of his remembrances, but I did accept a couple of pictures. They’re lovely.

This has happened periodically over the years, and it gives me all the feels to know that Siobhan’s wondrous work has touched other people as deeply (or deeper, frankly) as it’s touched me.

Then, I received some news about Through the Portal. Apparently, their website was down, but it’s back up and running again.

And they are planning two in-person events for the anthology, both in Toronto. One was on December 28^th and the other in February 2025. I can’t participate in either, so I’ve been kept out of the loop on the publicity.

I received an opportunity mid-month to submit my work to the poetry in Canada poetry bookshelf. I’ll let you know when The Art of Floating makes its appearance.

There was an SF Canada board meeting on the 3^rd to prepare for the upcoming AGM. It was an efficient meeting, and all the necessary decisions and arrangements were made.

The AGM itself was scheduled for the 28^th. There were a few technical issues and delays, but everything worked out in the end.

The year in review

This has been a momentous year for me in terms of writing. My debut poetry collection! All the promo and signings and reviews and events around that! More poetry publications! A cli-fi short story publication! Another acceptance of a poem and a short story for future publication!

Given that I’ve been in burnout since September, that’s not bad!

In terms of words written or revised in the year, I:

wrote only 1,553 words of short fiction and revised 187 (that I tracked),
wrote 3,232 words of creative non-fiction,
wrote 28 new poems, and
wrote 39,059 words in this blog/newsletter.

I stopped tracking my revision efforts on Reality Bomb partway through the year. It was getting complicated. But if things progress as they have been, I should finish with a 120k-word draft. I’d wanted to bring it down more than that, but I still have a listening pass to go, and hope to find a few more places to trim then.

In writing-related events, my ongoing, though stalled, work with Suzy Vadori, and the Stillwater Writing Retreat are highlights.

In retrospect, though I took my six-week, self-funded leave as a means to recover from the flurry of activity around the launch of The Art of Floating, I now recognize that I was probably anticipating burnout even then. I could not have anticipated the accidents and illnesses of either my mom or my mom-in-law, but I could probably feel the impending exhaustion.

I’m grateful I took the leave and that my employer offers the work arrangement, but it means that I won’t be able to take another until the latter part of 2025.

At work, I was able to accept an acting position as an instructional designer on a new team, and though the transition has been a bit fraught, things are finally coming together on the one major project.

In terms of reading, I set myself the goal of reading 50 books this year. In fact, I’ve read or listened to 93 books, 186% of my goal. Admittedly, reading several poetry collections, a fair amount of short non-fiction, and listening to audiobooks helped to increase the number of books I read this year, I still outpaced my goal by quite a bit. And I’ve read a bunch of books that I wouldn’t normally.

Filling the well

The new Reed moon in Sagittarius was on December 1^st.

The full moon in Gemini was on the 15^th.

Winter solstice fell on the 21^st. Did my altar thing.

And the new Elder moon in Capricorn was on the 30^th. I know the second full moon in a month is referred to as a “blue” moon, but I had no idea that the second new moon in a month is called a “black” moon. It’s not official astronomy terminology, but that’s what’s out there on the interwebz.

I had no writerly events this month, to my great relief. I needed the relax and to focus on getting my words back.

I did meet for a final time this year with my Dispatches critique group on the 10^th. It was a relaxed evening.

I had a massage on the 4^th. Bliss.

My support group met on the 18^th. This month’s topic was shame. And hoo-boy is this a big issue for me.

And I finished the month with some well-earned and desperately needed annual leave. I was off from the 21^st through to January 1^st, 12 days off for the price of 5.

My bestie and her partner came up for a visit on the 28^th. Phil made cookies and apple cake. They went home with the remainders.

What I’m watching and reading

I watched the fourth and final season of Superman & Lois (CTV SciFi). Yeah, they did the death of Superman. Last season, Lex Luthor turned Bizarro into Doomsday by injecting him with a serum that resurrects him and then killing him repeatedly (I know, I know). Doomsday kills Superman in front of his family, ripping out his heart. Jordan gets him to the Fortress and into suspended animation, but he can’t heal without a heart. So, General Lane sacrifices himself after injecting himself with the serum that resurrected Bizarro so that Lois and the boys can use it to heal Clark. But having a human heart is enough to make Clark age and slowly de-power.

Yadda, yadda, yadda. Final showdown with Doomsday (again) and Lex in John Henry’s suped-up suit. Superman saves the day. In the aftermath, Lex goes to jail for good, several couples are united, Jon (who developed powers) and Jordan get married and have a passel of kids. Lois’s cancer returns, she dies, and then Clark’s human heart gives out. Clark and Lois are reunited in the afterlife.

Having said that (and rather snarkily), S&L was one of the best series to emerge from the “Arrowverse” (even though it was supposed to be in a separate timeline). All the other series got old after a few seasons of retreading the same ground, although most were entertaining, initially.

Charlie Jane Anders has an interesting take on why the Arrowverse, as a whole, was the best set of superhero series on TV. I don’t know if I agree with her, but she says that superhero stories, having come from the comics, are inherently episodic and focused not on superheroic antics, but on the emotional entanglements and journeys of the characters. They’re soap operas. I see her point, but I was never fond of soap operas. Maybe that’s why the various Arrowverse series got old for me, real fast, and why S&L, at only four seasons, comes out ahead of the pack.

Then, I watched the first season of Time Bandits (Apple TV +). I watched the original Terry Gilliam movie so long ago that I don’t really remember it, but I enjoyed this new adaptation. History nerd Kevin is bullied, and his family doesn’t understand him. When the self-proclaimed Time Bandits enter his room through a portal in his closet, pursued by the Supreme Being (who wants his map back, thankyouverymuch), Kevin is swept away into time travelling adventure, while the bandits try to steal treasures from everywhen they visit. Fun.

Next, I finished Black Cake (Disney +) based on Charmaine Wilkerson’s novel of the same name. Byron and Benedetta (B&B) are estranged but come together when their mother dies of cancer. In a series of pre-recorded statements, the siblings learn that their mother, who they knew as Eleanor, was actually Coventina. As they slowly learn the truth, they begin to work through their own secrets and trauma. I enjoyed it (especially Nine Night and duppies), and I have the ebook, which I’ll now have to read 🙂

The series ended on a cliffhanger as B&B’s recently revealed half-sister begins to listen to her separately-recorded message from Eleanor/Coventina, but Hulu cancelled it, so the book may be the only place I can find out what happens next (!)

I also finished watching the latest season of Only Murders in the Building (Disney +). The gang is excited because an OMitB movie is being made, but it’s not long before they figure out that Sazz, whose murder was revealed in the last moments of last season, is missing. When they find one of her prosthetics in the apartment’s incinerator, they have their next season of the podcast. Charles’ serial killer ex escapes prison, Oliver and Loretta navigate their long-distance relationship, and poor Mabel ends up squatting in a dead guy’s apartment. And, of course, another murder was revealed in the last minutes of the season. Fun, as always.

Then, I watched The Lost City when it was shown on the CTV Scifi channel. It’s been on my list of fun movies to watch for a while, but I haven’t been able to find it on any of the streaming services. I guess it will be on Crave now, but I was happy to have a relaxing evening of enjoyable and undemanding viewing. Sandra Bullock stars as Loretta Sage, a former archeological researcher and reclusive romance author on a book tour with her cover model Alan played by Channing Tatum. When she’s abducted, Alan ropes in former Navy SEAL and CIA operative Jack Trainer (Brad Pitt) to help him rescue Loretta.

Phil and I watched the Doctor Who Christmas special, Joy to the World (Disney +). It was a lovely, sentimental story, and I loved the idea of the time hotel, but the story could have used more Joy in it 🙂 The character was a bit sidelined in the story, but I guess you only have so much runtime to fill, and you have to make cuts somewhere. Watch it and see what you think.

Finally, Phil and I finished watching the third season of Bleach: The 1,000-Year Blood War (Disney +). Yhwach tricks Ichigo into killing the Soul King, though one of the soul reapers sacrifices himself to become the Soul King’s right hand. Various factions of the soul reapers fight various members of the Stern Ritter. At the end, Uryu’s plan to infiltrate the Stern Ritters and stop Yhwach is revealed. He stays to fight Haschwalth, who is endowed with Yhwach’s Almighty while Yhwach sleeps, and sends Ichigo to kill the sleeping Yhwach. One more season to complete the story arc!

My first listen of the month was the Audible Original Goblin Hero, the second in Jim C. Hines’ Goblin Trilogy. The reputation of “Jig the Dragonslayer” draws a desperate ogre to the goblin caves. Pixies have taken over the ogres, literally, and they need Jig’s help. The goblin leader is all for it, wanting to rid herself of Jig and all the goblins who want him to be leader instead of her. And Jig’s not too sad to go, either. Vika, obsessed with the hero’s journey, has been bothering Jig to teach her magic, but he doesn’t know how.

Things get interesting when Vika decides to embark on her own hero’s journey and follows Jig into the heart of rainbow-coloured, mind-controlling, pixie madness. Fun!

Then, I read Legacy, the second in Lois McMaster Bujold’s The Sharing Knife series. Dag and Fawn return to his home, uneasy with their anticipated reception. Dag warned her that it would be more difficult than sorting things out with her family, but Fawn doesn’t realize how hostile the Lakewalkers are until Dag’s brother Dar refuses to recognize their marriage and insists that Dag turn around and deliver Fawn back into the uncaring arms of her family. Things get complicated when Dag has to lead a rescue mission to a northern town overrun by a Malice and it’s mudmen and mind slaves, leaving Fawn to face the hostility of the Lakewalkers alone. Very good.

Next, I read The Heart Forger, the second book in Rin Chupeco’s The Bone Witch series. It’s the continuing story of Tea, The Bone Witch. Each chapter continues Tea’s past adventures as she relates them to the bard she initially compelled to tell her tale and jumps into the present as the bard witnesses what she does as a result of all she learned. A complex plot and intertwined characters. I loved it.

Then, I finished my reread of C.S. Lewis’ The Magician’s Nephew. There was a time when I used to read the entire Chronicles of Narnia about once a year, sitting at my desk in the evenings, but it’s been decades since I thought to pick up some of my childhood favourites. As good as I remembered it.

I also read The Shadow Glass by Rin Chupeco, the third book in The Bone Witch series. There seemed to be some issues with bringing the story full circle with the dual timelines and some critical events/information were glossed over toward the end, relying on revelations from the beginning of book one and narrative summaries from earlier in the book to fill in the gaps. It was a bit disorienting, but the author ultimately stuck the landing with a bittersweet ending that was worth it.

I read Kelley Armstrong’s Tales of the Otherworld. This collection so shorter tales focuses more on the Cabal than on the werewolves, but vampires make a couple of appearances, and we get the backstory of how Elena and Clay met and fell in love.

Next, I finished That Hideous Strength, the third in C.S. Lewis’ Space Trilogy. Having read the full trilogy now, I’d say they’re more in the way of science fantasy than science fiction.

Unlike the first two books, which focus of the adventures of Ransom as he travels first to Mars and then to Venus to fight the evil spirits of the universe, this novel begins with the tale of Mark and Jane Studdock, as Mark, a sociologist and academic, is seduced into the ranks of the NICE. Jane, lonely and rudderless as she tries to orient herself to married life when her husband is so often absent, begins to have visions, which draw her into the community of St. Anne’s.

NICE aims, through eugenics and fascism, to control humanity. Weston, Ransom’s antagonist in the last two novels, is mentioned as a martyr to their cause and other of Weston’s co-conspirators from the first novel have been given new names as they seek to corrupt the social and intellectual foundations of Britain. At St. Anne’s, Jane meets the director, who is, in fact, Ransom, and who has an odd affinity for animals. In a final battle for free will and humanity, Ransom’s people find Merlinus Ambrosius, whom NICE operatives are also seeking. Merlin is sent into the NICE stronghold to disrupt their plans, free their prisoners and animals, on whom they experiment, and lead the internal revolt.

Perelandra, or Venus, comes to take Ransom to his heavenly reward, Mark is freed from the machinations of NICE, and Jane welcomes her wayward husband home. The characters are mostly passive, with the exception of Merlin, but even he is counselled not to murder anyone, but to let them be hoist by their own petards. Not for everyone, but enjoyable.

And that was the month in this writer’s life.

Until next month, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Cover reveal and pre-order link — New Short Fiction!

November 16, 2024 / Melanie Marttila / 2 Comments

I’m soo excited to finally be able to announce this!

Last year, my short story “The Beekeeper” was accepted by co-editors Lynn Hutchinson Lee and Nina Munteanu for their Exile Editions anthology Through the Portal: Tales from a Hopeful Dystopia!

It’s available now through the Exile Editions website (linked in the title above) for pre-order at a 15% discount until the official launch date on December 31st, 2024!

Just look at this lovely cover:

Cover of Through the Portal: Tales from a Hopeful Dystopia.

Full cover (front and back) of Through the Portal: Tales from a Hopeful Dystopia.

Hopeful dystopias are so much more than an apparent oxymoron: they are in some fundamental way the spearhead of the future – and ironically often a celebration of human spirit by shining a light through the darkness of disaster. In Through the Portal: Tales from a Hopeful Dystopia, award-winning authors of speculative fiction Lynn Hutchinson Lee and Nina Munteanu present a collection that explores strange new terrains and startling social constructs, quiet morphing landscapes, dark and terrifying warnings, lush newly-told folk and fairy tales.

This is a fascinating collection of all-new, modern-day speculative storytelling, with insightful “Tales from a Hopeful Dystopia” featuring Agata Antonow, Sarah Christina Brown, Mary Burns, K.R. Byggdin, Petra Chambers, Katie Conrad, M.L.D. Curelas, Matthew Freeman, R. Haven, Liam Hogan, Cornelia Hoogland, Vanessa Hua, Jerri Jerreat, Zilla Jones, Katherine Koller, Erin MacNair, Melanie Marttila, Bruce Meyer, Isabella Mori, E. Martin Nolan, Avery Parkinson, Ursula Pflug, Marisca Pichette, Shana Ross, Lynne Sargent, Karen Schauber, Holly Schofield, Anneliese Schultz, Gin Sexsmith, Sara C. Walker, Jade Wallace, and Melissa Yuan-Innes.These authors show us that now, more than ever, our world urgently needs stories about hope.

So thrilled for this next publication and to be sharing the table of contents with so many fabulous author friends!

The next chapter: March 2024 update

March 31, 2024 / Melanie Marttila

As the meme says: I’ve just sucked one hour of your life away. Tell me, and remember, this is for posterity, how do you feel?

Life in general

Happy Easter/Holi/Nowruz/Purim/Ramadan/Ostara and Trans Day of Visibility! There’s a lot to celebrate.

I am currently 6 days from the launch of The Art of Floating and I’m so excited/nervous, I can barely stand it!

The deets for those interested:

Date: Saturday, April 6, 2024
Time: 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Location: Place des arts, Studio Desjardins

The evening will include Q&A with Kim Fahner, a reading by the author, and a book signing.

For those who would like to attend via livestream, select the link here: https://boxcast.tv/…/heather-book-launch…

Early in the month, the moon was arcing in the southern sky. In a landscape of outcrops, she was hard to see. Earth and the moon dance around each other and later in the month, she appeared in the northeastern sky.

The month was busy. At work, I was moving toward the completion of another phase of the big project.

At home, it was mostly launch-related activities. Though I had a deadline to meet with Suzy, I decided that after that, I would focus mostly on the launch and maybe fit in some less demanding writing work on short fiction and poetry.

I had a three-day cold early on in the month, and then, later on, caught a bit of a doozy. Going on three weeks now … May have to go to the walk-in clinic so I’m not all stuffed up for the launch (!)

The month in writing

As I mentioned above, I had one deadline to meet with Suzy. It was a bit rough going because I’ve hit the point in the novel where I’m basically rewriting 90% of it. After my meeting, I took a break from Reality Bomb to focus on the launch of The Art of Floating and try to devote some time to short fiction and poetry.

On the 3^rd, I was informed that The Art of Floating print run would arrive that week. That day, I also submitted a couple of pieces for future promotion of TAoF. When they come out, I’ll be sharing widely.

Kim was in touch to firm up a few details for our informal conversation on the 7^th.

I met with Suzy on March 20^th. Again, because I’m basically rewriting the last third of the novel, I wasn’t feeling confident. Fortunately, I was just being my own worst critic. The submission was not perfect, but it was in better shape than I feared.

I’m going to take a break to focus on my launch, book signing, readings, finishing up the short story that seems to have stalled, and get some more poetry written. I’m not going to abandon RB but will probably pick up revisions again after the launch.

I’ll resume work with Suzy for the final push on RB in May. At that point, I should be within spitting distance of the end and may be able to use one of my sessions to work on my query or synopsis.

I was notified on March 1^st that I did not make the Your Personal Odyssey earlybird cut. As in past years, I’m still in the running for the main deadline, but I don’t hold out much hope. So many writers apply to YPO, the competition is always fierce.

On the 8^th, I was notified that the short story I submitted back in January was not accepted for publication.

The League of Canadian Poets (LCP) declined my event funding application for the launch of TAoF on the 9^th. Fortunately, I was approved for some reading series funding last year. I’m grateful for every bit of support I get.

On Sunday, March 24^th, my unboxing video and a 90-second poetry reading for The Little Boathouse went live.

I attended an SF Canada board meeting on the 26^th.

And the Canada Council for the Arts held their annual public meeting on the 27^th.

I was also invited out to the Sudbury Writers’ Guild meeting to share my path to publication and some tips on marketing and promotion.

Filling the well

The new Ash moon in Pisces was on the 10^th. Observed with a guided meditation. Daylight saving also arrived on the 10^th. In honour of the occasion, I will share my favourite meme.

The spring equinox was on the 19^th. A little early this year, but it felt apropos given the exceptionally warm winter we’ve had. As usual, I sparked up ye olde altar, and Alina Alive produced a guided meditation specifically for the equinox.

The full moon (of the crusted snow) in Libra was on the 25^th. Overcast, as usual. No guided meditation this time.

I signed up for a Tiffany Yates Martin webinar on “Secrets, Twists, and Reveals” through Jane Friedman on March 6^th. I watched the replay. Always excellent.

On the same night was the Women in Motion poetry reading and open mic, organized by the League of Canadian Poets (LCP). Powerful and painful.

On the 8^th, Authors Publish offered one of their free webinars, “Fun and Effective Book Promotion,” with Nev March. Again, I watched the replay. A lot of good ideas.

I signed up for a Mary Robinette Kowal webinar, “Verbal and Non-verbal Dialogue,” on March 10^th. I always learn one or two tasty tidbits with every one of Mary Robinette’s webinars.

Premee Mohamed shared on Bluesky that she would be delivering an online class on “Polishing Your Query Package” through the Edmonton Public Library (where she is Writer in Residence) on the 11^th. Really good. I’m a fan.

The Free Expressions webinar “Rethinking Scene and Sequel” with Damon Suede was on the 21^st.

I started intermediate Finnish classes on March 18^th. It’s challenging, but I’m enjoying them.

Dori Zener held a webinar on “Autistic Girls and Women: Celebrating Strengths and Supporting Needs” on March 6^th. Good information.

My next therapy appointment was on the 26^th.

The Good Company support group met on the 27^th. The topic for this month was autistic inertia and transitions.

I saw my doctor for a physical on the 4^th. My bloodwork results were good and I’m doing well.

And I had a massage on the 13^th. Rest and digest, for the win!

I took the week of the 18^th to the 22^nd off. It turned out to be a working holiday. I got a lot of launch-related work done (!)

What I’m watching and reading

Phil and I watch the first season of the live action Avatar: The Last Airbender (Netflix). We enjoyed it, but I share some of the criticisms floating around das interwebz. If Aang had run away, it would have explained his resulting anguish about being the avatar better. Kitara has all of the feisty written out of her. Aang doesn’t train with her, doesn’t even try to learn another bending style once in the whole season. The forest spirit got two seconds of screen time! That story was so lovely. Zuko could not have “almost” struck his father in the agni kai. His utter defeat drives his character arc in the first season. And don’t get me started on Bumi.

Like I said, we enjoyed it for what it was. It could have been better without being an exact duplicate of the animated series.

I know I’m late to the party, but I finished watching Little Fires Everywhere (Amazon). An awesome gut punch of a limited series, superbly acted, and thought-provoking. Another book for the TBR pile 🙂

I watched Poor Things (Disney +) when it came out on streaming. I was blown away. Loved. A fantastic tale about a woman becoming her truest self. Yes, there is a lot of sex, but as Bella Baxter is the protagonist, everything is from her point of view, and her sexual awakening is innocent and joyful. Again, LOVED!

Then, I watched American Fiction (Amazon). A Black writer of literary fiction is struggling to find a home for his latest work and indignant that other black writers, whom he sees as pandering to the white stereotypes of the Black experience (read trauma porn) gets into a financial bind when he’s suspended from his university teaching job, his mother is discovered to have dementia, and his sister, the family caretaker, dies of a heart attack. In a fit of pique, he pens his own sensationalist Black narrative and, as a joke, asks his agent to shop it around. When the novel becomes a hot property and the movie rights sell, the author must play along, because he needs the money to give his mother the support she needs. A sharp-edged satire. Very good.

Next, I finished the first season of The Power (Amazon), based on Naomi Alderman’s novel. TL;DR: women begin to develop electrical power and use it to turn the tables on the patriarchy.

I finished the novel a few months ago and while I enjoyed it, I wasn’t satisfied with the denouement, which projected the events of the novel into a future in which women simply flipped inequality for a society of institutionalized misandry. The series takes the events of the novel almost to the climax. Mayor Cleary-Lopez has thrown her hat into the senatorial race and attacks her opponent on stage. Tatianna has murdered her abusive husband and eliminated his army by sending them to root out her sister, who has amassed an army of women. Tunde witnesses the devastation of the conflict and is undone. Roxy has found her way to Eve. Urbandox is trying to reassert the rights of men. I don’t know that there’s enough story left to fill an entire second season, but apparently, it’s been greenlit.

Finally, I finished watching the first season of Silo (Apple +). LOVED! Rebecca Ferguson is fabulous. The whole cast is amazing. Apple + is really producing some of the best SF adaptations around these days. I’ll say no more. Watch this show.

My first audiobook of March was Adrian Tchaikovsky’s The Expert System’s Brother. Except for the title, the novel doesn’t come across as science fiction. At first. It soon becomes apparent that the “ghosts” that inhabit specific villagers are, in fact, expert systems (what everyone wants to call AI these days). The story is set many generations after the initial settlers of a colony planet made specific modifications to their bodies to both accept cohabitating expert systems into their minds and to mitigate the harmful effects of the planet’s biome. That’s all just backstory and setting, though. Hendry is accidentally “severed” from his community (i.e., he is de-modified), and must make his way, alone, in a world that wants to kill him.

Then, I finished Chance Encounters with Wild Animals by Monica Kidd. This collection is a poetic travelogue. It subverts the reader’s expectations, interweaving wanderings and ponderings with concise and revelatory reflections. Kidd’s sketches are composed of lush words. As Kidd explores the world and its denizens, we are most reminded that the wild animals we often encounter by chance are human.

I read Travis Baldree’s lovely Legends & Lattes. Viv’s aches and pains after years of adventuring lead her to seek out a legendary item and a new life in a small town. While she gathers friends and allies, antagonistic forces loom. Fabulous. Loved.

Next, I read I know something you don’t know by Amy LeBlanc. In this collection of poetry, LeBlanc interprets folklore and myth through her body and experience.

I’m again dipping into classic SFF through Audible’s Plus Catalogue. Titles are periodically added and removed, and I try to get through them before they’re no longer accessible.

The first of these was C.S. Lewis’s Perelandra, the second in his Space Trilogy. Dr. Ransom is recruited to travel to Perelandra (Venus), where he encounters that world’s Eve, whom he calls The Lady. Before long, Ransom’s old antagonist, Weston, who abducted him to Malacandra (Mars) with the aim of sacrificing him to the inhabitants of that planet, arrives. But all is not what it seems.

It’s not a bad book, but because of the framing narrative, in which Lewis himself is asked to record Ransom’s story, it is almost entirely narration, and, toward the end, the main topic of the book is religion. Not my favourite topic. Perelandra is a product of its time and of its author, who was deeply interested in religious thought at the time.

I finished reading Lunar Tides by Shannon Webb-Campbell. This poetry collection is written from a mixed Mi’kmaq and settler perspective and framed by the eight phases of the lunar cycle. Originating in the poet’s grief after her mother’s death, this collection is not only a journey to find her mother “in the little space of sky that sleeps next to the moon,” but is also an exploration of colonial legacies, family, and Indigenous resurgence.

Next in poetry, was Beth Kope’s Atlas of Roots, in which the poet tries to decipher her life as an adoptee. She iterates pasts, presents, and futures, some real, some imagined, and determines how to live when so much is redacted or inaccessible.

Then, I finished reading Sotto Voce by Maureen Hynes. The poet explores injustices great and small, from impersonal genocide to a more intimate death. Inspired by the natural world, the poet is disquieted, finds her voice, and then learns to listen.

I read Nnedi Okorafor’s Like Thunder, the second in her Desert Magician Duology. This book focuses on Dikéogu, the storm bringer’s, story. In a world both saved and decimated by the Change, Dikéogu tries to learn how to control his powers, is separated from his mentor, and tries to find his way back to Ejii. Very dark, but very good.

Next, I listened to the Audible Original of John Wyndham’s The Midwich Cuckoos. During the “Day Out,” the entire village of Midwich is rendered unconscious. Following the strange occurrence, it soon becomes apparent that every fertile woman in Midwich is pregnant. The narrator of the story is a Midwich resident who was, fortunately, out of town on the “Day Out,” and reports on the events following for a friend in MI. The novel gets its name from the practice of cuckoos to lay their eggs in the nests of other birds, forcing them to incubate and feed the young cuckoos, even to the detriment of their chicks.

I read The Chrysalids last year and, though I read it in high school, I’m rereading The Day of the Triffids. I guess I’m on a Wyndham streak 🙂 All of Wyndham’s books are a little different. The Chrysalids was set in a post-apocalyptic world in which children who develop paranormal abilities are considered abominations by their religious extremist communities. The Midwich Cuckoos I’ve described above.

The Day of the Triffids is a bit different again. Triffids are a species of large, perambulatory plants that produce a “high grade oil” but are also carnivorous and have deadly stingers. When a comet blinds everyone who looks at it, the triffids suddenly have the advantage. The novel is about one of the fortunate survivors.

I don’t think that near-universal blindness would be as apocalyptic as Wyndham depicts it. I believe that humanity would be collectively more invested in making the world accessible and adapting to their new circumstances. But in the 1950s when the novel was written, disability was more catastrophic than it is today, if only because assistive technologies and accommodations didn’t exist as they do now.

My next audiobook was Samuel R. Delaney’s Nova. Though the Tarot and the Holy Grail feature prominently in the novel, Nova reminds me of … Moby Dick. Captain Lorq van Ray assembles a crew on a quest to extract illyrion, the most precious energy source in the universe, directly from a supernova. His nemesis is trying to figure out what his plan is and Even the structure is reminiscent of Melville. Introduce a character and their backstory, introduce another character and their backstory, introduce the main character with a huge backstory, and along the way exposit upon net fishers, history, music, writing—yup, there’s a budding author in there—the workings of the ship, Tarot, and the Holy Grail. He does some interesting things with language in there, too.

I finished Vanessa Shields’ Thimble. This poetry collection grew around the poet’s grandmother, her life and loves, and the poet’s visceral reactions as her beloved Nonna slowly disappeared and then died because of the ravages of dementia. It is a complex and gut-wrenching read. Having lost all my grandparents, I walked beside Shields as I read.

Finally, I listened to Falling in Love with Hominids, a collection of short fiction by Nalo Hopkinson. Entertaining and varied stories from the author’s career. Very good.

And that was the month in this writer’s life.

Until next month, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

The next chapter: A month in the writerly life.
melaniemarttila.ca

The next chapter: January 2024 update

February 4, 2024 / Melanie Marttila

Sweet Lord, but January’s a hard month to get through.

Image of a winter sky with sun and clouds, through tree branches.

Life in general

The month started out fine. Daylight hours are growing longer. I’m starting to feel better, come out of my winter shell, but then, I was presented with the prospect of ALL THE THINGS I have to do to prepare for and promote my poetry launch and …

Let’s just say I’m dysregulated now. Meltdowns abound.

I attended my union’s AGM virtually on the 24^th.

The month in writing

I was once again focused on Reality Bomb revisions.

I revised and submitted a piece of short fiction to one of my dream markets.

I started revising an old story for an anthology call in April. I know, it’s a ways off, but the story basically needs to be rewritten in its entirety.

I met with Suzy on the 11^th. I’m back to struggling with grounding the characters in scene, not giving my disembodied protagonist enough agency, and not providing enough detail. My strengths remain dialogue, clean writing (which makes all my other problems so much easier to find), and my premise, which is complex, but compelling (and therefore incredibly challenging to write).

Our next meeting is scheduled for February 1^st.

In other business-y news, I’m working on securing the venue for my poetry launch! While my publisher does have a budget for the launch, I’m hoping to receive some funding from the League of Canadian Poets (LCP) or The Writers’ Union of Canada (TWUC) to cover part of the rental cost and webcasting for the event(!)

Yes. The launch will be in person, but broadcast for those of my family and friends who are in other places in Ontario and unable to make the journey up.

Now, I’m playing with ideas for making the launch a little different/special. I met with my publisher on the 30^th to discuss and came away with a list of things to do. I contacted friend and networker extraordinaire Kim Fahner (also former poet laureate of Sudbury and current vice-president of TWUC) and I have several balls in the air with regard to reviews, readings, and one interview.

I’m tempering my expectations. Debut poets generally don’t get a lot of attention.

My publisher has also secured my first reading with The Conspiracy of 3 in North Bay on May 14^th at the North Bay Public Library at 7 pm.

Unfortunately, that conflicts with the launch of the Sudbury Writers’ Guild’s Superstack Stories anthology. Can’t be in two places at once (!)

I’m going to have to put up a new page on my web site for appearances and readings!

Eeeeee! Things are happening!

At the SF Canada AGM last month, I joined the board of directors. Our first meeting was on Jan 23^rd at 8 pm. We sorted ourselves and I have a better idea of the issues facing the organization and board at this time.

Filling the well

The new Birch moon in Capricorn fell on Jan 11^th. Unfortunately, I was working toward a deadline and totally dysregulated after work. Moon did not cross my mind 😦

The full Spirit moon in Leo was n the 26^th. I was able to work in a guided meditation.

I signed up for the DAW Fantasy Book Buzz on January 11^th. It was a great preview of the coming season and John Wiswell was one of the featured writers.

I took part in the Free Expressions Success Series … on the 18^th. I decided to purchase a few webinars from the series.

Back in December, I registered for a workshop called Poetry and Prose: crossing genre boundaries to strengthen your writing with Kate Heartfield and Amanda Earl on the 20^th. It was a great session. And I drafted a new poem.

Finally, I attended a three-day virtual writers’ retreat with Suzy from the 25^th to the 27^th.

In personal events, I finally got into a meeting of my autism support group. It’s been months since I haven’t been put on a waiting list. It was a good session.

I had a massage on the 17^th. Much needed.

A friend celebrated her retirement on the 21^st. It was a nice afternoon and I got to catch up with some colleagues from my old team.

On the 22^nd, I attended a guided meditation with Pat Tallman. It was relaxing.

I booked a virtual appointment with my doctor on the 24^th to get some annual insurance referrals, including one for therapy. I’m starting up again. I have more work to do. Then, I booked a follow up, an appointment for bloodwork, my first therapy appointment, and tried to figure out how to get my emailed referrals to my insurance.

Torvi went for her first Furminator of the year on the 27^th. The house is still full of fur bunnies, but Torvi’s all a-floof.

I won a year’s free subscription to the Beeja meditation app. I’m hoping it will help me regulate.

Finally, I met with my therapist on the 31^st. We decided to stop meeting back in 2022, by mutual agreement. At the time, I was in a good place and didn’t need a lot of support. But winters are hard and I’m realizing in retrospect that I could have used her support when Phil broke his shoulder last year and again when I went on strike. I reverted to my default mode of bulling through the difficulties. Now, I’m paying for that decision.

And I had some well-earned annual leave from the 29^th of January to the 2^nd of February.

What I’m watching and reading

Phil and I finished watching the first season of Blue Eye Samurai (Netflix). Amazing story of a complex character and absolutely gorgeous animation. The voice cast is great. Hyper-realistic, violent, and mature content, though.

Then, I finished watching The Last Thing He Told Me (Apple +). A good thriller with a bittersweet ending.

Phil and I also watched the second season of What if … ? (Disney +). There were hits and misses among the episodes, but we enjoyed it. It remains one of the better Marvel series.

Next, I watched Bottoms (Amazon). It’s been on my list since Amanda the Jedi reviewed it. Hilarious. Absurd in the same way as Polite Society. Loved.

Then Phil and I watched Echo (Disney +). Echo’s story was great, but we wanted more of it (and less of Fisk). Five episodes wasn’t enough.

I roped Phil into watching The Brother Sun (Netflix) with me. He was reluctant at first, but by the end of the season, he was invested despite himself. A story about a triad family reunited in LA after a lifetime of living apart is going to be dark and bloody, but it also has a lot of heart. I enjoyed it.

My first audiobook of 2024 was Goblin Quest by Jim C. Hines. An entertaining tale of a goblin named Jig and his pet fire spider and how they are captured by and pressed into service by a party of adventurers.

Next, I listened to Word Puppets by Mary Robinette Kowal. A delightful collection of short fiction including the three stories that gave birth to the Lady Astronaut series. Fidel and Mira’s tragic love story touched me, even as Fidel worked to redirect the asteroid that would crash into the easter seaboard. This was followed by a light story about a fireworks display on Mars that almost goes wrong. And then, the original Lady Astronaut of Mars novelette. Also touching. Kowal is so good at writing strong but complex relationships.

Then, I read Dreams Bigger than Heartbreak, the second book in the Unstoppable series by Charlie Jane Anders. I followed that up with Promises Stronger than Darkness. The whole series is a fun YA, neurodivergent romp. And the worldbuilding is wacky. Terrible things happen, but everything works out in the end because people choose to care about one another. And I’m stealing the phrase, “I’m a slow cooker.”

And that was the month in this writer’s life.

Until next month, be well and stay safe; be kind and stay strong. The world needs your stories!

Life in general

The month in writing

Filling the well

What I’m watching and reading

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The month in writing

Filling the well

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The year in review

Filling the well

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Filling the well

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Life in general

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The year in review

Filling the well

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Filling the well

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Life in general

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Filling the well

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