Arisia 2018 Broad Universe RFR

I'll be reading at Arisia 2018 with other members of Broad Universe on Saturday, January 13, at 10:00 AM.

If you've never been to a Broad Universe RFR (Rapid-Fire Reading), give it a try. They're a lot of fun, yet sometimes very sobering and thought-provoking as well. You might hear stories of horror, fantasy, or science fiction -- or a delightful combination of all of the above.

The final list of readers includes Anna Erishkigal, Dianna Sanchez, Heather Albano, Julie C. Day, LJ Cohen, Randee Dawn, Roxanne Bland, Suzanne Reynolds-Alpert, Morven Westfield (me), Trisha Wooldridge, and Victoria Sandbrook. (Not all authors may be in attendance for the entire time slot.  Other members of Broad Universe not listed may be reading.)

Come discover your new favorite writer as we read short excerpts from our work. Each writer has just a few minutes to show you what she’s capable of!  We offer chocolate and the chance to win prizes.

Broad Universe is an international organization dedicated to promoting, encouraging, honoring, and celebrating women writers and editors in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and other speculative genres.

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Morven Westfield first became fascinated by the unseen in her childhood, delighting in superstitions and ghost stories. Her interests are reflected in her writing. Her supernatural-themed short stories have appeared in multiple anthologies, and she regularly contributes articles on folklore and the supernatural to The Witches Almanac. Morven lives in Central Massachusetts with her husband. Like many writers, she keeps a messy office and drinks way too much coffee.

NaNoWriMo - DONE!

The folks at NaNoWriMo call finishing 50,000 words in the month of November "Winning." For some reason that's never felt right to me. Maybe it's because I have the metaphor of a race in my mind. At the end of the race, only one person wins.

But I get it. When you complete the challenge of writing 50,000 words in 30 days, which averages out to 1,667 words a day, you've won the struggle against writer's block, fear of failure, fatigue, and in some cases, very real physical pain.

Still, I have a hard time calling myself a winner. Yes, I did hit a verified word count of 50,325 words on November 30, but as any writer knows, finishing a first draft is just the beginning.

I'm letting my text cool, and then, sometime after the first of the year will start the arduous task of editing and rewriting.

To all those who participated in NaNoWriMo this year, I salute you, whether you "won" or not. Just starting it, just accepting the challenge was a big step. I hope that step brought you confidence and joy.

NaNoWriMo 2017

It's that time of year again. The time when I have something to do each weekend, I have deadlines for those non-fiction articles I promised, and I really should be getting out my Fall clothes before I freeze my butt off, and what do I do?

I decide to do NaNoWriMo.


What is NaNoWriMo? Let's let their web site tell you:

National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a fun, seat-of-your-pants approach to creative writing.  

On November 1, participants begin working towards the goal of writing a 50,000-word novel by 11:59 PM on November 30. 

Valuing enthusiasm, determination, and a deadline, NaNoWriMo is for anyone who has ever thought about writing a novel.

Yes, it doesn't begin until November 1, but there's some prep to do. What will I write? How long will it be? What will be the story arc?

Having participated many times, I've discovered some interesting facts about the way I write novels. If I have a strict outline, it makes me switch into non-fiction mode and my writing falls flat. If I have no outline, I ramble. So what will it be, plotter or pantser? To be determined.

Witches' Almanac #37: New Articles

The Spring 2018-2019 edition (issue 37) of The Witches Almanac has just been released. This issue's theme is The Magic of Plants.


In addition to its usual features — Moon Gardening, the Moon Calendar, Moon Cycles, and Presage, where Tom Lang gives us the climate outlook and astrologer Dikki-Jo Mullen gives us the astrological outlook for the upcoming year — the Almanac contains numerous articles not related to plants.

Issue 37 includes the following that I contributed:

"Thumb Cats" -- Properly called polydactyls, "double-pawed" cats are a curiosity with a long history.
"Seer Stones" -- A divination technique you might not have heard about.
"La Santa Muerte" -- Who is that skeletal woman in the beautiful wedding dress?
"Coffin Rings" -- Another way of remembering.
"Nettles" -- The scoop on stinging nettles.


You can find The Witches Almanac at your local bookstore, chain bookstore, Amazon, and, of course, the Witches Almanac site. The Kindle version is available from www.amazon.com. For back issues, visit either site.

Thanks to Pat Camarena-Rose Barbary of Artes and Craft in Hartford, Michigan, for her help with the Santa Muerte article. Pat is a 1st-generation Mexican American who currently runs MoonFire Coven. MoonFire was originally in Boston, Massachusetts, but is now newly formed in Southwest Michigan.

Necon Panel on July 22

On Saturday, July 22, at 9:00 AM, I'll be participating in a panel at Necon in Portsmouth, RI.

With two exceptions, I’ve been attending Necon since 2000. It’s a different type of convention; only one track mostly horror, but well-worth attending. They cap attendance at 200 (with the addition of some walk-ins), which makes it nice and cozy. You begin to feel like you're part of the family. I've heard that they have some slots open, so if you're interested, register ASAP. The full registration fee includes meals, and parking is free. For details on the types of registrations available, see the Necon registration page.

The panel I'm on this year is Fresh Fangs: Making Traditional Tropes Breathe Again with Janet Joyce Holden, David Demchuk, James Chambers (M), Gary Frank, and Tom Deady.


9:00 a.m.        Fresh Fangs: Making Traditional Tropes Breathe Again

Morven Westfield, Janet Joyce Holden, David Demchuk, James Chambers (M), Gary Frank, Tom Deady

The classics never die, but they sure can get played out if overused by less-than-skillful artists. What’s the secret to keeping a trope fresh? How does one not reinvent the wheel, yet also not lean too heavily on the traditions that precede their work?

Broad Universe Reading at Readercon 28

I'll be reading at Readercon with other members of Broad Universe, an international organization dedicated to promoting, encouraging, honoring, and celebrating women writers and editors in science fiction, fantasy, horror, and other speculative genres.

If you've never been to a Rapid-Fire Reading, give it a try. They're a lot of fun, yet sometimes very sobering and thought-provoking as well. You might hear stories of horror, fantasy, or science fiction -- or a delightful combination of all of the above.

The final list of readers includes Dianna Sanchez, Elizabeth Crowens, LJ Cohen, Morven Westfield (me), Randee Dawn, Tracy Townsend, and Trisha Wooldridge.

Click image for a larger view

Note: Thursday night events at Readercon are free and open to the public, so even if you aren’t coming to the full convention, consider checking us out on Thursday anyway.

Broad Universe Rapid-Fire Reading (RFR) at Readercon 28

Thursday, July 13, 2017, 8 PM
We'll be reading in Salon A.

Quincy Marriott (Boston Marriott Quincy)
1000 Marriott Drive
Quincy, MA 02169