I'm blogging over at Redwood Park Communities today. Take a look: There’s this thing about living life with people—sometimes you get burned. When that happens it’s tempting to close up shop, shake the dust off our feet, and give up. The next time someone needs help, there’s that nagging little worry that says it will… Continue reading Staying Open
Here's another sneak peek of my new work in progress, a historical fiction novel based on the life of Ann MacLean. In this excerpt, Ann gives birth to her second son while fleeing to Canada, fresh from the loss of her husband. Ann gripped the hands of two strangers and groaned, pushing with all of… Continue reading Hold Fast: Life and Loss
In this excerpt from my Young Adult Fantasy novel, Prince Kynan and his mysterious guide, Grigor, are travelling through a dark tunnel. Grigor shows Kynan a magical solution to their light problem. Kynan had thought the darkness absolute. But then Grigor reached behind him and shut the door, locking it with a loud and… Continue reading Everdream: Dreamlight
This past weekend I made a pilgrimage. It's become an annual thing for us—to travel to the land of my forefathers and soak in the extravaganza of Scottish heritage that is the Glengarry Highland Games. But this year is a special year. This year marks the 200th anniversary of a different kind of pilgrimage.… Continue reading Glengarry, my Home
My latest YA fantasy manuscript centres around a young prince, Kynan, the heir to the throne of his land of Tyernas. Kynan embarks on a quest to rescue his mother from her ten-year slumber in the magical realm of Everdream. In the Wake, there is nothing much to recommend him. He is scrawny for his… Continue reading Prince Kynan
Have you ever read a book where you felt like you were actually living the story with the character? Have you read one where the character felt remote and lifeless? I can guarantee the reason for both is showing vs. telling. Telling is the old style of writing—the reader is an overseer in the room,… Continue reading 5 Ways to Turn Showing to Telling
Are you descended from a refugee? The answer might surprise you. With Syrian refugees so prominent in the news right now—and such a hot topic for debate—it's easy to think that refugees are a new thing for Canada. But they're really not. In fact, it was a group of refugees, mainly, that made up the… Continue reading Canada’s First Refugee Camps
What would make a person want to sleep forever? That's the question Prince Kynan would risk his life to answer. In Everdream, my young adult fantasy novel, the queen has been sleeping for ten years and her son has set out to rescue her. But in the process he learns what sent her to the magical… Continue reading To Eversleep…
My current work in progress, a historical fiction, centres around a bit of an enigma: Ann MacLeod MacLean McIntyre Cass. History only records her as a Loyalist widow, mother, and refugee, and her origin is in shadow. But a story told by her descendants to my cousin may shed some light onto an unusual and incredible… Continue reading Who is Ann MacLean?
Everdream, my upcoming young adult fantasy novel, centres around a magical realm where dreams are real. It's pure imagination, but it has its roots in a real life video game. My kids are obsessed with Minecraft. They love the limitless possibilities, the raw creativity, the partnership, and even the danger. Watching them play it, I… Continue reading Where Dreams are Real
Erin E. M. Hatton 