When is the last time you did something for the first time? It’s been months since I saw this question posed on Twitter, but it’s never left me. Around two o’clock this morning, I found myself reflecting on many of the firsts that I’ve experienced in the last year. Some of them were fruits of labour, some were the seeds that came before the fruit, and some of them were pure synchronicity. Continue reading “Feeling Nostalgic — A Year of Firsts”
Men wielding oak clubs? Ladies of ill repute? Drunken disorder? Social chaos masterminded by one kingpin? It’s the stuff that Hollywood movies are made of — but it happened in Canada. As a matter of fact, this Wild West was playing out in Bytown when my Irish ancestors arrived in 1831. When they left the area eight years later, could they have been trying to escape the lawlessness of these events known as the Shiner’s War? Continue reading “The Shiner’s War”
So, I’m Irish. More accurately, I’m about 25% Irish. My maternal grandparents’ last name was Lindsay. Although I’ve known this my whole life, it’s only been in the past year that I’ve become curious about my forefathers and mothers.
Through a popular genealogy website and some internet research, I’ve been able to learn some interesting history. The documents and history I’ve been able to uncover so far has sparked my writer’s mind. Continue reading “So, I’m Irish”
What plight awaits the town that relies on one central employer to sustain its economy?
Several small towns across North America know the answer to this question. They’ve experienced the years of bounty followed by the years of hardship after the last whistle blew and the company doors close . Continue reading “When the Last Whistle Blows”
A writer’s brain is a tornado of thoughts. Some scenes and stories remain trapped in the vortex, while other bits of dialogue and character details fling out at unpredictable times.
When I first began writing, I devoured article after article recommending strategies to summon the writing fairies. The little winged wonders would only hover above the page, dropping words there if I graphed, plotted, and performed any other myriad of detailed steps. These time prescribed strategies didn’t fit me. I don’t think in a straight line. I think in a combination of frolicking sideways leaps, forward bounds, and pirouettes. Continue reading “Seeking Inspiration — Writer’s Brain + Gym = Creative Solutions”
Cello music is a curative. It heals over the day’s wounds and calms the spirit. It speaks in low soothing tones or pleads through vibrato. It approaches with fleeting steps or storms about the room without apology. Its dulcet tones summon the imagination and make way for creativity. Continue reading “Cello: A Voice to Love”
Travel causes my writer’s mind to twirl around the possibilities of new stories and characters. My visit to St. Augustine, Florida was no exception. This beautiful historic town swells with cultural narrative, stunning architecture, and beautiful vistas. My camera clicked again and again, documenting settings and references that impacted me. During that week, two unexpected characters pushed their way into my imagination. One of them has a connection to the cigars.
Upon returning home, I read Karen Harvey’s America’s First City: St. Augustine’s Historic Neighbourhoods and discovered that the town was once home to two different cigar manufacturers: The Carcaba Cigar Company and Martinez, Solla and Carcaba Cigar Mfg. This Cuban/Spanish influence intrigued me. The local library had a copy of the Pulitzer Prize winning Anna In The Tropics, by Nilo Cruz. Thisstory follows the rise and fall of a lector who reads Anna Karenina to the workers in a cigar factory located in an area in Ybor City, an area of Tampa, Florida . This furthered my curiosity and the search for information continued.
The concept of lectors originated in Cuba. A worker, usually a man, would volunteer to read for up to thirty minutes to entertain and inform their colleagues about local issues and political news. Fellow workers would contribute a few coins to compensate the reader, known as a lector, as the time spent reading aloud was unpaid. The factory owners noted that productivity often increased during the reading period, so they encouraged the practice. As the length of reading increased to four hour sessions, external candidates were invited to serve as lectors and the position evolved into a respected career.
In the early days of the lector, many cigar factory employees, both male and female, were illiterate. There was a great thirst for knowledge. Lectors read novels determined by consensus. They also read poetry, nonfiction works, and newspapers. The people enjoyed hearing about the parallel universe of Les Miserable. They also favoured books by Zola, Dickens, and Tolstoy. Anarchist materials gained popularity as well.
Lectors were gifted orators; some readings might be best characterized as dramatic performances. The men and women sat shoulder to shoulder in large open rooms, rolling cigars by hand. The lectors’ voices needed to project to all corners of these spaces, so they read from atop a specially constructed tribuna or platforms as seen the photographs below.
Labour organization and political topics were of special interest to audiences. In fact, some lectors began writing their own material to rally the workers’ fervour for change and found themselves transformed into workplace leaders. Such activities led factory owners to sever ties with their lectors. Many workers arrived at work to find the platform removed; their lector never returned. Tempers ran hot. These abrupt changes contributed to strike actions that typically ended in favour of the factory owners.
The story of the lector ended around 1930 with the introduction of mechanized cigar production. Without amplification, the human voice could not be heard above the clamour of the machinery. As a note of interest, the Great Depression and increasing popularity of cigarettes adversely affected the cigar industry and pushed the lector into obsolescence.
Another piece of history gone up in smoke.
Accomplished and elegant. Supportive and completely relatable. These are words I use to describe the Ingrid Ruthig.
I first met Ingrid last summer at a public reading event in our community. We had a lovely discussion about our writing, after which I reflected on the meticulous nature of her poetry. Soon after, I visited her textwork art on display at The Whitby Station Gallery, where I discovered the creative influences of Ingrid’s architectural background. Months later, I came across an essay she’d written for a literary journal. It spoke about the power of language and the importance of preserving its integrity. At the time, I found myself in need of an editor, and Ingrid was the obvious choice.
I’ve since learned that we share a common interest in genealogy. In each of our family trees there is a several times great grandfather who had some manner of involvement in the textile industry. The weaving together of words and images found in her visual work is a kind of ode to her ancestral history. “Writing is an exploration of the weft and warp of language,” Ingrid tells me over coffee. She does have a wonderful way of expressing things.
What follows is a recent discussion about the importance of language and relationship between writer and editor.
I received a box set of Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman as a gift one Christmas about five years ago. I confess that I’ve nearly watched the grooves right off the dvd’s. After a “rough day at the office” I retreated to Dr. Quinn’s Colorado Springs. Each episode featured three storylines (a primary and two relevant subplots) that explored an issue and ended with some kind of satisfying resolution.
The characters shared interesting histories and they each had a backstory that evoked empathy despite their sometimes bad behavior. As a writer, I strive to recognize such patterns. Now, I draft a short bio for each character I write about to ensure that they are three dimensional. I want write about characters who do more than drive a plot.
The characters in Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman grew and evolved throughout the six year series: they loved and lost; they succeeded and failed. Their journeys conveyed something beyond the story of a particular episode. What follows is the lesson I took from each character:
Michaela — Be thankful for gutsy, educated women who press the boundaries of her gender. They pave the road for those who follow. Let your conscience guide you even though it recommends counterintuitive courses of action that inconvenience you. Take the higher road. Never discount the value of people who shake their fist at the ivory tower. We need them. They are the canary in the mineshaft. “Sometimes the only place for a just man is behind bars.” (Michaela quotes Henry David Thoreau.)
Sully — Sweat-equity is not a new concept. There are many ways to live; you don’t need to be a sheep. In the end, a person’s word and good character is all he/she has. The truth will set you free. Tolerance equals not acceptance and actions speak louder than words.
Matthew — Pride does goeth before a fall. Be willing to admit your weaknesses and accept help from others. You will grow, but it will take time. Anger alienates so allow yourself to feel it, then let it go and move on.
Brian — There is value in the innocence of children that must be preserved. We shouldn’t coddle our children or lower our expectations of them, but we shouldn’t burden them with adult worries. Childhood ends soon enough. Let them enjoy theirs.
Colleen — If you are a bright and capable woman, don’t hide it. A strong man will love you and the right people will appreciate you for who you are if you let it show. False love based on a pretend you falls away quickly. If you believe you can do something, you can.
Dorothy — Being informed is important. Recording your feelings is important. A woman should never settle for a life of violence because she is told she deserves nothing more. Age doesn’t dictate capability; many adventures start late in life.
Cloud Dancing — Prejudice ends when we learn about other people’s culture. Spirituality looks different for different people, but it affords peace and calmness. Resilience is necessary in the face of change. Stewardship of the environment and conscious living have been important issues throughout history.
Mr. Bray — A gruff exterior is often covering a soft interior. Never hold a grudge. Anger will eat away at you. There is no profit in taking advantage of others.
Jake — Forgiving is not forgetting, but it will allow you to move ahead with your life. Anger turned inward will tear you down.
The Reverend — The church is not the building; it’s the people in it.
Hank — Even the greatest villain has a backstory — some have a gentler side. Nurture the child within. There is no such thing as making a quick buck. Never sell your soul. Remember the golden rule.
Preston — You can’t live in someone else’s shadow. Social status and wealth are hollow without friends. No one cares how much you know, until they know how much you care.
Horace — Common sense is important. Know how to keep a secret. Dependability is paramount. Accept help when people offer it; someday, you can return the favour.
Myra — Your profession is what you do; it’s not who you are. Your past doesn’t have to way you down. It can propel you forward.
Grace — Turn to friends it times of trouble, not away from them. Judge not.
Robert E. — Be a friend and trustworthy confidant. Quiet courage is stronger than bravado.
Michaela, I’ll keep a fire burning at the homestead, just in case you drop by for a Sasparilla and some girl talk. We have a lot of catching up to do.