Meet

Meet the Restless Writers

We’re gathered around Lori’s kitchen table, which is littered with half-filled wine glasses, neglected puff pastries, and the crumbs of what were once butter tarts from heaven (if heaven is a farm called Dyment’s). We’re talking about why we call ourselves “Restless Writers,” and why we got our writing group together in the first place.

Lori: Okay, bitches: how should we do this?

Beckie: There ya go, gettin’ all Degrassi on us.

Maria: What’s a “degrassi”?

L: And there you go, getting all Alice Munro on us.

M: That’s me—the CanLit champion!

B: We should probably start with, “Why are you a restless writer?”

M: Well, for the writer part, I write full-time as a communications advisor, I freelance as a writer and book indexer, and I’ve been writing creatively since I was knee-high to a grasshopper.

L: *groan*

B: What are you working on?

M: Mostly short stories and personal essays, but I’m getting into some longer projects. Oh, and I’m restless because I have a little problem with sticking to just one thing. I could learn some focus from you—I mean, you’ve both finished your novels. You’re in it for the long haul! What makes you guys restless?

B: Cow’s milk. Tequila. And incompleteness.

L: Sleeplessness. I haven’t slept more than 6 hours since 2002.

B: Okay, my turn! I’m a full-time environmental specialist and writer. And restless because I have many completed projects—middle-grade fiction, picture books, screenplays, non-fiction—but no big book tour scheduled yet. I’m on the agent-hunt for my MG novel, for starters anyway. Lori?

L: I write corporate communications by day and women’s fiction by night. In between, I resist the urge to sell my kids on eBay after they lose their frigging marbles at Jugo Juice.

M: Ha!

B: Let’s not forget why we got together—to feed off each other’s restlessness and become better writers.

L: Damn straight. This is the best frigging writing group EVER.

M: Any final thoughts for our guests?

B: How about: follow the conversation on Twitter: @restlessbjas, @restlesslori & @restlessmaria.

M: And check back on our blog, www.restlesswriters.ca, where we post updates on our projects, talk about living the writing life, and build friendships with other writers.

B: And also share resources for inspiration and publication.

L: Now that we got that out of the way, can one of you bitches please pass the wine?