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My Early Reading Life
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A Special Deal on a Love Story
In anticipation of Valentine’s Day 2024, I’m offering a special deal on a love story. A Cry from the Deep, my romantic mystery and adventure was published in 2014 and took 10 years to write. I loved the research into the past (the time of the Irish famine and the Spanish Armada) and the research into the occupations of my characters: Catherine Fitgerald, underwater photographer: Daniel Costello,…
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#A Cry From The Deep#Along Came A Gardener#alumnae theatre#better living#Chloe Matamoros#Diana Stevan#George F. Walker#love story#paper roses on stony mountian#the rubber fence
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Kindness of Strangers on Goodreads
When I read about a recent book scandal, I was reminded of the line, “I have always depended on the kindness of strangers.” Blanche Debois says it in the Tennessee Williams play, Streetcar Named Desire. It’s a curious line because Blanche is not great at assessing strangers, and the only kindness she’s received was that in exchange for sex. Still, that line came to mind, when I thought of how…
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#A Cry From The Deep#Cait Corrain#Diana Stevan#Goodreads#Irish Times#kindness of strangers#Lilacs in the Dust Bowl#Paper Roses on Stony Mountain#Publishers Weekly#Tennesee Williams#The Miramichi Reader
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Wrapping Up Writing
Year-end is a good time for wrapping up writing and more. With holiday celebrations in full swing, there’s too much going on to concentrate on finishing a work-in-progress, or starting a new one. I find writing breaks useful, a time for reflection. My thoughts about story never stop, but while Christmas carols are being sung on the radio, I also reflect on the promise of peace this season…
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#Along Came A Gardener#book cover#historical fiction#historical times#short story collection#Ukraine#Ukrainian#ukrainian family saga#work-in-progress#writing
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A Treasured Icon
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#Black Madonna#Christian#Diana Stevan#faith#icons#Lilacs in the Dust Bowl#novel#Paper Roses on Stony Mountain#Pochaev#Sunflowers Under Fire#Ukraine#Ukrainian#Ukrainian Orthodox
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Finding Your Voice
Finding your voice is what our granddaughter Chloe Matamoros underlines in her one-woman show, VOICE: SONG and SCREAM for the Toronto Fringe Festival. Yesterday, she had a standing ovation. I’ve done some acting in my time, but Chloe is something else. She sings selections from operas, a musical, and folk songs she’s written. She tells the autobiographical story of what she went through at…
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#storytelling#theatre#Toronto#writing#Chloe Matamoros#Diana Stevan#finding your voice#the rubber fence#Toronto Fringe Festival#Voice
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Designing Hard Covers
As a self-published author, there was so much to know about designing hard covers for my trilogy
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#Diana Stevan#hard book covers#hard covers#Lilacs in the Dust Bowl#Lukia&039;s family saga#Paper Roses on Stony Mountain#self-publishing#Sunflowers Under Fire
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Who Are We Without the Language of Our Ancestors?
Yes, indeed, who are we without the language of our ancestors?
A Lesson on Identity
I was reminded of the importance of language on a recent cruise to Alaska. The cruiseship had arranged for a cultural presentation by a Tlingit elder. She talked about her residential school years, when her native language and culture were condemned and suppressed. She addressed the problem of identity, of not…
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AI Narration Surprisingly Natural
I’m excited to share my wonderful discovery about AI narration. But first, a comment about the envrinoment we’re living in. There’s been so much fear about the rising use of AI with ChapGPT, and similar tools that help to generate ideas and content. Writers are using it to brainstorm, students to write essays, and others to answer questions. Some college instructors are already sounding the…
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#A Cry From The Deep#AI narration#Apple Books#audiobook#audiobooks#Diana Stevan#Lukia&039;s family saga#Sunflowers Under Fire#the rubber fence
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A Writer's Limbo
My book reading at the Local Book Fair in the Nanaimo Harbourfront Library went well, but now I find myself in writer’s limbo. In other words, I’m between projects.
In October, I published Paper Roses on Stony Mountain, the sequel to Lilacs in the Dust Bowl, and the last book of Lukia’s Family Saga trilogy. Writing three novels of historical and biographical fiction, based on my baba…
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#A Cry From The Deep#Diana Stevan#family saga#Ghosts in a Photograph#Paper Roses on Stony Mountain#Sunflowers Under Fire#the rubber fence#Ukraine#Ukrainian
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So excited about my upcoming book launch on Oct. 15th. This historical and biographical fiction was a labour of love. #booktrailer
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UKRAINE: TEARS and TIES that BIND
As a first generation Ukrainian Canadian, this war has hit me hard. My trip to Ukraine in 1988 added to the stories I'd heard aroud the kitchen table. #Ukraine #Russia https://www.dianastevan.com/2022/uncategorized/ukraine-the-tears-and-ties-that-bind/
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War in Ukraine: The Darkest Hour
War in Ukraine: The Darkest Hour
Last night, I learned that Putin’s war in Ukraine had started. I began to cry and couldn’t stop, and I woke up and cried again. I didn’t cry just for the land of my ancestors and the people in it, I also cried for our world. We’re repeating history and not in a good way.
I was born in Canada to Ukrainian immigrant parents during World War II. We’ve seen this story before, of how a madman took…
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Paper Roses on Stony Mountain
Paper Roses on Stony Mountain
Now that the holidays are over, I’ve had my head down, revising my manuscript, Paper Roses on Stony Mountain, the third novel in Lukia’s Family Saga Series. It follows Sunflowers Under Fire and Lilacs in the Dust Bowl and is set on the Manitoba prairies, specifically Lilyfield, Stony Mountain, and Winnipeg during the last years of the Great Depression and the first four years of World War II. The…
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#biographical fiction#Diana Stevan#historical fiction#Lilacs in the Dust Bowl#Literary Webinar#Lukia&039;s Family Saga series#Manitoba#Paper Roses on Stony Mountain#Sunflowers Under Fire#Ukraine#Ukrainian
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The Promise of Good Will and Peace
Wishing you all peace, love, and good health over the holidays and in the new year.
What I’ve always loved about this time of year, whether you celebrate Hanukkah, Christamas, (we celebrate both) or the Winter Solstice, it’s a family time, a time with the promise of good will and peace. The story of Christ’s birth and his humble beginnings teach us to make room for those in need. Outside our local Canadian Tire store, the Salvation Army volunteers ring their bells and caring…
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#A Northern Nativity#Along Came A Gardener#Christmas#Diana Stevan#Lilacs in the Dust Bowl.#Lukia&039;s Family Saga series#Paper Roses on Stony Mountain#Sunflowers Under Fire#William Kurelek
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The Sad Truth
Peace Tower of Canada’s parliament lit up in Orange to symbolize what was lost. The toys in the foreground are reminders of the unmarked indigenous children’s graves found in Canada.
The sad truth is that though today is Canada’s First National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, there is still so much work to be done. To acknowledge the sins of the past is just a beginning.
This year, we learned…
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#Bev Sellars#Braiding Sweetgrass#Canada#Diana Stevan#Indian Horse#Indigenous#Lilacs in the Dust Bowl#National Day for Truth and Reconciliation#Robin Wall Kimmerer#Sunflowers Under Fire#The Inconvenient Indian#Thomas King
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