Author: Joan McAndrew

Joan McAndrew did not reach her 8th decade without being able to list several things that take up space in a resume. However, she hates resumes so to eliminate the tedious nature of “she did this; then this; oh, and also that;” she will spare everyone the details. Joan is blessed with a good education (Ph.D. in counselling psychology) followed by 40 years of experience helping people. She added many interesting adjuncts to her practice including trauma recovery, palliative care, Reiki, Buddhism, and other spiritual practices. Joan continues to work part-time although she now restricts her clients to members of the military, veterans, and first responders. Joan spends the rest of her time writing Creative Non-Fiction, working out at a local gym 3 times a week and enjoying her dog and two cats in a newly renovated small home. She knits, reads voraciously and spends time with friends and family having adventures. Writing has been a passion her entire life and she is grateful to finally have more time to devote to it.

WRITING IN DANGEROUS TIMES

June 15, 2020June 15, 2020 Joan McAndrew Leave a comment

I always thought I knew a lot about danger. Like what part of New York to avoid at night after the Theatre Production ended. How to be wise when traveling in a foreign country like Britain or France or Spain with a Canadian Flag on my back pack. How to recognize scam phone calls: especially the ones that begin “Don’t hang-up”.

I also believed I had experienced just about everything there was to experience; marriage and divorce times 2, childbirth times 2, and cancer (only once thank goodness). I had started over many times, moved into and out of a myriad of homes and apartments and always made the transition eventually. So just what made these last 12 weeks so damned hard?

Our Dystopian Future

April 6, 2020April 6, 2020 Joan McAndrew Leave a comment

Wait a minute—what just happened? I was living this very active busy life going to the gym 3 times a week, seeing my massage therapist, my chiropractor, writing, working part time, knitting and watching whatever appealed to me on TV. I spent my free time travelling, visiting my friends and having a grand old time. Then someone “hacked” into my world and took over, telling me where I can go, when I can go, and how I will behave when I am there. My last place of refuge currently is my home and my own property.

I have always admired writers who create fantastical worlds and populate them with weird and wonderful things. Harry Potter and all of his adventures, the Hunger Games trilogy being two of my favourite series. My imagination never takes me to such places in my mind. Instead I am fascinated with “true” stories, the stuff of everyday people living their everyday lives. I want to figure out what makes people behave as they do. In my world everything makes sense and there are always underlying reasons waiting to be discovered to answer, “why would she do that?”

Getting The Writing Done

February 10, 2020February 10, 2020 Joan McAndrew Leave a comment

2020 will be the year that I write 300 words a day on the MEMOIRE!!! How’s that for a commitment? Finally, after 25 years of what can only be described as dabbling I am going to do this.

The only reason I am able to make such a bold statement is that I have finally identified how I must support any goals that I set for myself.

How Not To write A Blog

December 9, 2019December 9, 2019 Joan McAndrew Leave a comment

Step 1: Forget that you agreed to submit one in the first place.

Step 2: Remember as you fall into bed that the nagging feeling you have forgotten something was in fact accurate.

Step 3: Grab a pad of paper and begin making marks on the page and hope that something of relevance to writing will appear.

Step 4: Recall all the other times in your life you have forgotten a looming deadline.

Why Write At All?

October 7, 2019October 1, 2019 Joan McAndrew 1 Comment

As the newest member of Ascribe Writers it is my turn (I was coerced) to write about writing. Apparently, I am allowed to focus on anything as long as my musings revolve around the fact that I am a writer.

Well, if that’s true, why is all my written work locked up in legal files that were presented to the courts, insurance companies or employers? Oh right, that’s part of my day job. You know that job… it’s the one we all do so we can do the things we really want to do in our ‘spare time’.