This is a thank you to everyone involved with the 2018, Muskoka Novel Marathon.
The Muskoka Novel Marathon is an event to raise funds to support programs for adult literacy, helping others to enjoy the things we take for granted; to be able to read this blog or write a message to your children over Facebook.
This poem and note were posted by MNM authors.
Marathon
Facing that screen
The numbness is screaming
Maybe if I pause
And allow some dreaming
Or maybe just force
An insistence to move
Yelling at myself
Something to prove
Not to the world
But my inner me
It’s in my tank
This writing spree
Just do it stupid!
Dispel all fears
There’s a book in there
With multi-gears
History and passion
Insecurities and lust
stay on my ass
OR simply BUST!
DeaBeePea 7-16-18
Call it what you may; looking for patterns or fate or luck, my writing life has been blessed by the people I have met and the experiences we’ve had.
I took a risk and signed up for this crazy thing three years ago, where you would apparently write for 72 hours straight. I discovered this amazing event through the recommendation of Lori Twining.
Thank you, Lori. The people this experience has introduced me to are kind, generous and so very knowledgeable. They gather from around the province and I wouldn’t have found them without you and the marathon.
I need to thank all those who offered support and sponsorship. I tried something new for my fundraising this year and sent out a message to everyone who I have helped, usually after hours, with veterinary care. I’m certainly going to keep this in mind over the next year, as I’m texted, called, emailed or Facebooked with veterinary questions, outside of my work day. I will continue to share my time, with the caveat, that when the Marathon rolls along, I hope they can keep the gratitude cycle going by sponsoring the marathon.
I would also like to thank my husband. It means to world to me, to have a family that can keep the house going and pick up the jobs I normally complete, and still sponsor my marathon. It’s like buying my book. The fact that my wonderful husband took the time and effort (and dollars) to sponsor me is more than I could ever ask.
I’m coming off an indescribable writing experience. A year ago, almost to the day, I was leaving Huntsville having completed the 2017 Muskoka Novel Marathon. On my way home, I spoke on the phone hands-free with two authors.
The first person was a local poet and author whom I discovered from a recommendation at a bookstore. I was looking for a critique partner and discovered Diane.
Diane has been one of many blessings. Truly an author I am grateful for. She receives my calls with a smile in her voice and is always willing to offer words of encouragement and comfort. Not only did we complete our revisions together, we still go for lunch and keep cheering each other on.
The second author I spoke to, Seana Moorhead, took my call and listened to my ramblings as I was coming down off my writing success, sugar and caffeine induced state of bliss. Further to that, she met with me for lunch when I was on my way up to the marathon and helped me to brainstorm and work through plot holes.
It was while driving home from the 2017 marathon that I got the core idea for this year’s marathon. I had a sense of the story I wanted to write and committed to a plan to research and weave together a plot over the year.
I knew my setting intimately about fifteen years ago, but I wanted to make sure, that if I placed the story in modern day, my memories would serve me well, so I visited the location. I invited people who worked there and studied there on a daily basis for dinner and quizzed them on their experiences. A local historian was invaluable to fill in the gaps and then I discovered a character who would play a central role in my novel. 
My next authors to thank are Dr. Peter Conlon and Dr. Lisa Cox for graciously sharing their historical data on this real person from the past. They were worried about the gaps in history, however, in fiction, we don’t mind gaps so much. All we need is a feel for where we need or want to go and the rest will work out.
For many reasons, I know I was exactly where I was meant to be this weekend. I had a spark of an idea a year ago. I pondered and allowed the idea to percolate. It expanded and morphed into what I thought would be an engaging and interesting concept and this weekend I started to write. One of my characters is from the 1920’s and on a walk one night during the marathon, a car of the exact vintage passed me on the streets.
I wrote over 37,000 words and 160 pages on the weekend and am thrilled to have met some interesting characters who I can’t wait to know better.
Thank you Muskoka Novel Marathon planners, volunteers and writers. 
