Kim Bannerman's Blog, page 2
May 24, 2024
Rings and Chestnuts
Because sometimes you want to research the smallest, most insignificant detail that you will mention in passing only once in the course of the third book of your mystery series, I've decided to learn a little more about fede rings. Ever heard of them? Nope, me neither. But one of ‘em shows up in my novel (again, only once) so I figured I’d fall down that rabbit hole and learn more. Why? Do I have nothing better to do than learn about obscure jewelry on a Friday night?
Apparently not. Let’s go!
Th...
April 4, 2024
Days of Sunshine & Sequoia Trees
Today, the sun was so bright and cheerful, and I was seized with the strange desire to visit a garden centre that I’d never visited before. They were far out of town on a little road, sandwiched between farms and fields. It wasn’t a place that one just drops by — the journey required a plan, and picking up food in town to eat on the way.
We arrived, and had to slowly cruise down a long driveway, past a house and garage, which gave us both pause. Was this the right place? Or had we simply driven i...
March 19, 2024
Choreosync
Many years ago, Shawn and I were driving around Vancouver, listening to music. I don’t even remember what the song was…. just something with a heavy, foot-stomping beat. As we drove along Broadway, we realized that a particular pedestrian (far in the distance) was walking in time with the music, even though they couldn’t possibly hear it. This moment of perfect choreography lasted long enough for both of us to see it, and Shawn yelled out ‘CHOREOSYNC’! Thus, a new word was created…
Choreosync
[ko...
March 18, 2024
"Coming soon"
This is Story and Song. I’m using it as an experiment, because (just between you and me) I’m awful at anything that has to do with social media, but I’ve been told by some very good people that I probably should use it more often. So here I am.
Whether or not this experiment will be a success remains to be seen. I’d encourage you to stay tuned, but I don’t want to waste your time. Should curiosity lead you back here again, I hope to see you soon.
February 14, 2022
The Mothership
She sits on my desk, next to my computer, soaking in the winter sunshine. I call her ‘The Mothership’.
I wish she was a spaceship — that would be wonderful. But in reality, she is a jade plant that I purchased about three years ago, a tiny little thing the size of my fist. Almost immediately, she started to drop her juicy thick leaves, sending out pods for further exploration and colonization.
I thought she was dying. I’m not very good with plants and I’m used to them withering under my touch. I never water them enough, I never give them the right amounts of light or warmth, and I see-saw between smothering them with affection and ignoring them completely. In retrospect, she probably was dying from the shock of joining my garden of withered houseplants, and this was her last desperate attempt to live on through her progeny.
I gathered up her leaves and stuck them in bits of dirt around the house, with the hope that one of them might cling to life long enough that I could figure out what I was doing wrong — but then, the Mothership rallied. She sunk her roots down, popped out a few fresh buds, and began to grow.
And whoa! Did she grow!
The best part is, most of the dropped leaves began to grow too, and soon I found myself with a whole colony of jade plants scattered around my house. They’ve thrived too and soon dropped leaves of their own. I’m now surrounded by generation upon generation of jades.
I’d love to branch out (pun!) into other succulents, but so far I have had little success. But I’ll keep trying. Even if they look like they’re about to die — curling down into the dark earth — I hold on to hope that they’ll rally their strength and follow the Mothership’s course, rising up through the air towards the light of the nearest star.
November 30, 2017
Come and Visit
November 14, 2017
HEY! Reading on November 30!
I’ll be reading with Christine Lowther on Friday, November 30 at North Island College in Courtenay, and I hope you’ll come along! Free admission, starts at 7 pm, meet and greet afterwards. I’ll be reading a passage from ‘The Agony of St. Alice’, which is a little gory and a little historical but also a lot of fun.
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Yes, I do know that I don’t have the link up yet to the online version of the book, but ‘The Agony of St. Alice’ is currently available at the Cumberland Museum, Rare Bird Books in Cumberland, and Laughing Oyster Books in Courtenay. Go and browse and give local bookshop owners your support, because they’re lovely folk and (IMHO) a town isn’t quite a town without a bookshop to call its own.
October 10, 2017
Book Release & Reading: The Agony of St. Alice
Come one, come all! The third book in the Lizzie Saunders series, The Agony of St. Alice, will be held on October 19 at the Cumberland Museum & Archives, starting at 7 pm. Come and join us! Bring friends! Let’s talk BC history, Victorian medicine, a little bit of murder, and a whole lot of writing!
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March 27, 2017
Some Sweet Sweet Sounds
We’ve been filming a lot lately — lots of fun stuff, cool stuff, stuff that makes me want to take up Burlesque and astrophysics all at the same time. Stuff to sink your eyeballs into and wrap your ears around. Stuff that makes the world seem like a happy place, full of creativity!
February 21, 2017
New Episode Up at AOC
Hey, everyone! Did I tell you I’m doing a podcast? Well, I AM, and it’s been a HOOT. Follow the link above to listen to Episode 3, which is a sordid tale of monsters, clashing cultures, and cannibalism. Go! Hurry!
