Dreamers Interview Series – Owen Hortop

After a much needed hiatus, ATUA is finally back online!  And what better way to start afresh than by  interviewing an awesome guy.  I give you Owen Hortop, swing dancer teacher at Cat's Corner (and so much more!) Owen was one of my first swing dance instructor and he's an amazing teacher.  Without further ado, here's the interview.

Information about the giveaway will follow the interview.

Tell us a bit more about what you do.

My job is (along with several other people) to keep Cat's Corner operating. That can entail anything from cleaning to sound engineering, quite apart from the artistic side of the job. Right now, I mostly teach and coach dancers, and provide customer service during the day. I'm also the studio's treasurer, although we have a bookkeeper who makes that job lighter than it used to be. I'm always glad when we end up having someone who can cover a technical thing that I'm used to improvise out of necessity; I really hope I'll never have to do plumbing again! The business is slowly growing, which allows me do more of what I love. I teach weekly at McGill Swing Kids – a university club – and last year, I animated jazz listening afternoons in a geriatric ward weekly. 

Did you always have this passion for swing dance or did you start as a general dance lover?

I didn't dance at all until I was 25 years old. It never occurred to me that I could. I was always a creative person (I wrote a lot and made sculptures out of steel wire), but I was shy and dancing scared me. One day, a girl dragged me out to Cat's Corner and I fell in love with it – not that it felt easy, but it felt totally possible. It was a world where people could just connect with each other and not say a word. So my first dance was swing, and I stuck to just that for quite a while because it was a safe space; I rarely ventured out of Cat's Corner, in fact. I was really inspired by the warm and accepting nature of the place, it seemed like there was no such thing as a dancer who wasn't also a nice person. Of course it's not that simple, but I think social dancing requires and teaches some essential respect and interpersonal skills that make folks easier to get along with. So I bonded with the people in swing dance specifically at Cat's, and that kept me coming back. What happened to the girl? She lives in Winnipeg now with her husband and two kids; I think she came out dancing about twice since that first night... 

When you started as a student at Cat's Corner, eight years ago, did you ever dream of becoming a teacher or more?

I think I asked about teaching after about six months. Of course I had no idea how much knowhow went into teaching swing! I've always liked teaching, sharing ideas with other people... but you really have to understand where people are going to guide their first steps on a journey. The people at Cat's were supportive and encouraged me to focus on becoming a better dancer before aspiring to teach, but it was always something I wanted to do. 

I was lucky in that I made a friend who was planning to open her own school in the West Island; I drew her business plan up as a term project for my entrepreneurship class (I was studying for a Bachelor's in Commerce at the time). She invited me to help her out further by teaching, since she knew I really wanted to. She invested a lot of time in me, helping me to improve my dancing and to think critically about how I was teaching. I wasn't great with crowds, and I had to learn how to deal with the occasional strong personality who'd show up in a class – there's almost always one student in every group who can be a motivator or a disruption, depending on how you treat them. It was a great training ground, small groups and lots of time to debrief since I was teaching with a dear friend.  

I kind of fell into my current position; there just kept being bigger things that needed doing at the studio. I was in school, and in my free time, I was dancing and volunteering. Then the studio moved and they needed someone to oversee the installation of the new studio location. The founder and owner was leaving, and a few of us created a new corporation to run the studio in its current form. I was there and willing to sign for the responsibilities inherent to running the place.  There are three of us who act as custodians for the dance community. Cat's Corner belongs to all of us, the "owners" just try to steer it toward success so that we'll always have a place to dance. 

What was the biggest obstacle you had to face on your way to your current position?  How did you overcome it?

I'd say that most dancers have the same nemesis in their growth, personally or professionally: their ego. Whether it's self-judgement for not getting something instantly, or pride getting in the way of learning from others, we all have to learn patience with our learning curve and not overestimate where we are or where we "should" be. Dancing is an intensely personal thing, putting a bit of your soul out on the dance floor where everyone can see it. Doing that without being vulnerable or defensive is hard, but that's the only way we grow. The more you can say "this is me, here's where I'm at, and I'm OK with working on it at my own pace," the better your dancing looks and feels in the moment and the better it will be in future. 

I've had a lot of moments over the past five years when I've felt insecure about my dancing because Montreal has so many amazing dancers. There are teachers here at Cat's Corner who are miles ahead of me and always will be. Setting that aside and knowing that I have a lot to contribute to my students' learning, as well as just letting myself enjoy how far I've already come are daily things. I have to remind myself to just love what I do and recognize that it's enough as it is. 

At Cat's Corner, we've got more than 20 people on our teaching roster. That's 20 artistic personalities full of passion for jazz and Lindy Hop, all with slightly different ideas and motivations, wildly different backgrounds, and – I repeat – egos. It takes a magician like Debbie (the senior partner at Cat's Corner) to get everyone pulling together, and I think all of us sometimes have to let go of being right so that we can move forward. 

What is your next goal?

I'm always looking to improve my dancing and expand my understanding of how we move through the world. I've started taking classes in Contemporary Dance and they're just fantastic; a great complement to what I'm doing in swing. I'm making a living with dance and that was really my big dream since I became interested in teaching. Now I'd like to travel a bit more, particularly to help smaller scenes develop across the country and around the world. I'm building a scene in Montreal for a swing dance called Collegiate Shag which isn't very popular yet, but we're starting to get momentum. I'd love to see that take off. I'm also interested in the idea of Dance Therapy, which is emerging in Canada as a valid care option alongside other art therapies. If I can manage to get back to school then I'd love to study psychology and use dance to help people express and heal themselves. 

What advice would you give to dreamers who hesitate to take the first step towards making a living out of their dream?

Hesitation is OK. Sometimes the thing that you love is best as a hobby. If you're going to go for it though, you don't have to be the absolute best at what you do. You have to be motivated and willing to find a place for your talents in the world, and it might mean making a very modest income and investing a lot of time to lay the groundwork. It's worth it, though! The day I realized that I could make a living doing this was a turning point in how I saw my life, I've been much happier ever since. Make a plan, and give it a reality check in both directions: not only "is my plan overly optimistic in its assumptions," but also "am I being so conservative that I'm cutting myself off from the future I want?"

Our previous guest, fiction author T.B. Markinson, would like to ask you: What advice do you have for people with two left feet, but who aspire to become adequate dancers? 

We all start out somewhere, which is usually awkward. When babies are learning to walk, we don't write them off as "inadequate" if they fall down a bit! For me, dance comes from connection to movement and connection to your body. If you can bop around to your favourite song, that's a step. If you have a gesture or a way of walking that feels good to you, give it some room to grow - do it big, small, fast and slow, until you find the way that feels just right. Most of the challenges I see in my students and myself come from being afraid of "doing it wrong." The less fear you have of mistakes (and I don't believe any movement you can walk away from is a bad one), the more stuff you can explore and choose from when you're deciding how YOU like to move. Do just a little every day, and be sure to include a mistake or two. 

The other thing to do is to find music that moves you. I love jazz music, but I also find something enjoyable in more recent music, from James Brown to Moby. When it speaks to you, you can't help but want to add to it, even if it's just drumming on your steering wheel while you drive. That's how you know what song to start with. 

Our next guest will be author and ex-pastor CharlesMcGarry.  What would you like to ask him?

How do you think people find or lose faith? Is it circumstance, or do they follow internal patterns?

GIVEAWAY

For a chance to win a half-price private lesson with Owen, leave a question for him in the comment section.  Giveaway ends on Tuesday March 11th at 11:59ET.  Winner and answers to the questions will be posted on Thursday March 13th.

Read More

Author Interview Series – T.B. Markinson

Today ATUA has the pleasure to be one of T.B. Markinson's stops on the her blog tour.  Markinson is an American expat living in England and the author of two novels.

Giveaway info will follow the interview.

Have you always known that you wanted to be a writer or did that come later in life?

In the sixth grade we had to write a short story. My teacher loved my story and wrote a small note at the top of my paper. It read: When you grow up, you should be a writer. That was it. I was hooked and wanted to write. Over the years I would jot down stories and I started at least one novel but never finished it. Life always interfered. I was working full-time and whenever I tried to take my writing to the next level, something would happen and I found myself consumed with everyday life. Then over two years ago my partner’s company asked us to move from Boston to London. Suddenly I was unemployed. The transfer was supposed to last two years and my partner and I decided that I would use the time to give writing a go. So I pulled an unfinished manuscript out of the drawer and got to work. Now the book is published and I’ve completed the second one, Marionette.

Your Goodreads profile states that you had pledged to publish before 35.  What made you want to set that age as a deadline?

I’m not sure why I selected that particular number. I was in my early 20s when I made that declaration and maybe I thought it was completely reachable. And since I was still in my 20s I may have thought 35 was old. In a few months I’ll be 40 and I no longer associate my age with being old since I still feel like I did twenty years ago. However, I have more aches and pains.

I missed my deadline by four years, but I never lost the desire to succeed. For everyone out there who has a dream of publishing, my advice is never give up. 

Marionette is your second book.  How different was it writing YA?

Marionette is the second book that I’ve published, however, it was the first novel that I wrote. I worked on the first draft back when I was in college. I pulled the original draft out of my drawer last year and even though I shredded most of it, I was able to maintain the young adult voice since I was basically a young adult when I started it. Thank goodness I kept that draft for two decades. 

Painter Chuck Close once said, "Inspiration is for amateurs - the rest of us just shows up and gets to work." How do you "get to work?" Do you have any ritual or specific requirements to get the juices flowing? 

I work from home so this can be challenging on some days since there are so many distractions, mainly my cat and dog who always want attention. My goal is to write 1000 words a day. Before I sit down to accomplish that, I like to get all of my emails answered and to take care of the other administrative details concerning my books and life. I find it’s best I do this first thing to eliminate one distraction. That way I can’t say, “Oh wait, did I answer my emails.”

Then comes the hard part. I sit at my desk, with a cup of tea (I’m addicted), and write. Some days the words flow. Other days they don’t. But it’s rare for me to stop before I reach 1000 words. And on most days, I go over my goal. The most important part is to sit down and do it. I know that sounds too easy, but that’s what it comes down to. Just write. 

Homosexuality and sexual discrimination are recurring themes in your books.  What motivates you to tackle those topics?

Both of these themes fit with the stories. I didn’t sit down to write specifically about these topics, they just happened to work for the characters in my stories. For me the most important aspect is the story.

Saying that, I do think these topics are important and should be discussed openly. Human rights should never be ignored, even though it isn’t always an easy conversation to have. 

Are you working on a new novel at the moment?  If yes, can we get a scoop?

The next book is about a woman who had everything going for her. She graduated from Harvard, had a literary agent, and a fantastic deal to write her first book. However, everything has fallen apart and she’s working at Starbucks to make ends meet. She has a crazy, but loving family and girlfriend. It’s about whether she can find her true path in life and get everything back on track.

What advice would you give to emerging authors?

Relationships are key to emerging authors. My advice would be to foster relationships now with other authors and readers. Marketing is important, however you can’t just shout from the rooftops, “Buy my book!” There are so many books out there. Readers want to connect with authors. If they don’t feel that connection then there’s a good chance they’ll buy a different book. And don’t expect instant success. It’s takes time. Don’t give up in the beginning just because it’s a lot of work. Patience is important.

Our previous featured guest Tania Mignacca wants to ask you: I read on your blog that you have self-published your first novel. What advice would you give to writers or comic artists who are looking to self-publish for the first time?

I recommend doing your homework. Two authors really helped me with my decision to self-publish. The first is David Gaughran. I recommend his books: Let’s Get Digitaland Let’s Get Visible. Also his website is a fantastic resource: http://davidgaughran.wordpress.com/ .The second person that helped was Joanna Penn. Her book: How to Market a Book is a great resource and her website is useful: http://www.thecreativepenn.com/. Both of these authors have also published fiction and the methods they describe in their books are ones that they have used.

There are a lot of companies out there who claim they can help you self-publish for a reasonable fee. Do your research so you don’t get conned by them. I hired my editor, cover designer, and book formatter. I would be careful about signing up with a company that says they will take care of all of these details for you. There’s no easy way out. It is hard work, but I find it rewarding. And don’t be afraid to reach out to other authors who have self-published. So many of them are willing to answer questions. It’s a supportive community. You may feel lonely, but if you reach out, it will help.

My question for Owen Hortop, owner and swing dance instructor at Cat's Corner, is:

What advice do you have for people with two left feet, but who aspire to become an adequate dancer? 

GIVEAWAY

For a chance to win an electronic copy of Marionette (see my review here) leave a question for T.B. Markinson's in the comment section.  Giveaway ends on Tuesday January 28th 11:59 ET.  Winner and answers to the questions will be posted on Thurday January 30th.  Good luck!

Read More

Dreamers Interview Series – Tania Mignacca : Answers and Giveaway winner!

You've been waiting for it!  I'm pleased to announce that Tania's giveaway winner is...

 But first, the answers to your questions!

Meg Hanna asked

Tania, I have got to commend you on your original and optimistic take on the city that we call home. Vibrant colours, hard hitting issues, a promising message and cute characters - you most certainly have the winning recipe! I've been following Ponto for a while now and as a municipal employee starting out, I can relate to this universe that you have created. You have no idea! That being said, I'd be curious to know where you hope your art will take you in the next year. You mentioned getting your work out there and really diving into the artistic community through conventions and the web. During this process, what kind of subjects and themes do you hope to explore along the way?

Thanks Meg, it's always a pleasure to hear what municipal employees think about Ponto and I'm happy that you can relate to the comic. I have a lot of readers who work on the municipal level and they all seem to enjoy Ponto's adventures which is a huge compliment. To answer your question, I'm not really sure where my art will take me but I hope it will get people interested in what I do and maybe it will lead to possible contracts or collaborations. I also have a lot of ideas for Ponto but not enough time and resources so there's a potential for collaboration there as well. I'm also looking into going back to making bigger scale artwork like paintings which I didn't have much time to do in the last year because starting Ponto required a lot of time. As for subjects I'd like to explore, I feel what's missing in Montreal is a feeling of belonging. My sense of belonging to the city is something that I like to portray in my art. Now that Ponto's getting settled in Montreal, I hope to talk about this issue more in depth at one point in the story. I want to inspire people to appreciate how awesome Montreal is even with all the problems. If we start to feel proud about our city things wil surely start to change in a positive way. 

Mathieu asked

In upcoming issues of Ponto, will we see Mr. Turcot with the famous woolen stockings of Les Ville-Laines? Will it be something that helps Ponto to warm Mr. Turcot during our rough winter? 

When I saw this art manifestation done by the collective the « Ville-Laines » on the Turcot interchange, I thought it was the coolest thing ever! So yes, I'm thinking of drawing it. I'm not sure it will be in the comic but maybe in a special comic strip for winter.I think Mr. Turcot needs one on every leg! I wonder if this would help shield the concrete against temperature variations. 

Dave asked

I spent a couple years in Montreal, and when I first moved I remember seeing the Turcot and feeling a strange sense of pride as a Vancouverite (since all the new infrastructure in Vancouver that was built for the 2010 Olympics stood in stark contrast). Maintenant, je suis retourné à Vancouver, mais le Turcot est un bon souvenir de Montréal... d'après moi, il fait partie du personnage de la ville. J'aime bien lire des BDs de Montréal pis j'aime reconnaître mes lieus -- comme ca: http://www.flickr.com/photos/davidpoon/11899396445/. Quel est le lieu favori de Montréal de Ponto? What's Ponto's favourite place in Montreal?

Hi Dave! First of all thanks a lot for this photo. I think it's awesome that your girlfriend took the time to take it. Now I know my illustration was pretty accurate! I'm also happy to learn that reading the comic helps you remember good memories of Montreal. Je pense aussi que l'échangeur Turcot fait partie du paysage Montréalais. Some people suggested turning it into an elevated park like the High Line in New York instead of tearing it down. In response to your question, Ponto has many different favorite places in Montreal since he's too marvelled with the city. He does enjoy the main landmarks but he prefers those that we sometimes forget about like the Guaranteed milk bottle, the Farine Five Roses sign or the Turcot.

 Odrie asked

J'ai vu Ponto pour la première fois à Comic Con et je suis ses aventures depuis. Bravo! Je me demandais : où est-ce que Ponto rêve de travailler à Montréal? 

Merci Odrie de suivre les aventures de Ponto! Pour répondre à ta question, je crois que Ponto rêve de travailler sur les gros chantiers comme celui de l'échangeur Turcot ou du Pont Champlain. Il espère aussi travailler dans différents quartiers pour apprécier la richesse culturelle montréalaise. Et peut-être aussi au centre-ville car il y a beaucoup d'action! English translation: Thanks Odrie for following Ponto's adventures! To answer your question, I think Ponto dreams to work on the big construction sites like the Turcot interchange or the Champlain bridge. He also hopes to work in different boroughs to appreciate all the cultural diversity Montreal has to offer. And, maybe downtown as well because there's a lot of action there! 

GIVEAWAY

And the giveaway winner is... MEG! Congratulations!  Please send me an email at stephanie.noel.writer(at)gmail.com to claim your prize!

Read More

Author Interview Series – Christine Miscione

Today ATUA is proud to host Canadian author Chrisine Miscione.  Her first book, a collection of short stories titled Auxiliary Skins, was realeased in August 2013 and has been extremely well received.  I met Christine at a book launch for Norm Sibum's The Traymore Rooms and immediately connected with her.  On top of being an accomplished writer, she's one of the sweetest persons I've ever met.  A real inspiration!

Information about the giveaway will follow the interview.

Your first book, Auxiliary Skins, just came out in August 2013 and reviews are quite positive. This is no doubt the result of a lot of hard work. How much would you say you invested in the book?

I’ve never thought about it in terms of investment. Directing my effort towards the publication of a book seemed to be a natural extension of what I was already doing. That being said, the project did coincide with my enrolment in a pretty demanding University program. There were many, many months of 4:30am alarm clocks and trying to fit as much writing/editing in as I could before my 8:00am classes. But it was exciting. Truly. And it was exactly what I always want to be doing.

 Did you write most of the short stories for the book or did you edit work that had already been published?

I imagine with most writers’ first publication – especially a publication that takes on the form of a collection – there is some digging into the past in order to compile a book that feels honest and whole. Approximately half the stories in Auxiliary Skins were written before I knew about the possibility of a collection – and almost all of these were previously unpublished. With the other stories, I knew about the collection, but wouldn’t say I wrote them for it. I wrote a bunch of stories and then chose the ones that seemed to complement and make the most sense in relation to the others.

Your prose is very poetic, with vibrant decriptions, rich alliterations and vivid mataphors. Are you a poet at heart? Have you ever considered publishing poetry?

I am not a poet, no. I have written poems, none of which I’m certain are any good. If my prose style leans towards the poetic, I think it has to do with my fascination with language (it’s thrilling!) Otherwise, I am not sure my prose has any of the same concerns as poetry.

Are you currently working on a new project? A next collection of short stories, maybe?

Yes – a new short story collection. I’m hoping to amass around twenty-five stories and then trim out roughly 1/3, always with an eye for that point at which the stories together feel like a cohesive whole.

 Painter Chuck Close Once said, "Inspiration is for amateurs - the rest of us just shows up and gets to work." How do you "get to work?" Do you have any ritual or specific requirements to get the juices flowing?

I have (unconsciously) developed a regimented writing program for myself. 7:30am wake-up. Copious green tea. Tasteless oatmeal, hardboiled egg. And words. Lots of words — writing (hopefully). I spend every morning this way, regardless of anything.

What is your definition "writer"? What does it take to be one?

This is a hard question to answer. Writer is a noun from the verb to write, so naturally a writer writes. Must write. But it’s more than that. There’s a kind of integrity and love of writing and language that a writer should have. Also, a particular way of engaging with the world. ‘Writer’, though, I’ve come to learn, takes on many different forms; it’s difficult to pin down in definition. I’ll just say that it seems the writers I most admire and who most satisfy the definition in my eyes, live and breathe their craft. Writing is them, the same way a tree is a tree or a dog is a dog. They are a writer before thought. And their end goal isn’t publication, but to simply write more.

Our previous dreamer, David Radcliffe, would like to ask you the following question:
Hardcover or paperback? Why?

Forever paperback. Paperback is for reading. Hardcover is a trophy on your bookshelf.

Our next featured guest will be Parham Yazdy, a professional photographer.  What would you like to ask him?

Two questions: How might you design a camera for someone who has no hands? And if you could invent a new type of lens that could do anything, what would it do?

GIVEAWAY

For a chance to win a signed copy of Christine Miscione's book, Auxiliary Skins, leave her a question in the comment section.  Giveaway ends on Tuesday November 19th at 11:59 ET.  The winner and the answers to the questions will be published on Thursday November 21.  The winner has to contact ATUA to claim his prize. 

Are you an author? Would you like me to interview you? Drop me a line at stephanie.noel.writer(at)gmail(dot)com.  It will be my pleasure to shocase your work!

Read More

ATUA 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY GIVEAWAY WINNERS

Are you ready for the results of the giveaway?

And the winners are...

*drum roll*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

CONGRATULATIONS!

Teodora you win the red prize and RJ Blain you win the blue prize!

Please contact me by email before Friday November 15 to claim your prize and give me your shipping information.

Thanks to everyone who participated!

 

Read More

ATUA's 1 YEAR ANNIVERSARY GIVEAWAY!

A Truth Universally Acknowledged is 1 year old!  Hooray! 

I would never been able to make it without you, my loyal readers.  And so, to show you how much I care, I am hosting a giveaway!

GIVEAWAY

Enter and you could win one of two prizes!  The Red Prize is Camilla Gibb's Sweetness in the Belly and a fancy pink notebook.  The Blue Prize is Veronica Roth's Divergent and a classy blue notebook.  Leave a comment to tell me which one you want and earn an extra entry!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Will ship internationally.  Giveaway ends Tueday November 12th at 12 am.

Read More

Author Interview Series – Brick Marlin

Today I have the pleasure of hosting horror writer Brick Marlin.  Brick has been writing since he was a child. From an early age, he was exposed to older, original horror movies and the works of  Stephen King, Clive Barker, Ray Bradbury, Kurt Vonnegut, Dean Koontz, Charles Dickens, Harper Lee, H.G. Wells, W. W. Jacobs, etc. Thus, he decided to engage himself and write horror and dark fantasy. In 2007 he decided to take a more professional approach with his work. Hence, as a member of the Horror Writers Association, already having eight books published by small presses with more in the works coming soon, nearly twenty-five short stories published, adding to the few anthologies and collaborations with other authors, Brick Marlin trudges onward, hoping to achieve more creations. Adapted from Brick's Goodreads profile

Details for the giveaway will follow the interview.

In your author profile on Goodreads, you mention that you've been writing since you were a child; do you remember the moment when you felt that this could be more than a hobby?

I think it was when I sold my first piece of short fiction to Alienskin Magazine, which is unfortunately not around anymore. I only received a five dollar check in the mail, though it gave me a great feeling knowing someone out there would actually enjoy reading my work plus paying me for it!

What drew you to horror stories? What do you enjoy the most about the genre?

I’ve always loved horror tales growing up. I can still remember watching “The Wolfman” starring Lon Chaney Jr. and “The House of Wax” with Vincent Price as well as slipping under the amazement of the movie “Westworld” starring  Yul Brynner.

In elementary school we read Edgar Allen Poe’s “A Tell Tale Heart”.  Afterward that endeavor it was all I could do to read as much horror as I could find by this master.  Later I stumbled on a great collection of short stories by Judith Stamper entitled “Tales for the Midnight Hour” by purchasing it from a book sale in the school’s library. That book still gives me chills! Of course this led to reading Stephen King, Clive Barker, Ray Bradbury, etc..

What I love most about the horror genre is not knowing what kind of terror is lying in wait in the darkness; perhaps a central processing unit programmed to cause pain and terror, sending a collage of servo cyclopean chrome spiders to traipse down your spine.

What are you working on at the moment?

I’ve been busy working on the Sectors series, continuing the saga of dark dimensional worlds involving werewolves, vampires, evil robot clowns, a creature called the Shepherd who steals souls and keeps them in glass jars in the depths of Purgatory and other bizarre oddities to fill tin he gaps.

Sectors all started on a whim, not knowing which way the tale would go, not really knowing what was going to happen, as a dark story evolved where an individual called Baron Fields controls a labyrinth of terror.

Painter Chuck Close Once said, "Inspiration is for amateurs - the rest of us just shows up and gets to work." How do you "get to work?" Do you have any ritual or specific requirements to get the juices flowing?

Oddly, the ideas I receive for creating characters and their bizarre worlds seem to come to me often; whether I’m working my day job or reading a book. Sometimes it’s all I can do to keep up, writing down the ideas which are given to me. And there are other times I blame the dreaded literary gremlins for their attempt to build a writer’s block or trying to stop transmission of any ideas sent.

What is your definition of a writer? What does it take to be one.

A lot of hard work and discipline goes into being a writer. As a lot of other writers I know say “Plant butt in the seat in front of your laptop or computer and write”. That is the truth. Veer away from Facebook and Twitter and whatever other sites you love to visit when you write. They’re distractions.

If one is willing to spend many hours inside their creation and don’t mind dealing with have a character or two whom may not act right until you threaten to eliminate him or her from the tale, then go for it!

What advice would you give to writers starting in your genre?

Read a lot and learn what the masters have done with their work. Read the books and learn the way the tales are written and how they are told. Write as much as you can and try not to let Discouragement pester you very much.

Nutritionist and previous guest Guillaume Couture would like to know: Horror novels seem to seep into your bones line after line. How do you make horror novels feel so real?

I think living behind the eyes of the characters you create helps this. I’ve always loved to write character-driven tales, bringing the reader inside the minds of the protagonist’s fears of the unknown as he or she travel into the darkness.

Our next guest is a real estate agent who left the corporate world to create his own agency. What would you like to ask him?

Why did you decide to become your own boss?

GIVEAWAY

Readers are in luck this month!  Brick will offer a copy of one of his books to two winners!  To enter, leave a question for Brick in the comment section before Tuesday Octobre 15th 11:59 ET.  The name of the winners, along with the answers to the questions, will be posted on Thursday Octobre 17th.

Read my review of Brick's book, Raising Riley.

Are you an author?  Would you like me to interview you?  Drop me a line at scbecauseican(at)gmail.com.  It will be my pleasure to showcase your work!

Read More

Dreamers Interview Series – Guillaume Couture

This weeks I have the pleasure of hosting Guillaume Couture, nutritionist and owner of Equipe Nutrition/Team Nutrition.  I had the pleasure of meeting Guillaume before he launched his own company and I must say that his methods really helped me! 


Information about the giveaway will follow the interview



 Tell us a bit more about what you do?

After working as a nutritionist for other companies for 4 years, I decided to start my own nutrition consultation business called EquipeNutrition.ca (TeamNutrition.ca.) We offer conferences and individual consultations. Many need nutrition advice to help them with health issues, sport performance, or weight loss. We help those people find the key solution for their goals and ensure they achieve them.

Did you always know you wanted to build your own company or did that come later in your career?

I started thinking of building a business while in university. My uncle was my inspiration as he always told me about the benefits of either being an independent worker or owning a business. At first I did not have the confidence to start on my own. I feel it is important to gain experience first. Since gaining experience is mostly done through making mistakes, it is always better to make mistakes for someone else than for yourself.

What was most difficult in setting up EquipeNutrition.ca?  How did you overcome the obstacles?

From my experience, most businesses do not want you to make a life for yourself. Most will try and discourage you, and make it very difficult by making sure you cannot work on your own and for them at the same time. Without capital, you can’t start up, and not being able to make capital while starting up makes things extra difficult and stressful.

I needed to build the backbone of my business and build strong business relationships in order to ensure the success of my leave without getting into conflict with my employer. I did this for about 8-12 months by taking classes, meeting influential people in my line of business and saving in order to ensure I had enough capital to survive. I needed to be confident things would work out before making everything public and quitting my job.

What is your next goal?

We are now a small business with less than 5 employees. My main goal right now is to offer the best nutrition services around for companies either looking to offer the service to their clientele, their employees, or their sports teams. We already have many satisfied clients in Hockey Québec, UQAM, CPE McGill, Restoralax, Club Mansfield, MyoActif, etc.

What do you think is the quality most needed to follow your dreams and, in your case, become your own boss?

The first answer is perseverance. There are a lot of difficulties along the way. Most quit after the first or second big setbacks. However, perseverance does not mean to try the same thing over and over again while expecting a different result. Learn from your mistakes, and move forward. The second is to be great at what you do. Do not expect anything less than the best of yourself.

It is not easy to start up on your own; however the drive you get from achieving financial security on your own was well worth the risk for me.

What advice would you give to would be entrepreneurs?

Inform yourselves well on resources for new entrepreneurs. The government helps people with good ideas. Also, emphasise on good public relations. If you are not comfortable in meeting new people, public speaking, or have fun in promoting your service, get a partner that is. You might be good at what you do, but if you can’t communicate well, your project will most likely die.

Author and previous featured guest Marc-Andre Charron would like to know:

What is the scariest part of leaving a grounded, sure world and jumping into your own adventure. And how did you overcome that?

I have the philosophy that if I am not progressing, I am regressing. Thus I felt the need to try something new. I slowly built confidence in my work, and I planned everything ahead. I had calculated my risks, and found that any risk was negligible. With hindsight, I feel I was well prepared.

Our next guest is horror writer Brick Marlin, what would you like to ask him?

Horror novels seem to seep into your bones line after line. How do you make horror novels feel so real?

Giveaway 

For a chance to win a copy of Bien manger sans culpabiliser (French recipe book), leave a question for Guillaume in the comment section.  You have until Tuesday October 1st 11:59 ET to enter.  The winner will be announced on Thursday October 3rd along with the answers to your questions.  Best of luck!

You are a dreamer and would like me to interview you?  Drop me a line at scbecauseican(at)gmail(dot)com. I love meeting passionate people!

Read More

Dreamers Interview Series – Turlough Myers: Answers and Giveaway winner

Today I have the pleasure to announce the winner of dreamer Turlough Myers's giveaway.  If you missed the interview, you can read it here.  But first, let's see the answers to your questions!

Mike asked

Is dancing ability nature or nurture?

Good question, It’s both. As well as dedication. Certainly it takes some natural talent to ever be really good at dancing, but talent without the proper instruction and mentorship can lead to two horrible things, the first is simply terrible dancing, people will teach themselves to move in ways that could be really bad for their own body as well without the proper instruction. The second, it can lead to a terrible attitude, a good mentor should be able to turn a naturally talented dancer into a great dancer and not allow their head to get too big about it.

Sarah Kate asked

What did teaching others to dance teach you about yourself? Have you made any surprising discoveries about yourself as a result of teaching others and what were they?

I’ve made a lot of discoveries about myself through teaching, both about life and about my dancing. Recently I had to completely re-think the way I lead tuck turns because the way I had gotten used to teaching them was not working for a particular group. Also as I started teaching, I realized that being a good dancer and a good teacher are two very different skill sets. The more I teach, the more I dance, the more I feel like I want to keep improving at both. 

Cara asked

There have been great efforts taken to revive Lindy hop as a style of dance. How would you think explains its popularity today? and is preservation more important than innovation?

Great question! This is a pretty hot debate in the Lindy Hop world. I do believe all good art grows and changes. That said, Lindy Hop is a fairly formed art. As far as preservation goes, it is more about the joyful spirit of Lindy Hop, we are doing a great injustice to the people who gave us this art form (Frankie Manning, Al Minns, Norma Miller….) by not working hard to preserve the spirit of Lindy Hop. Style is where innovation is more important. I always say to my students, it is up to them to take classes from many different stylistic voices, and develop their own style over time. 

Here’s what I want you all to do, go to Youtube, and watch some Lindy Hop, watch how different the styles are from dancer to dancer, but then watch their faces, and watch the sort of steps they do. The spirit of the best dancers is the same across the board, but the styles are all unique. 

Lastly, there’s the music, to the music, all us dancers owe our lives.  If the dance is not set to a swinging rhythm, it ceases to be Lindy Hop. So I would say there, that the preservation is important. But however it is as an individual dancer you interpret the music within the Lindy Hop spirit should always be open to innovation. I could talk about this subject all day! 

Victoria H asked

Is there a style of dance you've always wanted to try, but haven't had the chance yet?

When I was little, I wanted to be a break dancer...But I was the whitest and nerdiest Irish/Canadian kid ever. I don’t like to think about what I could have done, and I am very happy being good at a few things and do them with great love.  I have a background in Irish dance, and I love Irish dance, that will never leave me. But for now, Lindy Hop is enough for me.

Anonymous asked

Hi Turlough, I started East Coast Swing Dancing when I was twelve, I have been back at it for four years now. At Swing L'ete a follow (possibly a dance teacher) I danced with guessed from my dancing, that I probably learnt to dance in the fifties to Elvis Presley records. She was right as far as the era but the artists were Theresa Brewer; Four Lads; Glen Miller. My question is do you think I was being complimented on my dancing? She did tell me I was a good dancer at the end of the dance but I felt putdown, any comments, from your experience as a teacher.

I think you are greatly overthinking the situation. I think this person was just making a comment on the sort of connection she felt from you.  Negative comments are always unwarranted at a social dance, so if she meant to put you down, then she has some serious attitude problems to work out.  That said, if she’s a dance teacher, I would give her benefit of the doubt that she was probably just making an observation and was interested in the sort of background you had. It is not personal. Just like how it is not personal when someone says no to a dance, you always have the right to say no, for ANY reason.

Manon26

Hi Turlough ! Can you give me a trick to help people to discover their ability to follow the beat?

Lindy Hop is a dance where we keep the rhythm of the music in our bodies by bouncing our bodies to the music. My advice is the listen carefully to the music and maintain the bounce all the time! :) Then, give yourself time, it takes a lot of people a very long time to learn how to do that, you can do it if you are patient!

Alexander asked

Analog, and the digital video and the Web played a tremendous role in the spread of Lindy Hop since the eighties. Now, be it motion capture, advanced video playback controls, video annotations, media indexing or other technologies, do you think that IT could make it easier to teach and learn the moves, the technique and the styling of social dancing?

It certainly can, with caution. When advanced dancers are looking for inspiration we often turn to the vintage clips, like Hellzapoppin, Day at the Races, or the Spirit Moves (look all of those up on youtube). Also, instructional video is available online for free and not for free. That said, there is a lot of terrible instruction out there in video form. Nothing will ever replace good proper instruction in a class room or private lesson. and PRACTICE.

Thank you Turlough for all your hard work!

GIVEAWAY 

And the winner is Cara!  Turlough will get in touch with you directly.  Congratulations!

You know a dreamer or an author that inspires you and would like me to interview them?  Contact me at scbecauseican(at)gmail(dot).  I love to meet new sources of inspiration and I love to hear from you!

Read More

ATUA'S 100 LIKES GIVEAWAY WINNER

Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway!  This has been the biggest one so far!

So without further ado, here is the name of the winner!

 a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congratulation David!  Please send me an email (scbecauseican@gmail.com) to give me your address!

Once again, thank you all!

Pssst!  Look forward to the 1 year anniversary giveaway, it's going to be great!

Read More

100 FACEBOOK LIKES GIVEAWAY

Image source

To show my appreciation to my loyal and my new facebook followers, and also to celebrate my 100th like on the ATUA facebook page, I have decided to throw a giveaway. Yay!!!

The prize? A 20$ gift certificate from Amazon.

To enter simply click the link below. 

ATUA's 100 FACEBOOK LIKES GIVEAWAY

You have until Friday August 23rd to enter.

Good luck to everyone! 

Read More

Author Interview Series – Jim Burke– Answer and Giveaway Winner!

Today (after much delay), I'm happy to announce the winner of the author Jim Burke's giveaway.  If you missed the interview, you can read it here.  Once again, I would like to thank Mr. Burke for taking the time to participate.

David asked

Mr. Burke, I was just wondering if you ever got the itch to direct one of your plays and/or would you, given the chance, consider adapting one of your plays for the big or small screens a la David Mamet?

Thanks for your question. I've directed some of my plays in the past, usually down to necessity rather than choice. It's a tricky business. As with writing, the scene I've directed in my head doesn't always translate to the finished product on the stage. Plus, I'm not a trained or experienced director, so I much prefer to hand my stuff over to people who know what they're doing. Mamet is a bit of a cautionary example really. The screen adaptations of his plays that have worked best are usually the ones he didn't direct, especially Glengarry Glen Ross. When he does direct, he seems to be so invested in every word he's written, the dialogue comes over as stilted, stuffed and mounted. So, although it's tempting for a playwright to control everything from the directors chair, the results don't often bear this out as a good idea. But I'm sure there are 1001 exceptions to this!

And the giveaway winner is... David!  David wins a poster depicting the timeline of the Globe Theater.  The print was acquired at the theater itself.  Congratulations!

Read More

Author Interview Series – Jim Burke + Giveaway!

Today I have the great pleasure of interviewing Jim Burke, a playwright from Manchester UK now living in Montreal.  I took Mr. Burke's Creative writing class at Dawson last winter and it was a real pleasure.  I am honored to host such an accomplished writer on ATUA.

 ***

When did you start writing?  Was becoming a writer a dream you had since childhood or did it come later on?

I suppose my first serious attempts at writing were lyrics for a punk band I got involved in when I was about 19. Mercifully, I don’t remember any of the songs, and the world hasn’t remembered any of them either, although a Nick Cave type of thing I later wrote, using imagery from Jonah and the Whale, eventually evolved into a play called Bestiary which ended up on BBC Radio 4. My childhood dream was to become an actor or movie director, which is why I chose to do drama at University, but I soon got tired of making-like-a-tree-in-the-wind and gravitated towards writing scripts instead of acting in them. Actually, that “tree” reference might come over as a bit unfair, given that actors obviously go through an incredibly rigorous and multi-faceted training process. But it’s also true to say that my Road to Damascus moment of thinking “You know what? Maybe I’m more suited to writing” actually came when we were being asked to make-like-a-tree-in-the-wind. I have acted on and off since then, which hopefully helped with the playwriting process.

Painter Chuck Close Once said, "Inspiration is for amateurs - the rest of us just shows up and gets to work." How do you "get to work?" Do you have any ritual or specific requirements to get the juices flowing?

Yes, that quote reminds me of another one, from William Faulkner : “I only write when I’m inspired. Fortunately I’m inspired at 9 o’clock every morning.” Would I had the discipline to be at my desk at 9am every morning. I have the habit of brainstorming all sorts of stuff on a project – thoughts, character studies, synopses, etc – in all kinds of locations, until the looming deadline impels me to just write the bloody thing. So far, it seems to have gotten results, but that way madness sometimes lies. Often, inspiration does come like the proverbial shaft of lightning, and you can spend days wandering around blissfully thinking what a wonderful idea it’s going to make for a play, or a scene, or a moment of stage action. The hard graft comes with knuckling down to make it actually work on paper. This can be a long, frustrating, blood-sweating business as you wrestle mere words into some kind of correspondence to that original bright, shining vision. Sometimes you get there, sometimes you get tantalisingly close, more often you’re left with a faint echo of it which will just have to do. But, yes, you have to show up to work again and again, just to have a shot at it.

Are you working on a new play at the moment? Do you have a play coming up on stage soon?

I’m currently writing a play called The Angel of Hearth and Home, thanks to a Canada Arts Council grant. It’s free-wheelingly based on the absurd and tragi-comic figure known as Lord Haw-Haw who was hanged for broadcasting all kinds of slimy stuff for the Nazis right to the end of the war. Largely forgotten now, he was, at the time, second only to Churchill as the most recognized voice on the radio. It’s not a biodrama as such - in his last ignominious hours propagandizing for the Nazis, Lord Haw Haw seemed to go into full-blown delusional meltdown (much like that other uber-creep at the next bunker along), which offers the opportunity to create a dramatic situation that isn’t too limited by reality or historical fact. The title comes from a surrealist painting by Max Ernst which shows a monstrous figure sweeping over the landscape, which struck me as an effective image for the then relatively new phenomenon of broadcast propaganda bouncing around the world’s airwaves.

A possibility for the stage later this year is a production of my one-man adaptation of Dostoyevsky’s Notes From Underground which was recently work-shopped at the Shaw Festival. The director of that workshop, Paul Van Dyck, is interested in directing and performing it here in Montreal.

What would be your dream project?

Speaking of Dostoyevsky, that would have to be an adaptation of his The Possessed (also known as Demons or The Devils). I’ve been working on this one on and off for years, but it’s such a huge project, I’d need a good sustained run at it over a longer period than I can currently manage. I’d also like to do a revival of my adaptation of Moby Dick, which did pretty well in the UK. It’s a highly physical piece with four performers playing over forty parts (including sharks and the sea itself). Any takers? Right now, though, I have about nine dream projects swirling around my head, and I’m taking the summer to think about which ones I lasso first.

What is the one advice you would like to share with aspiring writers?

Stop aspiring. Write.

Massotherapist and yoga instructor Christine Guenette interviewed two weeks ago would like to know "How challenging is it to be in English theater in a province where the English/French battles never die?"

As far as theatre goes, there really do seem to be Two Solitudes. When I first arrived in Montreal (in 2006), it seemed from conversations I had that one side was pretty much unaware, or interested, in what was going on with the other. Maybe that’s the way things look superficially. Increasingly, there seem to be a lot of efforts by the French and English theatres to be on much more than nodding terms, with more bilingual plays, surtitles, translations, etc. As far as being an English playwright, I’ve found it’s rather worked to my advantage compared to working in England. I’m not necessarily a big fish and Montreal certainly isn’t a little pond, but it’s true to say that you can get lost in the sheer volume of theatre (and theatres) in England, whereas here it’s much easier to make the acquaintance of people in the business and get them to seriously consider your work. In England, it sometimes felt like trying to get an audience with the Pope. I’ve been lucky to get the attention of one or two highly influential figures in Montreal’s Anglo theatre scene, which has guaranteed a serious look over my efforts which has then led to productions. (Not insignificant in this has been the help of Playwrights Workshop Montreal) Maybe a downside of the relatively modest size of Montreal’s Anglo theatre scene, though, is that space on the boards is pretty limited and you really aren’t going to get filthy rich, or even keep the wolves from the door, even if you get regular work. But that’s theatre, I suppose. Maybe if only I’d thought, while pretending to be a tree that time, “you know what, maybe I’m more suited to accountancy...”

Our next featured guest will be a young man who quit his little Ontario village to become a swing dance instructor in Montreal; what question would you like to ask him?

If you were confronted by a student who seemed to have absolutely no sense of rhythm, was horribly self-conscious, and danced like an embarrassing dad at a wedding, would you see him as a challenge to be met, or would you politely suggest that dancing might not really be for him.

Jim Burke is a playwright originally from Manchester, England. Amongst his plays are Cornered and an adaptation of Moby Dick, both of which won Best New Play in the Manchester Evening News Theatre Awards. He has had several plays produced on BBC Radio. Source

Giveaway

Since Mr. Burke doesn't have any play in theater at the moment, this giveaway will be a little bit different.  I will be visiting the UK next week and since Mr. Burke is from England and a playwright, I will offer the winner of the giveaway a little something from the Globe theater in London.  I will ship it directly from across the pond to you.  To enter the giveaway, leave a question for Mr. Burke to answer.  Whoever asks the best question wins!  You have until Tuesday July 16th 11:59 ET to enter.  Don't miss your chance!

 

 

Read More

Dreamers Interview Series – Christine Guenette – Giveaway winner and answers

Today I'm very happy to announce the giveway winner for massotherapist and yoga instructor Christine Guenette's interview.   But first, let's see the answers to your questions.  A big thank you to Christine for the time she invested in this project!

Catherine asked:

 

What is the most precious thing yoga brought you? After all, many people do yoga simply to follow trends, but yoga is much more for you, so I wonder. What did you see in yoga? Or what did yoga show you, that was so special?

 

Yoga has brought me to a wonderful community of people on a path of self work. Within the classrooms full of people following trends, looking for sexier bodies and a good workout, there is this undertone of knowing there is more to this thing called life and we all have the opportunity to discover it if we stop spinning, sit still, and pay attention. I have met people with deep meditation practices, others who have strong views on diet and sustainable agriculture, others who study and expose the commercialism of yoga and it's art form and countless others who are simply open to feeling better in body, mind and spirit and return to their mats time and again for that taste of something more.

I have made some amazing friends within this community. I have met countless warriors that I admire and look up to. Some people I have not become close to but I know I can count on their consistency and presence to help support and uplift my own experience.

For me, yoga has been an exercise in body, a gift in community and a window to a more meaningful existence.

 

Dave asked:

 

What's the next step/stage in your entrepreneurial evolution?

As The Nest is still young, the next stage is to increase our volume. I'd like to reach a place where the one room is so busy that people need to make their appointments in advance by a few days.
As a yoga teacher, I am going to be pursing some additional training. This summer I will be taking a Yoga Therapeutics training which I think will compliment my massage therapy nicely. And I may even be doing a second 200 hour teaching training next year!

 

Dominique asked:

Can you describe in words how you feel when you do yoga and/or give a massage? How does it affect you physically but mostly, spiritually? This is a world about which I know very little, so it was an enjoyable read.

I'll reply to this in two parts, as giving massages and teaching yoga are very different experiences for me.
I have often said that when I give a massage I fall in love with my client during the process. (Obviously I'm not saying this romantically or sexually). There is something about having someone remove their clothes, close their eyes and offer me their trust to now take good honest care of them that leaves me so grateful and moved. During the massage I learn intimate things about them, like where it hurts, or where it feels extra yummy. The affect on me from a massage is very individual. I am a firm believer in energy (chakras, chi, prana, whatever name you give it). Depending on where the client is at, will greatly affect how I feel physically during and after a massage. If a client is exhausted, stressed, and/or emotionally worn out, I will most often walk away feeling drained and tired. If they are energetic and happy I walk away feeling light! Of course it also depends on how the massage goes for them. If they come in stressed, but during the massage lose their anxiety, that too can leave me feeling energized.

When I teach yoga, I feel like something magical happens. My teacher often said she felt like Grace moved through her when she taught. I understand what she means now! When I get into a class, the words are not my own, the flow is divinely inspired, I get into a zone and the time FLYS by me! I have so much fun teaching! And every class is different. I may have the same basic class plan for a week but after teaching it ten times to different class sizes, different people, different times of day etc no class was ever the same. My favourite part of teaching yoga is talking with the students afterwards. I welcome the feedback and love talking about poses they found challenging. Every time I get a compliment it makes my day - I never let a compliment go unnoticed. I feel eternally grateful that I can do this for a living!!!!

 

 

And the winner of the giveaway is... Dominique!  To claim your prize, make an appointment with Christine.  You can find her contact information on her facebook page.

Read More

Dreamers Interview Series – Christine Guenette

Today I'm very happy to host Christine Guenette on ATUA for the first Dreamers Interview Series. Christine and I met in 2012 while taking swing lessons.  She's an amazing girl and I'm proud to have her as a friend.  I would like to thank her for agreeing to this interview and for her generous giveaway offer.

The details of the giveaway will follow the interview.

Tell us a bit more about what you do?

I am owner, director and Swedish Massage Therapist at The Nest, a massage space nestled within our host home HappyTree Yoga, in Westmount, Quebec. I am also a yoga teacher teaching at about 5 different yoga studios and a weekly outdoor class.

Was this a dream you had for a long time? If not, how did it come to be?

I knew since high school that I wanted to teach yoga and give massage. I discovered both through a book my mother had at home. It was a fun book that gave an intro to both things (as well as aromatherapy which I also wanted to get into until I learned that an actual career in it was pretty much nonexistent). I tried the massage techniques out on my mother while she lay on the living room floor on some blankets. I also practised all the yoga sequences on my own. 

  

I didn't know anyone who did those things for a living so I found myself pursuing a more traditional path. I went to school and found a full time office job. My first job was in a non-profit organisation where we helped people with cancer. Here there were support groups and information sessions, but also a calendar of activities for the members to participate in - including yoga! I started taking my first group yoga classes with a handful of different teachers.

Over the next 10 years my career blossomed and I found myself working at a bank, being paid some decent money and with 5 weeks of vacation. I continued to practise yoga at yoga studios and in my living room. I simply could not leave yoga behind. During those years I also went to school part time and became a certified massage therapist. I did some massaging on the side but never really pursued it further. In 2011 I began yoga teacher training and began to feel the pull ever more strongly to follow my dreams.

In November 2012 I did just that and I left the corporate world behind and finally dedicated myself to a fulltime pursuit of the work I love - teaching and massaging!

At first I ventured only to find work in those two fields at existing establishments. Meanwhile I had been giving massages part time at the Wellness Room at HappyTree Yoga. In January the owner decided she no longer wanted to manage that side of her business. So I took it over and The Nest was born!

What was the biggest obstacle you had to overcome in its pursuit?

The biggest obstacle for me was learning to see my own worth and to believe that it was possible. I had for so long believed that it was impossible to be a yoga teacher and have a comfortable lifestyle. I believed that to do what I loved I would have to be poor. That I would have to give up on certain dreams in order to have another. Thankfully, I was exposed within my yoga and massage community to people who were living it. I don't know how much money they make, but they live wonderful lives! They have quality of life not only in their personal lives, as they are able to afford to live in the city, go on the occasional vacation and even drive a decent car. But they also LOVE what they do! They seem to always be on vacation as they come to class smiling and enjoy the class as much as the students do. They are often free during the days to enjoy the nicer weather, and they meet lots of wonderful people in their classes and in the community of other yoga teachers and health care providers. I began to see that the model which my life fit into would change, but it wasn't necessarily impossible or undesirable. In fact, more was possible that I could even imagine!

What is your next goal?

I'm still working on my initial goals! It's only been 8 months since I left my old life behind. I am currently working towards having The Nest become a thriving successful business that not only is profitable for me, but for my staff. My goal for The Nest is that it provide abundance for all who enters its doors - for me, for my staff and more importantly for my clients.

I also am still pursuing a more stable situation for teaching. I currently teach regular classes at two studios and I substitute teach at 3 others. I would like to teach many more regular classes to integrate more stability and routine into my life. I may no longer work a 9-5 grind, but having done it in the past I all too well understand the importance of having some consistency.

Long term, I hope to have enough of a following in my yoga students to be able to offer workshops and retreats. I see yoga taking me around the world!

What advice would you give to would be entrepreneurs?

I believe that the world is full of people with something absolutely unique to offer the world. If you know you want to start a business, please start it doing something you love. When you follow what you love, what you love follows you. Starting a business only to be profitable may leave you lacking the passion for the work involved to make it successful. Allow your drive to come from the passion you feel for the product or service you are offering. Your passion will become contagious and you will attract staff with the same drive, and a loyal clientele.

So start first with what you love. Then look into all the details on how to get it up and running. Starting a business and building it up is hard work. There is a lot to do even for the simplest of business models. If it doesn't come from that place of love, it will always be a struggle. When you love what you do, it becomes a labour of that love. Energetically you pump positivity into your business when you love it, when you believe in it. 

Author Erin Grace interviewed last week would like to know " How, and how long, did you prepare to leave your job; did you have any support from friends and family; and how ass-clenchingly scary was it to begin despite the preparation and support?"

I spent the last couple years at my job slowly declining. My job productivity was suffering and I simply couldn't wait to leave and hit my next yoga class. I thought it was my job, so I changed jobs. Then I thought it was my boss. I often thought it was because my personal life had gone through some major changes. When I sat down and meditated upon it though, I knew deep in my heart it was actually because there was something bigger calling to me. After a few very difficult conversations with my boss, we agreed I wasn't right for the role I was in, and I was given 3 months to find something else at the bank. I didn't find anything else. I knew what I had to do. Because I wasn't dismissed for any wrong doing I was able to collect Employment Insurance so the transition was at least financially a bit easier.

Friends were hyper supportive. I think we all have some big risk we a little too scared to take so when we see a friend standing on the precipice we get excited to watch them fly! As for my family it was very difficult for my parents to understand how exactly I was going to make ends meet. They couldn't understand leaving a successful job to willing accept unemployment and maybe get some work teaching yoga classes and giving massages. They were happy with the stability I had had and felt fear for me when I gave that up. As parents I think they did their jobs really well. They were genuinely concerned about how things would turn out. They just wanted me to be ok! They also never scolded me or judged me. They know I'm not a dumb girl that I have a good reasonable head on my shoulders (when it comes to reasonable things anyway LOL) so they also trusted me to make the right decision for myself.

This has been the scariest thing I have ever done. And I'm still very frequently quite frightened. My bank account isn't as comfy as it once was and I'm amazed at how much work I have to do OUTSIDE of the actual time to give the massages and teach the classes. Sometimes I wonder if I really have it in me to make this a success. I fear losing my condo, or having to get a full or part time job to make ends meet. I fear I'll never go on vacation again or that my wardrobe is forever destined to hand me downs. At the end of the day though all this fear has me LIVING more than I ever have. I'm super aware all the time and I no longer fear that life is just passing me by. THIS is life. Working hard for my money, meeting people, feeling and spreading love. Now more than ever I feel strong enough to take what life delivers!

Our next featured guest will be Jim Burke, an English playwright who now lives in Montreal and runs his own company, Funhouse Theater. What question would you like him to answer?

How challenging is it to be in English theater in a province where the English/French battles never die?

GIVEAWAY!

For a chance to win a gift certificate for a one hour massage, leave a question for Christine in the comment section.  The best question will determine the winner (Christine gets to choose.)  You can also earn brownie points by becoming a follower of ATUA or by following me on twitter.  For the latter, make sure to let me know by tweeting #CGGIVEAWAY.  You have until Tuesday July 2nd 11:59 ET to enter.  The name of the winner, along with the answers to all the questions, will be posted on Thursday July 4th.

Read More