Lately I’ve run into a problem with my writing - I’ve been spoiled for choice on where I should be focusing. I usually like to have several writing projects on the go, so that when I’m not in the mood for one, I’m in the mood for another. However, I’ve tipped the scales from just the right amount of choice to too many choices. Having too many choices is causing me to not choose. Instead of writing, I’m doing other writerly related things (like reading, reformatting things, or just vegging).

I recall reading The Paradox of Choice by Barry Schwartz. One of the things I remember is that when presented with too many choices, a person is more likely to not choose anything. They did the research with flavours of pasta sauce. When there were lots of flavours on the shelf, people often bought none. When there were only three flavours, they would pick one.

The idea is that when we have too much choice, that paralyzed us from making a decision - any decision. Also, that when too many choices were presented, we are less happy with the decision we make - FOMO (Fear of missing out) causes us to wonder if we choose correctly.

I am finding myself paralyzed when it comes to writing. I need to make a smaller number of to do items so that I can get back into writing mode. But what do I let go of? I’m currently working on two books, two podcasts, four blogs, five websites, several essays, a YouTube channel, and a bunch of assignments for my MFA. I gave up on grant applications for the moment, as they were just another item on my list.

I don’t know the answer yet but I felt like writing this blog post was at least a step in the right direction. It lets me tick “write blog post” off my to do list for the at least the short term.

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In this episode of Definitely Not Famous, host Rebecca Hogue interviews Meaghan Hackinen, an ultra-distance cyclist and author of two memoirs, South Away and Shifting Gears. Meaghan shares how her cycling journey began with a solo ride along British Columbia’s Highway of Tears at age 24, evolved through cycle touring the Pacific Coast with her sister, and eventually led her into the male-dominated world of ultra-distance bike racing — including winning the 2024 Tour Divide. She reflects on what it means to be a woman in adventure sports, the importance of female representation in storytelling, and how vulnerability on the road often invites unexpected generosity from strangers. Meaghan also discusses her writing journey, from typing blog posts in public libraries to completing an MFA and publishing two books, emphasizing the role of community support — including her “Beta Babes” readers — in building her confidence as a writer. Her advice to aspiring writers: write, share your story, and find your people.

Support both Meaghan and Definitely Not Famous by purchasing her books using the affiliate links below.

South Away - Amazon link
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Support my Podcasts using Patreon. Your $3 per month helps the podcast stay live, supports me as an Artist, and helps me access other funding.
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One of the ideas I used to teach my students was to reframe networking. Instead of thinking about it as asking for something, I encouraged them to view it as an ongoing practice of generosity. I have them read this article: Shenoy (2019)Why generosity is the key to effective networking

And they I ask them: “What can you offer that is generous?”

That question has shaped my own approach to networking as well.

In my case, generosity shows up through my podcast, where I interview memoir writers about their work, their lives, and their writing craft.

I love this work—the conversations, the stories, the creativity—but it is also an act of generosity. The podcast gives authors more visibility and introduces their books to potential new readers. Ideally, some listeners will buy those books, which helps support the authors I interview.

But it also helps me. When it comes time to publish my own memoir—likely in a year or two—I’ll have connections with writers who may be willing to support my book as well.

When an author recommends a book to their audience, that can boost the other writer’s visibility. That too is a form of generosity.

Still, at the heart of it, I podcast because I enjoy it. I don’t mind analyzing interview audio, writing scripts, recording, or mixing episodes. With the right tools, I even enjoy audio editing.

Lately, I’ve been reflecting on where I go from here. I miss teaching, and I’m trying to identify which aspects of the work I do are worth continuing or expanding, that is - where can I be generous in a meaningful and useful way.

I’ve done typesetting and editing work—especially advanced Microsoft Word formatting—and I enjoy that kind of problem‑solving. Years ago when I was teaching Advanced Microsoft Word for Technical Writers, I created a YouTube tutorial on complex page layout in Word 2010. It’s nearly ten years old now, but still relevant. The process hasn’t changed, but because the video is labeled “Word 2010,” it doesn’t get the views it once did.

Redoing the tutorial in the current version of Word could genuinely help people working on complex layouts. That is something that I will add to my to do list.

The challenge I’m having is that I don’t yet have a clear sense of what writers need most. As a writer myself, I wonder what “writerly” skills or resources I could offer that would actually be valuable.

The instructional designer in me immediately says - time for a needs analysis. so, I created a quick survey. I ask the writers who are reading this, can you take a few minutes (5-7 minute) to complete this Writer Needs Assessment Questionnaire. Because it is in my nature to share, I’ll share the results of the questionnaire when I get enough responses for it to be meaningful.

Writer Needs Assessment Questionnaire

For a weekend in February, we escape with friends to Mersey River Chalets near Kejimkujik National Park, just over an hours drive. Being inland and at a higher elevation (approximately 350-400 feet), there is typically more snow and slightly colder temperatures.

We arrive on Friday afternoon and go directly to Keji, continuing past the Visitor Centre to the barricade that signals where the classic groomed ski trail begins. It is a warm day, at 5 degrees Celsius. It doesn’t take long before are hats are in our pockets instead of on our heads. The sun is shining and the snow is fast. A great ski to start our weekend getaway.

Saturday morning the temperature has dropped more than we expected - down to -10 and windy making it feel more like -17. In short, it is cold outside. Instead of going out for a ski first thing, we bundle up and go out for a snowshoe, leaving directly from our chalet. We follow along the boardwalk trail, covered in snow, following the river. When the sun shines, it creates a scene from a postcard.

In the afternoon our friends venture to Keji for a snowshoe. With the wind, it is too cold for skiing - or at least for those of us who are fair-weather skiers! Fortunately, there are many snowshoeing trails, including the Ukme’k Trail across the River from Mill Falls, where otter tracks could be seen along the river.

As a bonus, there are free level 2 EV charging stations at the Visitors Centre. This is a bonus, as it allows for topping up the car while out on a snowshoe.

Sunday morning the weather is a little nicer. We pack up at the chalet and head over to Keji for one more ski. The conditions are mostly good, except where the powdered snow blew over the trail yesterday, and then warmed up in the sun. The tracks go from fast to instantly slow, as snow starts to stick to the bottom of my skis. My friend is smart enough to have wax with her, that will help with these fluctuating temperatures. I, on the other hand, end up taking my skis off during the sticky part and walking a few hundred metres before putting them back on. Either way, the sun is shining and it is a beautiful day to be outdoors enjoying winter.

One of my neighbours reminded me of this idea, when she suggested that I needed to let go of what I thought (my vision of the future) our community would be, so that I could celebrate and be happy with what our community is. I had to let go of that fantasy future I was holding on to.

I was part of the evolving community that built Treehouse Village Ecohousing. We joined in 2019, started construction in 2021, and moved in during the summer of 2023.

Cohousing is a form of community where every household has their own private space, in addition to access to shared spaces and amenities. In our case, we are owners of our own condo, with a full kitchen, three bedrooms, and two bathrooms. We are also co-owners of a shared common house, a workshop, basements spaces that include a gym and ample bike storage, and a forest with walking trails. We don’t have a condo management company, rather, members of the community do everything to maintain the common spaces.

As you would expect, getting 30-households to agree on things isn’t easy, and people aren’t going to always agree on everything.

I had created this fantasy about how we would operate as a community, and that is not the reality. This was making me unhappy. I felt that the community could be better, which isn’t a bad thing, just that I let it make me feel bad. I felt bad because I wanted more. I wanted the fantasy.

Letting go of the fantasy has helped me see all that makes me happy about living here. I never in my wildest dreams thought that I’d love driving a tractor to clear snow.

I love that:

• I have neighbours that I can call on when I’m feeling lonely or in need of someone to talk to.

• My puppy dog has people in the community that she loves and is comfortable staying with when we need to be away.

• I have neighbours that encourage me to get out for swim or a hike when I know I should, but likely would not if it was just up to me.

• There is always someone that has a lemon or a lime when I realize I need one and I’m already in the middle of making dinner.

I’m glad that these parts of my fantasy future aren’t a fantasy, they are a reality.

That is in part why I love living at Treehouse Village Ecohousing.

PS: I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that we have units for sale or rent! Check out our website.

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• (00:44) - Chapter 01

• (02:57) - Chapter 02

• (05:52) - Chapter 04

• (06:54) - Chapter 05

• (07:50) - Chapter 06

• (09:29) - Chapter 07

• (12:27) - Chapter 08

• (14:26) - Chapter 09

• (16:42) - Chapter 10

• (18:06) - Chapter 11

• (20:47) - Chapter 12

• (22:47) - Chapter 13

• (25:38) - Chapter 14

• (28:54) - Chapter 15

Because I’m a glutton for punishment

Because I lost my job

Because I was going to do an eBook

Because an eBook was causing me stress

Because I want to be famous, no not really!

Because it helps me

Because it might help others

Because I want to

I’m launching a new podcast. This is a fully narrative podcast where I tell my story of breast cancer survivorship. The stories interweave chapters from my book with reflections on my second time around, and where I am the day I’m writing the script!

The new podcast is called Never Knew I Wanted to be a Breast Cancer Survivor: A BC Becky podcast.

You can follow wherever you get your podcasts.

My Ask

Would you be interested in being a beta listener? A beta listener is someone who listens to an episode before it goes love on podcast. I’m looking for someone who can listen and let me know if anything needs fixing before it goes live. Each episode is about 8-12 minutes. If this interests you, please fill in this form to reach me.

Become a Beta Listener

My second ask it to help support the podcast financially. I’m not asking for big donations. I’m looking for $3 per month via the Patreon app. This app allows you to support me as an Artist. Your support is amplified as it gives me a greater opportunity to access grants. Your $3 per month makes a difference!

Be a Patron of My Art

“Never Knew I Wanted to Be a Breast Cancer Survivor”,  is a candid, story‑driven podcast where I share my experience of navigating a life‑changing diagnosis while searching for who I was, who I was becoming, and who am I today. 

Three weeks after moving to California in 2014—and with no family history or warning signs—I found myself thrown into the American healthcare system as a Canadian, a PhD student with a project going no where, as I wrestled with my identity. This show is where I unpack those moments: the fear, the absurdity, the learning curves, and the unexpected clarity that comes from being pushed far beyond what you think you can handle.

In 2023 I was diagnosed with regional recurrence of breast cancer, this time while living in a small town in Nova Scotia Canada. My experiences could not be more different from my initial diagnosis, and yet, I felt like I was in the right place at the right time. 

As I tell my story, I share how I actively developed my own health literacy—and invite listeners to grow theirs. Each episode explores not just what happened, but what I learned about the medical system, patient advocacy, and making sense of the waterfall of information I was receiving. Whether you’re a patient, a caregiver, or simply someone who loves real life stories, this podcast offers insight, honesty, and sometimes humour in the absurdity that is breast cancer treatment and its aftermath. 

★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

Between Christmas and New Year’s, I received an unexpected email from the Department Chair of the college where I taught. At first, I honestly thought it was spam. The message simply said, “I need to talk with you about something concerning the instructional design program. Can you call me today, tomorrow, or Monday?”

It included her phone number, but because I’ve been targeted before with scam “please call me” messages—and because I had never actually spoken to her on the phone—I wasn’t sure it was legitimate. Our interactions had always been limited to occasional emails. Reaching out to the Department Chair was something I just didn’t need to do.

Instead of calling, I sent her a new email to confirm whether she really did want to speak.

She did.

When we finally connected, I learned that the university is no longer allowed to employ faculty who reside in Canada. As a result, my employment was terminated—after ten years of teaching there. I had moved back to Canada during COVID and continued teaching without issue, even receiving a promotion that guaranteed me work every semester.

I wasn’t the only one affected: a colleague was also let go. Because he didn’t have a continuing appointment, they were able to simply not renew his contract.

All of this happened just three weeks before classes were set to begin.

At first, I handled it well. I am sad not to be teaching—but the unexpected space in my life has given me more time for creative work: more writing, more energy for my podcast, and even space to develop a new podcast I hope to launch soon.

What I miss most, though, is knowing that I made a meaningful difference in people’s lives. That sense of contributing to someone’s growth is what I feel the loss of most deeply.

And that brings me to the idea of supporting artists—supporting me. I’ve recently learned that literary artists (like writers) and digital artists (including podcasters) can access grants and professional communities if they are recognized as professional artists. One of the criteria is being paid for your creative work.

Which leads me to Patreon.

I’ve created a Patreon page as a simple way for people who appreciate my work to offer a small financial contribution. I’m not looking for large amounts of money. Even a small one-time contribution tells me that the work I’m doing matters to someone—that it has an impact, that it resonates, that it makes a difference.

So my ask is this:

If my work has value for you, I would truly appreciate a small contribution on Patreon. And more broadly, I encourage you to support other artists whose work enriches your life. Whether it’s Patreon or another platform, even a small contribution can make difference in an artist’s life.

Support Me on Patreon

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In this episode, Rebecca J. Hogue sits down with RC Shaw (Ryan Shaw), author of Louisbourg or Bust and Captain Solitude, to explore the adventurous and reflective world of memoir writing. Ryan shares how honesty and vulnerability shape his stories of bikepacking and surfing along Nova Scotia’s rugged coastline, and how he balances openness with his role as a school librarian. The conversation dives into themes of solitude, free camping, and unexpected encounters—including psychic mediums and the ghost of legendary sailor Joshua Slocum.

Captain Solitude (Amazon Affiliate Link)

Louisbourg or Bust (Amazon Affiliate)

Ryan also reveals his unique writing process, from drafting longhand to collaborating with editors, and discusses the challenges of crafting authentic dialogue. The episode offers insights into the publishing journey, the evolution of book titles, and the stories left on the cutting room floor. Looking ahead, Ryan teases his next epic adventure: a walking trek across Newfoundland with his dog, a surfboard, and a copy of King Lear, blending travel, history, and literature. He even hints at a future leap into fiction. This conversation is a deep dive into creativity, risk-taking, and the art of living—and writing—more extra than ordinary.

In this episode, Rebecca J. Hogue sits down with RC Shaw (Ryan Shaw), author of Louisbourg or Bust and Captain Solitude, to explore the adventurous and reflective world of memoir writing. Ryan shares how honesty and vulnerability shape his stories of bikepacking and surfing along Nova Scotia’s rugged coastline, and how he balances openness with his role as a school librarian. The conversation dives into themes of solitude, free camping, and unexpected encounters—including psychic mediums and the ghost of legendary sailor Joshua Slocum.

Ryan also reveals his unique writing process, from drafting longhand to collaborating with editors, and discusses the challenges of crafting authentic dialogue. The episode offers insights into the publishing journey, the evolution of book titles, and the stories left on the cutting room floor. Looking ahead, Ryan teases his next epic adventure: a walking trek across Newfoundland with his dog, a surfboard, and a copy of King Lear, blending travel, history, and literature. He even hints at a future leap into fiction. This conversation is a deep dive into creativity, risk-taking, and the art of living—and writing—more extra than ordinary.

• (00:05) - Introduction to R.C. Shaw

• (02:19) - The Art of Free Camping

• (02:53) - Seeking Solitude on the Journey

• (04:56) - Meeting Psychic Mediums

• (07:43) - Writing Craft: Handwritten Drafts

• (10:12) - The Challenge of Dialogue

• (12:40) - Title Transformation

• (16:55) - Behind the Scenes of Editing

• (19:02) - The Journey of Lewisburg or Bust

• (20:54) - Timelines in Traditional Publishing

• (22:34) - Planning an Epic Hike

• (26:56) - Embracing Isolation

• (27:42) - Transitioning to Fiction

The Memoir Engineering System: Make Your First Draft Your Final Draft by Wendy Dale.

Do I believe that my first draft will be my final draft? Absolutely not; however, I did find a lot of useful advice in this book. I’ve read a lot of books about writing craft. This is one of the few that has stuck with me.

Buy the Book (Amazon Affiliate Link)

The most useful tidbit for me was the idea that a scene is when something happens. A transition is what up put together to connect scenes. You build the story by writing scene-transition-scene-transition. That may seem obvious to some, but I had not thought of it that way.

Her process helped me figure out how to structure a chapter. It helped me figure out what to keep and what to let go of. And it helped me figure out where to spend my writing energy. For that I’m grateful.

I didn’t particularly care for the beginning of the book where she was justifying her process. I didn’t feel like I needed it. I wanted to get to the point, and that is the steps needed to create a good outline.

This book isn’t for pantsers - that is, those that write by the seat of their pants. Rather it is for planners, which I definitely am. Perhaps it is the computer scientist in me that is drawn to the book. If you are the type of person who wants to plan out their book length project, you might find this book helpful. It has certainly helped me.

I started a new podcast.

In this podcast, I interview memoirists about their books and their writing process. Really, what we talk about is still taking shape. It is a little different with each person I talk to.

My goal with the podcast is to help elevate memoirists who are not famous - those of us who are everyday people who have stories to tell that are more extra than ordinary.

The podcast is called Definitely Not Famous: More Extra than Ordinary. If you like it please subscribe and write a review.

Kobo

Bookshop.org

In this episode of Definitely Not Famous, host Rebecca Hogue interviews Janet Lee, co‑author of Always Ask for Help, a memoir about Arnie Stewart, an adult who lived most of his life unable to read or write. The conversation traces Arnie’s extraordinary journey from a childhood marked by poverty, hunger, and shame in Cobalt, Ontario, to adulthood where he survived through ingenuity, bluffing, and resilience.

Janet first encountered Arnie when he spoke to her high‑school literacy students. His honesty and vulnerability captivated the room — and inspired one student living in a car to finally ask for help. That moment led Janet to promise Arnie she would help him tell his story.

Together, they spoke to 72 audiences, teaching students the power of vulnerability and the importance of literacy. Janet developed a structured “before, during, and after” approach for schools, helping students engage deeply with Arnie’s message. She also created the Arnie Card, a tool that allows people to silently signal when they need help — now used not only in schools but in local businesses.

Janet describes the emotional and technical challenges of writing the book with Arnie, capturing his voice, and editing hours of imperfect audio. She also shares her own struggle with asking for help, including a painful experience with a writers’ group that nearly derailed the project.

Now, more than 22 years after she first met Arnie, Janet is expanding the project into a documentary film, using animations based on drawings created by students who heard Arnie speak. She sees this as the medium that will finally reach the people Arnie most wanted to help — those with low literacy.

The episode closes with Janet’s advice for memoir writers: choose a topic you’re passionate about, allow others to help you, and keep going even when the journey feels impossible. 

• (00:06) - Introduction to Arnie's Story

• (00:38) - Meeting Arnie Stewart

• (06:26) - Janet's Turn to Support Arnie

• (09:00) - Innovations in Arnie's Presentations

• (10:51) - The Power of the Arnie Card

• (13:48) - Writing the Book Together

• (17:52) - Janet's Journey as a Writer

• (21:15) - Expanding Arnie's Story to Film

• (26:42) - Editing for Film Adaptation

• (27:34) - Advice for Aspiring Memoir Writers

• (29:44) - Supporting the Project and Closing Remarks

If you want to recommend an author for me to interview, or you are an author and want me to interview you, there are forms available on the Definitely Not Famous website.

Thank you – I hope you enjoy the show!

I recall my English classes, being taught not to mix my tenses. And yet, as a creative writer, that is exactly what I’m learning to do. I’m learning to be intentional about my use of tense, but also using tense as a way to shift time.

In the Going East book, I use the present tense to talk about events that happened in my past. If I were to describe it in a journal, I would use the past tense, because they are events that have already happened. But in the story, the present tense represents where the reader is.

I struggled with how to introduce reflection into the story, since I was telling it in present tense. Would I need to use a future tense? I found that rather awkward, and then it dawned on me that I didn’t need the two tenses to align on the same timeline. So, I don’t need to use the future tense to share reflections. I actually find that using the past tense to share reflections feels more natural.

So within the context of the story, the present tense represents something that happened in the past, and the past tense represents something that happens in the future.

Previously, I never would have thought to use tense in this way.

Here is an example:

It’s July 7th, my father’s birthday. We finally manage to get the last bits of the house packed up. We have been trying to depart for a week now, but there’s always one more thing that just needed doing before we could leave. The day is coming to an end and we are still at home, inertia holding us back. We are both itching to leave, so we call a friend who lives on the other side of town along the cycle path. This means that even though it is getting dark, we can leave and mostly ride on cycle paths.

Six years later, I’ll reflect back on how July 7th is a day of transition in my life. It was the day we left on our round-the-world adventure, and then it became the day I started chemotherapy. When we decided to go on this adventure, a part of me knew that I needed to do it while I was still young and healthy. I watched as my parents age prematurely, my dad’s illness making him retire early. My mom had her first hip replaced in her 40s. I was healthy, but I only saw a downward spiral as I aged. Looking back, I’m very glad we did this trip when we did.

As we prepare to get on our bikes, our neighbours come out to wish us well on our journey. Riding down our street, we hear a short horn burst. Normally, we don’t like it when cars honk at us, as it can be jarring and cause a loss of balance, but this is different. This is a farewell greeting and it fills our hearts.

The sun sets before we get to downtown Ottawa. Once we pass the downtown core, there is a short segment where we need to ride on the road. The back of our bikes are now adorned with the orange triangles that indicates “slow moving vehicle,” thanks to my in-laws. These signs turn out to be very effective at slowing down traffic. Cars pass us with plenty of space, which is not what we have come to expect from Ottawa drivers. It is nice to feel safe driving on the road, even when we are driving after dark.

Three hours after departure we pull into our friend’s driveway. They greet us, we jump in their pool for a quick cooldown, and promptly find our pillows. Sleep comes easily.

What do you think? Does the Past-Future work with the Present-Past?

Scott sits on a well-worn tapestry-covered couch with a steaming glass of bitter black chai–a black tea served in a small handleless glass that is common in Turkey and Syria. He is engaged in conversation with Katja and Mirco, self-described nomadic cyclists from Slovenia, who are sitting on the floor leaning against overstuffed pillows with brightly coloured woven covers. Wendy and Peter, the American cyclists that rode with us from Antakya Turkey to Aleppo Syria, are sitting on plastic patio chairs playing backgammon. Even though we are inside, the air is cold and dust-filled, a reminder of the winter-is-coming winds and red dust that covered the landscape yesterday.

Our hotel host, a tall Jordanian in his mid-20s, walks into the room. We had seen pictures of him from the year before, taken by blogger acquaintances of ours. In the photos, he proudly sported long black hair that made him look almost Italian. Except now his hair is cut short.

I ask him “what happened to your hair”?

“Let me tell you a story,” he begins. He goes on to tell us how shortly after our acquaintances wrote about him on their blog, he was visited by the police. They took him into custody and questioned him for sharing inappropriate information with tourists. Beaten. Four days later they let him go, but not before cutting his hair, explaining to him that good hotel hosts don’t have long hair.

How important is the truth in the details of memoir, when a story itself is true? Over the years, I’ve told this story many times. Initially, I would tell it only verbally, not committing it to writing. The story has an important lesson—when you blog about other people you need to be aware of unintended consequences. You cannot assume that the freedoms you have in your home country apply to the people that you meet on your journey. In telling the story, my worry was always in protecting the hotel host. When I began to write the story down, I would leave out details. I would not talk about which country I was in when it happened. At least once, I changed identifying characteristics like the city and the name of the host. I would be vague, but the story had less impact.

Today, I can tell the story with more detail because of the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. I still do not mention the name of the hotel host. I do share that it was in Aleppo Syria. The area of Aleppo we were in was ravaged by the civil war. With internet searching, I was able to confirm that the hotel in question closed in 2012. I feel that enough time and events have passed that it is unlikely that telling this story today would cause harm to the hotel host. Still, I do not name him or the hotel. There is no need, so I intentionally leave those details out. This is not a lie of omission; rather, it is leaving out identifying details with intent.

Now, let’s look at the other parts of the story.

I used a photograph to recreate the scene. I changed who was sitting where so that I could better describe the backstory of people. It allowed me to share that information without adding unnecessary complexity or additional words.

I have read many an author’s note in memoir where the author indicates that things had been changed to improve the story (e.g., Educated by Tara Westover[1], Wild by Cheryl Strayed[2]). The changes, such as moving timelines and composite characters go against what Moore[3] summarizes as Clark’s rules about truth in memoir. Further, in various books on writing memoir, authors like Hart[4], Karr[5], Kephart[6], and Miller and Paola[7], all speak to the importance of honesty in memoir.

When lies get caught, it harms not only the author but the entire memoir genre. To be fair to all the other authors of authentic memoir, it behooves me to write an honest memoir.

How can I fix the scene to ensure it is more truthful?

I checked the recollections with Katja. She highlighted that she has no recollection of the story, but also that they arrived later, so that it might have occurred before they arrived.

She is correct. This happened on the first or second night we were there. They arrived several days later. The photograph was taken after this occurred.

I remember clearly that we were standing in a circle around the outer edges of the room talking, introducing ourselves. It was the first or second evening. It was then that I asked about the hair—it was an identifying characteristic that our blogger acquaintances had mentioned. It was then that he told the story.

The words “let me tell you a story” are ingrained in my memory. Was that exactly what he said? I cannot be certain, but it is what I remember him saying. One of Clark’s rules about truth in memoir[8] is that dialogue cannot be invented. This is a journalistic stance on memoir, and is something I grapple with, as I’m not a journalist and I’m not writing journalistic nonfiction. The standard I am striving for is what works best for my readers. Is the dialogue likely to have happened? Am I representing the speakers honestly? I agree with what Glenn[9] says “as long as I’m true to the significance of the event or the exchange, as long as the writing expresses the core of what went on without distorting it, I am comfortable recreating dialogue.” (p. 91)

I use dialogue sparingly, and when I do it is either from my notes or my memories. When I recreate conversations between me and my husband, I have him review it to ensure it feels and sounds like something he might have said at the time. I feel this adds important context to the story and is as close to truth as it can be. It is not a lie in that a conversation did happen.

One of the writing tips mentioned by Miller and Paola[10] is to cue the reader with phrases like “Perhaps” or “I imagine”; however, that doesn’t work when I tell the story in present tense. I currently feel that jumping in as narrator with something outside of the story itself would break the narrative flow. That might change in later drafts.

Another tip mentioned by Moore[11] is to use different syntax to indicate created conversations. For me, dialogue that represents what is likely to have been said is good enough for direct quotes. I am writing for the reader, and I feel other syntactical choices would distract from the story unnecessarily.

I will write an author’s note that explains my choices. Truth is a contract between the author and the reader. Outright lying or fabricating facts breaks the contract. In my case, using the occasional bits of dialogue that are true to the characters and are representative of the conversations that did happen are not problematic.

Now, I need to rewrite the scene to be more truthful. I need to have us standing around the room. I need to remove Katja and Mirko from the scene now that I have confirmed that they were not present at the time.

Draft 2:

In the evening several of the guests of the hotel gather in the second-floor lounge, in a circle, standing or sitting on the floor leaning against overstuffed pillows with brightly coloured woven covers. We take turns introducing ourselves. In addition to touring cyclists, there are also a few backpackers who arrived earlier in the day. Even though we are inside, the air is cold and dust-filled, a reminder of the winter-is-coming winds and red dust that covered the landscape yesterday.

Our hotel host, a tall Jordanian in his mid-20s, walks into the room. We had seen pictures of him from the year before, taken by blogger acquaintances of ours. In the photos, he proudly sported long black hair that made him look almost Italian. Except now his hair is cut short.

I ask him “what happened to your hair”?

“Let me tell you a story,” he begins. He goes on to tell us how shortly after our acquaintances wrote about him on their blog, he was visited by the police. They took him into custody and questioned him for sharing inappropriate information with tourists. Beaten. Four days later they let him go, but not before cutting his hair, explaining to him that good hotel hosts don’t have long hair.

[1] Tara Westover, Educated (Harper Collins Publishers, 2018).

[2] Cheryl Strayed, “Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail,” (2013).

[3] Dinty W. Moore, “How Truthful Are Memoirs?” Brevity Blog (2022).

[4] Jack Hart, Storycraft, Second Edition: The Complete Guide to Writing Narrative Nonfiction (University of Chicago Press, 2021).

[5] Mary Karr, “The Art of Memoir,” (2016).

[6] Beth Kephart, “Handling the Truth: On the Writing of Memoir,” (2013).

[7] Brendan Miller, and Suzanne Paola, “Tell it Slant: Refining, and Publishing Creative Nonfiction,” (2019).

[8] Moore, “How Truthful Are Memoirs?”

[9] Lorri Neilsen Glenn, and Kim Pittaway, “When Memories Meet Words: A Conversation About Writing Memoir,” Fiddlehead Summer 2025, no. 304 (2025).

[10] Miller, and Paola, “Tell it Slant: Refining, and Publishing Creative Nonfiction.”

[11] Moore, “How Truthful Are Memoirs?”

If you download it, I would greatly appreciate it if you’d leave a review.

There were a lot of self-published local authors at the fair. Most of the books in trade paperback form were selling for $20 or $25. The price point highlights that I’m undervaluing the print edition of my current book.

This is the first time I’ve done a reading on the Going East Canada book.

Here is what I read, I’d love to hear what you think of it. Please leave a comment.

Excerpt from: Going East Across Canada: An Epic Cycling Journey by Rebecca J. Hogue

Target publication for this book is Summer 2027.

This story takes place on the ancestral and treaty territories of the Anishinaabe peoples, specifically, it is within Treaty 3 territory. It is home to the Agency One First Nations—Couchiching, Mitaanjigamiing, Naicatchewenin, and Nigigoonsiminikaaning.

Treaty 3 concluded in 1873 between the Anishinaabe Nation and the Crown. Treaty 3 remains a living framework shaping jurisdictions and cooperation between nations.

The Axe Murderers

It’s 4 pm on a Friday as we leave Fort Frances Ontario — a four-hour drive or four-day bike ride — west of Thunder Bay on highway 11.

After two hours of riding, I know we aren’t going to make it to the campground before dark and I’m hungry. Given we are still in bear territory, we don’t want to be making dinner at the same place we are camping. Plus, if we stop for dinner by a lakeside or creek, we won’t need access to water when we camp.

After a small bridge over a creek, we pull off and park our bikes on the shoulder of the road. I pull the kitchen bag off my bike and bring it down to a landing a few feet below the road. On a rock shelf that is the perfect height, I setup our camp stove and start preparing food. Scott pulls out the water pump and heads down to the creek to purify water.

As I’m cooking, a car pulls up beside our bikes. I’m nervous as Scott isn’t aware of the vehicle. A man opens his window and calls out to me “are you planning on camping there tonight?”. Part of me is thinking, uh no, our tent wouldn’t fit, while another part of me is concerned, is this someone that doesn’t like cyclists? I politely explain that we are not sure yet where we will camp, but that we will likely try to find a place ten or so kilometres up the road.

The man asks us about our bikes and our trip, which normally I would enjoy; however, our dinner is starting to burn. I need to shift my attention away from the car and towards dinner preparations. Scott is still down at the creek, blissfully unaware of the conversation.

Seeing that I am distracted, the man bids me farewell and the car drives off.

Just as we are sitting down to eat dinner, the car re-appears. The window opens; it is a woman this time. She tells us “we have a cottage with a spare room, just up the road a few kilometres. You are welcome to join us this evening”.

I don’t even have to look at Scott before accepting the offer. This is exactly the type of serendipitous invitation that we cherish.

To find out why this is called the Axe Murderers - you’ll need to buy the book.

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When you are certain, your emotions run high.

When you are certain, you can easily be triggered.

When you are certain, you can be wrong.

I was certain.

I was triggered by a statement from my oncologist’s office. The nurse called me on Friday to remind me of a telephone appointment on the Tuesday. I replied with, yes, I know, I will get my CT results. She then said, “Yes, I see that. Have a good weekend”.

I was certain.

I read into her “have a good weekend” a tone that concerned me. I was sure she was telling me to have a good weekend because after the weekend my whole world was going to change.

I was certain.

I was triggered by a visioning activity, when I was asked envision what the community would be doing in five years time. What went through my mind was that they would be helping my husband grieve. I visualized him and my puppy helping each other — helping them learn to live without me — and how my puppy would not understand what was happening. It still brings tears to my eyes.

I was certain.

The phone rang. My oncologist gave me the news. The scans were clear. But what about the symptoms? We can do a couple more tests, but the scans are clear. There is no sign of the cancer having returned.

I was certain, but I was wrong. Now what?

I remember the last time I felt so certain the cancer had returned. It was back in 2019. I remember going on vacation and then doing a PET/CT upon returning home. I remember waiting for the phone call, and being completely shocked that it came back clear.

It is not a wave that suddenly releases. It takes time to unwind the tension and decompress from the stress. It takes time to figure out what now?

I was so certain.

Back then, I wrote “I remind myself, the scans are clear. It is not cancer. Hopefully, soon I will believe it.”

Hopefully, soon I will believe it.