published in August 2024, this essay made the Top Five list of most-read First Person essays in The Globe and Mail for the year: yay! 

It's finally time to give up the cottage

a moment captured, its meaning discerned only much later...

Dyke reflecting

Sticking our neck out to promote our own work is an essential part of being a writer: Write it. Put it out there. Talk about it. 

What Grey's Anatomy Taught Me About Finding My Readers

Write, write, write. Edit, etc. Then submit. But where? Why there? I've figured it out for me, for the moment. 

Why I've Decided to be Choosy about where I Submit

This grew from a moment of truth many years ago. History is filled with women's stories, some of them blood filled.

Gushing not required

a micro flash story about when I was an au pair and the baby went 'overboard' 

Baby overboard

The theme was 'moving'. This piece emerged when the first line, which became the title, came into my mind. It was fun to, in effect, write a good portion of my life story from the prompt. 

chess moves dance moves bad moves home moves

for anyone with a green thumb...what summer can be

Beyond capacity

editors can be a writer's best friend when the relationship is collaborative 

Writer and editor as creative collaborator

when the noise of almonds being crunched is the only sound in the morning hours... 

Morning blues

A fun read about the bespoke training program I've put together for myself as writer using what I call the 'breadcrumb' method.  

How breadcrumbs are making me a better writer 

Micro piece inspired by the protagonist in my first-ever short story (unpublished). I learned a lot about writing fiction by putting 4,400 words together. This 50-word micro story did not take as long and may have been more fun. 

Of cheese and trumpets and love

Retirement is a transition and it took me both time and effort to figure out how to live it productively. My challenges might mirror yours if it's not immediately all peaches 'n cream for you. 

I’m struggling with the new-found freedom that retirement brings

Writing something is one thing.  Submitting it is another. But then they want a BIO, too! Yikes. What to say? Who am I, anyway?!?  

Author bio? Author crisis! 

 three types of readers that can help (or hinder) my writing process

Amanda Le Rougetel

Selected work