It’s been observed in reviews of my work that the imagery I use isn’t the typical sort of literary imagery, rooted in visual experience–things that can be seen. Instead, it’s based on other senses (especially smell), simple minute experiences, and cultural allusions. I was surprised to read this about myself but I have to agree with it.

Maybe I was surprised because, no matter how I wind up expressing myself in the end, I do have albums of pictures in my head that inspire my writing. I’ve kept track of some of them and I’ve been posting them every few days as a countdown to the release of my second novel this August 15. A friend called them “clues” and I suppose they do serve to create a bit of mystery. They also satisfy my little kids, who are very diplomatic about their disappointment that my books don’t come with pictures.

Whatever the pictures do, there are still fifteen days before Sistering is released and in the meantime, here’s a recap of what I’ve posted in the past 15 days–my picture book.

Back Stairs, by Heather Horton

Vintage Paper Dolls

The Dionne Quintuplets (and the Premier of Ontario)

Sunlight through an old glass doorknob

Light gravestone maintenance

Queen of the Mist

Big Ole’ Yellow Ring

The Cremation of Percy Bysshe Shelley, by Fournier

The Toast Spectrum