<![CDATA[Bill Stenson . . . means well

<![CDATA[Bill Stenson . . . means well - Blog]]>Sun, 17 Aug 2025 17:24:29 -0700Weebly<![CDATA[November 29th, 2024]]>Fri, 29 Nov 2024 22:29:31 GMThttps://www.billstenson.com/blog/november-29th-2024

Author: Bill Stenson
Editor: Carolin Petersen
Designer and bookbinder: Carolin Petersen
Cover artist: Carla Stein
Typeface: High Tower Text & Pitchfork
To Be Published: December 1, 2024
ISBN 978-1-0690700-0-5
Dimensions: 5″ x 8″
19 pages
1 heart-warming story in memory of a kind man
Printed in an edition of 100
Price: $10.00 CDN + min. $2.00 shipping
Availability: IN STOCK
This uplifting short story by author Bill Stenson was the chosen submission from Tigerpetal Press’s 2024 February submission period. This story, a flashback from a larger novel to explain the backstory of one of Stenson’s characters, showed such resilience in the face of terror that I immeidately connected with it.

]]><![CDATA[March 21st, 2024]]>Fri, 22 Mar 2024 00:34:14 GMThttps://www.billstenson.com/blog/march-21st-2024

After being away on holidays for six weeks I came back to B.C. to find that the provincial government has made an apology and some compensation to the Doukhobor members of our community. Kudos to the current government for doing so, as many previous regimes balked at the notion This is more than twenty years in the making and too late for many who suffered.

]]><![CDATA[A Nourishing Halloween]]>Thu, 02 Nov 2023 00:16:13 GMThttps://www.billstenson.com/blog/a-nourishing-halloween

Yum!

For the second year in a row we gave out more than 100 treats on Halloween, but also more than 100 books. Some kids actually took a book and didn't bother with the treats. My wife, Susan's version of a nourishing Halloween.

]]><![CDATA[Where It All Begins]]>Tue, 26 Apr 2022 08:04:43 GMThttps://www.billstenson.com/blog/where-it-all-begins

Now this is a peaceful scene! I've noticed a strong correlation between readers and critical thinkers. Grandson Lennox is off to a good start. It will be a few years before he knows to thank his mom, so I will. Thanks, Mom.

]]><![CDATA[Gabriola Presentation]]>Fri, 11 Mar 2022 19:23:21 GMThttps://www.billstenson.com/blog/gabriola-presentationBill Stenson will present a workshop on Building Character in fiction on April 8th on Gabriola Island's festival: Isle of the Arts. Bill Gaston will be presenting a workshop there too! Should be fun.

https://artsfest.artsgabriola.ca/workshops/artsfest.artsgabriola.ca/workshops/

]]><![CDATA[A Guest On Gail's Site]]>Mon, 27 Sep 2021 17:57:52 GMThttps://www.billstenson.com/blog/a-guest-on-gails-site

Recently, Gail Anderson Dargatz suggested I write a short article on story structure for her site. I felt honoured.

Gail has thrilled readers and been an inspiration to so many writers in Canada and beyond that her accomplishments are rarely a secret these days. If, by chance, you haven't been "Dargatzed" then you are lucky in that you have a pleasant and enchanting journey ahead of you. Until you have read A Cure For Death By Lightning and experienced Filthy Billy, you haven't lived. Live a little.

VISIT GAIL'S SITE HERE: www.gailanderson-dargatz.ca/cms/index.php/resources-for-writers/on-developing-conflict-and-structure

]]><![CDATA[Wishful Thinking]]>Sat, 11 Sep 2021 21:38:02 GMThttps://www.billstenson.com/blog/wishful-thinkingThe following is wishful thinking. Only wishful thinking!

Character Study: Half Brothers September 8, 2021

The Literary Press Group teamed up with author Bill Stenson to dream up a film adaptation of his new novella Half Brothers (Mother Tongue Publishing)—contained in his new book of stories—about the lives of two brothers left unchanneled by parental review. Read on for more about the book and our casting choices, including none other than the brilliant Frances McDormand.

See more details below Tagged: half brothers, character study, mother tongue publishing, bill stenson

Our Character Study column takes the CanLit books you love and re-imagines them as Hollywood movies
DIRECTED by Lasse Hallstrom of Chocolat and What's Eating Gilbert Grape?

CAST
ENNIS FERGUSON is played by COLM MEANEY (The Commitments, There's Always Hope) Colm fits the Irish heritage, the potential for meanness and solipsistic behaviour. No one is better suited.

DORA FERGUSON is played by FRANCES MCDORMAND (Nomadland, Three Billboards) Frances McDormand can play vulnerable, but knows when to call the shots.

DERMOT FERGUSON is played by DANIEL RADCLIFFE (Harry Potter, Beast of Burden) Daniel does well with playing Dermot, a young man who has been raised to think of himself first. Tough with a transparent shell.

WILL SPOONER is played by FREDDIE HIGHMORE (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Good Doctor). Freddie brings his maturing innocence to the screen. Will's character is mostly that of a vulnerable young half brother who through his own devices matures into a self-sufficient, mostly objective soul.

TONY HEDGEWATER is played by CHRISTOPHER GUEST (Best in Show) No actor can rattle on in his own world with little consideration for those around him like Christopher Guest. He makes you stand back and watch.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Half Brothers is a masterly and unsentimental novella about the lives of two brothers left unchanneled by parental review. One brother is tough and likes to fight, the other does not. One is the father’s favourite and the other hides when he can. But in an extraordinary reversal of roles, and as the years pass, readers ultimately learn which one has the true grit.

]]><![CDATA[Half Brothers Arrives]]>Tue, 10 Aug 2021 15:58:34 GMThttps://www.billstenson.com/blog/half-brothers-arrives

The novella and short story collection, Half Brothers, has arrived. Initially this book was to be published in April, then put off until October but has surfaced and now making its way to bookstores. The best bookstores, anyway. Local bookstores, along with libraries, are the pipeline for Canadian literature and deserve our support whenever possible.

A deserving alternative is Mother Tongue's website, where books can be ordered and shipped with no extra cost in North America. Thank you Mother Tongue.

http://www.mothertonguepublishing.com/shop/?store-page=Half-Brothers-and-Other-Stories-a-novella-and-four-fictions-p297588028

My wish for all writers is that once, even just one time, they are fortunate enough to work with Mother Tongue Publishing. Delightful.

]]><![CDATA[New Book Coming Soon]]>Wed, 17 Feb 2021 23:39:53 GMThttps://www.billstenson.com/blog/new-book-coming-soon

Coming to a quality bookstore near you, as they say, will be Half Brothers, a novella and short story collection, all set in the Cowichan Valley. Originally planned for April, now delayed for Covid reasons, until October. Everybody hopes by then a traditional launch might be possible. I'm so excited. Stay safe.

Details HERE

]]><![CDATA[Book Exchange]]>Sat, 19 Sep 2020 06:21:00 GMThttps://www.billstenson.com/blog/book-exchange

It's been a year since we launched our Book Exchange outside our house. "We" includes my wife Susan who inspired the idea and maintains the exchange weekly. It's been a great success and very much welcomed into the community.

Shortly after the birth of our book exchange, I experienced a true Norman Rockwell moment. I was looking out at the book exchange from the front window of our house and the area at the bottom I could see through to the street. On the other side stood a young patron. I had no idea of male or female at first, but it turned out to be a boy. He had the door open and was busy picking through the books and all I could see were his running shoes below, untied, and a yellow rope tethered to the small dog he was walking down the street. The yellow rope with the dog tied to the end was eager to continue down the street, but the patron needed more time. This went on for several minutes and the yellow rope was tight the whole time. There are times you wish you were a painter!

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