Remember to fill the well
and other good advice
October 27, 2024
Hello You,
Ever have one of those bittersweet days that manages to be wildly inspiring while also bringing a chapter of fond memories to a close? Yesterday’s final Wayzgoose at Gaspereau Press in Kentville, Nova Scotia was definitely one of those days for me.
In the oldest traditional sense, a wayzgoose (such a nifty word) was when the master printer of a printshop gave their apprentices and employees a dinner/celebration/entertainment of some sort to mark the end of summer and the start of the season of working by candlelight.
In the Gaspereau Press tradition, (est. 1997) the annual wayzgoose was always a magical Saturday in late October when co-founders Andrew Steeves and Gary Dunfield would throw open the doors to the letterpress shop and invite visiting printers, artists, poets, writers, and the general public to come take a spin on their presses. Morning artists talks and workshops, along with evening literary readings bookmarked the afternoon open house, making for a day that never failed to fill my heart and my creative well, year after year after year.
How fortunate I’ve been to attend many of these events— to see how other artists go about their work, to learn from so many talented writers, to hear poets read from their latest collections, to see my kids’ and my husband’s joy after getting their fingers covered in ink on one of the shop’s gorgeous old presses. How fortunate too, to have had my first play published by Gaspereau Press, and to be numbered among those who proudly call themselves part of the press’s family.
In a matter of minutes yesterday afternoon, I’d run into several dear friends as well as a former teen academy writing student who’s now in her second year of a university creative writing program in Halifax. We’d all gathered there, with a large and lively crowd, to drink it all in, and, to reluctantly say farewell to the shop. (A new owner, young and fresh and keen, Keagan Hawthorne, will be taking over next year and moving the press’s operations to New Brunswick. So happy for him, yet so sad to be saying goodbye.)
I was so in-the-moment of it all that I didn’t take any photos at the morning talks or the open house, but I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to see Stephanie Wolff, Francesca Colonia, Dan Woods, and Amos Kennedy Jr. speak about the creative process and their love for making new work. Thanks, Andrew and Gary, for everything!
Advice for New Witches - How it Started
As we head towards Halloween this week, I thought I’d include another behind-the-scenes post from when The Witches of New York was published. I hope you enjoy it!
From October, 2016….
Writing a novel can take years. The Witches of New York took five. Along the way, I learned a lot of things about the world and those around me, and above all, myself.
One of the biggest revelations that came to me while writing this novel was the realization that magic is everywhere. And the more you’re open to it, the more it will present itself to you in ways large and small.
In August, I was given the wonderful opportunity to share a night of storytelling at the Ross Creek Centre for the Arts. I was supposed to meet my audience around a campfire (which would’ve been lovely,) but due to a terribly dry summer in Nova Scotia and a fire ban, we had to hold the event inside. (Which turned out to be magical in and of itself.)
In the candlelit hold of an old hay barn that’s now a dance studio, I moved around a circle of eager listeners and spoke of witches past and present. By my side was Ella, my “witch’s apprentice” for the evening, who was an amazing companion— enchanting, witty and bright.
Before the audience was ushered in and the event began, we shared a few minutes of conversation between the candles and a magic cauldron. We spoke of witches and magic and fairies (all of which Ella assured me are real.) We spoke of stories and song and what can be seen when we “look close.” During my chat with Ella, I realized what lay at the heart of this novel—a firm belief that every girl and woman has a bit of “witch” inside, and that it’s up to us to “look close” so we can help each other find it.
After that night, I kept thinking about that conversation and how over the years I’ve received a heck of a lot of fabulous advice from my “sister witches.” With that in mind, I issued the following invitation to several wise women I know:
“I believe every woman has a bit of witch in her (or perhaps quite a lot.) Some of us tap into our witchiness early on, others are late bloomers. Some find it, then forget it, then discover it again when we get our second witchy wind.
This is a call to all you wise women, you agitators, you social mavens, you champions of thought…you astute observers, you creative crones, you laughing goddesses, you quiet seers, you kindly healers, you keepers of the land, you makers of wonder, you devoted wordsmiths, you bakers of kick-ass cookies, you believers in MAGIC.
I want to know…what advice would you give to a “new witch?” It could be advice you’d give to your younger self…or to a sister in need of support…or to a friend who needs a swift kick in the rear…or to a woman who is standing at the edge of something really great and needs to know someone has her back.
You can speak it, rap it, sing it, draw it, dance it, write it. You can go it alone or with a friend. It can be serious, sweet, cheeky or fierce, so long as it’s from the heart.
So grab your camera and give it to me straight…What is Your Advice for a New Witch?
Here is a montage of the first batch of responses I received.
The Awe Report
In the past week I — saw a comet that hadn’t been seen in 80,000 years; observed the annual transformation of my limelight hydrangea from lime green to petal pink; and thought deeply about the way creativity can feed the heart.
Closing thoughts
Life’s a struggle, I know, but it’s also a dance. This week I was reminded of how important it is to keep dancing your own way, even when others expect you to fall in line and follow a certain path. How are you “filling the well” these days? Also, What advice would you give a new witch? Leave a comment and let me know. Let’s keep this conversation going!
Until next time, I wish you magic, always.
Thank you, Ami, for sharing a little bit of yourself, and your advice for new witches, with us. Lately, I’m betwixt, and between about decisions to work, or not, or to sirens my days creating. It seems my brain likes to solve problems, and the non- profit world has asked me to help them solve some problem f their problems. How busy is too busy? How much is enough? Where is my well, and what size bucket should I choose? Your blog has given me lots to reflect on, so thank you again, for sharing it. :)