I have wanted to write professionally since my early teens. It wasn't, however, until I started edging closer and closer to my 50's - not quite there yet - that I decided to say, "To hell with everything corporate. I'm going to do what I really want." I sold basically everything I owned, and relocated to the beautiful, small, and artsy city of Stratford, Ontario, from Calgary, Alberta.
It is this writer's dream. I found a great little apartment in a building that was put up in the 40's: right across a section of the river called Victoria Lake. The lake is bordered on both sides by really nice park-land, which, over the crowns of maple and willow trees, gives to a view of roof tops of large century homes and the spires of St. Joseph's Catholic Church to the left, and St. James' Anglican Church more to the centre of the field of vision permitted through my fourth-floor windows. It's an inspirational view, and my writing has begun to flourish. But not everything is as idyllic as the view might suggest.
One issue has plagued me since I moved here. Money. How am I supposed to eat well, and not start relying on food banks, without breaking the bank? It has been a struggle in that respect. I think I've come up with a strategic solution though, thanks in part to my own creativity, my mom's shopping accumen, and the Italian People for inventing pasta. I did not want to starve! And now I don't. I have become a well fed writer on a budget.
Stay tuned and discover how I manage to stay well fed, pay my rent and other assorted bills, post my writing, and still manage to do somewhat better than just tread water.
