Snipped from the history books The violet has a fragrant breath.(Emily Jane Brontë) In our current culture, you don’t see or hear much about violets. But I’ve always loved them. When I was a child on Vancouver Island, we lived near a creek. I loved to crawl under creekside boughs to sit and study yellow… Continue reading Sweet Violets
Author: Valda Stefani
Downtown Alleys
In my current story Unfinished Business, a critical scene unfolds in a Vancouver back alley just like this photo. Unappealing, dingy and downright scary. Wikipedia describes an alley as a narrow lane, path or passageway, often reserved for pedestrians and usually running between or behind buildings. Because of geography, stairs are often a feature. Many… Continue reading Downtown Alleys
Beware the Heat Wave
A heat wave signals more than hot temperatures. It means a surge in violent crime. Rising temperatures increase the rates of homicides, sexual offences and assaults. Riots and uprisings also tend to take place during summer. This is borne out by research conducted in a number of countries. Twitter online hate speech also increases during… Continue reading Beware the Heat Wave