outside #amwriting

Spring is here…. While not as sunny and warm as yesterday, it’s far too nice to be stuck writing indoors, so I’m going to set up my laptop on the front porch (in case the forcast rain should fall), hook any interested cats to their leashes, and get out there and work on “The Girl… (read more)

Union Station Under Construction

My second novel, “The Girl In The Blue Flame Cafe,” opens opens with the train from Montreal pulling into Toronto’s Union Station. These are the tracks running between the platforms in the covered area at the rear of Union Station. Getting the station’s geography right will lay a foundation of veracity that will help “The… (read more)

A Disturbing Tale of Copyright Abuse

Fox Censors Cory Doctorow’s “Homeland” Novel From Google http://torrentfreak.com/fox-censors-cory-doctorows-homeland-novel-from-google-130420/ This is an example of Copyright Law trumping author rights, one of the things that led me to question the oft stated claim that copyright benefits creators. Yet here we have a name brand author who has chosen to release most of his work under Creative… (read more)

writing on the phone

Today I tried working on “The Girl In The Blue Flame Cafe” on my smart phone on the bus. It took far too long to type, and the typos are astounding. On the other hand, I got something written, just not very much. Maybe in time I’ll get better at it…. we’ll have to see…. (read more)

When a Classic becomes a Commodity

When I went to a Muppet Special taping at CFTO years ago in the height of my muppet mania, I thought it was odd; the muppets were carried on and off stage in black silk bags. The Bags only came off when someone was working them. I thought it was silly until someone didn’t bag… (read more)

Union Station, Toronto

The exciting opening of “The Girl In The Blue Flame Cafe” set in Toronto’s Union Station is not likely to change in editing. I’ve always loved Union Station, so I was quite tickled to stumble across this very cool look at the earlier incarnation of the 19th Century Cathedral of Transportation. ” Architectural drawing for… (read more)

update

I can’t wait to get back to finishing “The Girl In The Blue Flame Cafe” tomorrow ! (technically today 🙂 ) [I’ve been struggling with a root canal that may or may not come off … and photographing a Medieval Ball (which was a hoot!!!) … and working on the last of my time sensitive… (read more)

my story, so far

[This is the third and final portion of my pictorial mini-autobiography. The first part is here, and the second part is there.] During the 1980s, as a Sheridan Media Arts grad, I worked in the budding Canadian film and television industry. At the same time, I was writing “spec scripts” to submit to potential television… (read more)

college days

[This is the second part of my pictorial mini-autobiography. You’ll find the first installment here, and the final here.] My creative parents, Lynn and Laura Russwurm, nurtured our creativity, so visual art and music were encouraged and supported. My own creativity and my love of books and movies took me to the Sheridan College Media… (read more)

the early years

[This is the first of a three part pictorial mini-autobiography, you’ll find the next here and the final chapter there.] According to family legend, my mother Laura Gaede,  an aspiring young country singer, advertised for a back-up band. My father, Lynn Russwurm, answered the ad. His band was the Pine River Troubadors, so my folks… (read more)

Greetings from the Internet

Over the past few years I have come to understand the importance of free culture and digital accessibility.   The Internet didn’t even exist for the general public as recently as my college days, and now we’re in the midst of a digital revolution. Everyone is trying to figure out how best to do things… (read more)