“How inappropriate, scary, or uncomfortable are you willing to get in your writing?” Emcee Elaine Morin asked us five readers during the Question and Answer feature of Writing in the Works. “Is there some place you won’t go? Do people have to die before you’ll write about certain things?”

At the time, I answered briefly. “If I get an idea or an urge to write something, I’ll go for it and later decide if I publish this. So, no one needs to die for me to write it, but to publish? Probably.”

For my novel-in-progress To Catch a Fox, as I was thinking about how to raise the stakes for my protagonist, it hit me: she could attempt to murder her child.

I wrote the scene for a new novel opening. It made me uncomfortable and also wasn’t the easiest style of writing for me, but I felt it would be cowardly not to leave it , at least for now.

As the novel progressed, I could see that this horrible act was essential for my protagonist’s motivation later in the story. To remove it would make the plot less believable — and less dramatic.

Still, I wavered. I asked a couple of senior writers, “Can I make my protagonist a mother like this if I want her to be sympathetic?”

“Sure,” they said.

That’s the challenge of writing.

Looks like I’m stuck with it — for now, anyway.

“Since Writing in the Works is all about sharing works in progress, at which point do you share or discuss your project with someone?” Elaine Morin, the emcee, asked the five readers that night – Rob Bose, Joan Crate, Sarah Johnson, Taylor Lambert and me.

“Around the second draft,” I said. “I believe the first draft is for you, to explore. By the second draft, you’re starting to work on getting your story and characters across to others.”

Sarah Johnson said, ” I don’t discuss my story until I’ve written a draft. I find if I do that I’ve talked it enough that don’t feel like writing it anymore.”

“I discuss it,” said Rob Bose. “If people are interested, I figure the story is worth writing.”

“Well,” Joan Crate said. “I gave you my first draft in my reading tonight.”

Every writer has a different process. While it’s interesting to hear how others handle this job, in the end, it’s about what works for you.

I’m looking forward to the launch of my friend Pamela McDowell’s new children’s book Salamander Rescue, the sequel to Ospreys in Danger. Salamander Rescue will be launched on May 10 at Owl’s Nest Books and everyone is welcome. If you would like to win a copy of Salamander Rescue, enter Pam’s Goodreads Giveaway May 1 – 15. She has ten copies to give away to lucky readers.

To celebrate the release of Salamander Rescue Pam  is getting a salamander tattoo to go with her osprey one. Now that is writing bravery!

This week’s Calgary Through the Eyes of Writers reminds me of the morning in 1998 that I watched the Calgary General Hospital demolition on TV. It really brought the implosion home to me when I heard the boom a few seconds later.

While enjoying this recent Chinook weather, we can read about folkloric Calgary character Johnny Chinook.

In this week’s Calgary Through the Eyes of Writers author Caroline Adderson shows how you view things differently as an adult than you did as a child.

This week’s Calgary Through the Eyes of Writers talks of someone, like me and many, many others – who moved to Calgary from elsewhere.

Friday’s Calgary Through the Eyes of Writers blog talks of spring in Calgary with the first sighting of a crocus on Nose Hill. I walked on Nose Hill last week with my hiking group and was startled when the people at the front of the line shrieked.

What is it? The rest of us rushed forward.  On a slope was a crocus bed.

Later some of us were even more impressed with the dog walker who managed to maintain control of 12 dogs. We counted.

Lori Hahnel’s short story “Good Friday, at the Westward captures a past music scene in Calgary. How fitting for this week of featuring the Juno Awards in Calgary.

My Wednesday morning walking group went to the Weaselhead in early March. Here’s poet Stuart Ian McKay’s impression of this iconic Calgary location. Our group’s March morning was icy in the Weaselhead. Rather than slip all over the place, we went up to the North Glenmore ridge with its dry path and views of the reservoir and mountains.