Eira: A Writer’s Bio

“The scariest moment is always just before you start.” ~ Stephen King, On Writing

Background

Hello fellow readers and writers, I’m pleased to meet you!

My name is Eira, meaning “snow” in Welsh. I am neither Welsh, nor German (“Braun”), nor am I French (“Labossiere”). Like all of us, I am an amalgamation, and I love living in the beautiful patchwork culture of Canada.

“Eira” is pronounced just like “Ira” or “EYE-ruh”. What appears to be a short and easy name confuses everyone and I endure misspellings and mispronunciations frequently, but that’s OK. Aren’t we always more complicated than we appear on the surface?

I love having a unique name. It makes me feel special and when you grow up not quite fitting in with your community norms, why not embrace that which is different? Being different can prompt one to seek more unique things that might be like you and also the opposite of you.

Writing has been a therapeutic means to my self-discovery and sorting out this crazy world around us.

University and Life Lessons

Entering early adulthood I moved from a small rural community to the “big city” of Winnipeg to attend the University of Manitoba. My alma mater opened my world and encouraged critical thinking. I did not enter post-secondary education with a career in mind but I was bursting to strike out on my own and obtain independence.

I followed my heart to my love of reading and the art of writing. I dove into my studies hungrily, complementing my English major with a minor in Linguistics. I wanted to eat up even more about the study of language and how we use it, how we interpret it within our own culture and understand other world views.

My English classes focused on a wide range of topics — my favorites included Romantic-era literature, the art of the film, and literary analysis. I obtained my Bachelor of Arts over a four-year advanced studies program. Let’s just say hand cramps from essay writing were a common experience!

To this day, 26 years later, my husband and I both long to return to University, the place we met and fell in love with our studies and with each other. There is an exciting bottomless pit of knowledge and I am impatient to jump in and learn.

My Interest Areas

My writing topics gravitate towards nature, animals, and baking.

All of these things teach us so much simply through personal experience. I feel these things resonate now particularly during COVID isolation: we are all seeking therapeutic methods of righting our ship and staying sane through this challenging year.

Mid-life Re-evaluations

After University, I stopped prioritizing my writing. I would write the occasional blog post for work but for myself, I had ceased writing.

I think a lot of writing hesitation has to do with Stephen King’s quote I referenced as my subtitle:

“The scariest moment is always just before you start.”

~ Stephen King, On Writing

Filled with grandiose expectations, it can be difficult to re-start something that used to provide pleasure and satisfaction.

Things really changed this year. I turned 51 and when you’re in your fifties you can not help but re-valuate life. Am I doing what I want to do with my life right now? How’s it going on that bucket list?

Within this last year, my husband and I made some life changes together. We moved to another province, new jobs for both of us, and adopted more dogs. (Since our previous pets had passed on, we welcomed two lurcher rescues into our home. They are a type of greyhound cross.)

And another thing. I started to write again. I became a Medium member and published there as a means of making myself accountable for regular writing.

All of this took place just as COVID-19 was sinking its claws into the population. The Pandemic threw in an involuntary life change for us all, but I continue to commit to my goal. I try to write one story, article, essay — whatever — per week. If I’m not ready to publish weekly, I still try to squeeze in any kind of writing that I can and not be too hard on myself if I can’t.

My Writing Style

I enjoy writing conversationally. I want to connect with you, the reader, with shared interests and try to convey my thoughts from a perspective perhaps you haven’t considered before. Or possibly put something elegantly into words that may resonate with you. (At least, the goal is elegance, the results vary!)

Goals

I’ve been writing in the form of essays or articles but I keep returning to the notion of writing a collection of short stories. Why am I putting it off? For some reason, it feels like a daunting task. (“The scariest moment…” and all that!)

I have promised myself that I will dig my heels in and eventually begin that new adventure. I believe it is important to exercise a variety of writing styles and I need to stretch my abilities.

A Few Sample Stories

I’d like to share a couple of my stories with you.

Do You Know The Crow?

Corvids inhabit every part of the planet but I got to know one in particular, where I live in Canada. I called him Charles.

A Story of Hope, And How To Find It With Nature

Do you have days where you’re feeling hopeless? Reflecting on the reliable majesty of nature’s turning seasons, my hope is that this story will lift you if even just a little:

I’d like to personally thank Dr Mehmet Yildiz for publishing the stories I have submitted to Illumination and Illumination Curated. You have helped to buoy my confidence in writing by accepting and promoting my writings.

Thank you for your interest and for reading.

Wishing everyone a peaceful day.