Glenna Turnbull
@writebrain.bsky.social
I'm an award winning Canadian short fiction writer and author. My debut novel is forthcoming (Breakwater Books). I'm also a photographer & stained glass artist. I prefer to be outdoors hiking, skiing, snowshoeing & camping. I have two dogs and love to knit
Another great month of readings, with two crossed off my TBR list, four from the Giller long list and others that were recommended. Only one DNF: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and Other Tales from the Crematory. Got to the section on cremating babies and couldn't get take it. #booksky #booksread
November 2, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Another great month of readings, with two crossed off my TBR list, four from the Giller long list and others that were recommended. Only one DNF: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes and Other Tales from the Crematory. Got to the section on cremating babies and couldn't get take it. #booksky #booksread
I'm super excited to announce, my novel, The Art of Getting Lost and Found is now available for pre-order from most book retailers, release date March 10/26. This means I can finally share the beautiful cover. #debutnovel #booksky #fiction #CanLit #breakwaterbooks #domesticviolence #mentalhealth
October 31, 2025 at 4:20 PM
I'm super excited to announce, my novel, The Art of Getting Lost and Found is now available for pre-order from most book retailers, release date March 10/26. This means I can finally share the beautiful cover. #debutnovel #booksky #fiction #CanLit #breakwaterbooks #domesticviolence #mentalhealth
My 2nd on the Giller shortlist, this novel picks up steam like, well, like a runaway train that you cannot put down when you're told right at the start that someone with a bomb is boarding the train. Full 5/5 The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue #booksky #writingcommunity #GillerPrize #books #CanLit
October 11, 2025 at 7:46 PM
My 2nd on the Giller shortlist, this novel picks up steam like, well, like a runaway train that you cannot put down when you're told right at the start that someone with a bomb is boarding the train. Full 5/5 The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue #booksky #writingcommunity #GillerPrize #books #CanLit
Wow, my first read of this year's Giller long list. Tan captivated me right from the start with his beautiful prose, excellent pacing & recurring use of space/star/constellation metaphors. One brother in a tiger costume, the other a cosmonaut, a starlit bedroom sky...full 5/5 #booksky #gillerprize
October 5, 2025 at 6:12 PM
Wow, my first read of this year's Giller long list. Tan captivated me right from the start with his beautiful prose, excellent pacing & recurring use of space/star/constellation metaphors. One brother in a tiger costume, the other a cosmonaut, a starlit bedroom sky...full 5/5 #booksky #gillerprize
#booksread in September. Full 5+/5 for Cloud Cuckoo Land and loved The Sisters Brothers. My first Louise Penny book despite not being a mystery fan. Fourteen Days had so much potential but never meshed and I hated the ending. Barkskins @700+ pages was a slog and Sisters of Belfast rated 2/5.
October 4, 2025 at 7:16 PM
#booksread in September. Full 5+/5 for Cloud Cuckoo Land and loved The Sisters Brothers. My first Louise Penny book despite not being a mystery fan. Fourteen Days had so much potential but never meshed and I hated the ending. Barkskins @700+ pages was a slog and Sisters of Belfast rated 2/5.
I am a true "pantser" and fly by the seat of my pants all the way, from short stories to novels. Once I set my characters into motion, it's a wild ride to try and keep up with them and roping them in trying to redirect them only results in forced scenes. I envy those who can do it the other way!
Do you outline like a planner, or do you follow the chaos?
#5amwritersclub #AuthorsofTwitter #WritingCommunity #AmWriting #WIP #IndieAuthor #HIP #OnceUponAQuestion #AmWriting #WritingCommunity
#5amwritersclub #AuthorsofTwitter #WritingCommunity #AmWriting #WIP #IndieAuthor #HIP #OnceUponAQuestion #AmWriting #WritingCommunity
September 18, 2025 at 6:58 PM
I am a true "pantser" and fly by the seat of my pants all the way, from short stories to novels. Once I set my characters into motion, it's a wild ride to try and keep up with them and roping them in trying to redirect them only results in forced scenes. I envy those who can do it the other way!
20 authors you'd recommend to a friend, 1 per day in no particular order:
Day 9: Kate Atkinson
Initially hooked on her short story collection, love her quirky sense of humour and adored her latest, Shrines of Gaiety.
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish
Day 9: Kate Atkinson
Initially hooked on her short story collection, love her quirky sense of humour and adored her latest, Shrines of Gaiety.
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish
September 18, 2025 at 6:55 PM
20 authors you'd recommend to a friend, 1 per day in no particular order:
Day 9: Kate Atkinson
Initially hooked on her short story collection, love her quirky sense of humour and adored her latest, Shrines of Gaiety.
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish
Day 9: Kate Atkinson
Initially hooked on her short story collection, love her quirky sense of humour and adored her latest, Shrines of Gaiety.
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish
First Colbert. Now Kimmel. Threatening broadcasting licenses to networks not spewing #MAGA propaganda is scary. There's only one way to make America great again, and silencing the truth is NOT it! American, you're becoming as censored as North Korea and China. #Trump needs to go #censorship #Kimmel
September 18, 2025 at 6:52 PM
First Colbert. Now Kimmel. Threatening broadcasting licenses to networks not spewing #MAGA propaganda is scary. There's only one way to make America great again, and silencing the truth is NOT it! American, you're becoming as censored as North Korea and China. #Trump needs to go #censorship #Kimmel
August reads included 2 from my longtime TBR pile. Very hard to pick a favourite. Most were Canadian authors. Shrines of Gaiety had me laughing out loud; Help Me Jacques Cousteau, The Beekeeper of Aleppo and The Shipping News had me hugging the books at the end. #booksky #books #reading
September 1, 2025 at 4:30 PM
I am so saddened that once again, greed has won out over the safety of our planet. This from the David Suzuki Foundation: davidsuzuki.org/story/plasti... #plasticpollution
Plastics treaty failure reveals a broken system
Plastic negotiations failed largely because curtailing this industry threatens a system designed to give a small minority a disproportionately large share of money and influence.
davidsuzuki.org
August 29, 2025 at 5:46 PM
I am so saddened that once again, greed has won out over the safety of our planet. This from the David Suzuki Foundation: davidsuzuki.org/story/plasti... #plasticpollution
20 authors you'd recommend to a friend, 1 per day in no particular order:
Day 8: Caroline Anderson 🇨🇦
Absolutely loved Ellen in Pieces and her short story collection, A Way to Be Happy
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
Day 8: Caroline Anderson 🇨🇦
Absolutely loved Ellen in Pieces and her short story collection, A Way to Be Happy
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
August 1, 2025 at 9:57 PM
20 authors you'd recommend to a friend, 1 per day in no particular order:
Day 8: Caroline Anderson 🇨🇦
Absolutely loved Ellen in Pieces and her short story collection, A Way to Be Happy
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
Day 8: Caroline Anderson 🇨🇦
Absolutely loved Ellen in Pieces and her short story collection, A Way to Be Happy
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
Read some new, some classics, some short stories and some connected short stories. One off my bucket list of classics that could have stayed here... not a huge James Joyce fan, I guess. #booksky #booksread #writingcommunity #readreadread
August 1, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Read some new, some classics, some short stories and some connected short stories. One off my bucket list of classics that could have stayed here... not a huge James Joyce fan, I guess. #booksky #booksread #writingcommunity #readreadread
Really enjoyed the last one on endings and hope I can find enough cell service to jump in to this one.
For those who don't know about these, it's a great chance to discuss the craft of writing with Simon Fraser University's writing program. #amwriting #WritingCommunity
For those who don't know about these, it's a great chance to discuss the craft of writing with Simon Fraser University's writing program. #amwriting #WritingCommunity
Put this date in your calendar to hold yourself accountable by getting/receiving some writing advice or ask questions on a Sunday, August 10th at 10:30am PDT for the next #TWSOchat! The upcoming topic is, Technology and Science. #WritingCommunity #WritingLife
July 28, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Really enjoyed the last one on endings and hope I can find enough cell service to jump in to this one.
For those who don't know about these, it's a great chance to discuss the craft of writing with Simon Fraser University's writing program. #amwriting #WritingCommunity
For those who don't know about these, it's a great chance to discuss the craft of writing with Simon Fraser University's writing program. #amwriting #WritingCommunity
20 authors you'd recommend to a friend, 1 per day in no particular order:
Day 7: Lawrence Hill 🇨🇦
My favourites of his novels: Book of Negroes and The Illegal--I could not put either of them down!
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit #LawrenceHill
Day 7: Lawrence Hill 🇨🇦
My favourites of his novels: Book of Negroes and The Illegal--I could not put either of them down!
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit #LawrenceHill
July 28, 2025 at 6:39 PM
20 authors you'd recommend to a friend, 1 per day in no particular order:
Day 7: Lawrence Hill 🇨🇦
My favourites of his novels: Book of Negroes and The Illegal--I could not put either of them down!
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit #LawrenceHill
Day 7: Lawrence Hill 🇨🇦
My favourites of his novels: Book of Negroes and The Illegal--I could not put either of them down!
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit #LawrenceHill
20 authors you'd recommend to a friend, 1 per day in no particular order:
Day 6: Michael Crummey🇨🇦
My favourites of his novels: Sweetland, The Wreckage and The Adversary but loved them all.
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit #MichaelCrummey
Day 6: Michael Crummey🇨🇦
My favourites of his novels: Sweetland, The Wreckage and The Adversary but loved them all.
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit #MichaelCrummey
July 24, 2025 at 5:32 PM
20 authors you'd recommend to a friend, 1 per day in no particular order:
Day 6: Michael Crummey🇨🇦
My favourites of his novels: Sweetland, The Wreckage and The Adversary but loved them all.
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit #MichaelCrummey
Day 6: Michael Crummey🇨🇦
My favourites of his novels: Sweetland, The Wreckage and The Adversary but loved them all.
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit #MichaelCrummey
20 authors you'd recommend to a friend, 1 per day in no particular order:
Day 5: Richard Wagamese🇨🇦
My favourites of his novels: Ragged Company, Medicine Walk, Indian Horse, brilliant writer!
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
Day 5: Richard Wagamese🇨🇦
My favourites of his novels: Ragged Company, Medicine Walk, Indian Horse, brilliant writer!
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
July 21, 2025 at 7:02 PM
20 authors you'd recommend to a friend, 1 per day in no particular order:
Day 5: Richard Wagamese🇨🇦
My favourites of his novels: Ragged Company, Medicine Walk, Indian Horse, brilliant writer!
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
Day 5: Richard Wagamese🇨🇦
My favourites of his novels: Ragged Company, Medicine Walk, Indian Horse, brilliant writer!
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
You know it's Mercury retrograde when Sirius stops working in your car, your Apple TV drops your streaming app and your car windows start going up instead of down. Yep, Mercury's at it again. #mercuryretrograde #glitches
July 20, 2025 at 1:33 AM
You know it's Mercury retrograde when Sirius stops working in your car, your Apple TV drops your streaming app and your car windows start going up instead of down. Yep, Mercury's at it again. #mercuryretrograde #glitches
20 authors you'd recommend to a friend, 1 per day in no particular order:
Day 4 Waubgeshig Rice🇨🇦
His Novels: Moon of the Turning Leaves and Moon of the Crusted Snow
Dystopian page-turner novels
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
Day 4 Waubgeshig Rice🇨🇦
His Novels: Moon of the Turning Leaves and Moon of the Crusted Snow
Dystopian page-turner novels
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
July 20, 2025 at 1:24 AM
20 authors you'd recommend to a friend, 1 per day in no particular order:
Day 4 Waubgeshig Rice🇨🇦
His Novels: Moon of the Turning Leaves and Moon of the Crusted Snow
Dystopian page-turner novels
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
Day 4 Waubgeshig Rice🇨🇦
His Novels: Moon of the Turning Leaves and Moon of the Crusted Snow
Dystopian page-turner novels
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
20 authors you'd recommend to a friend, 1 per day in no particular order:
Day 3 - Esi Edugyan🇨🇦
Her Novels: Washington Black, Half-Blood Blues, The Second Life of Samuel Tyne
Edugyan is a highly gifted storyteller
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
Day 3 - Esi Edugyan🇨🇦
Her Novels: Washington Black, Half-Blood Blues, The Second Life of Samuel Tyne
Edugyan is a highly gifted storyteller
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
July 14, 2025 at 9:09 PM
20 authors you'd recommend to a friend, 1 per day in no particular order:
Day 3 - Esi Edugyan🇨🇦
Her Novels: Washington Black, Half-Blood Blues, The Second Life of Samuel Tyne
Edugyan is a highly gifted storyteller
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
Day 3 - Esi Edugyan🇨🇦
Her Novels: Washington Black, Half-Blood Blues, The Second Life of Samuel Tyne
Edugyan is a highly gifted storyteller
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
A7 My novel coming out in March has a dual story line. The first was written in my usual pantser style but the 2nd was based on a legend where I knew the ending and had to write backwards. It was tougher trying to steer the story without is sounding contrived. Also why I dislike outlines. #TWSOchat
Q7. Have you ever written something where the ending has become immediately obvious to you and then you start to write backwards from the ending. Do you think that this would make the writing process easier? #TWSOchat
July 13, 2025 at 6:20 PM
A7 My novel coming out in March has a dual story line. The first was written in my usual pantser style but the 2nd was based on a legend where I knew the ending and had to write backwards. It was tougher trying to steer the story without is sounding contrived. Also why I dislike outlines. #TWSOchat
A5 In Astra by Cedar Bowers, each chapter is told by different people who knew her. LOVED it until the last on, told by Astra tying a big pink bow on top. Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton, WOW, but the G.O.T. "red wedding" ending was like slamming into a wall. Endings can taint a great book. #TWSOchat
Q5. Do you think that the endings are one of the reasons some books falter? How important is the ending to you as a reader when finishing a book. Do you need for things to be resolved or do you prefer open endings? #TWSOchat
July 13, 2025 at 6:11 PM
A5 In Astra by Cedar Bowers, each chapter is told by different people who knew her. LOVED it until the last on, told by Astra tying a big pink bow on top. Birnam Wood by Eleanor Catton, WOW, but the G.O.T. "red wedding" ending was like slamming into a wall. Endings can taint a great book. #TWSOchat
A2. I always tie everything up neat and tidy, then delete it. It's important for me to know how these lives I've created will turn out but nothing makes me groan more than reading that in someone else's novel. Leaving the door open to possibilities is best. #TWSOchat #writingcommunity #amwriting
Q2. When you write an ending do you feel as if you have to tie up any loose ends and that you will have answered all the questions that readers may have? Or do you prefer to leave a more open ending where everything is not all neat and tidy and one where readers are left hanging? #TWSOchat
July 13, 2025 at 5:52 PM
A2. I always tie everything up neat and tidy, then delete it. It's important for me to know how these lives I've created will turn out but nothing makes me groan more than reading that in someone else's novel. Leaving the door open to possibilities is best. #TWSOchat #writingcommunity #amwriting
A1. Q1. Working on a novel that I'm 3/4 through. As a 'pantser' I'm not sure of the ending yet. I rarely know the ending of anything when I start writing, just wait and see where my characters take me. After I write it all out, I slash it back so it's not overwritten. #writingtips #TWSOchat
Q1. Today’s #TWSOchat session is about Writing An Ending in your literary practice. How close are you right now to writing an ending for something you are working on? Is there anything coming up that you are struggling with as you write the ending?
July 13, 2025 at 5:48 PM
A1. Q1. Working on a novel that I'm 3/4 through. As a 'pantser' I'm not sure of the ending yet. I rarely know the ending of anything when I start writing, just wait and see where my characters take me. After I write it all out, I slash it back so it's not overwritten. #writingtips #TWSOchat
20 authors you'd recommend to a friend, 1 per day in no particular order:
Day 2 - Christine Higdon🇨🇦
Her Books:
Gin, Turpentine, Pennyroyal, Rue
The Very Marrow of our Bones
Loved them both and can't wait for her next
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
Day 2 - Christine Higdon🇨🇦
Her Books:
Gin, Turpentine, Pennyroyal, Rue
The Very Marrow of our Bones
Loved them both and can't wait for her next
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
July 13, 2025 at 5:31 PM
20 authors you'd recommend to a friend, 1 per day in no particular order:
Day 2 - Christine Higdon🇨🇦
Her Books:
Gin, Turpentine, Pennyroyal, Rue
The Very Marrow of our Bones
Loved them both and can't wait for her next
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
Day 2 - Christine Higdon🇨🇦
Her Books:
Gin, Turpentine, Pennyroyal, Rue
The Very Marrow of our Bones
Loved them both and can't wait for her next
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
20 authors you'd recommend to a friend, 1 per day in no particular order:
Day 1 - Emma Cooper🇨🇦
Her Books:
Etta & Otto & Russell & James
We Should Not Be Afraid of the Sky
Our Homesick Songs.
Loved all 3 of them
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
Day 1 - Emma Cooper🇨🇦
Her Books:
Etta & Otto & Russell & James
We Should Not Be Afraid of the Sky
Our Homesick Songs.
Loved all 3 of them
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
20 authors you’d recommend to a friend. One author per day, no particular order.
#booksky #books #bookchallenge #readingchallenge
#readingcommunity
#booktok #bookish
💙📚💡
✒️ Daniel Tammet
#booksky #books #bookchallenge #readingchallenge
#readingcommunity
#booktok #bookish
💙📚💡
✒️ Daniel Tammet
July 11, 2025 at 7:07 PM
20 authors you'd recommend to a friend, 1 per day in no particular order:
Day 1 - Emma Cooper🇨🇦
Her Books:
Etta & Otto & Russell & James
We Should Not Be Afraid of the Sky
Our Homesick Songs.
Loved all 3 of them
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit
Day 1 - Emma Cooper🇨🇦
Her Books:
Etta & Otto & Russell & James
We Should Not Be Afraid of the Sky
Our Homesick Songs.
Loved all 3 of them
#readingchallenge #books #booksky #readingcommunity #booktok #bookish #CanLit