… creatively writing.
Matriculation at King’s University, June 2024. Officially becoming a MFA student by signing the register.
My final day of MFA summer residency at the University of King’s College in Halifax, June 2025. One year to go!
Novel Project
A big part of my current MFA studies at King’s is to produce 50,000 publishable words by the end of the two-year program (while working on craft and exploring the ins and outs of the publishing industry).
To accomplish this, I have chosen to write a novel in the genre of HISTORICAL FICTION, with a particular emphasis on the “sweetheart culture” that developed on the Canadian home front during World War II. The bulk of WWII fiction in the market these days is set in Europe, so I thought I would shed some light on what life was like for everyday women who wanted to be a part of the war effort in my own country.
The story is based on two things: first, my grandmother’s time spent working as a dancehall hostess at the Hotel Kenricia in Kenora, Ontario–on the shores of the beautiful Lake of the Woods; and second, a recently discovered package of love letters my grandfather wrote to her while he was finishing his last days in the RCAF, stationed at Macdonald base (just outside Winnipeg). These letters form the backbone of the story and appear unaltered.
Daily Writing
As I work on my writing craft, I’ve been experimenting with a variety of forms and genres. These days I feel drawn to flash fiction–I like the challenge of choosing the perfect word to express an idea with brevity.
I have posted a few of my most recent pieces of writing on the To Read page and will continue to add both fiction and non-fiction narratives as they arise.
Kelly A. Griffiths 