Lynn Martel mountain writer/photographer

To #BowValley aspiring and always-keen-to-learn writers looking to improve their skills, I'm pleased to announce my new WORDSMITH WORKSHOPS! I can’t think of a better way to begin the new year than by launching a new series of WRITING SKILLS courses hosted by #artsPlace in Canmore. Sign up for one session, or for all three. The first of my WORDSMITH WORKSHOPS happens on Feb. 11, 7 to 9 p.m. Our focus will be The Lede: How to craft a captivating opening paragraph. Learn the s...teps you can take to write an opening sentence or paragraph that will immediately grab the reader’s attention and inject them with an unquenchable desire to keep on reading. If we’re lucky we’ll be at artsPlace, if Covid decides otherwise, we’ll gather via Zoom. For more info or to register, click on the link! https://artsplacecanmore.com//ceramic-sculptural-technique

Thank you for the terrific review Sarah Boon and Alpinist Magazine!

A few weeks back, I snuck in a quick drive to the BC Coast, eating take out alone in motel rooms, all to enjoy some quality hiking time with my niece, Devyn, who is a student in Vancouver, and dropping by some delightful book shops along the way! Please remember to support your local independently-owned businesses this holiday season! 32 Books & Gallery - North Vancouver Bacchus Books and Cafe - Golden Valhalla Pure Outfitters - Squamish

Mountains store our water in snow and glacier ice, they are the birthplaces of rivers that nourish all life, they provide habitat and shelter for wildlife and plants and for people too. And if we open ourselves to them, they provide the best soul food. #internationalmountainday #mountainsarewatertowers

I always feel a bit sorry for people who don’t get to experience all the magic that winter creates such as these frost flowers. They form during cold dry periods, and they don’t last more than a day or two until wind breaks them apart or they become buried under new snow. While that layer is not well-loved by backcountry skiers because of the avalanche hazard it creates, it is undeniably, exquisitely beautiful while it exists on the surface. These images and more are available as prints at https://lynnmartel.smugmug.com/

EXCITED!! To be participating in this year’s virtual Banff Mountain Film and Book Festival as a Tales and Ales panelist for my new book, Stories of Ice. I’m really proud too. For me, the #BMFF is #nineepicdays of soul food, brain food and fireworks of inspiration. This year is different, but no less exciting. Since my first BMFF, circa 1987, I've volunteered many years, written for the festival magazine, been a pre-reader for the book competition, been a guest panelist with... Chic Scott’s Old Style Storytelling, been a featured guest for my book Expedition to the Edge in 2008, participated many years as a journalist writing about the festival, and with the inspiring Mountain and Wilderness Writing residency. I'm stoked to be participating, this year, it feels extra special. Check out this year’s #BMFF, cozy up with your close pod buddies and enjoy a spectacular line up of adventurers, films, photography, books, and fellow mountain people! Tickets are on sale, #earlybird prices in effect! https://www.banffcentre.ca/events/tales-and-ales-part-ii See more

Autumn colours make my heart sing, every year #BanffNationalPark For a print of this image, and many others, visit https://lynnmartel.smugmug.com/

The Bow Valley is very fortunate to have residents who make valued and long-lasting contributions to Canada's mountain community. Philippe Delesalle was one of them, and it's my pleasure to share his story. https://crowfootmedia.com/2020/09/23/philippe-delesalle/

I could not imagine living anywhere that didn't explode into a rainbow of colours - bright greens, yellows, oranges, reds and rusts - with the final days of summer bursting into autumn, even when the skies are smoky from wildfires. This image, and many more are available as prints at https://lynnmartel.smugmug.com/

This pool filled with glaciermelt dazzles amidst bushes turning to autumn colours. While we have some smoke in the Canadian Rockies, we've been lucky, fingers crossed. This one is dedicated to all those battling massive intense wildfires in the western US.

It's an interesting and a little bit nerve-wracking thing to ask your peers, and in this fellow writer's case, a good friend and mentor, to say a few words about my new book. And then what a wonderful feeling of validation when they do. The countdown is on! Four weeks until #StoriesOfIce

SERVICE AVAILABLE - CONSULTING EDITOR Do you have a captivating story to share? Do you feel ready to write your book, but aren’t sure where to begin? Have you written a manuscript but are uncertain if it’s ready to pitch to a publisher? Or how to do that?... Message me or visit https://lynnmartel.ca/consulting-editor/ to learn how my Consulting Editor services can help you.

Flow patterns. #StoriesOfIce coming soon!

Why are there are so many published authors in Canmore? Well, my reply is I have been writing about the people and places of my Canadian Rockies home for three decades because I am deeply, passionately and fully in love with the magnificence and the magic of western Canada's mountain world. A HUGE thanks to my publisher, #RMBooks for believing in the stories I share, and to my local independent bookseller, #CafeBooks for the invaluable role they play for us authors, our publishers and our readers!! And thanks to #CBCCalgary for this lovely video! https://www.facebook.com/cbccalgary/videos/937124720086625/UzpfSTY1MDA4NjU3NzoxMDE1ODUwMDc5ODcyMTU3OA/?notif_id=1599008875426252¬if_t=feedback_reaction_generic_tagged

Fire in the rocks. Sunrise in Banff National Park - another great reason to wake up in a tent in the backcountry.

While I live for backcountry trips, I do love spending a weekend climbing on great rock a short walk from the road with my honey, John. Many thanks to the terrific route builders in the #AbrahamLake #DavidThompson area!