A few years from now, I will be reading back on this. Wondering how the heck did I not go insane. Basically the diary of a Mexican-American Girl that lives in California.

What happens when all your apocalyptic nightmares seem to be coming true? In this lyrically poignant piece, Margaret Atwood reflects on growing up in the age of the scarlet fever, diphtheria, polio and the whooping cough that swept Canada in the 1940s. Yellow signs with the words 'QUARANTINED' became a signature of the era and marked doors in neighbourhoods across the country. Drawing from her own experiences and the experiences of her parents who lived through the Spanish flu, Atwood sings words of encouragement, "Take heart! Humanity's been through it before. There will be an Other Side." And while nothing is scarier than an enemy you can't see, there is always hope and there is always another side. In a way that only she can, Atwood takes a look into the past and the present to give us words for the future. Copyright belongs to O.W. Toad and this piece first ran in The Globe and Mail.

***Published in the US with Wattpad Books and in the UK under the title 'LOVE, LOCKED DOWN' -- out now in ebook and paperback, and also audiobook in the UK!*** When the London Lane apartment block is put on lockdown, its residents are in for a whirlwind week. Imogen's stuck living with a one-night-stand in Number 14, and has to face the reality that maybe it's time to grow up. Upstairs, Isla and Danny are still in their honeymoon period, and this could make or break their new relationship; meanwhile, Zach and Serena's steady relationship is on tenterhooks, and pineapple on pizza might actually be the last straw. At Number 22, Olivia's Maid of Honour duties are really pushing her to the edge as a wedding-planning weekend has turned into an entire week... And speaking of weddings, this whole thing has made Ethan realise he wants to spend the rest of his life with Charlotte - if only he can surprise her with the perfect proposal. Follow these five stories of twenty-somethings through their week of quarantine, where romances will blossom, friendships fracture, and relationships are forged that could last a lifetime. Disclaimer: This is a fictionalised and dramatised story inspired by real events that are happening right now. For the most up-to-date FACTS on Covid, you can check out https://support.wattpad.com/hc/en-us/articles/360040903132-A-message-about-COVID-19

Hi! This is just me writing about my month long "spring break" due to the corona virus. uhh hope y'all enjoy

This is a diary type thing about my experiences of living through this coronavirus pandemic. I'll mostly be talking about what's going on where I live and how I'm feeling.