About Me
A writer-illustrator, I have a master’s degree in English and ghostwrite non-fiction books, with my most recent, Pathway to the Stars: 100 Years of the Royal Canadian Air Force and children’s version, Aviation Nation, published in 2024. In fiction, my MG fantasy, OTHERWORLD, was longlisted for the WriteMentor Children’s Novel Award and CANSCAIP’s Writing for Children Competition. I was a mentee in the Write Team Mentorship Program. An interview about that experience can be read here.
As a kid, I always had my nose stuck in a book. My love of reading led to an English degree and I received my Masters in Lit from the University of Waterloo. Realizing I needed to make money, I transitioned into marketing communications and became a ghostwriter of visionary books and blogs for C-level executives. In my career, I have worked across industries for both startups and global companies, freelanced as a consultant, and taught Marketing Management for the MBA program at Wilfrid Laurier University.
In the mid 2000s, I traveled to Middle Earth (New Zealand) and worked in marketing to conserve the unique biodiversity of a kauri rainforest. After a couple of years, I returned to Canada with a husband, a dog, and a baby. When I’m not reading or writing, chances are good that I’m out walking my dogs or on some adventure with my family.
My favorite kid-lit authors are C.S. Lewis, Richard Adams, Lloyd Alexander, Jaclyn Moriarty, Kate Milford, Sabaa Tahir, Kelly Barnhill, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Diana Wynne Jones, BB Alston, Terry Pratchett, Louisa May Alcott, E. L. Konigsburg, Lewis Carroll, E.B. White, and J.R.R. Tolkein. Reading Karina Yan Glaser’s Vanderbeekers books make me very happy, probably because they remind me of curling up in front of the fire nose-deep in one the classics—most of which I’ve read and reread throughout my life. Which is probably why Middle Grade is my jam.
Some of my favorite adult fiction authors include Margaret Atwood, David Sedaris, Martin Amis, Patrick deWitt, Jeanette Winterson, Ray Bradbury, Patrick Rothfus, Ursula K. Le Guin, J.D. Salinger, and Jane Austin. I’m blessed to belong to two writers’ groups, and I thank the stars every night for the wonderful women in Top Tier and iMaGineers. I don’t know what I’d do without y’all. I’m also a member of SCBWI Canada East.
Little known facts about me: Music is my other love, I worked as a DJ both at the campus radio station and a nightclub (my sweet spot is shoe-gazing, guitar-fuzzy britpop); I have helped place over 200 rescue dogs; and with enough coaxing (and wine), I do a pretty mean Elvis impersonation (uh-huh-huh).