Hello and Welcome to my Author Page

Newfoundland is Canada’s youngest province, but St. John’s is the oldest city in North America. I was born and raised in Kilbride; a (once) small farming community nestled in the Waterford Valley. Both names came over with the first Irish settlers. It is no wonder, then, the connection to our Irish heritage remains strong and proud.

The first immigrants risked their lives and endured terrible hardship to get here. They came to fish, to build better lives, to gain independence, and/or to escape starvation and strife. With them came stories, folklore, superstitions, and traditions. This, combined with the fact that the island of Newfoundland remained isolated until recently, makes our province wonderful and unique. Our people are self-reliant, resilient, and, at the same time, kind and welcoming. Our culture has gifted us ample amounts of humour, empathy, and a profound sense of community.

I first learned of faeries - mischievous, mysterious, and sometimes malicious “little folk” who live on the barrens, from my father, uncles, and friends on the Southern Shore. The creatures wreak havoc , if encountered, but are near impossible to find, if you are foolish enough to try. The stories fascinated me and, in my debut novel, Na Lanni, Allison Carey is summoned to assist in the rescue of five kidnapped faerie children. It is a story of courage, determination, compassion, and 'doing what it takes' to succeed, even if it's not pretty.

As a teen, I dabbled in poetry writing, took a creative writing course at a community college while attending high school, and played with a couple of ideas for novels. But life got in the way. Writing was replaced with teaching (twenty-seven years); six on the west coast of the island and an additional twenty-one in Cornwall, Ontario. I returned home one year after I retired and, finally, I had time.

But Na Lanni didn’t come quickly or easily. What started out a childhood dream evolved into a novel - twelve years later. Na Lanni has undergone quite a metamorphosis, especially in the last four or five years. Thanks to programs offered by WritersNL, the support of The Newfoundland Writer’s Guild members, and those who read and commented on various drafts, Na Lanni finally came alive. I swore that would be the end of Shoshanna, but ideas are already swirling around my brain about a prequel or sequel. (I still have questions.)

In the meantime, I am writing books for young readers Newfoundland and Labrador and animals that call it home. I am not sure where this writing is taking me, but I sure am enjoying the journey!