I am a Creative Type…
… a storyteller, poet and photographer.
I like to take the long view, and to write about the big picture, always looking to answer the question, “What’s really going on here?” Turns out I need many different genres to answer this question: non-fiction books and magazine articles, poetry, and photography-inspired Poetry Art.
Being a creative type has taken me further than I could have imagined: the publication of two acclaimed history books; workshops to teach others how to bring their family histories and life stories alive on the page; “how to” magazine articles about family history writing and (most recently!) gardening. Sales from my poetry collections have brought financial assistance to the Queensway Carleton Hospital and my local food bank, and my Poetry Art has featured on the walls of my community gallery. All that plus a solid understanding about how my own family fits into the history of North America.
It’s been a joy ride of creative discovery and adventure – and the expedition continues!
I hope you explore these pages and find something of interest. Please do let me know what you enjoy here, subscribe to be notified of the latest, or just take a moment to say hello!
Poetry Awards, Prizes and Publication
2024: Pure Slush Publishers, “Death” Anthology: My poem, “Monumental” was selected for this edition (Volume 12) of the “Lifespan” series.
2024: Pure Slush Publishers, “Older” Anthology: My poem, “Where Are the Songs for Sixty?” was selected for this edition (Volume 11) of the “Lifespan” series.
2023: League of Canadian Poets, “Fresh Voices #30”: My poem, “White Quill Pen” was selected for this edition.
2022: Canadian Authors Association National Capital Branch, National Writing Contest. 2nd place, Poetry category for “The Depths Below”.
2022: Canadian Authors Association Niagara Branch, Annual Poetry Competition. Judge’s Choice Award for “Art Sails Out Across Countless Borders” and “School Project”.
2022: City of Ottawa Archives. My chapbook, “Shelter in Place: Photographs and Poetry Inspired by the First Year of COVID” was accepted into the Archives’ COVID-19 collection.
2021: The Ontario Poetry Society, The World Around Us Contest. Honorable Mention for “Fibonacci’s Sequence”.
2020: The Ontario Poetry Society, Pandemic Poetry Contest. Honorable Mention for “Second Wave Isolation: Learning to Reframe the View”.
2018: RichmondHub.ca. The Village of Richmond celebrated 200 years of existence, and my contribution was to take a series of photos from around the village and write the poems they inspired. These Poetry Art pieces were published monthly in our online community newspaper.
2018: Glebe Report online newspaper. My poem “Where is Home?” was published in the May edition Poetry Quarter.
2017: Canadian Authors Association National Capital Branch, National Writing Contest. Honorable Mention, Poetry category for “Relay” and “Too Long a Winter”.
2017: Canadian Authors Association Niagara Branch, Annual Poetry Competition. Anthology Selection for “What’s Under the Surface” and “Evidence of Angels”.
2016: Canadian Authors Association National Capital Branch, National Writing Contest. Honorable Mention, Poetry Category, for “Christmas Baking.”
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