Spotlight on Canadian Authors

Interested in focusing on local (to me anyways) literature?
Check out these brilliant Canadian authors!


~Elise Abram ~

Teacher of English and Computer Studies by day, wife and mother by night and author whenever she can steal some time, Elise Abram is the proud author of Phase ShiftThe Mummy Wore Combat Boots, and Throwaway Child, available on Amazon and KoboBooks. She pens a blog about literature, popular culture and the human condition whenever the muse moves her.

Elise's fourth book, a young adult paranormal thriller entitled The Revenant was released by Black Rose Writing in July 2014.

|  website  |  Twitter  |  Facebook - book  |  Facebook - author  |  Amazon  |  Goodreads  |  Google+  |  Pinterest  |

|  The Revenant  |


~ Claudette Alexander ~

I was taught by Catholic nuns elementary through high school. In addition I had protective brothers and a dad. They kept me on the straight and narrow road.

As a teenager growing up in St.Lucia, I was fascinated with the Mills and Boon series and always envisioned some Prince coming down some mountain to rescue my heart. Hence my obsession with love and romance.

My other passion is fighting for the rights of the underdog. I did a good bit of fighting as a union president. These days my fight is to empower people with knowledge on how to live happily with chronic conditions.

I have always wanted to write a book but the desire intensified when I survived a three months stay in the hospital fighting for my life. Initially I wanted to write children’s books and also write a book for my sons to know the love that transpired with their dads before their birth since they grew up fatherless.

By the time I was finished with my debut novel it evolved into a memoir. SUNRISE FROM AN ICY HEART: A MEMOIR is about my journey as an immigrant in love, work, motherhood, and healthcare. In addition it envelopes all that is special about St. Lucia, its people, culture and beauty.

Next on my agenda is writing stories for my grandchildren. I have begun entering contest stories by grandmas.

Find out more about Claudette on her website, or connect with her on Facebook or via email.




~ Stacey D. Atkinson ~ 

Stacey is an up and coming Canadian author who is turning some heads!

About Stacey:

I was born and raised in rural Taylor Village, New Brunswick (Canada), where I lived with my mother and
sister in an old farmhouse with a pack of cats and acres of land for roaming. I later moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia, to attend art college and where I met my husband, David. We now live in Ottawa, Ontario, with frequent trips home to the Maritimes.

I first fell in love with words as a songwriter. I grew up playing guitar and later studied piano, which became the backdrop for my writing. I also used to write short stories and remember having a deep conversation with my grade four English teacher about the rigid rules of grammar at the time and how I absolutely had to break them because I needed to start a sentence with the word 'and'.

I love to write stories about strong female characters in memorable settings along the East Coast of Canada. My first book Stuck is a coming-of-age story about an Acadian woman growing up in a small fishing village in New Brunswick. My next project, Letters from Labrador, will be released in 2014 and tells the story of young British nurses working in the beautiful yet unpredictable northern coast of Labrador, Newfoundland. www.staceydatkinson.com

You can purchase Stuck on Amazon.com or various other retailers listed on the author website.  Find out more about Stacey on her Author blogFacebookTwitterGoodreads, or Tumblr.

|  Stuck  |


~ Heather Beck ~

Heather Beck is a Canadian Author and Screenwriter who began writing professionally at the age of sixteen. Since then she has written eleven well-reviewed books, including the best-selling series, The Horror Diaries, which has sold in six continents.

Heather received an Honors Bachelor of Arts degree from university where she specialized in English and studied an array of disciplines. Currently, she is working on the Frostbitten series and has a middle grade anthology slated for publication. As a screenwriter, Heather has multiple television shows and movies in development. Her short films include: Young Eyes, The Rarity, Too Sensible For Love, Circular, and the forthcoming Witch’s Brew.

Besides writing, Heather’s greatest passion is the outdoors. She is an award-winning fisherwoman and a regular hiker. Her hobbies include swimming, playing badminton and volunteering with non-profit organizations.

Connect with Heather via her website.

|  Frostbitten  |


~ Karen Blake Hall ~

Karen has been crafting exciting stories of adventure and love of dogs since she was old enough to hold a pencil, but no one could decipher her spelling. Later in life, when she learned how to spell, her stories were better appreciated.

Karen’s sharp-bladed fiction cuts to the heart of the emotions driving her characters in desperate situations.

When she’s not crafting thrilling romantic suspense stories, she can be found drinking tea with friends, crocheting or making jewellery.

Her husband, The Professor, claims to be the muse for all her stories, and her children, The First Born, His Lady, The Gamer and the Shooter are her biggest cheerleaders.

She is a member of Sisters in Crime International; Sisters in Crime Toronto; Crime Writers of Canada; Romance Writers of America, Toronto Romance Writers and WCDR.

Karen loves to hear from her readers and you can contact her at her Facebook site or at her website.



~ Ginnie Carmichael ~

Ginnie is French-Canadian author who decided to use her second language to write. After getting her Interior Design degree, she decided to escape life with her boyfriend and start travelling. She is in Costa Rica right now, enjoying the beach and the sun. Another winter in Canada was too much for the lovebirds!
Ginnie write in her spare time, between a bike ride into town and a hike in the jungle. She loves a good cup of tea and watching her favorite TV shows. She can’t go anywhere without her own ebook reader and loves to get lost in a good story. That’s why she decided to create her own.

|  website  |  Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Google+  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |




~ Kim Cresswell ~ 

Kim Cresswell is an author of romantic suspense novels.

About Kim:

Kim Cresswell resides in Ontario, Canada. Trained as a legal assistant, Kim has been a story-teller all her life but took many detours including; working in legal and adult education. After becoming disabled with Fibromyalgia and Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome, Kim returned to her first love, writing.

Her debut thriller, REFLECTION, has won numerous awards. UP Authors Fiction Challenge Winner (2013), Silicon Valley's Romance Writers of America (RWA) "Gotcha!" Romantic Suspense Winner (2004) and an Honourable Mention in Calgary's (RWA) The Writer's Voice Contest (2006).

LETHAL JOURNEY was a finalist in From the Heart Romance Writers (FTHRW) Golden Gate Contest (2003).

Her action-packed thrillers have been highly praised by reviewers and readers. As one reviewer said, "Buckle up, Hang on tight!"

Kim recently entered the True Crime writing arena. Her latest story about accused Canadian killer, Cody Legebokoff will be featured in Serial Killer Quarterly, a new e-magazine published by Grinning Man Press which debuts in December 2013. Her short story collection, Real Life Evil - A True Crime Quickie will release in January 2014.

Find out more about him on her website, become a fan on Goodreads, or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.

|  Reflections  |  Lethal Journey  |


 ~ J. Arlene Culiner ~


I grew up in Toronto, but have always been a restless (even shiftless) sort of person, ever itching for adventure. At age seventeen, I headed for New York, then San Francisco (those were the places to live, back then) before completely abandoning the American continent. I’ve since lived in a stone cottage on the bleak English moors, in Amsterdam, London, Paris, in a 16th century Bavarian castle, in a backwoods Turkish village, on a Greek island, in a traditional adobe house in Hungary and I’ve also spent an incredible amount of time in the Sahara and Belize. To keep body and soul together, I’ve delivered newspapers, been a barmaid, a b-girl, a fashion model, a translator, a belly dancer (in Turkey) a photographer, a contemporary artist, a tour guide, a radio announcer, a film extra, an actress, a writer, a kept woman. I now live in a 500-year-old former (possibly haunted) inn in a very dull French village. I protect all living creatures -- especially spiders and snakes — and my wild (or wildlife) garden is a classified butterfly and bird reserve.

I’m presently writing perfectly realistic contemporary romances with older heroes and heroines who are funny, determined, original and dashingly lovable.

I also write other (more serious) books, but that’s another story altogether.

Connect with J. Arlene Culiner:  websiteblogTwitterFacebookGoodreads



 ~ Carey Decevito ~

Born and raised in small town Northern Ontario, Canada, Carey Decevito has had a penchant for reading and writing for as long as she can remember.

As an adult however, more than a decade had come to pass before sleepless nights plagued her with exhaustion, demanding that she put pen to paper (more like fingers to keyboard) and start writing again.

And the rest, as they say, is history!

A writer of erotic romance, this lover of food will throw in a bit of heat, a dash of sass, a pinch of comedy and a dollop of real-life experience in order to provide her readers with a story that will mess with their emotions from start to finish.

Family and friends are her lifeblood but Carey also enjoys conquering the outdoors, sports, travelling and playing tourist in Canada’s National Capital region. When life gets crazy, she seeks respite through her writing and submersing herself in the latest addition to her library. If all else fails, she knows there’s never a dull moment with her prolific story-teller of a five-year-old daughter, her goofy husband and their two cats who she swears are out to get her.
Connect with Carey via her website, Facebook, Twitter, Google, Goodreads, Amazon Author Page, LinkedIn, or Pinterest.

|  Once Written, Twice Shy  |  Almost Forgotten  |  Play Me To Infinity  |  To Forgive & Hold Safe  |



~ John Elray ~

A native of Canada and an avid world traveler, John Elray earned his Masters degree while residing in New England and had over 25 years of technical writing experience before he started writing novels. John has spent a significant amount of time in Thailand, traveling extensively, and has firsthand knowledge of the country at large, its people, their culture, and the events which he portrays in his second novel, Pattaya Beach. Since the publication of his first book (Khalifah, Aardwolfe Books, 2001; Greek translation, Kedros Publishers, Athens, 2004), he has discussed his craft at conferences, book signings, and during radio interviews. In his spare time John enjoys playing tennis and guitar. John Elray currently splits his time between Canada, the U.S. and the countries of east Asia, and has served as editor for several other authors on their books.

John's latest work is a collection of satirical short stories entitled "You Thought You Had It Bad", published in August 2015.

Connect with John online via his websiteFacebook, or Twitter.



~ Gerry Fostaty ~

Gerry Fostaty was an actor working in Canada for more than twenty years, and was seen on stage, in film and television. For his first novel, STAGE BUSINESS, published by Deux Voiliers Publishing in 2014, he drew on his experience in the theatre to create a soft mystery/thriller based in Toronto, and involves a group of actors. Gerry’s first book was AS YOU WERE: The Tragedy at Valcartier, a non-fiction account of a grenade accident on a Canadian Forces Base in 1974, published by Goose Lane Editions in 2011.



 ~ Anna Frost ~

Anna Frost is a Canadian girl who spends winters writing and dreaming of summer. An overdose of Japanese culture and media has led her to write fantasy inspired by Japanese mythology. In a shocking break with literary tradition, Anna does not live with cats. Instead she lives with chinchillas, which can be just as demanding and evil as cats.

Connect with Anna via her websitetwitter, or GoodReads.


~ Jacqueline Garlick ~

I'm Jacqueline Garlick. Author of YA, New Adult, and Women's Fiction. I originally hail from the shores of Bournemouth England. No I don't, I'm just kidding, but my father's parents did! Actually, I hail from another familiar shore though. I grew up on the banks of the Thames River in Chatham, Ontario, not Chatham, England, but trust me it's just as murky. I love strong heroines, despise whiny sidekicks, and adore a good story about a triumphant underdog. (Doesn't everyone?) I love to read, write, paint (walls and paper) and plan cool writing events for cool writers (check out niagarawritersretreatandconference (dot) com.) I have a love/hate relationship with chocolate, grammar, and technology (doesn't everyone?) and would rather hang out with a dog, than a cat. I prefer creating things to cleaning things, and believe laughter is a one-stop-shop solution to all that ails you. It is also my position that ELO’s Mr. Blue Sky can improve on any bad day. You will always find a purple wall (or two) in my house (perhaps even a door) and a hidden passageway that leads to a mystery room. (Okay, so you won’t find a hidden passageway but a girl can dream, can’t she?) Oh, and tea. There will always be tea. I love specialty teas...and collecting special teacups from which to drink them (doesn't everyone?) (See website for collection.)

In my former life, I was a teacher (both grade school and college-don't ask), but more recently I've been a graduate of Ellen Hopkin’s Nevada Mentor Program and a student of James Scott Bell, Christopher Vogler and Don Maass. An excerpt from Lumière earned me the 2012 Don Maass Break Out Novel Intensive Scholarship.

Because of my edgy, rule-breaking, Tim Burton-esque style of writing (yes I did just start a sentence with 'because'...it's legal now, get over it) I am often referred to as the Quentin Tarantino of YA among writing friends (in particular my agent.)

I look forward to reviews and comments from my readers, and welcome requests for skype visits, guest blogs, pod casts and interviews! You can connect with me here:  websiteFacebookGoodreads, or Twitter.

|  Lumière  |


 ~ Olga Godim ~

Olga is a Women's fiction author and freelance journalist.

About Olga:

Olga Godim is a freelance writer and journalist from Vancouver, Canada. Her articles appear regularly inlocal newspapers but her passion is fantasy fiction. She reads it and she writes it. In her free time, she collects toy monkeys and bemoans Vancouver rainy weather.  

Her first novel - women's fiction "Lost and Found in Russia" - was published in 2013 by Eternal Press.

Her second novel - fantasy "Almost Adept" - will be released in January 2014 by Burst/Champagne.

Her website http://olgagodim.wordpress.com/ offers some free reads, including a translation from Russian of one of the most beloved books in Russian literature - the novella "Scarlet Sails" by Alexander Grin.



 ~ Joanne Guidioccio ~ 

In high school, I dabbled in poetry, but decided to wait until I had more life experiences before writing a novel. The original plan was to get a general arts degree and take a few years off to travel and write. Instead, I gave in to my practical Italian side and obtained degrees in mathematics and education.

While I experienced many satisfying moments during my teaching career, I never found the time and energy to write. In 2008, I took advantage of early retirement. Slowly, a writing practice emerged, and my articles and book reviews started appearing in newspapers, magazines and online.

My debut novel, Between Land and Sea, a paranormal romance about a middle-aged mermaid, was released by Soul Mate Publishing on September 17, 2013.

I live and write in Guelph, Ontario.

Where to find Joanne…  WebsiteTwitterFacebookPinterestGoodreadsYouTube (Trailer #1), or YouTube (Trailer #2).




~ Linda Hall ~

Award-winning author Linda Hall has written twenty mystery novels plus many short stories. She has written for Multnomah Publishing, WaterBrook Press, Random House and Harlequin. Recently she has moved away from traditional publishing and is now self-publishing. Her most recently novel Night Watch is her first Indie published work. Most of her novels have something to do with the sea. When she's not writing, Linda and her husband Rik enjoy sailing the coast of Maine aboard their 34' sailboat aptly named - MYSTERY.

Sign up for her newsletter, or find out more about her on her website.  You can also connect with Linda on Facebook or Twitter: @writerhall

|  Night Watch  |


 ~ Samuel Hawley ~ 

Samuel is a well traveled author of historical fiction.

About Samuel:

Samuel Hawley was born and grew up in South Korea, the son of missionary parents. After earning BA and MA degrees in history from Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, he returned to East Asia for two decades to teach, first in Japan and then Korea, retiring in 2007 as an associate professor of English at Yonsei University in Seoul. It was in Japan that Hawley started writing for magazines and newspapers on topics ranging from travel and Japanese fashion to sumo wrestling and fishing at downtown tsuribori. By the late 1990s he had turned his attention to books, notablyThe Imjin War (Institute of East Asian Studies Press, UC Berkeley, 2005), a 700-page account of Japan’s sixteenth-century invasion of Korea and attempted conquest of China. Hawley switched his focus to popular nonfiction after returning to Canada in 2007. His first work in this new vein was Speed Duel: The Inside Story of the Land Speed Record in the Sixties (Firefly, 2010), which received starred reviews in both Publishers Weekly and Library Journal. He followed this with I Just Ran: Percy Williams, World’s Fastest Human (Ronsdale, 2011), named one of the five “Best Sports Books of 2011” by the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). Bad Elephant Far Stream is his first novel.

Find out more about Samuel on his blog.


~ Marianne Jones ~

Marianne Jones is from Thunder Bay, Ontario. Her work has appeared in Reader’s Digest, Canadian Living, The Globe and Mail, and numerous literary and denominational publications. She is the author of Great- Grandma’s Gifts, a children’s picture book and The Serenity Stone Murder, a cozy mystery set in Thunder Bay. Her website is www.mariannejones.ca.

Find out more about Marianne on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, Goodreads, and her Amazon Author Page.



~ Ryshia Kennie ~

Credit: Sher Your Memories Photography
Saskatchewan is my home and while the prairie landscape is blessed with beautiful blue skies, it also has four seasons that come on full throttle – especially winter. In 2011 I won my city's writing award, and was the first romance writer to do so since its inception. In 2013 my romantic suspense, Fatal Intent, was a semi-finalist in the Kindle Book Awards. Published in historic romance and paranormal romance as well as romantic suspense, in February 2016, Suspect Witness will become my first novel published with Harlequin Intrigue.

There’s no lack of places to set a story as my imagination and the too long prairie winters may find me seeking adventure. The memories of those worlds both near and far, the words of a stranger, the furtive look one man gives another, often become the catalyst for a suspenseful story with a deadly villain and an intrepid hero and heroine who must battle for their right to love or even their right to live.

When not dreaming of other stories, I can be found scouting out a garage sale or two, dusting off my roller blades or just thinking about the next adventure that may be miles away or in my own backyard.

My website is www.ryshiakennie.com, or I can be found on Facebook or Twitter.




~ Shelagh Meagher ~

Canadian by birth but global by nature, Shelagh has lived in England, Switzerland, the United States, and—most memorably—Italy. With kids and dogs and cats in tow.

Her writing:

Colour Studies was inspired by a car trip through the hills of Emilia Romagna, where a stone farmhouse nestled in a hillside inspired an idea about how past lives might continue to inhabit old houses.

Gumption: The Practical Woman's Guide to Living an Adventuresome Life began as a conversation in an airport about the nature of being adventuresome, became a much larger conversation with hundreds of women, and turned into a six-step program for helping women everywhere do the things they've always wanted to do. Shelagh's popular blog posts have been featured in Huffington Post and Girlfriendology.

Pearls in the Ashes is the result of a long-awaited trip. Ever since she first saw Omar Sharif in Ghengis Khan, Shelagh longed to travel across Mongolia’s steppes on horseback. It took several decades for her to achieve that goal, but the journey led to discovering the incredible history behind the story.

Shelagh currently resides back in her home town of Toronto, where she continues to plot more adventures and stories.

Connect with Shelagh via her Goodreads author pageAmazon author pagefacebook, or twitter.
| Pearls in the Ashes | Colour Studies |


~ Ken Murray ~

KEN MURRAY is a writer and teacher of creative writing. His work has also appeared in Prairie Fire, Globe and Mail, Mendacity Review, Brooklyn Rail,Ottawa Citizen, Canadian Business Magazine, Maclean’s, and has also been published by the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies (through the Random House of Canada Student Award in Writing). While earning his MFA at The New School, he also trained as a teaching artist with the Community Word Project and taught with Poets House. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including the inaugural Marina Nemat Award and the Random House Award, and received an Emerging Artist’s Grant from the Toronto Arts Council. Originally from Vancouver, Murray grew up in Ottawa and has lived across Canada and in New York City. He now divides his time between Prince Edward County and Haliburton Ontario, and teaches at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies and Haliburton School of the Arts.



~ Emerald O'Brien ~

Emerald O'Brien is the author of NA mystery/suspense novels.

About Emerald:

Emerald O'Brien is a Canadian Writer who grew up just east of Toronto, Ontario. Her latest project will beher debut release, Darkness Follows, a Mystery/Suspense NA novel . Emerald studied Television Broadcasting and Communications Media at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario.

When she isn't reading or writing, Emerald can be found with her family and friends. She loves cooking and entertaining, as well as hanging out with her Husband and their two Beagle puppies.

Find out more about Emerald on her website or become a fan on Goodreads.  She can also be found on Facebook and Twitter.



~ Cindy Paterson ~

Cindy Paterson is the author of the Senses series.

About Cindy:

Curling up with a good book and losing yourself to another time and place is the greatest reward. Being able to feel a character's emotions, their fears, pain and love. Now that is incredible. I relish in the books that stay with me long after they have ended. This is what I strive for in my writing. To give the readers, and myself, an escape into another world, my world.

I have been writing since I was twelve. My parents, sorry mom and dad, would send me to my room for an hour every night to do homework, and instead I wrote stories. Oops, guess that is why I did so bad in math.

I have never stopped writing since then and never will. It's like an addiction, but a good one. I adore stepping into the shoes of a character and deciding their fate. The characters are why I write. I want to fall in love with them (even the bad ones), so that I care about what happens to them in a story. If I can't care about the characters then why bother with the story.

I live in Toronto with my tortoise, dogs and cats. Visit me on Facebook.  Find out more about Cindy on her website or become a fan on Goodreads.  She can also be found on Amazon & Twitter.

My dark contemporary romance side: Nashoda Rose

|  Jump  |  Step  |  Fall |


~ Cora Pop ~ 

Cora Pop has a life-long love for spinning stories, mostly from the yarn of the science-fiction and the fantastic. She’s acquired it by reading such masters as Edgar Allan Poe, Jules Verne, Jean Ray, Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu, Edgar Rice Burroughs – to name only a few.

Some of her stories have appeared in White Cat Magazine and Lovecreft Ezine. Her newest published story is part of the anthology "Airships & Automatons" from White Cat Publications.

In “real” life, Cora has a Master’s degree in Aerospace Engineering, though she much prefers her imaginary life. She lives in Montreal, Canada, with her husband, their two young daughters, and a shy cat named Blues.

Visit her online at her blog.  Also visit the book blog of her collection of short stories where you can find out more about the book and the author, and read excerpts.  Other ways to connect with Cora Pop include FacebookTwitter, & Goodreads.



 ~ Jim Power ~ 


Jim Power has been published internationally by 60 magazines and newspapers, including by the Smithsonian Institution, and by many of the top outdoors magazines in North America. He has a long history of publishing fiction, from dozens of short stories in New York magazines to seven novels in 2013. He studied Honors English at Saint Mary's University and majored in Russian Literature at Dalhousie University before becoming a writer. Jim was also a dedicated hitchhiker in his youth, including a solo coast to coast trip across Canada and a solo hitchhike from Halifax to New York City.

Connect with Jim on Facebook.



~ Nashoda Rose ~

Nashoda Rose is the author of the Tear Asunder series.

About Nashoda:

Nashoda Rose lives in Toronto with her assortment of pets. She writes contemporary romance with a splash of darkness, or maybe it’s a tidal wave. Her novel “Torn from You” is the first in the Tear Asunder series. When she isn’t writing, she can be found sitting in a field reading with her dog at her side while her horses graze nearby. She loves interacting with her readers on Facebook and chatting about her addiction—books.

Find out more about Nashoda on her website, become a fan on Goodreads, or follow her on Facebook or Twitter.

|  With You  |  Torn From You |


 ~ Agnostino Scafidi ~


Agostino Scafidi is an author, musician and photographer who was born and raised in Montreal, QC of Sicilian descent. As soon as he learned to write he began writing stories for fun. Also at a young age he received his first guitar, a nylon stringed classical guitar. His child's curiosity would keep him interested in playing from then on and at the age of 14 he bought his first electric guitar. Agostino also began exploring the world of photography around that time and his interest never died. In August of 2013 Agostino independently published his first novel The Anchor That Stopped The World in eBook format.  His second novel is The Invisible Papers.  

Connect with Agnostino on Twitter or via Goodreads.


 ~ Brian Smith ~

I often wonder why I remember meeting some people but not others; recall some events but not all. I remember the exact time I met my brother-in-law, but I don’t know when I first saw my wife. I recall clearly the start line of my first marathon, but I can’t seem to remember the end of the one I just finished. I guess it all has to do with knowing, at the time, how significant that person or event will be. I didn’t know my wife would be my wife, but I did know that first marathon wouldn’t be my last.

In October, 2004, while driving along a busy highway, I came up with my first story concept. It wasn’t this story, but it was my first. The event is clear in my mind; the story is still fresh. I know why I remember it so vividly. I knew right then, this event would change my life.

From there my adventure into story telling had begun, and it couldn’t have happened at a better time. I had been thrust into adulthood with the responsibility of marriage and three kids. I knew what I had to do, and embracing corporate culture was the plan. But that fell apart when the company I worked for started to fail. Corporate downsizing, pay cuts, severance packages, and buyouts were subjects of conversations that filled the air. When the axe swung, we all ducked then looked up to see who got cut.

I started writing—a proactive new plan that involved creativity. It wasn’t long before I realized the power of that word—creativity. It had been in me all along, but life simply got in the way. Creativity was only one part of the writing equation though. It’s true what they all say—writing isn’t easy.

I started that first story as a screenplay. There were less words in a formatted, one hundred page script; and who could turn away from the inevitable blockbuster that would result. The naive writer had begun, and a disastrous story was the result. But I’m not a quitter. An education in story and writing was daunting, but I dove in with my eyes wide open.

Twelve finished screenplays resulted and many other stories were conceived, outlined, started… Purified was one of the finished screenplays. It started out as a story called "Wonder Drug." Rewrites changed the name to "Purify." Finally, the title became "Purified." Each one of those titles were compressed, expanded, elevated, and finalized. When I stepped away from screenwriting, Purified was the story I decided to pursue as my debut novel.

That pursuit was supported with a strong understanding of story and required more education in writing. Point of view, verb tense, sentence structure, and many other skills were required for the changeover to writing novels. Oh yes, also word count…

I persevered, and now Purified is published.

Like crossing the finish line of a marathon, writing this means my debut novel is done. Like standing on the start line of that first long distance race, I’ll remember this moment because I know it won’t be my last.
___

Brian Robert Smith is married and the father of three children. In 2004, a story idea introduced him to the world of writing. He pursued this new interest and with a driving desire to succeed, he has derived a compelling body of work. Purified is his debut novel, and he looks forward to offering his next novel, "Sins of a Priest." Brian resides in Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.

For more information on Brian find him on Amazon, his websiteGoodreads, or Facebook.

|  Purified  |


  ~ Christina Smith ~

Christina Smith is the author of The Moon Glow series, The Affinity Series, as well as other standalone works.

About Christina:

Christina grew up in Kingston Ontario, Canada, and after getting married, moved to a small rural town in the country. She lives there with her husband Brad, two kids Josh and Megan, and their dog Bailey. Even though her house is peaceful, surrounded by nature and the occasional deer, she is still a city girl at heart. She miss's civilization, and visits with her mother and two sisters.

Find out more about Christina on her websiteGoodreadsAmazon, or Smashwords.

~ Kelly D. Smith ~ 


About Kelly:

Kelly D. Smith is a paranormal/fantasy/urban fantasy and contemporary romance author.

Born in the GTA Kelly moved to the woods of Quebec when she was 14 years old but currently lives in Saskatchewan. A gypsy at heart, she has lived in 7 homes in 7 years and loves traveling, which you can often see in her writing.

Being homeschooled her entire life Kelly was able to dedicate her time to reading and writing. When she turned 18 she attained her GED and has never looked back with regret. Currently Kelly lives in a small farm house with her dogs. Kelly always welcomes comments or questions from her readers and can be found on Twitter & Facebook

|  Princess  |
Watch for my review coming soon!



~ William Stacey ~ 

William Stacey is a former Canadian army intelligence officer who served his country for more than thirty years with operational tours in Bosnia and Afghanistan. He is a husband, father, and avid reader, with a love for the macabre. He is an avid fitness enthusiast, a martial artist, and a fan of all things medieval and violent. He can often be found walking his German shepherd Thor in his hometown of Ottawa, Ontario. Visit him online at www.williamstaceyauthor.com

Connect with him online via TwitterFacebookSmashwordsGoodreadsGoogle Plus, or Amazon Author Central.



 ~ Ashley Stoyanoff ~

Ashley Stoyanoff is the author of The Soul's Mark series & The Deadly Trilogy.

About Ashley:

Ashley Stoyanoff is an author of paranormal romance books foryoung adults, including The Soul's Mark series and the Deadly Trilogy. She lives in Southern Ontario with her husband, Jordan, and two cats: Tanzy and Trinity.

In July 2012, Ashley published her first novel, The Soul’s Mark: FOUND, and shortly thereafter, she was honored with The Royal Dragonfly Book Award for both young adult and newbie fiction categories.

An avid reader, Ashley enjoys anything with a bit of romance and a paranormal twist. When she’s not writing or devouring her latest read, she can be found spending time with her family, watching cheesy chick flicks or buying far too many clothes.

Ashley loves hearing from her readers, so feel free to connect with her online.

|  Website  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads  |

~ Mary Sullivan ~

Mary Sullivan grew up amid the cultural pop and fizz of an urban cosmopolitan center. Despite this, she writes about small fictional towns in Montana and Colorado, and populates her stories with cowboys and ranchers. After she discovered Harlequin Superromances, she knew she wanted to write her own heartfelt stories of love, hope, relationships and happy endings. Harlequin published her first novel in 2009. The Ordinary, Montana, series has won both awards and great reviews. Her eleventh Superromance, No Ordinary Home, comes out in October of 2014.

She will be teaching a romance novel-writing workshop at Inspire! The International Book Fair in Toronto on Sunday, November 16/14. http://www.torontobookfair.ca/programming/workshops/#!mg_ld=1732

She loves to hear from readers!  Connect with her via her websiteFacebook, or Twitter: @MSullivanWrites.



~ Kali Willows ~

Born and raised in Toronto, Kali now resides in the exquisite eastern Ontario countryside where she enjoys the serenity of nature. When she isn't busy being the married mother of two, certified trainer or counsellor extraordinaire, she shadows worlds of paranormal passion & intrigue.

Kali strives to create emotional, compelling stories and characters you can't help but love, hate and cheer for. Captivated by her love of dragons, gargoyles and everything paranormal, she pens these delightful creatures into epic tales of romance and adventure and often infuses her passions of martial arts, music and ironic twists even she didn't foresee.

A good cup of tea with the crackling fire gets her creative juices flowing in the wee hours of the night, when the house is quiet and she can type away to her heart's desire. Learn more at: www.kaliwillows.com

You can visit Kali at: www.kaliwillows.com


 ~ J. Woods ~


J. Woods is a Toronto based writer, mother, and non-conformist. She lives between the space of her green tea and humming laptop when she isn’t chasing after her free spirited daughter. She has studied too many things to count including radio broadcasting and entrepreneurship. Grasping at sanity, she realized writing stories about her insane thoughts was easier than explaining them to a doctor. Not to mention cheaper.

Connect with her online via:  Facebook - J Woods Author, Twitter - @jwoodsauthorGoodreads, or her website.  


~ Mark Victor Young ~

Happily married since 1992 and a father since 2003, Mark has been a writer for as long as he can remember. He was born in Toronto and grew up in London, Ontario. He was the first winner of the Lillian Kroll Prize for Creative Writing at Western University, where he also completed a degree in English Literature. He has published poetry, short fiction, feature articles, comic strips and book reviews in various media. Visit http://markvictoryoung.com/ for more details on this and other works by the author.

He lives with his wife and daughter in London.

Find out more about Mark on his websiteGoodreads pageAmazon Author PageAbout Me, or follow him on TwitterFacebookPinterestGoogle+, or Tumblr.