I am an Atlantic Canadian author of children’s books and am best known for fiction, including an eight-book series called Martin Bridge; a trilogy called The Lobster Chronicles; two mysteries called The Spotted Dog Last Seen and The Missing Dog is Spotted; an adventure novel, The Things Owen Write; a picture book, The Better Tree Fort; and, my newest novel about the Space Race called Clear Skies.
When not writing, I like to sail the coast of Nova Scotia, knit things and paddle board with my dog Ivy. New interests that will likely work their way into future novels include astronomy and birding. Anything seen with binoculars, really. Oh, and, of course, dogs. Obviously.
Notables
Literary critics from Horn Book, Kirkus Starred Reviews, School Library Journal, the Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail claim that I add much-needed male protagonists to early chapter-book and junior fiction readers.
My books have been a finalist for the Book of the Year for Children Award by the Canadian Library Association, the John Spray Mystery Award (Canadian Children’s Book Centre), British Columbia’s Red Cedar Award, Alberta’s Rocky Mountain Book Award, Saskatchewan’s Diamond Willow Award, Manitoba’s Young Readers’ Choice Award, and numerous Atlantic Canada Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Awards. My work is also included in the New York Public Library’s Top 100 Children’s Books, the Association of Canadian Publishers’ Top Grade Canlit for Classrooms, Best Books of Exceptional Calibre by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre, Best of Books by Horn Book, the Junior Library Guild Premier Selection, the Notable Books List by the American Library Association and Best Science Books by the Air & Space Magazine (Smithsonian).
Footnotes
Author highlights include having an astronaut autograph my first book about rockets, as well as seeing my stories translated into other languages (French, Russian, Swedish, Turkish and Slovenian to date). I would love to have my work performed on stage or on screen, and meet a published young writer whom I helped inspire during one of my book tours or presentations. That would be awesome!
Education
Born and raised in Alberta, I completed a degree with a double major in political science and psychology from the University of Calgary. I then moved to Halifax to study at the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design. Upon graduation with a fine arts degree, I later completed a graduate degree in public administration from Dalhousie University.
And today …
After years of juggling manuscript deadlines alongside a career in arts administration (museums, galleries, performing arts), I now write full time. I live in downtown Halifax surrounded by shipyards, fog and historic cemeteries where I draw inspiration for my stories. I am represented by
- The Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia (to book a school visit within Nova Scotia)
- Authors’ Booking Service (to book a school visit within Ontario)
- The Writers’ Union of Canada (to book a school visit in Canada)
