News & Events

An interview with me regarding my year of college and work in Switzerland in 1976-77 appears on the website of the Swiss consulate in Vancouver, BC. Click here to read it and see related photographs.

Author reading of my children’s book Gracie’s Got a Secret at Gibsons Public Library in Gibsons, BC. The event, hosted by children’s librarian Heather Evans-Cullen, includes puppets and an opportunity for hands-on crafts. Click here to see photos of the event.

NOVEMBER 15 to DECEMBER 10 The Gibsons Public Art Gallery in Gibsons, BC will feature the creative works of 40+ members, including me, at a show honouring Leonard Cohen. I will be exhibiting a collage that features the chorus of Cohen’s song Anthem. The gala reception for Hallelujah!: a Tribute to the Songs of Leonard…

Gracie and I had fun at Vancouver’s Word on the Street Festival. Sponsored by KidsBooks, the largest children’s bookstore in western Canada, I gave a brief reading and then a Q&A. One little girl asked me if there was a beaver in the story. I suggested that might be a good idea for a character…

The Faculty of Dentistry at the University of B.C. recently selected my image, a Haida Gwaii seascape, as the cover photo for their fall 2012 issue. This photo accompanied my  article “UBC Dentistry in Haida Gwaii,” which appeared in the same issue. UBC Dentistry has selected the same image to use on their faculty greeting…

The Chapters store on Robson in Vancouver featured me on their Facebook Wall page, with a write-up about my book Vancouver’s Glory Years, co-authored with Henry Ewert. A day earlier, I had just asked a young store clerk whether I could add the book to their display of Vancouver history books. He then asked me…

I’m joining a host of local Sunshine Coast writers who will give five-minute readings on the topic of “family.” I’ll be reading the opening pages of my memoir-in-progress No Letter in Your Pocket. Doors open at 7 p.m., readings begin at 7:30 p.m. The Arts Building is at 464 South Fletcher in lower Gibsons, next…

I’m covering screenwriting for short drama and documentaries (personal narratives and issues-based videos) for grade 12 students at Powell River Digital Film School, Powell River, BC. 9 to 3 p.m.

  SoulCollage card The Storyteller Sagewise Conference (March 23-25): Honouring Elders, and Conscious Aging I am presenting a morning workshop on journalling and self-discovery, with writing exercises, and an afternoon session of SoulCollage work. These workshops are open solely to attendees registered for the conference, held at Edenvale in Abbotsford, BC. For more information about…

Want to meet Gracie the goldfish and the author of Gracie’s Got a Secret? Don’t know how to keep the kids busy during March break? Come to Woods Showcase at Sunnycrest Mall in Gibsons, BC on Tuesday, March 20. Heather Conn will be reading from her new book, starting at 10:30 a.m. She’ll chat with…

Want to inspire a flurry of words? Like the idea of choosing from dozens of symbols and images to spark your subconscious? Through the creative process of SoulCollage®, you’ll explore a fun, intuitive way to deepen your relationship with words and produce powerful art at the same time. Enjoy two forms of storytelling through a…

Control Freak. Little Miss Perfect. Inner Bitch. Some parts of ourselves are hard to love, but have you ever thought that they’re here to help? Find out how through fun writing exercises and a short introduction to the power of the SoulCollage® process. Wheatberries Bakery, 818 Gibsons Way, Gibsons, BC, 6 – 8 p.m. By…

I’ll present 20 of my photographs, with 20 seconds of story-telling for each one, as part of a Pecha Kucha night in Gibsons, BC at the Arts Building on South Fletcher (on the corner beside the library). Eleven different presenters will be sharing their images, starting at 7:30 p.m. Admission is $10. You can find…

  Nov. 26 and 27 I’ll be hosting a book table for Gracie’s Got a Secret at the Christmas Craft Fair at the Seaside Centre in Sechelt. I’ll be available from 9 a.m. on, both days. (On Saturday, Nov. 26, I’ll be leaving at 4:15 to get ready for my book launch that evening.)

BOOK LAUNCH: GRACIE’S GOT A SECRET I’m excited to have Sunshine Coast entertainer John Conway do a fun storytelling session, with puppets and sound effects, for my Gracie’s Got a Secret book launch. I’ll be hosting a discussion with the audience afterwards. The launch is at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre in Sechelt, BC from…

The Art of Blogging A one-day workshop, designed for non-techies, teaches beginners the fun basics of WordPress blogging. You’ll learn how to write catchy posts, create links, “brand” your web presence and more. Includes in-class writing and group exercises. Note: This covers the creation & maintenance of content on a newly established or existing blog,…

Nov. 18 and 19 Christmas Craft Fair, Sunnycrest Mall, Gibsons, BC Gracie is coming to Gibsons. I’ll have a display table on Friday, Nov. 18 at the Christmas Craft Fair at Sunnycrest Mall, running from 4 p.m. to closing. The next day, I’ll be back at the mall all day, from 9 a.m. to closing….

Oct. 23 and 24 As part of the Sunshine Coast Arts Crawl, I joined 14 local writers at the Gumboot Cafe in Roberts Creek, BC for mini-readings and book sales. It was fun to introduce my new children’s book Gracie’s Got a Secret and read to a young audience. See my blog post “Writers’ Hub:…

Wednesday, OCTOBER 12 to NOVEMBER 2 (four Wednesdays) Nature’s four seasons offer powerful metaphors for the human journey or spiritual quest. This fun and creative workshop will prompt you to explore the joys and challenges of your inner world, using symbols and words that “speak” to you. Celebrate your life. Discover the techniques of top…

September 24 and October 1 (two Saturdays) Sensitive and Aware: 10 Steps to Sucessful Travel Writing Are you a traveller who seeks offbeat or deep encounters and wants to write compelling prose? Forget tourist fluff and hotel reviews. This workshop will help you create thoughtful content that honours and respects the events and practices of…

I will be one of several presenters as part of the Creative in the Creek Salon. The focus of the event is on food, as a tribute to Robin Wheeler. All of the night’s proceeds will go to Robin’s support fund. David Roche is hosting and “Farmer Dave” Ryan and Aaron Joe will be among…

MW Book Publishing of Garden Bay, BC will be releasing my first children’s book, Gracie’s Got a Secret, in the fall of 2011. In Gracie’s Got a Secret, an impatient and feisty little goldfish named Gracie escapes her fishbowl and leaves her family, determined to share a secret with the outside world. Along the way,…

JUNE 15 TO AUG. 3 Photography and Writing for the Digital Age A comprehensive eight-week course designed for emerging writers and digital photographers. It’s co-facilitated by writer Heather Conn and photographer Josh Hite. Learn to take compelling photos and create short non-fiction narratives to promote your passionate cause or personal journey. Ideal for writers who…

TUESDAY, MARCH 2 and WED., MARCH 3 A Journey Through Life & the Self: Writing Your Way to a Short Film Powell River Digital Film School, Powell River, BC This two-day workshop for grade 12 students is designed to motivate them to greater creativity, using writing and group exercises, film screenings, informal presentations, and a…

I will be signing copies of Vancouver’s Glory Years at Woods Christmas Store, Sunnycrest Mall, Gibsons, BC from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Prose on the Road: The Art of Travel Writing 1 to 5 p.m., Capilano University, Sechelt campus Do you spin tales of your global adventures but never write them down? This fun workshop helps you move your passion for travel from the road to the page. Through in-class exercises and lively discussion, you learn techniques…

SEPTEMBER 23 – NOVEMBER 11 Photography and Writing for the Digital Age A comprehensive eight-week course designed for emerging writers and digital photographers. It’s co-facilitated by writer Heather Conn and photographer Adam Myhill. Learn to take compelling photos and create short non-fiction narratives to promote your passionate cause or personal journey. Ideal for writers who…

Group reading Think globally. Read locally! Gumboot Cafe, Roberts Creek, BC Nine writers based in Roberts Creek, including me, will share an evening of readings in many genres. The event is a PEN fundraiser to assist an imprisoned writer. Time: Saturday, 7 to 11 p.m. Click here to read my blog account of the event…

For my Sunshine Coast media coverage, see the front-page photo and write-up of my Author Reading in weekly newspaper The Local, Sechelt, BC Click here to view the photo and article