Facilitated reading Oct. 19 in West Vancouver

I’ll be part of the Oct. 19 event “From Pain to Power,” a two-author reading celebration in West Vancouver, shared with my friend Roxanne Davies. She’s author of the narrative nonfiction book The Blue Riviera, a poignant tale of her mother’s death under mysterious circumstances. In her words: “This is also the story of a Ukrainian-Canadian immigrant — a story of hard work, illness, love, and betrayal.”

I’ll be reading from my memoir No Letter in Your Pocket (Guernica Editions, 2023), a story that the late Sylvia Fraser has called “beautifully written…not only for other abuse victims, but also for any reader interested in a compelling story.” Both Roxanne and I will share how we overcame the toxic silence in our families and found the courage to reveal our respective secrets.

Our mutual friend Dr. Gloria McArter, a B.C. registered clinical counsellor and family therapist, will host and facilitate this free event. It will be held at The Silk Purse, 1570 Argyle Avenue, West Vancouver. Doors will open at 5 pm, event will run from 5:30 to 6:30 pm. This will be BC Election Day, so why not celebrate with us? We’ll have free coffee and cookies available, plus books for sale and signing. Gloria will host our Q&A following the readings.