Find out more about my memoir No Letter in Your Pocket
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…
In the spring 2024 issue of BC BookWorld, reviewer Steve McClure writes of my memoir No Letter in Your Pocket: “Conn’s soul-baring honesty and writing skills compel you to keep reading and keep learning. The arc of her narrative …. is one that anyone with the slightest amount of empathy will be drawn in by…
I will be reading from my memoir No Letter in Your Pocket on March 24 at Mission Point House in Davis Bay, BC. This free public event is part of the monthly writing events hosted by the Sunshine Coast Writers and Editors Society. I like what BC BookWorld has said about my book: “Above all,…
It was a delight to discuss my memoir, the #MeToo Movement, toxic masculinity, forgiveness, and more with Meggie Royer, editor of the feminist publication Persephone’s Daughters. Meggie asked me if I felt comfortable using the term “toxic masculinity” and I said yes. Since then, I’ve learned that it can alienate some men. To me, it…
Many thanks to Michael Gurney, Coast Reporter arts and culture writer, for introducing me at the April 15 launch of my memoir No Letter in Your Pocket. He provided insightful Q&A questions and I appreciated his understanding and sensitivity. About 50 people attended the event, held at Sunshine Coast Arts Centre in Sechelt, expressing gratitude and…
What influence did university journalism and the UBC student newspaper The Ubyssey have on my life and career? I explain, and reminisce, in a new online series of Q&As, part of the Hundred Year Trek project. (The Great Trek was a huge event in Vancouver, BC in 1922, whereby hundreds of students, supported by many…
Hello Everyone, The Burnaby Writers’ Society is sponsoring me as a featured writer on Zoom, Sunday, Sept. 19, starting at noon. I’ll be reading short excerpts from three sources: my essay “A Slow Good-bye,” a visit to the Taj Mahal from my memoir No Letter in Your Pocket (Guernica Editions 2023), and my picture book…
Some people could never imagine offering comfort as a bedside companion to a stranger who is dying. Or sitting in an all-night vigil for someone’s final hours. In hospice training, we learn that compassion, deep listening, acceptance, and non-judgment are core traits needed to remain truly present with those who are dying or grieving a…
Want to know what hospice has done on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast for the past 30 years? Come to an Oct. 5 event in Sechelt and see the video that I wrote, produced, and directed called “Legacy of Love: 30 Years of Compassionate Care on B.C.’s Sunshine Coast, 1987 – 2017.” The seven-minute documentary…
Have you always wanted to write a family history but felt overwhelmed? Thought of writing a memoir but didn’t know how to start? Would you like to document the highlights of your organization’s past? I’ll be sharing both practical and inspirational tips — and how to avoid research pitfalls — in my new Vancouver School…
What are the challenges of writing about trauma, whether it’s sexual abuse, incest, or a life-altering illness? How do you connect with others through a personal story of crisis? These are some of the topics to be addressed next month at an event I’m co-hosting. Manitoba author Donna Besel and I are presenting a panel discussion…