Please see my latest interview with Rita Chapman. If you would like an interview with her, let me know and I will connect you. As writers, it is important to cast our reach and discover new readers in faraway lands. Once inaccessible, except by snail mail and air travel, we can now communicate through the internet, instantly. Here's the link to my interview and to Rita's website (ritaleechapman.com). Photo by Nick Sarvari on Unsplash

Murders in Deer Park is now available here. Get yourself a copy. Please follow me on this website for other news and appearances and for availability in the library and Biblioboard. Get your copy of Murders in Deer Park. If you enjoyed All the Evil Scatters, you will love this police procedural featuring Melissa Hargrove and RJ Otombo

What is the novel Murders in Deer Park about? When human remains are found behind a wall in a mid-town Toronto townhouse, detectives Melissa Hargrove and RJ Otombo return to solve the 30-year-old case. They discover a string of similar cases, the only clue is a pomegranate. With no suspects or witnesses and the age of the crime scene, the team looks into long-forgotten files and cold cases and the private lives of the people in the Deer Park neighbourhood. As the investigatio

There is nothing worse than seeing a loved one deteriorate before your eyes. A once vital, thoughtful, feeling person. Gone. One you remembered as awe-inspiring. How she managed everything despite competing demands. How she picked herself up and punched through life’s ups and downs. That was my mother. Like many others afflicted with the catastrophic disease, Alzheimer’s took her will, her dignity, and the twinkle in her eyes. Alzheimer’s, or the memory thief as I called it,

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The year was 1989. While the Berlin Wall was being chipped away, an even more profound, yet subtly dramatic, shift was occurring, masterminded by moi. I finished my Masters in Social Work, said goodbye to my patients and embarked on a career in the civil service, believing that change must come from within. Before long, administrivia and research — a recipe for boredom — left me needing more and, in my spare time, I assembled a chaotic body of notes, short stories, manuscrip

It has been an eventful year for me and everyone else, to be sure. 2025 started off with my lung surgery to remove a cancerous nodule. Three months of recovery and 10 pounds later, I was able to breathe again with minimal struggle. I had many moments with cherished friends and family. I managed to go on a cruise around the United Kingdom, visiting England, Wales, Ireland, Northern Ireland, and Scotland. So much history and political unrest over the centuries came to life. Wil

As a writer it's not about how much money I make, it is about the love of writing. Let's face it, writing, unless you're somebody who is well-known, is not going to make you rich, but won't it be sweet when it does? I enjoy the craft of weaving a story that a reader might enjoy. There's something special about an idea that unfolds in the pages of a manuscript. Do writers have the entire story in their heads or do they follow their characters to see where they might lead them?

I took a package in 2019 and officially retired from the provincial civil service in August, 2020, after a wonderful 30-year career. I planned to travel, write a book about it, and when I got bored, work in a bookstore. That was the dream. You got it. Not great timing for much travel as the reality of the next couple of years thwarted those plans. While I was able to do some travel in 2019 and early 2020, the world became flat and unnavigable. Time stood still and life, as we

Like a catchy first line or hook at the end of a chapter, the narrative’s ending needs to be just right to satisfy the reader, bring closure, or leave room for a sequel. Should the ending be ambiguous or definitive? Should justice be served for a narrative to have meaning to the reader? Should all the questions raised throughout the story culminate in a neatly tied-up bow? Life is not neat. Should a story’s ending be neat? An ending carries with it the burden of satisfaction,

Grab a drink and some snacks and join the Executive Director and the Board of Directors for an evening of socializing, community engagement, and supporting Art for Cancer. Be inspired by art created on the spot. There will also be a silent auction -- choose a piece or two from your favourite artist. Here are some featured pieces. We hope to see you. For more information and to purchase tickets, please click here .

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