Welcome
First things first! I acknowledge that we are on the unceeded territories of the Musqueam, Squamish and Tsleil-Waututh Nations. I thank them for having cared for these lands and waters since time out of mind, and look forward to working with them in partnership.
Literature & Beyond
Biography
I'm a recently retired high school teacher. COVID retired me and it was a tough pill to swallow. I loved working with teenagers and my fellow colleagues on all manner of academic subjects. However, perhaps it was time to move on and the isolation of the mutating killer virus led to lots of time for reflection, reading and writing at home in lovely Kitsilano.
I was born and raised in Vancouver and Victoria. My ancestors were from Ireland (County Cork!) and Scotland (Oban). My parents were hardworking folks and army veterans both. I'm grateful to them for encouraging me in school and sports. Their generosity was amazing and always had a timely way of helping us out. They were awesome grandparents and were adored by their grandchildren.
One Father's day a couple of years ago, I was given an ancestry.com package. I submitted my salvia for DNA analysis and sent it off to Ireland. Lo and behold, a few months later, I was quite surprised to see a significant percentage of Metis heritage as well. This was not a public part of our Canadian story and it needs to be appreciated. Subsequently, I've notified all my extended family that we have strong ties to First Nations. I'm exploring this part of my family history further and have joined the Metis Federation of British Columbia.
My travel writing is dedicated to my six grandchildren who are all excellent story tellers. I'm fortunate to have taken several sabbaticals during my career, and my wife and I have visited over forty countries, usually as backpackers on a
budget. We are constantly reviewing our journals and photos and making plans for our next destination. Once you have lived out of your backpack for a year, it gets in your blood folks. Travel has become a life long addiction.
I've now written three different novellas based on this direct travel experience. The novellas are set in southern Mexico, Turkey (Istanbul) and Petra, Jordan. They are an interconnected series of murder mysteries in archaeological World Heritage sites. I'm hard at work every day writing, reading, rewriting and researching other cultures. My fourth novella is set in Bali, Indonesia and its a wonderful whodunit. Look for it around Christmas time in 2022.
