Novels

The Medal

Chronology of the Novel
- Apr. 23, 2015 Book Launch – Victoria, British Columbia
- Nov. 22, 2014 Book Launch – Kingston, Ontario
- Oct. 31, 2014 The books arrive from the printer! Happiest Halloween ever!
- Oct. 26, 2014 The cover design is sent to the printer
- Oct. 19, 2014 The designer is working on the book cover
- Oct. 9, 2104 The corrected pages are sent to the printer.
- Oct. 8, 2014 Final corrections to page proofs are complete
- Oct. 4, 2014 Corrections to the page proofs sent to the typesetter and editor
- Oct. 1, 2014 Page proofs arrive from the typesetter
- Sept. 25, 2014 Final manuscript sent to typesetter
- Sept. 24, 2014 Final revision of manuscript sent to editor
- Sept. 21, 2014 Photo shoot for the author photo by Shayne of SB Images
- Sept. 18-23 Blurb and an author bio prepared for the back cover
- Sept. 8, 2014 Manuscript corrections returned to editor
- Sept. 6, 2014 Information for Library and Archives Canada sent to book designer
- Sept. 6, 2014 Book designer sends me requirements
- Sept. 1, 2014 Editor returns manuscript with comments
- July 23, 2014 Manuscript e-mailed to the editor
- July 7-22, 2014 Manuscript revision
- July 7, 2014 Borealis Press offers me a book contract
- Feb. 28, 2014 Borealis Press receives the manuscript and marketing ideas
- Feb. 18-26, 2014 New ending and a few alterations to the manuscript
- Feb. 18, 2014 Borealis Press requests the manuscript
- Feb. 2, 2014 Submission sent to Borealis Press
- June 2012-December 2013 Four publishers reject the manuscript
- Sept. 2012-February 2014 Manuscript revisions
- September 2012-June 2014 Chapter-by-chapter feedback from my Writers’ Group
- June 8, 2012 Completion of first draft
- Aug. 2010-June 2012 Research and writing continue
- Aug 26, 2010 Novel writing begins
- July 2006-August 2010 Exploration of ideas for a contemporary coming-of-age story
Finding Home

The year is 1869. Sarah Phillips, a fifteen-year-old domestic, loses her family to cholera in the slums of East London. In Forest Mills, Ontario, Richard Breeze returns home in disgrace when he loses his job after a fight with his boss’s son. Finding Home chronicles their intersecting journeys as Sarah searches for her relatives in Canada, and Richard tries to find his place in the world and earn his father’s respect. This novel features twists inspired by stories from the Lennox and Addington County archives. It also shines a light on the plight of the early Home Children: waifs and orphans taken from the slums of London to provide child labour on Canadian farms. Finding Home was co-authored with Ruth Allen who shares my love of history and writing. The manuscript is now at the editing stage.