thewritestuffdotme

Born the first of four children to two loving parents, I was raised in London, Ontario, Canada and married my high school sweetheart. After thirteen years, and a lot of tears later, my marriage failed. I then spent the next eight difficult years as a single parent living at or near the poverty line. The only thing that got me through this period was the unwavering support of my family and my two wonderful children, David and Jennifer.

In June of 1999 I met my second husband, and best friend, Wayne. We combined our family of five – yes five – teenaged children. Once the children had all grown and gone, for over ten years we settled into a quieter, easier life in the small coastal village of Grand Bend, Ontario, along the peaceful shores of Lake Huron.

In December of 2015 we returned to London, Ontario to be closer to our aging parents, our children, and grandchildren. With the onset of Sjogren’s Syndrome, an autoimmune disease that results in extreme dry eyes and mouth, among other fun things, I found it increasingly difficult to work in an office environment. What I discovered along the way was an interest, and apparent aptitude for, was writing. In 2012 my first fiction novel was published. Three (traditionally) published novels, multiple contributions to international non-fiction anthologies, scores of international interviews with other emerging and established writers for a third party writers’ blog, and interview contributions to a local community newspaper, my love of the written word and communication never wavers.

What’s most surprising to me is my discovery and interest in visual art. I now spend much of most of my days painting on everything from canvas to coasters. In fact, any surface I think might be interesting to paint, I work with, including abstracts on glass vases and ceramic décor items. I’ve competed and shown my work at several local art galleries, competitions, and art tours, each of which is always great fun. I often comment that, had anyone asked me fifteen years ago, I’d have said I’m not an artist, or creative. Turns out I was wrong. Now my life is filled with creativity in many forms, and I continue to explore the arts and those who create incredible works that inspire and intrigue me.

Another life-long passion of mine has always been travel. For me it’s about more than just a place. It’s about the experiences gained along the way; the people I connect with and about learning the myriad ways others seek to incorporate travel experiences into their lives. In addition to freelance travel writing, I regular write, edit, and proof written material for a full-service, award-winning rewards and incentive travel company whose team hosts unique, 5-star international corporate travel. In writing for this company, I realized that, in addition to increasing my own travel opportunities, I wanted to get behind the scenes and learn more about experiential travel – travel that incorporates unique, sometimes adventurous experiences, or personal growth opportunities. By interviewing the venues, destinations, and experiential providers, I hope to learn and share more about some of the things that travelers seek. That’s exciting to me!

What a joy and thrill it is to discover that I can do the things that call to my heart and soul, and I welcome all who wish to follow me on my journey.