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If you would like your personal Web site listed on the
Writers' Deadline!!
send me a short bio, with a picture and the URL.
If you do not have a web site, you really should have one... it's like having
a virtual business card.
Ask us about putting one together for you.
If you are a commercial enterprise and would like to advertise on this Web site
send me an e-mail.
patrick[at]writersdeadline.ca
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Many of our Writers' Deadline!! list members have
Web sites of their own. Here are some of them:
Kathy Ashby
Valerie Blondeau
Dorothyanne Brown
Ann Cavlovic
Carley Centen
John Cook
Rosaleen Dickson
Mary Dufton
Barbara Florio Graham
Valerie Knowles
Paul Mackan
Shannon Lee Mannion
Craig McMahon
Darryl McMahon
Patrick Meikle
Carol Stephen
Alberte Villeneuve
Terrence Rundle West
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 Kathy Ashby is an award-winning hot glass artist who lives
and works in Muskoka. She first publicly demonstrated the art of blowing glass at the Toronto, Harbourfront Craft
Studios’ inaugural year of 1974. As a writer, she has been extensively published for over 10 years. She produced
three narratives aired on CBC Radio One’s program Outfront. In October 2004 she was nominated for a YWCA, Woman
of Distinction Award, in the Arts Category.
Author of the book Carol ‘A Woman’s Way’ ,
her first novel, it is dedicated to Gaia, which in ancient Greece is goddess of the Earth. It is published by DreamCatcher
NB.
Kathy was nominated for the 2010 Muskoka Chautauqua Reading List.
"... a very important fictional account of the activity of women to preserve the environment. Indeed most
successful movements have been and are started by women.” Dr. Helen Caldicott
The David Suzuki Foundation is following Kathy Ashby on Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/awomansway
Last year His Holiness The Dalai Lama stated that, "The World will be saved by the Western Woman"
"We Wise Women" recognise that the Dalai Lama is talking about us and our time NOW. The largest group
of midlife women the world has ever seen is awakening at this critical time for the evolution of the planet. Visit:
http://www.wewisewomen.com.
New book review from CanLit reviewer, James Onusko PHD candidate Trent University http://jamesonusko.com/2011/04/13/ashby-finds-the-right-way/
Visit Kathy's blog at http://kathyashby.blogspot.com/ |
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 Valerie Blondeau is a long-time artist, photographer and
writer who has been helping friends and family get online.
With her long history of being a Jane of all trades she's been supporting herself with a part-time regular job
and continuing her 3 loves in the hopes to be self-supported by them. Her love of helping people blossomed into
tutoring people in English Conversation and other odds and ends of life back in 2005.
You can see a self-portrait of Valerie here under the bio link from
her early days of writing, photography and painting.
While you are enjoying her art, photography, Native bits and web site design, visit her poetry
page soon to be expanded to include some of her article works and short stories..
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 Dorothyanne Brown "is a very talented and creative writer," says
Patrick Meikle, "and has been a terrific addition to the FTN evenings." (You can read one of her reports
here-Dab's-FTN.)
And, these are her words from her online blog:
"I'm a nurse, manager, writer, and creative try anything once” woman, who has been a freelance writer for
the past 15 years in between family, work, and other demands. I’ve been published in Army Times, Country Connection,
the Ottawa Citizen, and the Canadian Author’s Association Anthology Canwrite 2006. I’ve also won honorable mentions
in the CAA competition and at the Scene of the Crime Festival, and recently won the Bloody Pete, a very sweet little
skeleton, for first prize at the Bloody Words Conference… I’ve entered the 3-day-novel contest several times and
still prefer this path to outlining.
I’m returning to more full-time writing now and enjoying (almost) every minute. Now, if only napping wasn’t mandatory…
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 Ann Cavlovic's writing has appeared in Event
and SubTerrain. She was a finalist in the 2005 Writers’ Union of Canada Short Prose Competition for Developing
Writers.
Her non-fiction has appeared in The Globe and Mail and Alternatives.
To torture herself, she is currently completing a play that is a satire about climate change. She lives with a
sweet person named Peter, and an ebullient 3-year old (which makes getting out to FTN nearly impossible, for now).
(Ann sent us a rather humbling bio. Check out her webiste to reveal her true depth: http://www.anncavlovic.com/)
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 Carley Centen is a bright young writer and communications professional. Whether writing a newsletter
for a non-profit, copy for a small business launching its first website, or a short story for a literary magazine,
her work is sharp and sure to garner interest.
Carley has been published by a variety of print sources, including Metro News and the Canadian University Press,
and in online blogs and magazines, writing on everything from science to education and business. Her creative fiction
and literary non-fiction have achieved shortlist distinctions on national and local contests.
As a strong generalist, Carley is able to quickly ascertain the needs of a diverse range of clients, who have called
her "a natural writer". She offers a wide variety of freelance writing and editing services. Check out
her portfolio at carleycenten.ca for more information!
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 John Cook is a long-time journalist,
writer, and playwright. As a freelance writer he specialized in humour. He has performed as a stand-up comic for
Amateur Night at Yuk Yuk's Comedy Club in Ottawa and wrote several humour columns, including Cook's Corner
for the Orleans Weekly Journal and Cook@home for Monitor Magazine. Many of his columns can
also be found in the Orleans
Star archives.
John has written and acted in several productions for the Vintage Stock
Theatre, and as a playwright he made his stage debut in Orléans in June 2007 with two one-act plays,
called The Roof Top Guy and The Three Hole Punch. (Here
is the write up.)
John now has his own production company called Tale Wagging Theatre
and his play The Roof Top Guy, is being presented in the 2010 Ottawa
Fringe Theatre Festival. Check his Web site for play dates,
and check the Fringe site for tickets. |
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 Rosaleen Dickson is a long-time journalist, writer, author and friend. Deadline!!
Her Web site: http://www.flora.org/rosaleen
She has set up a portion of her Web site to highlight events listed on the Writers' Deadline!! (Click on the
graphic at right). And, while you are visiting Rosaleen's site, take a look at the virtual treasure that exists
there... besides her family history and her own incredible background that is chronicled, you will find links to:
- - her books, her poetry, her words of wisdom
- - local and international writers, journalists and communicators
- - then for those of you old enough to remember, click on such faces as Gordon Sinclair, Percy Saltzman, or
Norman DePoe (if you can recognize them), and follow their links to more gems.
- - You can read her biography here, and her family
biography here.
- - Rosaleen graduated with a master’s degree from Carleton’s School of Journalism at the age of 81 - More...
- - Portrait: Rosaleen Dickson: Cyberspace Trailblazer and Inspiring Learner. More...
While the music plays in the background, take some time to visit the more than one hundred references... a worthwhile
tour.
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 Mary Dufton, has been a member of the WD-List
for many years and it is a privilege to call her a colleague.
She writes on her Mary's Disability Blog: "This is
a blog about my life as a person with a disability and my unique perspectives on my daily experiences. I am also
using the blog to post my articles that I have written and continue to write on the various aspects of living with
a disability, such as travel, relationships and health."
She continues: "I was born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus. I am 40 something and am married to a man
who also has these disabilities. We have no children but are very involved in the disability community. We have
a monthly supper club where adults with spina bifida and hydrocephalus can get together, share their experiences
and provide support to each other or just hang out. "
"I first met Mary when she was a participant in my Freelancing For Magazines class back in September
1998," said connector Patrick Meikle, where even then she professed an interest in making Freelance writing
a career and writing about disability issues. She is a fine writer and has been contributing many articles to organizations
like the Spina Bifida & Hydrocephalus Association of Ontario (SB&H)
(Challenges in the Workplace);
Independent Living
Canada; and Abilities Magazine.
More recently Mary wrote us "to share with you my really big news!" She had submitted an essay to the
Globe
and Mail’s Facts and Arguments page called I was actually terrified of the gym. "I am really
excited because this is the first time I have written an article for a mainstream  publication," she said and continued,
"I just finished a non-fiction writing course at Algonquin this fall, which I really liked and found to be
very useful."
A couple of years ago Mary was recognized as a "dynamo volunteer" for her work with the Canadian Association
of Independent Living Centres (CAILC). "Mary works for the federal government and volunteers as a writer for
CAILC. You may have read one of her articles in our newsletter. She writes the Power of One feature in every
issue which tells the story of unique individuals involved in the Independent Living Movement who have made contributions
and/or changes to their community and themselves. Mary has written for Abilities Magazine and other organizational
newsletters." (The photo shows Mary accepting the Volunteer Award at the CAILC AGM with Traci Walters who
writes a journal on the Independent
Living Canada web site.)
You can keep up with Mary's exploits on Mary's Disability Blog.
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Barbara Florio Graham is a writer, teacher and communications
consultant.
Simon Teakettle Ink has been serving clients in Canada and the US since 1981, offering expert
online training, mentoring, books, and special projects. The site is a co-production of Barbara Florio Graham,
author of Five Fast Steps to Better Writing and Five Fast Steps to Low-Cost Publicity, and her famous cat, Simon
Teakettle, with whom she co-authored the award-winning Mewsings/Musings.
The web site contains a wealth of free information on writing, publishing, and, of course, cats. Go to www.SimonTeakettle.com. |
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Bobbi & Terzo
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 Valerie Knowles - Montreal-born Valerie
Knowles is an Ottawa writer who has a B.A. (Honours History) from Smith College, Northampton, Massachusetts, an
M.A. (History) from McGill University, Montreal, and a B.J. from Carleton University, Ottawa.
In addition to writing for newspapers, magazines and federal government departments, she has taught history and
worked as an archivist. She has published eleven non-fiction works, four of which are trade books.
From her Ottawa base, Valerie Knowles continues to write independent non-fiction books and to accept commissioned
writing work. Her focus remains on Canadian and Ottawa political and social history.
Visit her web site for a full profile and book information - http://www.valerieknowles.ca/. |
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 Paul Mackan, writer, composer, director,
organist, choirmaster, actor, narrator, poet, author, critic, reviewer... he has done it all. A sage amongst his
peers, this member of the FTN adds quality and depth to our gatherings, and he is never very far from his classical
training, as anyone will attest as his stage presence is always clear and concise through his well-modulated voice,
which is crystalline in nature even over the din of the background noise and music.
Paul is a veteran of stage, television and radio and his online
biography shows his varied background and many awards. Some years ago he appeared in a Historica Minutes
(The acclaimed Historica Minutes are one-minute movies that portray exciting and important stories from Canada's
past.) presentation entitled "Rural Teacher"
which today is still one of the most popular vignettes produced. It is often seen on various Canadian television
channels. (See if you can recognize Paul when you click on the link.)
He recently launched his book, Dream Girl, Dream, started an Internet
blog, Poetry and Punditry, and is a regular contributor
to the Writers' Deadline!! listserv.
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 Shannon Lee Mannion is well-known in the writing community having worked
as an automotive columnist with CanWest for more than a decade. Prior to this, she freelanced stories to a variety
of national and international magazines and newspapers. Currently, she is the Ottawa correspondent for the Queen's
Alumni Review and has profiled David Dodge, Peter Milliken, Flora Macdonald and other Kingston note-worthies who've
spent time in Ottawa.
She is perhaps best-known for the stand she took in refusing to sign the CanWest freelance contract which resulted
in her losing her job with the Ottawa Citizen in 2008. She has been a staunch upholder of freelance copyright and
fair play for freelance writers, photographers, graphic designers and other contract workers.
Currently, she is a member of the Canadian Association of Journalists and she co-moderates a 600-member Freelance
Discussion List. She is  a graduate of Patrick's Journalism course when he offered it at High School of
Commerce.
Recently, Shannon decided to put computer keyboards to a different use which lead to reintroduce pop art following
the fashion of Andy Warhol and other pop artists of the fifties and sixties. She calls her keyboard art, Quirky
B's and you can read her blog at www.quirkybs.blogspot.com and view her web site at www.slmannon.com.
Shannon and the Quirky B's are also on Face Book. |
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Craig McMahon (Courtesy of Canadore
College)
 Craig
McMahon - student winner of the 2009 Wyn Lit 73 launches and reads from his novella "The People's Voice".
To purchase a copy ($20) directly from the author, please contact us and we will forward your request to Craig.
Craig received 50 copies of his novella and keeps 100 per cent off the sales to assist him with his student costs!
Congrats Craig!5.
See also:
Writing contest kicks off Saturday - The Sudbury Star. Click
here.
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 Darryl
McMahon has become a regular at our First Tuesday sessions. He contributes a lot to the gathered, and
more importantly he is contributing a great deal to the environment through his interests in energy saving and
vehicle modifications, such as his 1973 Porche 914, which he converted into a zero-emission electric car. (Click
on the picture to see where he was featured in a Canadian Newsblog.)
He is an Ottawa-based energy consultant, President of Econogics
and author of the book The Emperor’s New Hydrogen Economy – which offers
real world, practical advice on how individuals can reduce their energy bills. He has been driving zero emissions
vehicles since 1978!
He tells us that he has been "distracted by the Ontario government's catastrophe of an electric vehicle policy
for the past three months which has kept me from updating my reducing GHG emissions by 10 per cent in 2010 at 10n10.ca."
Other interesting links:
Click here to read up on some of the other vehicles that Darryl
has converted.
Click here for a review of his book.
Click here to read a very interesting
piece that Darryl wrote - The Inevitable Electric Car, electric drive technology, from 1908 to about 2010.
Click here for his Linkedin profile.
Don't just read Darryl, come out to an FTN and meet the man himself. |
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This is when I
started writing...
~ circa 1982 ~
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Patrick Meikle - My goal was to be a self-supporting
author, living in the country, preferably by water... (On a good month I'm self-supporting, I live in a small development
on the edge of the country, and in the Spring, we get lots of water!)
They say that those who can't, teach... so for over 15 years I taught Freelance Writing with the Ottawa-Carleton
School Board, and spent some time instructing Internet subjects with the Internet Institute and Algonquin
College.
When you get to be my age you start entering your second childhood, so I try not to act my age. I have done a lot
of different things over the years, mostly trying to survive (as any wannabe writer will tell you), but if you
really want to get bored, have a look at my Web page,
then if you need help with your insomnia, check out my resume.
This is me today!
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 Carol A. Stephen is a Carleton Place poet and
on the executive of Canadian Authors Association, National Capital Region. Carol is also a member of the League
of Canadian Poets published in Ottawa journals and online. Three of her poems have received honourable mentions
in Arborealis 2008, Ontario Poetry Society, and the Canadian Authors Association National Capital Writing Contest
in 2008 and 2011.
Carol began writing on a manual green Olivetti typewriter, but she doesn’t miss having poems flavoured with correction
fluid and cross-outs.
Her first chapbook, Above the Hum of Yellow Jackets, was released in September, 2011.
You can read her blog here: http://quillfyre.wordpress.com/
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 Alberte Villeneuve-Sinclair is passionate about life, the people
she encounters and their relationships. Now retired after thirty-two years of teaching in Ottawa, her eclectic
range of interests varies from writing, painting and photography, to psychology, spirituality, esoterism and the
paranormal to horticulture and birdwatching. Women’s issues and mental health have always been of great interest
also as she has spoken to women’s groups since 1990, the year “Le jardin négligé” was published.
A member of Ottawa Independent Writers, Arts Ottawa East and l’AAOF, she proudly offered the English version, “The
Neglected Garden” in 2005. A study in relationships, some abusive, some destructive, “The Neglected Garden” is
also a story of courage, self-discovery, acceptance and forgiveness.
(This is Alberte "au festival des auteurs".)
In 2007, Alberte published yet another novel, “Une prière pour Hélène” in which courage and
love prevail in the end. This novel addresses women’s bond of friendship and sensitive issues such as the fragmentation
of family, the challenge of raising children as a single parent, emotional and physical violence against women.
Since 2009, she writes articles for True North Perspective.
These articles are appreciated for their honest opinion, inspirational value and diversity. Her writing has given
her the opportunity to appear on several TV and radio shows and participate in many book fairs and festivals. Some
weekly columns are also featured in the Canaan
Connexion of Clarence-Rockland and in Perspective Vanier. She also has feature articles in AOE Arts News.
November 3rd 2011, « Le génie de Jessie » was launched at Saint-Guillaume School.
This first book for children features six young writers from that school who wanted to write about bullying.
An anthology is in the making and like her other novels, the cover will feature one of her paintings or photograph.
To know more, visit her website at www.albertevilleneuve.ca.
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 Terrence Rundle West
(From his website:) Some
of you will recognize me from schools I've taught at or administered in and around Ottawa (Hillcrest, Brookfield,
Glebe, Sir Wilfrid Laurier, Ottawa Tech, Eganville) or from community work in Ottawa's Hunt Club/Riverside area.
Others with long memories might recall my days at Hearst High School, Albert College, Carleton University or UBC.
Although I spend time each year in Northern Ontario and still fancy myself a northerner, I've been living in Ottawa
with my wife Peggy since 1968.
Hearing our story can be galvanizing; which is why Canadians are turning to novels that revolve around home-grown
events. And why not? There's enough history, politics and social drama in this country to match any nation.
In my writing I strive to capture the essence of the life and times in which my stories are set. Read More...
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 Door-key says they don't have a web site
up yet as far as we can tell, so they are putting the pressure on me to put the pressure on them to get a move
on!
It's not that difficult and in today's world with some 1,966,514,816 people on the Internet (Ref.), it is important to have a presence, even if it is only a digital business card.
Over to you Mr. deadline!!
How Big Is the Internet? Click
here from another statistic.
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Norma Reveler-Butler