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Francene Gillis

BIOGRAPHY
Welcome to my profile. I am who I am, or am I… a paradoxical enquiry worth pondering. “What is most personal is most universal,” –Alistair MacLeod, yet another truth. And the mosaic—picking up pieces and putting them back together again into people who are stronger and better than before—those are the fulcrums, the wheels, and philosophies that drive my writing. I hope you will find information of interest that leads to a partnership or invitation. In brief…I am looking for publishers, freelance writing projects, possible editing depending on genre, and educational and human-interest writing for a fair fee of course as I am now retired, not through choice but injury. That you can read about in my upcoming memoir plus published by OC Publishing this June 22, 2025. Lots more on that on my Facebook page, instagram and soon to be website. I love writing and have been doing so since the tender age of 14. My first poem written at 16 was dedicated to my nine-year-old brother who drowned below our house. I am a professional writer living in Cape Breton, and I am working on several writing projects with the hope of being published in a much bigger circle. Following are highlights of my career thus far: Columnist: 30 plus years with a weekly newspaper: The Inverness Oran; Author: A Rose In November, collection of human interest stories, (1994); English teacher and Educator: 30 plus years, high school for the last 23 and as a substitute prior, while working in adult education and literacy; Masters in Education: Multicultural Diversity, Administration & Leadership, St. Francis Xavier University, 2013; Tribes Trained & Piloted …(2013–2015) Program created by Dr. Jeanne Gibbs, 2006 to help educational institutions and businesses become more successful; Winner of several national, regional writing and educational awards; Reviewer Pearson Canada of educational materials designed for grade nine students; Freelance Editor of several weekly and monthly rural magazines; Worked on several Nova Scotia Department of Education committees…Literacy Success 11 & 12, Advanced English 12 Pilot, Provincial Advisory Board, Grade 12 Provincial Exam; Presenter: Numerous conferences through Literacy, Adult Education, and Public School System such as ATENS Conference 2013, Strait Regional Inservices, Provincial Literacy Conferences; Consultant: (1994–1997) through my own business prior to coming back into the public education system, specializing in education, literacy, editing, and writing; Worked with CCLOW (Canadian Congress Learning Opportunities for Women) writing a chapter in a collective resource for female adult learners across Canada on issues such as self-esteem, confidence, motivation, and upgrading; Mentored by author Alistair MacLeod; I am presently working on a war book that tells the story of four brothers who fought in the Second World War from the time they were boys in rural Canada their struggles after enlisting as boys who become soldiers, and men, and which unlike other war books follows them to their deathbed whether in the war or after. The stories are funny, and serious, and devastating, and deal with battles on and off the frontlines. Called Momma Cried, it will be published this fall by Cape Breton Soul Food Publishing. I also have a fictional manuscript that evolved from true feature stories with men who were sexually abused called Truth Be Told looking for a home and publication in 2026. It is necessary for those silenced too long to be heard. It carries and awareness and educational piece that needs coverage. I also have collections of short stories, educational materials for high school students and teachers, a collection of poems, and several book length manuscripts. I would very much like to work with other professional writers or editors, and to fine a reputable agent for my writing. I would like to branch out as a columnist for human-interest or educational magazines. I guess now that I’m feeling better I wanna do everything because for eight years I could not until I found the right therapies and support and education, thus the memoir where did I go coming out in June. My intent, my hope with all of these books is to be a voice for those silenced too long because of invisible injuries, being different, and those who are called to step up to the plate and be courageous when they are anything those but. Please check me out on my other social platforms. Take care, Francene Gillis

PUBLICATIONS

Weekly newspaper columnist 33 years and counting, The Inverness Oran

Partici-paper contributor and editor

Trained and put on educational workshops for county, region, province

Trained, supervised and put on writing workshops for high school students and elementary students

A Rose in November (Self published 1994)

Feature articles (Inverness Oran)

Freelance writing local papers and magazines

St Peters Parish Booklet (Editor, writer, designer)

Opening Doors Literacy Curriculum section CCLOW (Canadian Council

Learning Opportunities for Women, 1994-1996)

Partici-paper (Inverness County magazine, edited and featured)

 

 

AWARDS

 

                                                                1. Nova Writes finalist in several contests for both fiction and nonfiction

                                                               

                                                               

                                                           

                                                           

                                                           

                                                       

                                                       

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                               

                                               

                                           

                                           

                                           

                                       

                                       

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                   

                               

                               

                           

                           

                           

                       

                       

                   

                   

                   

                   

               

               

           

           

           

       

       

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                1. In Pleasantville CNF (Long-listed, Edna Stabler, New Quarterly, 2020)

                                                               

                                                               

                                                           

                                                           

                                                           

                                                       

                                                       

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                               

                                               

                                           

                                           

                                           

                                       

                                       

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                   

                               

                               

                           

                           

                           

                       

                       

                   

                   

                   

                   

               

               

           

           

           

       

       

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                1. Yesterday’s Coffee SS (Finalist, Nova Writes, 2017)

                                                               

                                                               

                                                           

                                                           

                                                           

                                                       

                                                       

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                               

                                               

                                           

                                           

                                           

                                       

                                       

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                   

                               

                               

                           

                           

                           

                       

                       

                   

                   

                   

                   

               

               

           

           

           

       

       

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                1. Grain Magazine, 3rd place short story winner, “If Only” 2018

                                                               

                                                               

                                                           

                                                           

                                                           

                                                       

                                                       

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                               

                                               

                                           

                                           

                                           

                                       

                                       

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                   

                               

                               

                           

                           

                           

                       

                       

                   

                   

                   

                   

               

               

           

           

           

       

       

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                1. Recognized first female author, home community, 2020

                                                               

                                                               

                                                           

                                                           

                                                           

                                                       

                                                       

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                               

                                               

                                           

                                           

                                           

                                       

                                       

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                   

                               

                               

                           

                           

                           

                       

                       

                   

                   

                   

                   

               

               

           

           

           

       

       

 

 

 

 

Finalists, Nova Writes, short stories
Grain Magazine, short story “If Only” 2018, 3rd place

                                                                1. National Government of Canada Award 2015

                                                               

                                                               

                                                           

                                                           

                                                           

                                                       

                                                       

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                               

                                               

                                           

                                           

                                           

                                       

                                       

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                   

                               

                               

                           

                           

                           

                       

                       

                   

                   

                   

                   

               

               

           

           

           

       

       

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                1. Atlantic Investigative Reporting Award 1995 (3rd place)

                                                               

                                                               

                                                           

                                                           

                                                           

                                                       

                                                       

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                               

                                               

                                           

                                           

                                           

                                       

                                       

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                   

                               

                               

                           

                           

                           

                       

                       

                   

                   

                   

                   

               

               

           

           

           

       

       

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                1. Fifth Estate Segment, Investigative Report, 1995

                                                               

                                                               

                                                           

                                                           

                                                           

                                                       

                                                       

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                                   

                                               

                                               

                                           

                                           

                                           

                                       

                                       

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                   

                                   

                               

                               

                           

                           

                           

                       

                       

                   

                   

                   

                   

               

               

           

           

           

       

       

 

 

 

 

 

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Experience Levels

The Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia (WFNS) uses the following terms to describe writers’ experience levels:

  • New writers: those with less than two years’ creative writing experience and/or no short-form publications (e.g., short stories, personal essays, or poems in literary magazines, journals, anthologies, or chapbooks).
  • Emerging writers: those with more than two years’ creative writing experience and/or numerous short-form publications.
  • Early-career authors: those with 1 or 2 book-length publications or the equivalent in book-length and short-form publications.
  • Established authors: those with 3 or 4 book-length publications.
  • Professional authors: those with 5 or more book-length publications.

Please keep in mind that each form of creative writing (fiction, nonfiction, poetry, writing for children and young adults, and others) provides you with a unique set of experiences and skills, so you might consider yourself an ‘established author’ in one form but a ‘new writer’ in another.

The “Recommended experience level” section of each workshop description refers to the above definitions. A workshop’s participants should usually have similar levels of creative writing and / or publication experience. This ensures that each participant gets value from the workshop⁠ and is presented with information, strategies, and skills that suit their career stage. 

For “intensive” and “masterclass” workshops, which provide more opportunities for peer-to-peer feedback, the recommended experience level should be followed closely.

For all other workshops, the recommended experience level is just that—a recommendation—and we encourage potential participants to follow their own judgment when registering.

If you’re uncertain of your experience level with regard to any particular workshop, please feel free to contact us at communications@writers.ns.ca