Writers' Council Profiles
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A.J.B. (John or Jay) Johnston
A.J.B. (John) Johnston is the author or co-author of books and museum exhibits, as well as articles in scholarly journals, magazines and newspapers. He was made a chevalier of France’s Ordre des Palmes Académiques in recognition of his body of work on Louisbourg and other French colonial topics. The best known of his history books is Endgame 1758, which won a Clio award from the Canadian Historical Assocation and was short-listed for the Dartmouth Book Award.
His two latest books, his 20th and 21st, will appear in 2020. First up will be Kings of Friday Night: The Lincolns (Nimbus). Then it will be Ancient World, New World: Skmaqn—Port-la-Joye—Fort Amherst (Acorn), co-authored with Jesse Francis.
In 2018, John released The Hat, a YA novel that offers a 21st-century take on the Acadian Deportation, and Something True, which was inspired by the real-life adventures of Katharine McLennan in late 19th and early 20th-century Cape Breton and in France during the First World War.
In 2017, he was Writer-in-Residence at the Center for the Writing Arts in Fairhope, Alabama. Back in 2016, John participated as a mentor to emerging writer Linda MacLean in the Alistair MacLeod Mentorship Program. From mid-April to mid-May 2017 he combined with Sal Sawler and Norma Jean MacPhee to offer sessions for the WFNS entitled “So You Want to be Published” in Halifax, Antigonish, Wolfville, Sydney and Yarmouth.
John has written three novels in the Thomas Pichon series: Thomas, A Secret Life in 2012; The Maze in 2114 and Crossings in 2015.
Back in 2013, Ni’n na L’nu: The Mi’kmaq of Prince Edward Island (Acorn), won three awards: “best-published Atlantic Book”, best PEI Non-Fiction, and a PEI Heritage Award. The French version of the book, Ni’n na L’nu: Les Mi’kmaq de l’Ile-de-Prince-Édouard, is now available from La Grand Marée (Tracadie Sheila, NB).
Released in 2015 was Grand Pré, Landscape for the World (Nimbus), co-written with Ronnie-Gilles LeBlanc.
Most of his books are available as e-books.
John writes exhibits as well, including the “Vanguard: 150 Years of Remarkable Nova Scotians” for the Nova Scotia Museum and the ground floor of the Black Cultural Centre. The award-winning travelling exhibition Ni’n na L’nu: The Mi’kmaq of Prince Edward Island opened at the Confederation Centre in Charlottetown and then travelled to the Museum of Canadian History in Gatienau, Quebec and other subsequent venues. More recently, John developed the storyline and texts for the revitalization of the Colchester Historeum in Truro. That exhibit opened officially in early 2016.
More information on John can be found at ajbjohnston.com and on Facebook at A J B Johnston, Writer. John is on Twitter at @ajbjohnston and on Instagram at AJBJohnston.
John donates his papers to the Beaton Institute of the Cape Breton University.
PUBLICATIONS
Grand Pré, Landscape for the World, 2015. Nimbus Publishing. ISBN 978-1-77108-271-6
AWARDS- Endgame 1758 was shortlisted for the Darmouth Book Award for Non-Fiction.
- The Canadian Historical Association awarded ‘Endgame’ a Clio prize as the best book on the history of Atlantic Canada published in 2007
- Ni’n na L’nu: The Mi’kmaq of Prince Edward Island (Nimbus Publishing), short-listed for best-published book, Atlantic Book Awards, 2014.
- Ni’n na L’nu: The Mi’kmaq of Prince Edward Island (Acorn Press), short-listed for best non-fiction book, PEI Book Awards, 2014.
- Biographical entry in Canadian Who’s Who since 2009.
- Both the exhibit entitled Ni’n na L’nu: The Mi’kmaq of Prince Edward Island and the book of the same name published by Acorn Press received a PEI Heritage Award, 2014.
- Alcuin design award (second place) for Phoenix Fortress, 1991.
- Ni’n na L’nu: The Mi’kmaq of Prince Edward Island selected “best-published Atlantic book” at 2014 Atlantic Book Awards.
- Ni’n na L’nu: The Mi’kmaq of Prince Edward Island selected Best PEI Non-Fiction Book at 2014 Atlantic Book Awards.
A.J.B. (John or Jay) Johnston
Adam Foulds
I am a poet and novelist originally from the UK, now a Canadian resident. I’ve published four novels and a poetry collection and bunch of other things. I’ve won a number of literary awards, including being shortlisted for the Booker Prize. I’ve taught creative writing at workshops and universities in Britain, Canada, and elsewhere.
PUBLICATIONS
Books:
DREAM SEQUENCE, novel, February 2019, Jonathan Cape, UK/ June 2019, FSG, US.
IN THE WOLF’S MOUTH, novel, February 2014, Jonathan Cape/ June 2014, FSG, US.
THE QUICKENING MAZE, novel, Cape, 2009.
THE BROKEN WORD, narrative poem, Cape Poetry, 2008.
THE TRUTH ABOUT THESE STRANGE TIMES, novel, Weidenfeld and Nicholson, 2007.
Other Publications:
(All publications are in print with possible online formats also).
Article on Fernando Pessoa’s The Book of Disquiet, Foxed Quarterly, Forthcoming.
Article on Daniil Trifonov Concert in Montreal, Times Literary Supplement, May 20, 2022
‘Ghosts’ Short Story, Granta 159, Spring 2022.
Article/ Review on Solitude and Loneliness, Times Literary Supplement, May 29 2020
Article on Nabokov’s The Gift, Slightly Foxed Quarterly, Summer 2019.
Article on music and the writing process, Literary Review Canada, May 2019.
Article on Brexit, Globe and Mail newspaper, Canada, May 2019.
Essay, ‘Swifts.’ Granta 142, Animalia, Winter 2018.
Review/ article on Denis Johnson’s fiction, Financial Times, Jan 19, 2018.
Review, Basil Bunting’s Collected Poems, Areté Magazine, issue 51.
Review, The Burning Ground, Adam O’Riordan, Guardian Newspaper, Jan 25th 2017.
Article, Geoffrey Hill’s Collected Poems, Slightly Foxed Magazine, 2017, tbc.
Catalogue Introduction for Paula Rego, The Last King of Portugal And Other Stories, exhibition, Marlborough Fine Art, 2014.
Essay for On Life Writing, Zachary Leader ed, OUP 2014. Version of a lecture given at the Huntington Library 2012 Life Writing Conference.
The Broken Word, radio play adaptation, BBC Radio 4, autumn 2013.
‘A World Intact’, extract from In The Wolf’s Mouth, Granta 123: Best Of Young British Novelists, April 2013.
‘Dreams Of A Leisure Society,’ short story, Granta 119, ‘Britain’ issue, 2012.
‘A Kindness,’ short story, The New Statesman magazine, 2012.
Introduction to The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann, Vintage Classics, Spring 2011.
Essay on ‘St. Jerome’ by Farrukh Beg, miniature painting in the Museum Of Islamic Art, Doha, Qatar, as part of the ‘Reflections’ project edited by Ahdaf Soueif, Bloomsbury Qatar foundation, 2011.
‘The Rules Are The Rules,’ short story in PEN/ O Henry Prize Stories 2011, Anchor, Spring 2011.
‘The Rules Are The Rules,’ short story Granta ‘Sex’ Issue, 2010.
Translations of various books and publications into a number of languages, including French, Spanish, Russian, Italian, Hungarian, Czech, Arabic and Hebrew.
AWARDSLonglisted for the 2019 Scotiabank Giller Prize for Fiction.
Shortlisted for the 2015 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction.
Named as one of the New Generation Poets, 2014.
Winner of the E M Forster Award, American Academy of Arts and Letters, May 2013.
Named one of Granta’s Best Of Young British Novelists, April 2013.
Winner, European Union Prize For Literature, 2011.
Winner 2010 Encore Award for The Quickening Maze.
Winner of South Bank Show Literature Award 2009 for The Quickening Maze.
Shortlisted for Man Booker Prize 2009 for The Quickening Maze.
Shortlisted for 2008 Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction for The Quickening Maze.
Longlisted for the 2009 Dublin Impac Award for The Quickening Maze.
The Quickening Maze chosen among Books Of The Year, Guardian newspaper and as one of the fifteen best novels of 2010 by The New Yorker magazine.
Winner 2008 Costa Poetry Prize for The Broken Word.
Winner 2008 Somerset Maugham Award for The Broken Word.
Shortlisted for 2008 Sunday Times Young Writer Of The Year Award for The Broken Word.
Shortlisted for 2008 John Llewellyn Rhys Prize for The Broken Word.
Winner 2007 Sunday Times Young Writer Of The Year Award for The Truth About These Strange Times.
Winner 2007 Betty Trask Award for The Truth About These Strange Times.
Adam Foulds
Adele Megann
Adele Megann is a Newfoundlander based in Halifax. Her short fiction has been published in many Canadian and US periodicals and anthologies. She has won several awards–including the 1995 Bronwen Wallace Memorial Award–and has given over thirty readings and interviews.
Over the years, Adele has been involved in the writing community by organizing readings, and teaching creative writing. Adele lived many years in Calgary, where she was part of the Pack of Liars writing workshop, and was a fiction editor of Dandelion magazine.
After moving to Nova Scotia in 1999, Adele participated in Writers in the Schools throughout the province. She performed at Playwrights in Performance Cabarets. She has written curriculum guides for Exodus Theatre Society, and coordinated their school matinees. In addition to the literary publication credits listed here, she has also contributed several articles to an Irish magazine called Set Dancing News, and does some corporate writing.
Adele’s day jobs usually involve teaching. She has taught diverse subjects–including music, drama and literacy–to children and adults, including those with disabilities. She sings, and plays several instruments, usually in the context of traditional Irish music. She lives with an assortment of humans and animals.
PUBLICATIONS
PERIODICALS
“Triptych: What I Learned From My Cat,” Paperplates (Toronto), vol.5, no.3, 2003.
“Thief,” Prairie Journal of Canadian Literature, no.37, 2001.
“Ophelia and Rosencrantz Discuss Censorship,” Mississippi Review, vol.29, no.3, Summer 2001.
“Claudius Looks,” Mississippi Review, vol.29, no.3, Summer 2001.
“Overlooking Cove,” Gaspereau Review (Wolfville), no.8, Summer 1999.
“Living Colour,” Pottersfield Portfolio (Halifax), vol.17, no.2, Winter 1997.
“Spirits,” Forum: Journal of the Calgary Women’s Writing Project (Calgary), Fall/Winter 1995, vol.6, no.1.
“The Saga of Mary Marie,” paperplates (Toronto), 1995 vol.2, no.3.
“Palimpsest” (Contest Runner-up), Filling Station (Calgary), vol. 1, no. 1, 1994.
“Les uns et les autres,” Blue Buffalo (Calgary), vol. 10, no. 3, 1992.
“Single Girl,” Secrets from the Orange Couch (Edmonton), vol. 4, No. 2, Fall 1991.
ANTHOLOGIES
“Twelfth Night,” La Cucina Egeriana: Time, Tastes and Tables. Indiana: Notre Dame Center for Pastoral Liturgy, [1997].
“Living Colour,” Taking Off the Tinsel. Edmonton: Rowan Books, 1996.
“The Missing You,” Boundless Alberta. Edmonton: NeWest Press, 1993.
- Nomination for the Journey Prize, 2002
- Honourable Mention in Novel category, 24th Annual Atlantic Writing Competition, 2001
- Recipient, Bronwen Wallace Memorial Award, 1995
- First runner-up, 2-20-200 Contest, Filling Station, 1994
Adele Megann
Alice Burdick
Alice Burdick lives and writes poetry in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia and co-owned the former Lexicon Books in Lunenburg. Alice moved to Halifax in 2002 from Toronto, Ontario, where she was born and raised. She has also lived in Espanola, Vancouver, and on the Sechelt Peninsula in BC.
Burdick has been involved with the small press community in Canada since the early 1990’s, when she was co-editor, with Victor Coleman, of The Eternal Network. This very small ongoing imprint produced chapbooks, including several of her own works, such as Signs Like This, Fun Venue, and Voice of Interpreter. Her work has been published by other small presses in Canada, including: Proper Tales Press (a Time, My Lump in the Bed: Love Poems for George W. Bush); Letters Press (Covered); and BookThug (The Human About Us). It also has appeared in various magazines, such as Hava LeHaba (from Tel Aviv, Israel), Event Magazine, Canadian Poetries, Two Serious Ladies (from the US), Dig, What!magazine, subTerrain, fhole, This Magazine, and Who Torched Rancho Diablo? From 1992-1995, Alice was assistant coordinator of the Toronto Small Press Fair. She has also done numerous readings over the years in many different venues, including the Ottawa International Writers Festival, The Scream in High Park in Toronto, and the Halifax Word on the Street.
Alice’s fourth collection of poetry, Book of Short Sentences, came out in the spring of 2016 from Mansfield Press. Her last book, Holler, was released in April 2012, following Flutter, which came out in Fall 2008 (both Mansfield Press). Two collaborative poems have shown up in Our Days In Vaudeville by Stuart Ross and 29 Collaborators (Mansfield Press, Fall 2013). Her poems have appeared in Shift & Switch: New Canadian Poetry (The Mercury Press, Fall 2005), Surreal Estate: 13 Canadian Poets Under the Influence, An Anthology of Surrealist Canadian Poetry (The Mercury Press, Fall 2004), and in Pissing Ice: An Anthology of ‘New’ Canadian Poets, (BookThug, 2004, as well as other anthologies. Her first perfect-bound book was Simple Master, published in 2002 by Pedlar Press.
”Deportment”, a book of selected poems from the early 1990s onward, was released by Wilfrid Laurier University Press in the autumn of 2018. Her essays have appeared in three recent anthologies: “Home” from MacIntyre Purcell, 2018, “Gush” from Frontenac House, 2018, and “Locations of Grief” from Wolsak & Wynn, 2020.
Her poem ”Terms and Conditions” was shortlisted for the first Lemon Hound Poetry Prize in 2014.
Read more about Alice Burdick in interviews conducted by Alex Porco on Open Book Toronto and on Lemon Hound and in gallery form here. You can watch and listen to Alice read some poems on a beach here.
PUBLICATIONS
Best East Coast Jams, Pickles, Preserves & Breads. Formac Publishing, 2021. ISBN 9781459506763
Grandma’s Cookies, Cakes, Pies and Sweets: The Best of Canada’s East Coast. Formac Publishing, 2020. ISBN 9781459506398
Deportment: The Poetry of Alice Burdick. Selected and introduced by Alessandro Porco. Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2018. ISBN 9781771123808
Book of Short Sentences. Mansfield Press, 2016. ISBN 9781771261098
Holler. Mansfield Press, 2012. ISBN 9781894469708
Flutter. Mansfield Press, 2008. ISBN 9781894469418
Simple Master. Pedlar Press, 2002. ISBN 9780968652275
Anthologies:
Locations of Grief: an emotional geography. Wolsak & Wynn, 2020. ISBN 9781989496145
My Nova Scotia Home: Nova Scotia’s best writers riff on the place they call home. MacIntyre Purcell Publishing Inc., 2019. ISBN 9781772761115
Aubade: Poetry and Prose from Nova Scotian Writers. Boularderie Island Press, 2018. ISBN 9781926448268
GUSH: Menstrual Manifestos for Our Time. Frontenac House, 2018. ISBN 9781927823798
Our Days in Vaudeville, by Stuart Ross with 29 Collaborators. Mansfield Press, 2013. ISBN 9781771260244. Two poems in collaboration with Stuart Ross.
Rogue Stimulus: The Stephen Harper Holiday Anthology For A Pro-Rogued Parliament, Mansfield Press. 2011. ISBN 9781894469487
Shift and Switch: New Canadian Poetry. The Mercury Press, 2005. ISBN 9781551281162
To Find Us: words and images of Halifax. Halifax Regional Municipality Press, 2005. ISBN 9780968726235
Surreal Estate: 13 Canadian Poets Under the Influence. The Mercury Press, 2004. ISBN 9781551281094
Chapbooks, Broadsides, and Folios:
Poils d’ivresse. Translation of “Pleasure Bristles” collaborative book, by Éditions Vanloo of France, 2020.
A Holiday for Molecules. above/ground press, 2019.
Pleasure Bristles. Collaborative chapbook with poet Gary Barwin. above/ground press, 2018.
FLOOD. Poem in folio form in collaboration with artist Drew Klassen. Letterpress, drawing in ink, rubber stamps, 2018.
Chore Choir. Puddles of Sky Press Chapoem, 2016.
Minola Review. Print anthology from The Minola Review online journal, 2016.
BafterC Volume 6 Number 1, The Barlow Response Unit. Anthology, BookThug, 2013.
A Trip Around McFadden. Festschrift, for David W. McFadden’s 70th birthday. Coach House printing, 2010.
3 poems. Laurel Reed Press, 2007
Pissing Ice: An Anthology of ‘New’ Canadian Poets. BookThug, 2004
My Lump in the Bed: Love Poems for George W. Bush. Proper Tales Press, 2004
Moe-Town. Proper Tales Press Product, 2003
Psychic Rotunda. Oversion, 2003
Winter Walk. 1cent #359, 2003
Guessed Book. Anthology from Ottawa International Writers Festival, A Onion Printsmop, October 2002
The Human About Us. BookThug, 2002
A Letter to His Excellency Nicky Drumbolis. Anthology, 1997.
AB: a special issue of CB containing the work of Alice Burdick, CB #4 – poems & drawings, 1995
a Time. Proper Tales Press, 1995
Covered. twobitter 54, Letters Press, 1994
Fun Venue. The Eternal Network, 1994
Signs Like This. The Eternal Network, 1994
Big Tomatoes. PUSHYbroadside 5, 1993
Voice of Interpreter. The Eternal Network, 1993
A Discord of Flags: Canadian Poets Write About The Persian Gulf War. Anthology (1991; reissued 1992)
Journals and Magazines:
My poetry and prose has appeared, since 1992, in these publications, in print and/or online: Arts Atlantic, Canadian Poetries, CB Magazine, CKLN-FM Anniversary Literary Supplement, The Coast Magazine, EVENT Magazine, fhole, Dig, Hardscrabble, Hava LeHaba, Matrix Magazine, The Minola Review, Oversion, Push-Machinery, subTerrain, This Magazine, Tongue Tide, Two Serious Ladies, What!magazine, Who Torched Rancho Diablo?, Work Seen Magazine, Understorey Magazine.
Alice Burdick
Alice Walsh
Alice Walsh writes fiction and nonfiction for adults and children. Her short stories and articles have been published in newspapers, magazines and literary journals. She is the author of thirteen books, many of which have been nominated for or won awards. A number of her books have been listed as Best Books for Children and Teens in Canada. Her YA novel Pomiuk; Prince of the North (Dundurn 2005) won the Ann Connor Brimer award.
Alice graduated from St. Mary’s University with degrees in criminology and English, and from Acadia with a master’s in Children’s Literature. She has worked as a preschool teacher, volunteer probation officer, creative writing instructor, and hospital ward clerk.
PUBLICATIONS
Books for Children
Something’s Wrong With Kyla’s—-Nimbus Publishing (1990)
Uncle Farley’s False Teeth—Annick Press (1995)
Heroes of Isle aux Morts—Tundra Books (2000)
Pomiuk; Prince of the North—Beachholme (2000)
A Sky Black With Crows—Red Deer Press (2008)
A Long Way From Home—Second Story Press (2012)
Buried Truths—Creative Publishing (2013)
A Change of Heart—Nimbus Publishing—2016
Adult Non-fiction
Mermaid: A Puppet Theatre in Motion—Gaspereau Press (2005)
Adult Mystery
Analyzing Sylvia Plath—Thomas & Mercer (2012)
Last Lullaby—Vagrant Press (2017)
Death on Darby’s Island—Vagrant Press (2021)
Something’s Wrong With Kyla’s Mother (Nimbus Publishing 1990,) Canadian Children’s Book Centre Our Choice.
Heroes of Isle aux Morts (Tundra Book 2000), Canadian Children’s Book Centre Our Choice; Hackmatack finalist.
Pomiuk; Prince of the North (Beachholme 2000), Ann Connor Brimer Award. Canadian Children’s Book Centre Our Choice; Hackmatack finalist.
A Sky Black with Crows (Red Deer Press 2008,) Best Books for Children and Teens in Canada; shortlisted for Ann Connor Brimer Award.
A Long Way from Home (Second Story Press 2012), Best Books for Children and Teens in Canada; Hackmatack finalist.
A Change of Heart ( Nimbus Publishing2016), Best Books for Children and Teens in Canada; Hackmatack finalist.
Death on Darby’s Island (Vagrant Press 2021), Finalist for the Howard Engel award for best crime novel set in Canada.
Alice Walsh
Alison DeLory
Alison DeLory is a writer, editor, publisher, teacher, and consultant in Halifax.
She’s the author of an adult novel called Making it Home (Vagrant/Nimbus Publishing, 2019); two children’s chapter books called Lunar Lifter (Bryler Publications, 2012) and Scotia Sinker (Sketch Publishing, 2015), and a story in the YA creative non-fiction anthology Becoming Fierce: Teen Stories IRL (Fierce Ink, 2014).
Alison has written news, feature stories and essays for publications including The Globe and Mail, Chicago Tribune, Chatelaine, Today’s Parent, Ryerson Magazine, Dalhousie Magazine, Medical Post, Halifax Magazine, and Canadian Traveler.
Alison was a finalist twice in the Atlantic Writing Competition and won prizes for her blog and poetry at Mount Saint Vincent University. She served as a judge for the 2017 Evelyn Richardson Non-Fiction Award and as a reader for the 2016 CBC Creative Nonfiction Prize. She’s been a presenting author twice at Word on the Street Halifax (2015 and 2019).
She has two degrees from Mount Saint Vincent University including a masters of public relations, and was editor of the alumni magazine Folia Montana there for four years. Her third degree is from Ryerson University in journalism.
Alison has been a part-time instructor at Mount Saint Vincent University in communication studies since 2013. She’s also taught at the Nova Scotia Community College and taught workshops through the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia (WFNS). She participated in the WFNS Writers In The Schools program from 2009 to 2017, bringing writing workshops into more than 50 classrooms province-wide. Alison has served as council member at the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia (WFNS) since 2009.
Alison enjoys working with emerging authors on their manuscripts, and also performs substantive, structural and copy-editing for various clients including creative writers, business writers, and academics.
She is currently the Associate Director of Communications for the University of King’s College where she writes content for print and digital publications, and is editor of the alumni newsletter and Tidings Magazine.
AWARDS
1. Canadian Progress Club Halifax Cornwallis, Women of Excellence Award, Communications and Public Affairs, 2014
2. President’s Award, MSVU, 2013
3. Finalist, Atlantic Writing Competition, 2013 & 2011
4. Best Blogger, MSVU, 2011
5. Ekphrasis, Art Prompts Writing Poetry Award, MSVU, 2011
Alison DeLory
Alison Smith
Alison Smith is the author of three books of poetry and one chapbook from Gaspereau Press. Her most recent collection, This Kind of Thinking Does No Good, was awarded the 2019 J.M. Abraham Award for Atlantic Poetry and was shortlisted for the 2020 Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award. She has written for radio, the stage, and has taught poetry workshops in prison, schools and other community settings. Alison lives in Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia.
PUBLICATIONS
Full-Length Poetry Collections
2018 This Kind of Thinking Does No Good. Gaspereau Press. Kentville, NS.
2004 Six Mats and One Year. Gaspereau Press. Kentville, NS.
2001 The Wedding House. Gaspereau Press. Kentville, NS.
Chapbooks
2009 “Fishwork, Dear.” Gaspereau Press. Kentville, NS.
2013 CBC Poetry Prize finalist
2019 JM Abraham Atlantic Poetry Prize winner
2020 NS Masterworks Arts Award finalist
Alison Smith
Allison LaSorda
Allison LaSorda’s writing has been nominated for National Magazine Awards and the CBC Poetry Prize, and selected as a Notable Essay in Best American Essays 2021. A recipient of scholarships from the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity and the Vermont Studio Center residencies, she is a contributing editor at Brick, A Literary Journal. Her work has appeared in Literary Hub, The New Quarterly, The Malahat Review, Scientific American, The Walrus, CNQ, The Globe and Mail, Southern Humanities Review, Hazlitt, and other venues. Allison lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
AWARDS
National Magazine Award nomination in Essay category, 2023
Notable Essay in Best American Essays 2021
Longlist CBC Poetry Prize 2019
National Magazine Award nomination in Personal Journalism category, 2018
Allison LaSorda
Allison Lawlor
Allison is a freelance writer. Since 2003, she has worked from her home in Prospect.
While studying journalism at Ryerson University, she spent a summer working as a reporter for The Rural Voice, a farming magazine based in Blyth, Ont. She happily travelled the countryside talking to farmers and hearing stories about the latest breed of cattle and amazing new varieties of corn and cauliflower.
From Blyth, she moved on to work as a reporter at several daily newspapers in Ontario, including The Brantford Expositor and The Standard in St. Catharines. After landing a summer internship at The Globe and Mail in Toronto, she stayed for another two years writing and editing for the paper’s website.
In 2003, she returned to Nova Scotia, the place she had fallen in love with as an English and Russian student at the University of King’s College a decade earlier.
Her work has been published in newspapers and magazines. She has also written seven non-fiction books.
Her first book 250 Years of Progress: Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency was published by Nimbus in 2005. Her second book, Rum-Running was published by Nimbus in 2009. It was the first book in a series called Stories of Our Past.
In 2015, The Roar of the Sea, a book ghostwritten by Allison, was published by Boulder Publications. Her book, “The Saddest Ship Afloat”- The Tragedy of the MS St. Louis was published by Nimbus in 2016.
Broken Pieces, a children’s non-fiction book about the Halifax Explosion, appeared in bookstores just before Dec. 6, 2017, the 100th anniversary of the explosion. Broken Pieces was nominated for a 2019 Silver Birch Award by the Ontario Library Association and a 2019-2020 Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award.
Allison also works as a writing coach with journalism students at the University of King’s College.
Allison Lawlor
Allison Maher
Allison Maher is a former manager of marketing for a company that invented “spy gear”. She now resides on a small farm in rural Nova Scotia.
I, The Spy is her first juvenile novel. I the Spy has been short listed for a Red Cedar Reader’s Choice Awared and is listed on Kayak Magazine’s Recommended Reading List.
Her second novel. Time Flies When You’re Chasing Spies, was short listed for a Hackmatack Award.
Allison Maher
Allison Watson
Allison Watson is the author of Transplanted: My cystic fibrosis double lung transplant story. She was born with cystic fibrosis and grew up in New Brunswick. After undergoing a double lung transplant and subsequently getting post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorder, she hopes her days of medical turmoil are in her past. Allison has a BSc in biology and recreational therapy from Dalhousie University. She loves board games, reading, and hiking.
