May 2026 Newsletter

“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. I can hear her.” Arundhati Roy

I just finished reading Ms. Roy’s memoir,Mother Mary Come to Me and loved it. More about that later. Her activism made me realize how important this is for our world at this moment in history. Bravo to all of you who vote, who protest peacefully, who see the possibility of a better world in this time of unprecedent strife and chaos. May peace become a reality for all those innocent people caught in the grips of unnecessary and illegal wars.

Writing:

As I wait for further edits for my novel,Disruption, I continued to work on Book 2 of Bouboulina, my graphic novel. It’s a slow process but outlining the story going forward after a morning’s writing session and showing up each morning, even for an hour, has helped move the story along. Is it easy? Absolutely not, but it’s coming, word after word, sentence after sentence, paragraph after paragraph. Or at least that’s what I tell myself. I think you’ve all heard me say this before. Sorry about that.

Awesome Achievements:

Christopher Mackie, my SFU Writers Studio student (2024/25) was excited to see his creative-nonfiction piece, “Shadow of the Castle”, published in This Side of West, (print version only available at the moment) the University of Victoria’s undergraduate literary journal. The piece recounts an emotional climb in the Highlands of Scotland after the death of his father, Robin Bruce Mackie.

Upcoming Events:

The Whistler Writers Festival is putting on an awesome event as part of its spring reading series on June 13th at the Rainbow Theatre starting at 7:00 p.m. Join l ocal physician and mountain rescue technician, Dr. Renata Lewis, in conversation with emergency room doctor Dr. Brian Goldman (CBC’s White Coat, Black Art, about his bookThe Casino Shift: Stories of an ER on the Edge, an hour-by-hour account of a healthcare system at a critical inflection point. The bestselling expert’s new book discusses the frustration and burnout of colleagues, and their passion for saving lives in a system that is on the edge. Hope you’ll be able to join us for what promises to be an awesome event. Tickets can be purchased HERE.

The Whistler Writers Festival also has one of their Whistler One Day Writing Retreats coming up again at The Point Artist-run Centre, Sunday May 31, from 9am - 4pm. If you’re looking for inspiration to get some words down on the page, this day is for you! All writers - at any stage - are welcome, as well as all genres. (diaries, cookbooks, websites - anything goes!) There are 15 spots, on a first come first serve basis. Register here.

The Federation of BC Writers is putting on five days of online learning from May 11 to 15, 2026. The Memoir Writing Intensive: Avoiding the Potholes of Memory Lane is a week for writers looking to shape lived experience into meaningful story, with sessions exploring big-picture memoir ideas such as:

• finding the right slice of a life;
• identifying the hook or angle;
• creating structure;
• writing for legacy as well as publication;
• using interviews and memory as tools for excavation;
• connecting to your readers through personal narrative;
• and navigating ethics, consent, and the many truths that memoir must hold.

The week of learning, activities, and connection will include at least seven hour-long sessions. Here is the link to the event forREGISTRATION. I will be leading a two-part workshop on personal narrative. Look forward to connecting then.

Book Recommendations:

Here are the books I read in April.

Theo is a mysterious elderly man who settles in the town of Golden, Colorado . He frequents a café and notices character portraits done by a local artist. Theo decides to buy each painting and then gift them to the individual in the portrait. This is a story of how kindness and connection can help transform lives. There are religious overtones in this novel that I didn’t expect when the novel was recommended to me, but they are subtle and don’t alter the read. Here is a review from What’s Better than Books.

This collection of poems deals with issues of trauma and the power of forgiveness and love to overcome and thrive. I was particularly attracted to the following poems: Cyprus and the Girl with the Water Jug , the title poem,Water Your Flowers with Love, Scale, A Walk in the Woods, In Your Heart’s Pocket , andThe Immigrant’s Soul , likely because many deal with the immigrant or the outsider experience of loneliness. I absolutely loved these lines from the poemIn Your Heart’s Pocket:

*A smile can lift our hearts From the shadows And show us the light To fight the darkness of the night. For every one smile we give, We receive back in infinity. The chain of love grows And humanity glows. *

And here are some other lines that spoke to my own experience as an immigrant and what I feel about having two homes in my heart. The following is from the poem, The Immigrant’s Soul

The soul of an immigrant Weeps alone Every time she returns home From the home she was born.

Will this be the last time I lay my eyes on the vine Of the land I was born And my family’s soul?

But she knows, in her heart, She holds both lands, They join their hands together And walk with her forever.

Absolutely gorgeous and again, speaks to a lived experience others can identify with. Check out this review from theLiterary Titan.

My former SFU Writers Studio student, Jennifer Ashton (2018/2019) has penned a compelling read in her second book,Growing My Way Home . This collection of stories captures a life lived and shows both the experience and trauma of being raised without a cultural background connection, one which would have provided signposts and guidance to a young Jenn. These stories are beautifully captured and at times, uncomfortable to read, but time and time again they show the reader the power of resilience. An inspiring read. Bravo, Jenn. Oh, and Jenn’s book will be released on May 1st at a launch party at the Martha Lou Hendley Rehearsal Hall. See the poster above for the details of this event which will be available both in person and online.

Recommended to me by a friend, this memoir from Booker Prize winning author, Arundhati Roy chronicles Ms. Roy’s relationship with her mother, Mary Roy. In this book we experience how the author was impacted and further influenced by her abusive mother. I very much liked how we feel the author’s confusion about her mother and how she eventually comes to forgiveness and understanding. And I also liked how Ms. Roy interweaved India’s turbulent times of unrest with her own awakening as both a writer and an activist. Here is a review from The Guardian.

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Talk to you soon. Take care. Stella