Older News

November 25, 2020 - I did a virtual reading on Wednesday, November 25th for Writers in Our Midst #16 - The Mystery Edition through the Port Moody Public Library. The readings featured me along with my Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley colleagues AJ Devlin, Debra Purdy Kong, WL Hawkin, Seamus Heffernin and Erik D'Souza. The episode was live streamed on Facebook and you can watch it here.



October 8, 2020 - I did a 3-minute reading from Lost Time and answered questions at the Creative Academy on Saturday, November 7, between 1pm and 2pm. The event was online.



October 27, 2020 - Crime Wave, the first anthology from members of Sisters in Crime-Canada West, is available from Amazon. My contribution, Salty Dog Blues, features professional musician and amateur sleuth Jason Davey as he tries to solve the mystery of a missing (and highly annoying) Chihuahua which has been brought aboard a cruise ship by an equally infuriating passenger.
More info here.

October 23, 2020 - I was really thrilled and honoured to take part in the Surrey International Writers Conference (SiWC) 2020 at home Author Showcase virtual event. I had three minutes to chat about my writing and introduce everyone to the Jason Davey Mysteries, and it went very well.

October 17, 2020 - I was interviewed by Joanna Vandervlugt for her podcast JCVArtStudio - Sophisticated Creatives. I discussed everything from the peculiar neighbour who chopped down my dad’s rose bushes to the racy pole-dancer on the cover of one of my mysteries. All that and Lost Time too!
Please click here.

October 13, 2020 - I've contributed a little piece about Working With An Outline to the Writers First website.
Please click here.

October 11, 2020 - I'm really excited and honoured to have my short story Salty Dog Blues included in the new Sisters in Crime - Canada West Anthology Crime Wave. The anthology launches on Thursday October 29, 2020.

October 11, 2020 - I'm really thrilled and honoured to be taking part in the Surrey International Writers Conference (SiWC) 2020 at home Author Showcase virtual event. This will take place on Friday, October 23, 2020 from 4.30pm to 5.30pm Pacific time. The event can be accessed by conference attendees only from the SiWC conference website. I'll have a brief opportunity to share news about my books and how other conference participants can purchase my books.

August 31, 2020 - Lost Time, the third book in the Jason Davey Mysteries, was released on August 31, 2020.

August 13, 2020 - Read all about me and my latest novel Lost Time in the New Westminster Record. Please click here.

July 24, 2020 - All five of the novels that were previously published by Diversion Books are now available (with old and new covers) on Amazon as ebooks and paperbacks. Additionally, I've republished my three time travel novels (Persistence of Memory, In Loving Memory and Marianne's Memory) in an omnibus edition, which is also available as an ebook and a paperback. Beware! The paperback is 748 pages long! As for pricing, I think it's a pretty good deal! Three books for the price of two!
   Please click here for more information and links to Amazon.

July 13, 2020 - I've officially severed my relationship with Diversion Books and have got all the rights back to the following five novels: Skywatcher, The Cilla Rose Affair, Cold Play, Persistence of Memory and In Loving Memory.
    Diversion has advised me that they have withdrawn the titles from sale on all retailer pages but that this might take a while to be processed.
    I will be getting new covers for all five books and I'll upload them to Amazon myself in the next little while. I've already started the process by republishing Cold Play with its original cover (from 2012). The ebook is currently live and the paperback will be available in the next 72 hours.
    In the meantime, could I ask anyone who wants to buy Skywatcher, Cilla Rose, PoM or ILM to please hold off - please don't order the current versions that are for sale as Diversion is no longer the publisher. I'll get my own versions up as soon as I can.
    I'm very excited about this and I hope you are too.

May 13, 2020 - Due to Covid-19 a few things were cancelled, including a reading in February at VPL and the Crime Writers of Canada Arthur Ellis Shortlist Event in April. We'll see what this fall brings...but in the meantime, Kirkus Reviews has done a lovely review of Notes on a Missing G-String.
Please click here.

November 6, 2019 - I read from my latest novel, Notes on a Missing G-String, on November 6 at Noir at the Bar in Vancouver. I had an excellent time in the company of fellow writers Eileen Cook, Owen Laukkanen, Robin Spano, Dietrich Kalteis, Grant McKenzie, Derrick Carew, Don English and Aaron Chapman. Some piccies of me are below.

Photo by Colleen Tsoukalas

Photo by Jim Goddard

Photo by Jim Goddard

Photo by Jim Goddard

October 22, 2019 - I'll be doing a reading at the Writers Showcase at the Central Branch of Vancouver Public Library, on February 23, 2020. The event is from  2.00pm-3:30pm and will be likely in the Montalbano Family Theatre on Level 8. Four or five writers will be featured and we'll each have 10 minutes to read. After each reading there will be five minutes for questions, and at the end of the event there's time to mingle and visit the table where our books and swag will be available.

October 22, 2019 - UBC's Faculty of Medicine recently featured me in a special Spotlight. You can read it here.

October 3, 2019 - On Wednesday, November 6 I'll be reading pages from Notes on a Missing G-String at Noir at the Bar. If you're in Vancouver, please do drop by and see us!



October 1, 2019 - I'm officially retiring from my full-time job at UBC'S School of Population and Public Health on October 1, 2019. My last day is Friday, September 27th. SPPH threw a little retirement party for me on Thursday, September 19th. Thank you everyone who was there (and those who couldn't be there) for the lovely sendoff and the heartfelt messages. I will treasure them always!

A lot of people asked me what my plans were for "after retirement" but you all know that answer: I'm going to become a full-time writer at last!

In the immediate future I plan on doing some PR for G-String (I didn't have time to properly do it before now). I'm working on a short story which I hope will be included in Sisters in Crime-Canada West's 2020 anthology, Crime Wave. And I'll also be working on the next novel in the Jason Davey mystery series.


September 29, 2019 - A splendid time was had by all at Word Vancouver on September 29. Here's a photo of me with my colleagues in crime...moderator Iona Whishaw, me, and fellow writers Niall Howell, A.J. Devlin and Paulette McCarthy.


September 21, 2019 - A reminder that Word Vancouver, Western Canada’s largest celebration of literacy and reading, takes place at the Central branch of the Vancouver Public Library Tuesday, September 24 to Sunday, September 29, 2019, with Sunday as the main festival day.

I'll be taking part in the Crime Writers of Canada panel, Setting in Crime Fiction, 12:05 - 1:05pm, on the 8th floor in the Montalbano Family Theatre.

I'll also be helping out at the Crime Writers of Canada info table from 3pm to 5pm. My partner in crime at the table will be Liz Bass. Liz is the CWC Director for BC/Yukon/NWT and - this is exciting news from me - I will be officially joining her as a co-director on October 1. Liz will continue to oversee the Vancouver Island area while I'll be looking after the Lower Mainland.

Other local mystery writers you'll meet if you drop by our table:
11am to 12pm: Marion Crook, Debra Purdy Kong, Jay Storey
12pm to 1pm: Marion Crook, Debra Purdy Kong
1pm to 2pm: Derrick Carew, Iona Whishaw, Benni Chisolm
2pm to 3pm: AJ Devlin, Niall Howell, Ardelle Holden
3pm to 4pm: Ardelle Holden, Winona Kent
4pm to 5pm: Winona Kent, Liz Bass

Please do drop by if you're in Vancouver on Sunday, September 29th! I'll have copies of Notes on a Missing G-String and my novella, Disturbing the Peace, for sale when it's my turn at the table. 

September, 2019 - I've written two guest blogs which you can now read online. The first is a long essay about my writing journey, Winning the Lottery. It is about 10 pages long, so be forewarned! I've been told it's very inspirational :-)
Please click here.
The second is a much shorter guest blog which focuses on my recent weight loss, Weighing In.
Please click here.

August 2, 2019 - Notes on a Missing G-String is available in ebook and paperback from Amazon in all marketplaces.

July 1, 2019 - Word Vancouver takes place at the Vancouver Public Library, 350 West Georgia Street,  September 24-29, 2019. I'll be sitting at the Crime Writers of Canada display table on Sunday, September 29, helping to promote CWC. I'll have copies of Notes on a Missing G-String for sale during my shift. I'm also very excited to announce that I'm taking part in a panel discussion on that day, Setting in Crime Fiction.

May 11, 2019 - I was at Write On Vancouver, at the Vancouver Public Library. This year I took a turn sitting at the Crime Writers of Canada table. I'm pictured here with fellow mystery writer EJ Lister. Click on the picture to see a larger version.



December 21, 2017 - Ten Interesting Facts About Jason Davey. Please visit Joanne Guidoccio's blog to read all about the hero of Cold Play, Disturbing the Peace and Notes on a Missing G-String.
Please click here.

December 20, 2017 - Lovely 5 star review by Joanne Guidoccio of Disturbing the Peace.
Please click here.

December 10, 2017 - Very excited to announce the publication of Disturbing the Peace, a 22,000 word novella featuring professional musician and amateur sleuth Jason Davey. It's available as an ebook and paperback on Amazon worldwide. Please click here.

September 30, 2017 - I'm excited to present Perhaps an Angel, a short adventure featuring Charlie and Mr. Deeley as they travel back to 1846 Stoneford with the help of a Tarot-reading Gypsy named Esmerelda. Please click here to download the short story (link will take you to Amazon.com but it's available in many different countries - just navigate to the Amazon where you live!)

November 7, 2016 - October 14 was the 76th anniversary of the tragedy at Balham Underground Station where 68 people - including 17 family groups and 4 members of London Transport staff - lost their lives. On October 14 a new plaque was unveiled at the station as a tribute to those who died. To view the plaque please click here and scroll to the bottom of the page.

October 15, 2016 - On October 8 I took part in the Indie Author Day at Vancouver Public Library. Thanks to everyone who came up to support me and my fellow writers. Here's a photo of me reading from In Loving Memory (click on the picture to see a larger version) (photo by Erin Smith).



October 2, 2016 - I'll be taking part in the first annual Indie Author Day at Vancouver Public Library (main branch, downtown), Saturday October 8, from 11am til 2pm. Please drop by my table and say hello, and stay for readings from me and my fellow Vancouver-area indie writers!

July 29, 2016 - Please click on the link to see the latest reviews for In Loving Memory.
Please click here.

July 29, 2016 - Ten Interesting Facts about Shaun Deeley featured in On the Road to Reinvention.
Please click here.

July 27, 2016 - In Loving Memory is featured in Fraser Valley News.
Please click here.

July 27, 2016 - Burnaby Now sends kudos to In Loving Memory.
Please click here.

July 24, 2016 - In Loving Memory is featured in Publishers Weekly Picks: Books of the Week.
Please click here.

June 10, 2016 - On a personal note, I'm really pleased and excited to announce that I've been chosen as one of two recipients of the 2016 UBC Faculty of Medicine Applegarth Staff Service Award. This award recognizes outstanding contributions by UBC staff members to the Faculty of Medicine and is a very strong affirmation of my work on behalf of the Faculty. (In my other life, I'm a Graduate Programs Assistant at the School of Population and Public Health at UBC). I'll be presented with my award at the Faculty Awards Reception, which will be held on Wednesday, October 5, 2016 at the University Golf Club.

May 31, 2016 - In Loving Memory got a lovely starred review in Publisher's Weekly! Please click here.

May 23, 2016 - We're on track for a July 26 release of In Loving Memory.

April 30, 2016 - I joined other local Vancouver writers at the UBC Bookstore to help celebrate Authors for Indies Day. We had an excellent time chatting with customers, signing books and giving out swag! Below are some photos from the event. Please click on each of them to see larger images.

December 4, 2015  Guest Blog at Joanne Guidoccio's Second Acts Series  Click here to read the blog

September 16, 2015  Interview at BookGoodies  Click here to read the interview

September 2, 2015  What Can Book Publishers Do to Stay Alive?  Interview with Mary Cummings from Diversion Books, and Winona Kent  The Goddard Report  Click here to listen

 

24 July 2015   UBC Author's books are selling for $300 and are reprinting this summer   The Ubyssey   Click here for online article   Click here to download PDF

 

15 July 2015   Local Author Sees Re-release of Novels - Burnaby News Leader   Click here to download PDF

 

15 July 2015   Meet Winona Kent - UBC Faculty of Medicine Spotlight   Click here to download PDF

 
 

July 7, 2015   Burnaby author goes digital - Burnaby Now   Click here for online article   Click here to download PDF

Back to Home Page