PWAC Victoria Professional Writers: The Reading Room

The Reading Room

The Reading Room presents writing samples by members of PWAC Victoria. Travel, adventure, science fiction, reviews, cultural history, fiction... there's something for everyone.
We offer these samples for your enjoyment, and to help you select a writer when you need one. These writing samples may not be reproduced, distributed or sold. If you wish to publish, excerpt or use any of this work, please contact the author directly for licensing terms. Each sample is linked to an Author Profile with contact details.

Thank you for respecting our copyrights

Current Selections

Backhouse, Frances
Time Travellers At this unique Alberta summer camp, kids discover what life was like for Ukrainian immigrants in the early 1900s. Originally published in Canadian Living, June 1999.
The Urban Farmer A successful mini-farm in downtown Victoria, British Columbia. Originally published in Canadian Gardening, April 1994.
Hands-on Research Biologist Cam Finlay demonstrates the fine art of hummingbird banding and talks about his research. Originally published in Nature Canada, Summer 1999.
Kayaking on the Wild Side A first-hand account of an exhilarating week spent learning about surf and open-ocean paddling. Published in Pacific Coastal Inflight Magazine, Aug./Sept. 2002.
Women of the Klondike The story of the adventurous women who joined the Klondike gold rush at the end of the 19th century, drawn from diaries, letters, memoirs and newspaper accounts. Published by Whitecap Books, 1995 (revised edition, 2000). Softcover, 227 pp., index, bibliography, 53 archival photos, ISBN 1-55285-407-8, $18.95.
Hiking with Ghosts: The Chilkoot Trail, Then and Now A portrait of the famous gold rush route, now a popular backpacking trail, based on first-hand experience and extensive research into the human and natural history of the area. Published by Raincoast Books, 1999, softcover, 129 pp., index, bibliography, contemporary and archival photos. ISBN 1-55192-276-2. $26.95.
A Corner of Italy That is Forever Canada Reflections on a Remembrance Day visit to a little-known Canadian war cemetery in Sicily. The Georgia Straight, Nov. 8-15, 2001.
Hair of the Cat Curiosity and a sprinkling of catnip help a biologist catch up with one of North America's most elusive felines, the Canada lynx. Published in Canadian Wildlife, Summer 2003.

Bateman, Jeff
Fair Maiden An excerpt from a 4,000-word feature on Sarah McLachlan and the launch of the Lilith Fair festival tour. Published in Vancouver magazine, Sept. 1997. Finalist for a Western Magazine Award.
Virgin Takes a Mega-Sized Bite of Vancouver Retail Market An example of the music industry trade journalism I specialized in for over a decade. Published in The Record, Canada's weekly music industry magazine, Dec. 12, 1997.
A selection of music reviews A random selection of my CD reviews. I'm currently responsible for an album-of-the-month pick for Western Living magazine. From 1991-2001, I wrote well over 1,500 reviews for The Record, Canada's weekly music industry magazine, and edited three times as many. My critiques, which generally lean towards hyperbolic praise and rarely go for the jugular, have also appeared in (among others) Vancouver Magazine, Teen Generation, Music Express, The Ottawa Revue and deep within the virtual pages of Amazon.com.
Larry Sanders North? Backstage with the Global Television series Big Sound. This was the lead feature in the Vancouver Sun's weekend Mix section on Aug. 5, 2000.
A Walk in the Clouds The Alzheimer Society searches for hard truths in the snows of Mount Kilimanjaro during its annual fund-raising climbs. Published in Westworld magazine, Apr. 2001.
Soul Man An investigative profile of Winnipeg's neo-soul troubadour Remy Shand. Published in Western Living, Summer 2002.
The Firenze File The crowds are gone, the lines are short and the food and art are still fabulous. Florence in the fall is the romantic, old-world Italy of your dreams. Published in Travel Etc., Winter 2002
At Home on the Edge Frank Lloyd Wright would approve of this West Vancouver residential landmark. Cover story for Western Living, Sept. 1992.
"Him Sing" My tentative and only somewhat tuneless first step into Victoria's Gettin' Higher Choir. Western Living, Dec. 2002.
Roadtrip: The Island Spa Trail A driving holiday to three of the island's leading health spas. Westworld, Winter 2003/04.

Blackstone, Pam
The Internet: Eight Reasons Not to Wait a Second Longer! Originally published in the User Friendly supplement to several western Canadian Thomson newspapers on Aug. 31, 1996, this 1,500-word article surveys the benefits of going online and provides some compelling reasons for the reader to stop procrastinating. It was reprinted in the Victoria Internet Directory, Winter 1996/97 issue.
Thrifty Foods Tackles Monumental Y2K Project How Thrifty Foods tackled the Millennium Bug. The work they are doing now will ensure that all fifteen stores in their Island-wide operation continue to operate smoothly when the New Year ticks over. Published in Victoria Times Colonist, Mar. 29, 1999.

Douglas, Ian
SAR Squadron--Airborne Rescue The canary-yellow choppers and aircraft of Comox's 442 Squadron are the airborne lifeline in the west coast search and rescue net. Excerpts from an article published in Pacific Yachting, Dec. 1996.
Cruising the Coral Sea With a warped sextant and celestial skills grown rusty, this reef-strewn stretch of the Pacific was no place for a navigation exercise. Published in Pacific Yachting, Oct. 1994.
The Long Way Home What happens when a rogue wave turns your world upside down? First published in Pacific Yachting, Feb. 1998.

Forrest, David
Cyber-Geography: Mapping the Virtual World This article describes the emerging terrain of cyberspace, and the maps that help us to visualize this virtual world. Published by the Alliance for Capitalizing on Change, July 2000; republished by Innovation Watch.
Crazy Computing This article describes the paradoxical world of quantum mechanics and some of its startling future applications. Published by the Alliance for Capitalizing on Change, February 2001; republished by Innovation Watch.
Generation Hexed This article looks at some of the uncanny parallels between the dot-com generational experiment and its hippy predecessor, Haight Ashbury's Summer of Love. Published by the Alliance for Capitalizing on Change, July 2001; republished by Innovation Watch.
Choices A personal search for answers after the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in September 2001. Published by the Alliance for Capitalizing on Change, Sept. 2001; republished by Innovation Watch.
The Edge of Chaos This article examines the nature of conflict, and new insights provided by chaos theory and complex systems science. Published by the Alliance for Capitalizing on Change, Oct. 2001; republished by Innovation Watch.

Gibson, Katherine
Unclutter Your Life: Transforming Your Physical, Mental, and Emotional Space While Unclutter Your Life exposes the clutter we see, it also addresses how emotions such as guilt, self-doubt, envy, and toxic relationships clutter the spirit. Published by Beyond Words Publishing, Inc., 2004. ISBN 1-5827-0115-6.
Wind, Whales and the Wickaninnish Inn British Columbia's west coast is the place to be for glorious winter storms, the world's largest grey whale migration, and a top-of-the-charts hostelry. First appeared in Victoria Times Colonist, Mar. 7, 1999.
Kids for Sale Despite stringent legal sanctions against those who use children for sex, child prostitution flourishes. First appeared in Homemaker's Magazine, Apr. 1999.

Grant, Peter
Kyuquot Sound It's a far-flung, hauntingly beautiful world, visited weekly by a passenger freighter. Let it remain so. An eight-page feature about the people of northwestern Vancouver Island, published in Beautiful British Columbia, Spring 2000.
My Journeys through Bookland An essay on the significance of reading to children. Published in Victoria Times-Colonist, Feb. 26, 2000.

Green, Valerie
Life "Above Stairs" in Early Victoria Excerpts from Valerie Green's latest book, Above Stairs: Social Life in Upper Class Victoria, 1843-1918, published by Sono Nis Press, 1995.

Hancock, Lyn
Northwest Passages This is the introduction to a manuscript on Lyn Hancock's first northern journeys, a manuscript looking for a publisher.
Flying to the Falls Excerpt from a photo-essay book looking for a publisher. Earlier versions appeared in The Globe and Mail, July 2, 1994 and in Nahanni Notes, a travel promotion newspaper based in Fort Simpson, NWT.
Winging It in the North Writer/photographer Lyn Hancock has been "winging it" to adventure in the North for over 20 years. Through the stories and photographs in this new book, she shares some of her northern adventures. An excerpt.
Rogue Bear on the Rampage Published in Reader's Digest, Aug. 1999 (Australia) and Apr. 1999 (North America).
Paddling Through Time: In Nootka Sound Lyn returns by kayak to Nootka Sound, the birthplace of modern B.C., to look for sea otters, scout paddling routes, and renew friendships with the people of Friendly Cove, first met 31 years before when she cruised these waters in a rubber boat. Photostory published in WaveLength, Aug./Sept. 2001.
Alsek River: The Wildest River in North America Join Lyn as she rafts the unique and little-known Alsek River from Yukon to B.C. to Alaska with Nahanni River Adventures. This river, which some say is the wildest river in North America, has everything--unsurpassed scenery, dense concentrations of grizzlies, magnificent icefields, and a canyon described as "unpaddleable." Photostory published in the Nanaimo News Bulletin, Mar. 14, 2002 and Above and Beyond, Sept. 2002.
The Man Who Wanted to Live in a Barrel Want to raise a family in 1,000 square feet of house you build yourself for $6,000 over 20 years? Meet Grant Krause, one of Lyn's more unusual friends, who built his dream house out of a water barrel at the top of a tree. Published in Cottage Magazine, Jan./Feb. 2002.
Lodge in a Miner Key Lyn stalks caribou at a unique lodge housed in an abandoned gold mine on the barrenlands of the Northwest Territories. An unusual marriage of mining and ecotourism, this lodge caters especially to naturalists and families. Published in Up Here, Jan./Feb. 2002.
Anything But Desolate Lyn has the knack of making even the most horrendous experience a compelling read. Join her paddling around usually idyllic Desolation Sound in gale-force winds as she seeks secluded camping spots. Published in WaveLength, Feb./Mar. 2002.

Koppel, Tom
The Spirit of Haida Gwaii Archaeology and totem pole restoration in B.C.'s Queen Charlotte Islands. Published in Canadian Geographic, Mar./Apr. 1996.
A Canadian Luau A celebration of Canada's unsung Hawaiian heritage. Originally published in Equinox, Aug. 1995.
Riverboat Rules the Mississippi The Delta Queen recalls a world of mahogany, crystal and brass. Originally published in The Georgia Straight, Apr. 9-16, 1998.
The Fort That Fur Built Visit Washington State's Fort Vancouver and learn how men's hats helped open the American West. Published in Historic Traveler, Feb. 1998.
Forests of the Sea Exotic delicacy, fuel source, possible cancer cure--kelp is not just for sea urchins anymore. Published in Canadian Geographic, Mar./Apr. 1997.
Investing in the Environment Taking a quiet, non-confrontational approach, the Nature Conservancy of Canada hustles to secure the future of our habitat one acre at a time. Published in Canadian Living, Jan. 1997.
Powering the Future: The Ballard Fuel Cell and the Race to Change the World The personal, technological and corporate story of an environmentally benign technology that will be powering electric cars by 2004. Published by John Wiley & Sons, October 1999 hardcover, May 2001 softcover, 276 pp., with index. Named one of the ten best business books of 1999 by Amazon.com. Finalist for Canada's National Business Book Award for 2000. Published in Japanese translation, January 2001 and in German, October 2001.
Rockhopping with Penguin Pals Bird colonies coexist with sheep and scientists in the windswept South Atlantic. Short feature published in Porthole Magazine, Oct. 2000.
Sifting Our Past on the Seventh Continent A former radio operator recalls his misspent youth on the Antarctic Peninsula. Published in Georgia Straight, Nov. 2-9, 2000.
Maui a Paradise for Humpback Whales, Too Whale watching is a great reason to head for Hawaii, just as the great cetaceans do each year. Published in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Jan. 24, 2002.

Neering, Rosemary
Cows, Quilts and Corn Dogs: Going to the Armstrong Fair A whimsical look at that most central of rural experiences: the country fair. Published in The Traveller, Beautiful British Columbia, Summer 2000, with photographs by the author.
Wild West Women: Travellers, Adventurers and Rebels Travellers, adventurers and rebels--the women of the wild west lived unusual, determined and sometimes raucous lives. Two excerpts from the book, published by Whitecap Books, Vancouver, 2000. Double-shortlisted, B.C. Book Prizes, 2001. Winner, VanCity Book Prize, 2001.
Building Fences in the Kispiox This story takes the traveller to a little-known valley in northwestern British Columbia, where a fierce independence underlies both history and the present. Published in Beautiful British Columbia, Summer 1998.

Pearson, Carole
Cobbling Together a Home Vancouver environmentalist uses backyard project to teach volunteers about building with cob. Published in Georgia Straight, Oct. 21-28, 1999.
Potter Marilyn Glick Victoria artist incorporates her love of the mystical and Celtic design in her pottery. Published in Boulevard magazine, Jan./Feb. 2004.
Sweet Dreams are Made of These Immigrant women address inequalities in a chocolate factory by unionizing. Published in Our Times magazine, cover story, Mar./Apr. 1999. Also chosen by B.C. Federation of Labour to appear on their website.
Women in the House A look at the personal lives of Jenny Kwan and Joy MacPhail, then the only NDP MLAs in the B.C. Legislature. Published in Our Times magazine, cover story, Feb./Mar. 2003.
A Raw Deal Youbou sawmill workers fight back after the mill shuts down. Published in Our Times, Aug./Sept. 2004.
Is Your Chocolate Fair Trade or Slave Trade? Cocoa beans from Ivory Coast could be harvested by child and slave labour. Published in Straight Goods, May 7, 2001.

Preston, Dave
Welding the Days This short story is adapted from a play, originally produced as part of the Victoria Fringe Festival.
Getting the Hots & Things to do with Iceberg Lettuce Dave Preston has been a freelance contributor to Victoria's Monday Magazine since 1989. His food column, Fare Comment, covers local restaurant reviews and essays, such as this one, on food.
Joseph, & the Amazing Technicolour Dreamboat: Blue Skies, Green Valleys, & White Water This feature story appeared in Monday Magazine,.
The Beer Column: The Best Things in Life are Additive-Free Dave Preston was the editor and beer columnist for Victoria Today magazine, 1993-1995.
The Story of Butchart Gardens An excerpt from Dave Preston's best-selling book.
Weighting for Godot: A One-Lunch Play A restaurant review with a twist, from Dave Preston's Fare Comment column in Monday Magazine.
The Secret to Great Sex The author finally comes out of the closet. Published in Monday Magazine.
Rails & Rooms: A Timeless Canadian Journey Join Dave as he rides the ribbon of steel on a 5,000-mile journey from coast to coast. This cross-Canada travelogue takes a humorous but informative look at Canadian railways and the heritage hotels that were built along them. Published by Whitecap Books, 256 pages, softcover, black & white photographs, ISBN 1-55285-009-9, $18.95 CDN. All rights reserved.

Tafler, Sid
Fringe from the Inside This is a first-person account of writing and producing a play for the Victoria Fringe Festival. A version of this article was published in Monday Magazine, Aug. 27, 1998.
Guess Who's Guilty But Still Talking The made-for-movies world of Gillian Guess, Canada's most famous juror. This column was published in the Globe and Mail Provinces section, July 10, 1998.
Patronage and the PM's Stock Deal The Prime Minister appoints a senator who helped him make a quick $45,000 profit on a stock flip. (Despite his denial in this column, the new senator later confirmed he did sell the shares to the prime minister.)
A version of this column was published in the Globe and Mail Provinces section, Mar. 13, 1998. This story drew front-page headlines across the country and dominated Question Period in Ottawa for several days. * 1,000 words
The Lonely Death of Reena Virk The story of the brutal murder of a 14-year-old girl at the hands of her "friends." A version of this article was published in Saturday Night, Apr. 1998.
The Lonely Death of Reena Virk (continued) Conclusion to the story of the brutal murder of a 14-year-old girl at the hands of her "friends," a version of which was published in Saturday Night, Apr. 1998.
Testing the Online Tower of Babel The adventures of language-leaping with Web translator Babelfish. This article was published in Localwave, Technology section, Aug. 16, 1999.
Old Man in the New World A battle erupts over a very old skeleton as the search for the first human beings in North America points to the west coast. This article was published in Monday Magazine, June 1, 2000 and won the 2001 Western Magazine Award, Science, Technology and Medicine category.

White, Joyce LaVerne
Victoria, A Honeymoon in Camelot Places in the Greater Victoria area with a British flavour: Craigdarroch Castle, Helmcken House, Point Ellis House, Olde English Inn, Sooke Harbour House, 4-Mile House, Royal B.C. Museum, Empress Hotel, Butchart Gardens, and more. Excerpts from a 1,300-word photojournalism feature published in Bridal Fair, 1993 Show Edition.
Lifetime Promises The story of how one couple rediscovered the true meaning of marriage. Excerpts from a 1,260-word photojournalism feature published in Our Family, Aug. 1992.
The Purchased Bride A young Hungarian woman is sent to marry in southern Alberta, circa 1890; historical nonfiction. Excerpts from a 2,000-word creative nonfiction piece published in Western People, July 1988.
Sad Farewell This story relates the heartache of losing a farm that has been in the family for three generations. Excerpts from a 2,500-word creative nonfiction piece, published in Western People, Mar. 1992.
Coming to Life Again An account of one man's acceptance of terminal cancer. Excerpt from a 1,400-word nonfiction article published in Our Family, May 1993.
Just for Moms A Sidney woman is helping to remove the fear of pregnancy and childbirth for first-time mothers with no emotional support. Excerpt from a 2,000-word nonfiction piece published in B.C. Woman, Nov. 1993.
Obeah Man A Caribbean-based story about a young black man who crosses the local Obeah Man--with dire consequences. Excerpts from a 4,000-word fiction piece published in Dandelion, June 1990. Soon to be republished, in illustrated book form, by Zoolook.
The Cat's Meow A profile of a luxury boarding centre in Saanichton, B.C., and of the people who run it. Excerpt from a 1,500-word nonfiction article published in I Love Cats, Jan. 1990.
Clarence, The Working Cat with the Attitude The true story of a very unusual cat. A 1,200-word nonfiction article published in I Love Cats, May 1996.
Living Free A look at an animal sanctuary located in California. An 1,800-word nonfiction article published in I Love Cats, Feb. 1995.

Wild, Paula
Smoke on the Silver Screen Tobacco use in the movie industry has a big effect on young people's smoking habits. Cover story for Secondwind, a publication of the Alberta Lung Association, Summer 2001.
Never Too Late to Get Fit Resigned to being flabby and sluggish the rest of your life? You alone can change that--no excuses. Published in Reader's Digest, Feb. 2003.
Your Aching Joints Baby boomers are swelling the ranks of those needing hip and knee replacements. Here's what you need to know about joint health. Published in Reader's Digest, Feb. 2004.
Weena: Thomas McIlwraith among the Bella Coola Pioneer anthropologist Thomas McIlwraith did more than observe--he participated--even when he shouldn't have. Published in The Beaver, Dec. 2004/Jan. 2005.
With Axe and Saw Retired hand-logger, author and logging historian, Bus Griffiths, documents old-time logging in a series of paintings. Published in The Beaver, June/July 2005.

| PWAC Victoria Contacts | Credits & Thanks
| All written material copyright © PWAC Victoria or its individual members |