Read Local Caledon

Read Local Launch

Caledon Public Library’s Read Local Caledon collection is designed to celebrate our community’s talented, vibrant, contemporary authors. It is an opportunity for CPL to recognise and pay tribute to our home grown authors. Our goal is to make works by local authors, more visible online, in the catalogue, on our shelves and to enrich our library collections. If you are a local author and would like to have your work considered for our collection, please review our Guidelines

This will be a growing collection and a full listing of all the authors we have to-date can be found in our catalogue using the subject heading "Read Local Caledon".

SHOWCASE OF LOCAL AUTHORS

Allengame, Diane	Armstrong, Deborah	Bannon, Jeanne	Berger, A. Lisa
Carley, Glenn	Chesterson, David	Collins, Deborah	Crease, Skid
Dalton, Sheila	Davies, Donna	Elder, Joanne	Elmberg, Britta
Fam , Mary	Ferrie, Helke	Gardiner, Scott	Grillone, Vanessa
J.C. Kavanagh	Kaulius-Barry, Aldonna	Kavaner, Quinn	Lazareva, Svetlana
Macri, Lauren	Millar, Goldie	Moores, M.J.	Morris, Carolyn j
Narrol , Diane	Norris, Don	O'Neil, Kay	Payne, A.E.
Posner, Harry	Reist, Michael	Ross, Nicola	Scattergood, Mary
Scavetta, Heather	Seydal , Andrea	Smith, Patricia	Sumner-Smith, Karina
Steckley, John	Welch, Andrew	Zanetti, Andrea

Recently Added:	Roman, Sheralyn

Diane Allengame

Find Diane Allengame books at CPL.

Diane

I authored Answering the Call; a history of firefighting in the Town of Caledon although the entire project was very much a Caledon group effort. "There has never been a time when the call for help has gone unanswered in Caledon -- from the early days of bucket brigades to today with state-of-the-art firefighting apparatus. This is the story of one of the largest firefighting services in Ontario, with nine stations covering 274 square miles, where the call is still answered by volunteers."

I was born and raised in Caledon East, daughter of a volunteer firefighter dad and volunteer everything-else mom. I attended Mayfield Secondary, Ryerson Polytechnic and obtained a B.A.A. in Journalism. Since 1984 I have worked in the archives of the Region of Peel (now the Peel Art Gallery, Museum and Archives), where we collect, preserve and make accessible the rich history of this area.

Deborah Armstrong

Find Deborah Armstrong books at CPL.

Deborah

Deborah Armstrong is a firm believer in genetics. She attributes her love of the English language, reading and writing to her parents. She is thrilled to have passed on her love of books (with the help of her husband, also an avid reader) to her children.

Deborah lives with her husband, three children, two cats and five hundred cows on their dairy farm in Ontario, Canada. When she’s not writing or working on the farm, she enjoys reading, travelling, watching movies and spending time with her family and friends. Deborah enjoys strong coffee, chocolate milk and single malt scotch in no particular order.

Jeanne Bannon

Find Jeanne Bannon books at CPL.

Jeanne

Jeanne Bannon, an international best-selling author, has worked in the publishing industry for over twenty-five years. She is represented by the Serendipity Literary Agency.

Her debut novel, Invisible, a young adult paranormal romance, was published by Solstice Publishing in 2011 and was subsequently optioned for film. Invisible is an Amazon bestseller both domestically and internationally and is set for re-release in the coming months.

In 2014, Nowhere to Run, a romantic thriller, was published by Etopia Press. In 2015, Jeanne published the first of a three-part novella series, a paranormal romance titled Beautiful Monster, The Exchange (Book One). She is currently finishing work on the second in the Beautiful Monster series.

Lisa A. Berger

Find Lisa A. Berger books at CPL.

Lisa

Lisa A. Berger, Ph.D., is a clinical, counselling, and rehabilitation psychologist who works with adolescents and adults in a private practice. In 2003, Dr. Berger received her Ph.D. in psychology from the University of Toronto. She has practiced in hospitals, post-secondary institutions, and community-based settings. Lisa’s professional interests include emotional health and wellness, psychological trauma, and emotion-based therapy. She lives in Ontario with her husband and two daughters.

Glenn Carley

Find Glenn Carley books at CPL.

Lisa

Glenn Carley is the author of three short stories: Caravaggio's Light, Lezioni and Leftovers & On Cucina Casalinga and the Mobius Life which appear in Italian Canadians at Table. A Narrative Feast in Five Courses. Loretta Gatto-White & Delia De Santis, editors, (Guernica Editions, 2013).

His first book: Polenta at Midnight: Tales of Gusto and Enchantment in North York was published by Vehicule Press, in 2007. Glenn is a Chief Social Worker with a school board in the Greater Toronto Area and during his current tenure, there has published a number of journal articles in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom.

David Chesterson

Find David Chesterson books at CPL.

David David enjoys watercolour painting, brush and ink illustration and has written stories since childhood. He sold his first watercolour at a fair in Ilkeston, England when he was 9 years old and had his first story published in a school magazine when he was 12.

Both parents were watercolourists, but he added to their training at the College of Art and Technology and the University in Leicester, England.

Among the many friends who encouraged him are A.J.Casson, Wayson Choy, Judy Finch, John Hall, Rosemary Kilbourn, Richard Scrimger, and of course, his current companions in creativity.

His childhood can be found in his books, ‘My Caravan is a Rainbow’ and ‘Gypsy in the Clouds’. His mysteries include ‘St. Vincent Passage’ and ‘Twelfth Night in Royal Blue’. Also published is ‘Pigmented Spectacles’, a biography of Dr. Earle Kirby and, taking a completely different tack, a sci-fi spoof “Not Too Bright ...”, and a trilogy of mysteries is about to be published.

Deborah Janes Collins

Deborah Janes Collins was born in St. John’s, Newfoundland and grew up in the town of Paradise. After completing her high school education, she went on to acquire a diploma in Early Childhood Education and worked in that field for twenty-two years.

After being forced to retire from the childcare field in 2007, due to health issues she moved to Ontario and began to write short stories, one of which is featured in the Chicken Soup “Christmas in Canada” issue.

She is now proud to call Bolton her home, where she resides with her husband Don.

Skid Crease

Find Skid Crease books at CPL

Skid

Skid Crease is an outdoor and environmental educator, a keynote speaker, a storyteller, an author, and a community volunteer. He taught with the North York and Toronto District School Boards for thirty-five years, and officially "retired" from the Faculty of Education, York University, where he was a Course Director and Environmental Science Advisor. Skid published his first children's story, In the Great Meadow, in 1994 with Annick Press. He continues the oral storytelling tradition in conferences and workshops locally and nationally. He and his family have lived in Dufferin and Caledon since 1986.

Sheila Dalton

Find Sheila Dalton books at CPL.

Sheila Dalton

Sheila Dalton was born near London, England and came to Canada with her family when she was six. When she was twenty, she returned to England to study at the University of London. Back in Toronto, Canada, she took up crafts and worked as an independent craftsperson for a few years before completing her degree at the University of Toronto, later returning for a Masters in Library Science.

She married and had a son, then became a freelance editor and writer for many years. During that time, her first book of poetry was published, then a literary novel, followed by a series of books for children, both fiction and non-fiction.

Her teen mystery, Trial by Fire, was shortlisted for the Arthur Ellis, Canada’s major crime writer's’ award. Sheila's latest novel for adults, The Girl in the Box, a literary mystery published by Dundurn Press in 2011, was a semi-finalist in the Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Contest and voted a Giller People’s Choice Top Ten.

You can read more about Sheila on her website, http://www.sheila-anne-dalton.com.

Donna Davies

Donna Donna Davies is the President of the Caledon East District Historical Society which helps promote interest in the history of the people and places of Caledon East and District. She is the Coordinating Editor of Settling the Hills a Historical Reflections on Caledon East and District, The School on the Hill, Sharing Our Past...Building Out Future, For Those Who Served and Revisiting History.

Joanne Elder

Find Joanne Elder books at CPL.

Joanne Elder

Joanne Elder was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. She attended the University of Western Ontario where she earned a Masters degree in Engineering Science. As a Professional Engineer, she spent several years in the aeronautical industry, and thereafter assumed a research position in the nuclear industry. Joanne has published numerous technical papers.

Joanne ultimately settled in King City, Ontario, with her husband and two children, where they have lived for over twenty years. It was during these years that Joanne discovered her passion for writing fiction. Her combined love of science and a fast paced read has led her to her final calling: to write the next generation of science fiction thrillers, which will leave readers on the edge of their seats and their minds spinning in amazement. Her first two books, Spectra and its sequel, Entity, are published with Canadian publisher, MuseitUp Publishing. She is currently working on a third book, The Remember Experiment, which she’s been writing as part of the Humber School for Writers while being mentored by award-winning author Tim Wynne-Jones.

Britta Elmberg

Find Britta Elmberg books at CPL.

Britta Elmberg

Britta Elmberg grew up in the Ottawa Valley area. She obtained her first degree at Carleton University (English/Music History) in 1983.She met her husband in 1985 and later studied Music and Education at the University of Toronto( B.Mus., B.Ed.) She left teaching at the Toronto District School Board in 1996 to look after her family which eventually included four children.

Britta’s first publication was a collection of poetry, Poems for Now, which was included in the Read Local collection of the Caledon Public Library. After the publication of the collection, Britta created a website to support the launch of this book, and this can be seen at www.brittaelmberg.wix.com/poems-for-now. She hopes you will view the new poem written for Remembrance Day, Home from Afghanistan.

Bunny and Ankaand The Passage of Agnes May were published in early 2015 and launched in April 2015, at Educatus Learning in Brampton. For info and background about the books and Britta visit her Stories for Young Kids site: http://brittaelmberg.wix.com/britta-elmberg.

2015 has been a very busy year for Britta. During the spring of 2015, she was selected by Headwaters Horse Country to paint a fibre glass horse statue for the Parade of Horses, a local initiative created to promote the Equestrian Events held at the Caledon Equestrian Park during the Pan Am Games. Please visit http://headwatershorsecountry.ca/horse-country-happenings/headwaters-parade-horses/britta-elmberg/. Britta’s horse was named Charlie and he currently resides at the Grange Farm on Highway 10 in Caledon. The Parade of Horses recently received the 2015 Creative Cultural Event Award.

During 2015, she has also continued to pedal her arts and crafts at the Bolton Farmer’s Market and on-line which you can view at www.brittaelmberg.wix.com/artsandcrafts.

Mary E. Fam

Find Mary E. Fam books at CPL.

Mary

Mary E. Fam, an Educator, has taught students of all ages locally and abroad. She also serves her community as a Youth Mentor. In addition to her Master's thesis/dissertation "The Social and Academic Effects of Bullying" (Fam, 2006), Mary has published various articles on teaching tools that promote student success and been involved in curriculum development at elementary and secondary levels. She is a member of numerous educational organizations that specialize in professional development for teachers and excellence in Education.

A two-time cancer survivor, Mary, at the age of fifteen, battled with Hodgkin's Lymphoma and Thyroid cancer at the age of thirty. With the unfailing love and support of her family, a team of dedicated Oncologists and health practitioners, and a stubborn case of perseverance, today Mary holds the prestigious title of "CANCER-FREE".

Mary's professional and personal experiences have infused her children's books with not only valuable learning opportunities but also a genuine love that each child deserves.

Helke Ferrie

Find Helke Ferrie books at CPL.

Helke Ferrie

Helke Ferrie was born in 1948 in Germany to parents who, with Bishop Martin Niemoller’s group, were founding members of the resistance movement against Hitler. Helke grew up in India where her parents worked for the newly independent Indian government and was educated in an American international school and Zurich University. During a year at Benares Hindu University in Varanasi, India, she met her Canadian husband, Dr. Robert K. Ferrie, then a urologist and since 1984 a psychotherapist. They married in 1970 and raised three biological and eleven adopted children. By 1995 she earned a B.A in Ancient Near Eastern Archaeology, Chinese history and philosophy and an M.A. in Physical Anthropology from the University of Toronto.

Following a serious illness caused by a life-long exposure to DDT and mercury dental amalgam, she became interested in the politics of medicine. Her articles on these issues have been published since 1997 in many venues; since 1999 she writes the monthly lead article in Toronto’s Vitality magazine. In 2002 she incorporated Kos Publishing Inc., which produces books on medico-political issues. Helke and Robert live near Toronto. www.helkeferrie.com.

Scott Gardiner

Find Scott Gardiner books at CPL.

Scott was born in Mattawa, Ontario and lives in Bolton, Ontario.He has been writing poetry since he was a lad of 14. Three-plus decades later, he has finally published a collection of his work.

Vanessa Grillone

Find Vanessa Grillone books at CPL.

Vanessa Grillone is a writer and blogger from Bolton, Ontario. She has been writing since the age of twelve (if not earlier) but never had the courage to share her work. She started her blog in 2010 as a way to get her writing out into the world and believes strongly in the power of finding your voice. Her blog is home to her lifestyle and personal posts, narratives, short stories, book reviews, and product reviews. Vanessa self-published her first book, a collection of poetry and prose entitled My Pen, My Voice in 2011. In 2013 she self-published her first adult fiction novel Twenty-One Truths. Although she has no immediate plans to self-publish again, she is currently working on a novella and a 'sequel' to her first book. Vanessa dreams of a career in publishing, but for the moment you'll find her serving pizza at a local gourmet pizza place, tutoring, and writing.

Aldonna Kaulius-Barry

Find Aldonna Kaulis-Barry books at CPL.

Aldonna Kaulius-Barry is an award-winning corporate magazine editor, training facilitator, and executive coach. Through “Distributed Learning” on her website abphireandinspire.com, Aldonna has written training workbooks guiding executives and their employees to reap personal and profession rewards through outstanding performance.

Aldonna, her husband Michael, their daughter Danielle and a menagerie of horses and dogs, are long-time Caledon residents. A corporate writer by profession, her greatest love besides ice cream, gardening and kayaking has been the lyrical word, the tenderness of prosaic storytelling and poetry, which she has written since her childhood. Aldonna has just finished an epic debut novel, “The Amethyst”, a 19th century historical romance in which the protagonist travels from Yorkshire, England to India on a perilous journey by ship during the opulence of the British Raj.

The second edition of her children’s book, “Mikey’s Wonderful, Terrific, Upside-down Monday” was recently released on Amazon.com.

J.C. Kavanagh

Find J.C. Kavanagh books at CPL.

J.C. or 'Joanie,' as she likes to be called, has been writing for many years in the newspaper industry and later in the corporate world. Today, though, she uses her talents for creative writing, penning nine children's picture books and one movie script.

Her first novel, The Twisted Climb, was published in the summer of 2016 and is available through Amazon.ca, at Chapters/Indigo/Coles stores, and at the South Simcoe Arts Studio.

Quinn Kavaner

Find Quinn Kavaner books at CPL.

Quinn Kavaner

Quinn Kavaner enjoys reading, writing and drawing. When he was twelve, he had an Idea for a character and a story. Within a year he managed to write, illustrate and publish his very first book, “The Frown Who Wanted to Smile”. It’s a children’s book about a Frown who goes on a journey to find his smile. Although it is a children’s book the message applies to all ages. Quinn is looking forward to publishing another book. Currently, he is working on a short children’s novel and a second Frown book. Quinn is sharing his experience with other children to inspire and encourage them to write a book and take action on their dreams. Beyond school and writing, he enjoys many outdoor activities. Quinn lives in Caledon with his family and pets.

Svetlana Lazareva

Find Svetlana Lazareva books at CPL.

Quinn Kavaner

is a successful and proud Canadian, a Registered Nurse, an Educator, and the mother of two boys. She is a great example of a person, demonstrating a high level of individual excellence. Born in Russia, she demonstrates by all her life that a non-Canadian born immigrant can really make a success in Canada.

Svetlana glows with positive energy, emanates assuredness in the day of tomorrow and energizes people around her to move and do positive things. She inspires people to dream big about their future, helps them to envision it, to set goals and to strive to reach their goals. People who get in touch with her get the energy and thrust to strive for more, to study, work on reaching their goals and finally to become a tangible success in their lives. Her glorious example leads many to set higher goals in life, to reach them and to continue developing excellence in professional sphere, wellness and peace in personal sphere and well-being in their families.

She is the founder of the “ImmPress Institute” which she created to assist and motivate others through the immigrant experience. She has written a book -“The Sky is No Longer the Limit” – a flight plan to success for immigrants with big dreams. This book is about breaking through barriers and overcoming self-imposed limitations.

Svetlana is shining, luminescent, pure – brings light to all whose lives she touches.

Lauren Macri

Find Lauren Macri books at CPL.

Lauren Macri is currently a student at the University of Toronto - Mississauga, with a major in Professional Writing and Communication. Lauren has loved writing since a young age and was encouraged by her parents and teachers to continue pursuing that love. Don't Stop Now: A Collection of Short Stories is her first publication. Visit her blog at https://anxiousandawesome.wordpress.com/.

Goldie Millar

Find Goldie Miller Books at CPL.

Goldie

Goldie Millar, Ph.D., is a clinical and school psychologist. Since earning her Ph.D in counselling psychology from the University of Toronto in 2003, Goldie has worked with children in hospital, forensic, community, and educational settings. She has a deep interest in children’s mental health, emotional regulations, and evidence-based intervention strategies. Goldie lives in Ontario with her husband and their two young daughters.

M.J. Moores

Find M.J. Moores books at CPL.

M.J. Moores

Melissa (M.J.) Moores’ passion for the arts ignited at a young age as she wrote adventure stories and read them aloud to close family and friends. The dramatic arts became a focus in high school as an aid to understanding character motivation in her writing. Majoring in Theatre Production at York University, with a minor in English, she went on to teach both elementary and high school for 10 years throughout Simcoe County.

Now living in Caledon, Melissa keeps busy with her emerging authors’ website Infinite Pathways: hosting writing contests, providing editing services, free publicity tips, book reviews, and opportunities for authors to build their writing platform and portfolio. In addition, she writes articles, edits freelance and is preparing to launch the 2nd book in her Sci-Fi quartet The Chronicles of Xannia.

Carolyn j Morris

Find Carolyn j Morris books at CPL.

Carolyn Morris

Carolyn’s country roots began on the family farm on the 10th line of the old Nottawasaga Township. Her passion fills her classroom, home, and church life. She lives with her family in Beeton. Carolyn j Morris has taught in both Toronto and rural communities for 30 years and is currently a Junior Kindergarten teacher at Kleinburg Christian Academy. Carolyn is the author of the Spruce Valley novels – Mourning Dove, Barn Swallows, Pine Warbler, and Chickadees at Christmas. Lately, she spends her time writing for a younger audience in her Railfence Bunch children’s books where Chick and Duckling are always on a curious adventure. She writes honest, heartwarming stories that show respect for farming and families. Her storytelling in the classroom has extended to speaking engagements on various topics. Carolyn can be contacted through her website, www.railfencebooks.com.

Don Norris

Find Don Norris books at CPL.

Born in Toronto, Ontario Canada in 1942, Don Norris developed a passion for motorcycling at age eight. Riding became a reality at age sixteen with the purchase of a 1952 Triumph 350cc Twin.

The next seven years were spent learning life’s lessons through the gang culture, sometimes violent, but always an adventure. His involvement with Satan’s Choice, sometimes referred to as Canada’s answer to the Hells Angels, earned him the Presidency of the gang. He also enlisted with the 48th Highlanders of Canada as part of Headquarters Support, Signals Platoon in 1960.

He made his living as a mechanic, later a truck driver, then a factory supervisor and a pneumatic tool service manager. During thirty years away from biking, he raised four children while working as a National Manager of Customer Service, and later as a salesman. After six grandchildren, the call of biking was too great to ignore any longer. He now is a great grandfather.

Don Norris has written for several magazines, Canadian and US, including Wing World, Riders Mag and RideOn. He was a Leadership Trainer for the Gold Wing Road Riders Association, a group of over 83,000 motorcyclists. Don lives with his wife Carolyn in Bolton, Ontario, and is retired as a Quality Manager for an international trucking company. He still loves the freedom of the open road and the wind in his face. At 72, camping is getting a little uncomfortable.

Diane Narr0l

Find Diane Narrol books at CPL.

D.L. Narrol, Dianne was born in Toronto, Canada. She grew up relishing in adventure novels, like Clavell’s Shogun, and Conrad’s Heart of Darkness. She enjoyed Wells’ Time Machine but disliked the lack of characterization. She always wanted to write an adventure series that would depict the fine work of a classic sci-fi of Wells or even Verne, and always felt compelled to set her novels in the early 1900s. Little did she know, she was setting the stage for a steampunk fantasy sci-fi adventure series. Her books are always heavy weighted with interpersonal relationships and untraditional romance – very untraditional!

In 2011, her stand-alone romantic-fantasy, When Beowulf Meets Kyla was released. Written in Kyla’s point of view, where she underwent a trial of initiation in order to prove her love for her ancient Viking warrior. Also, in 2009, she won a short story contest, where her short story, ‘Kate’s Choice’ was chosen as part of a compilation of stories for The Caledon Collection published with Giant Beaver Press.

She has two degrees in Geography – that’s where her vivid physical descriptions come from. She has made several journeys around the world – she doesn’t write about a place she hasn’t seen. Her readers have described her novels to be a cross between Diana Gabaldon and Kurt Vonnegut. Humour is of the essence when it comes to time travel.

Kay O'Neil

Find Kay O'Neil books at CPL.

Kay is one of Kerry's elder sisters. After attending Teacher's College she began her career in a one-room schoolhouse in Wyebridge, Ontario. When her little school closed she moved to Brampton where she raised her two sons while teaching elementary school for the Peel Board. Her career was varied as she specialized in Primary Methods and Special Education alternating between classroom and withdrawal settings throughout the years. Upon retiring she returned to Clarksburg to assist her sisters with the care of her ageing father and Kerry. She now resides in the town of Meaford, Ontario.

Eric Orchard

Find Eric Orchard books at CPL.

Eric Orchard is an award-winning writer and illustrator. His publishers and clients include Macmillan, Scholastic, Top Shelf and others. He is the creator of the graphic novels Maddy Kettle as well as Bera the One Headed Troll.

A.E. Payne

Find A.E. Payne books at CPL.

The author, a 76-year-old retired electrician, has compiled a collection of short stories accumulated over 30 years from experiences while travelling the world. The work is published by First Choice Books out of Victoria, B.C. and a second edition is being considered. Author lives in Terra Cotta, Caledon, Ontario

Shelley Peterson

Find Shelley Peterson books at CPL.

Shelley Peterson is the best-selling author of five young adult novels; 'Dancer', 'Abby Malone', 'Stagestruck', 'Sundancer', and 'Mystery at Saddle Creek'. Newly released is 'Dark Days at Saddle Creek'. She's currently busy writing the seventh, 'Jockey Girl'.

She was trained as an actress and has over one hundred acting credits to her name, including stage, television, and film. Fox Ridge is a horse facility, stabling 20 horses, which Shelley owns and operates. It's a boarding stable, as well as being a small breeding operation.

As well as being the mother of three accomplished children and grandmother to two boys, a businesswoman, horse breeder, actress and author, Shelley has long been active in the communities of Toronto and Caledon. She is currently serving on the Board of Directors for the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair. Last year she was honoured by the Headwaters Arts with the Shelley Peterson Literary Scholarship.

She has assisted the United Way, Family Transition Place, The Cancer Society, Children's Helpline, and Journalists for Human Rights -- among many others in the performing and literary arts.

Harry Posner

Find Harry Posner books at CPL.

Harry Posner is a self-published poet and author, whose love of writing evolved in a natural progression from short story writing to children’s picture books, to poetry, novels, and spoken word performance.

He is a member of the spoken word/percussion duo known as The Rubber Brothers and is a member of the Words Aloud Poetry Collective, as well as the Headwaters Writers Guild, Writers Ink Alton, and an associate member of the League of Canadian Poets. As well as teaching creative writing in the area of Caledon, Harry is the author of two novels (Charivari and A Softness In The Eyes), a book of poetry (Word Birds)and a workbook for developing writers (The Conscious Scribe).

His latest book, Little Exits, a collection of flash fiction exploring through imagination the nature of death and dying, was released early in 2015. Visit Harry's website at www.posnerbooks.com.

Michael Reist

Find Michael Reist books at CPL.

Michael Reist is a nationally-recognized authority on the needs of children. He is the author of the Canadian bestseller Raising Boys In A New Kind Of World as well as What Every Parent Should Know About School and The Dysfunctional School: Uncomfortable Truths and Awkward Insights on School, Learning and Teaching.

His most recent book is entitled Raising Emotionally Healthy Boys.

He has published over 90 articles on topics ranging from education, spirituality and parenting to movies, books and popular culture.

Michael’s work has been featured on CBC Television and Radio, Global TV, CityTV, TV Ontario, Today’s Parent Magazine, The Globe and Mail, The National Post and the Toronto Star.

He is a frequent speaker to parent groups and conferences across Canada where his workshops on how boys and girls learn differently and the influence of technology on kids have drawn large crowds and enthusiastic responses.

A classroom teacher for over thirty years, Michael now works in private practice where he is a mentor to young people and their parents.

Sheralyn Roman

Sheralyn writes freelance for a variety of publications and is the CEE (Chief Executive Editor!) of Writing Right For You, a company that creates great social media content for business and offers workshops on communicating effectively both on and offline.

Her most important job title however has always been “Mom.” Sheralyn says the privilege of raising her “babies” (one now in university and the other in high school!) is the most important work she has ever done.

She now spends her “free time” writing, sitting on several Boards and volunteering with youth oriented non-profit organizations. Sheralyn is a member of the Editorial staff at Snapd Newspapers and manages the HR and finance functions for a manufacturing company owned jointly with her husband.

Nicola Ross

Find Nicola Ross books at CPL.

Raised in Caledon on southern Ontario's Niagara Escarpment in Toronto's urban shadow, Nicola Ross developed a keen sense of place at an early age. She attended the Belfountain Public School and then Mayfield Secondary School. Nicola topped off her formal education with a BSc in biology from the University of Guelph. Then it was off to see the world and to pursue her career in environmental studies.

After living away for more than a decade and a half, Nicola returned to Belfountain, the Niagara Escarpment and her beloved Credit River in the 1990s. She created the Caledon Countryside Alliance (CCA) to engage citizens in stewarding the areaís precious countryside. She also played a key role in Caledon being named the Greenest Town in Ontario, which contributed to her being honoured as Caledon's Environmentalist of the Year in 2003.

Along this path, Nicola discovered the benefits and joys of adding a pen to her environmental battles. Before long she was writing feature articles on environmental topics ranging from gravel pits to urban sprawl for In the Hills magazine. Her description of the CCA's efforts to reduce its ecological footprint garnered Nicola a coveted National Magazine Award. Another decade and a half later, she is one of the magazine's longest running and most regular contributors to the magazine. She is also the author four books, including Caledon, Dufferin County, Healing the Landscape and The Carrying Place Trail. She has published articles in The Walrus, The Globe and Mail, Explore magazine, Mountain Life, Ontario Nature, Alternatives Journal, In the Hills magazine, Harrowsmith Country Life and more. Formerly, the editor-in-chief of Alternatives Journal, Canada's national environmental magazine, Ross is now pursuing her love of writing, travel, sport and Caledon on a full-time basis.

In 2015, her newest book, Caledon Hikes: Loops and Lattes, will be published in time for residents and visitors alike to head out for a walk on Caledon's plethora of wonderful hiking trails.

Mary Scattergood

Find Mary Scattergood books at CPL.

Mary Scattergood is an artist and author. Her primitive folk-art style of painting was inspired by the great American artist, Grandma Moses. Mary’s Memory Paintings invite the observer into a wonderful, peaceful world of days gone by

The Fairy pictures and stories grew from Mary’s fond memories of her own happy childhood. It is her hope that her work brings you as much joy as she experiences in creating it.

Watch for Mary’s next book, the second in the Fairies series, coming soon.

Heather Scavetta

Find Heather Scavetta books at CPL.

Heather Scavetta, RN Non-Practising is a Reiki Master and founder of School of Miracles. She has been teaching meditation, psychic development, mediumship and Reiki since 2006. She has been channelling The Council since 2009. Heather developed her clairvoyant abilities after the death of her daughter Elizabeth in 2004. In her studio in Caledon, Ontario, Canada, she continues to help people who have experienced loss and those seeking more in life to develop their spiritual gifts and open up to communicating with Spirit.

She and her husband, Tony, have twin girls and live on their hobby farm with Canadian and Icelandic horses and two German shepherds. She has recently released her first book The power of love : a mother's miraculous journey from grief to medium, channel and teacher / Heather Scavetta.

Andrea Seydel

Find Andrea Seydel books at CPL.

Andrea Seydel is a Nutritionist (RD) and Certified Life Coach (ICF), Can-Fit-Pro, LesMills, Pilates, Yoga and Zumba certified fitness instructor. She received her B.A. in Psychology from York University and concluded post-graduate work in Positive Psychology and Holistic Nutrition. Andrea is the founder of Life Balance Publishing Group, where she publishes various magazines, books and newsletters all relating to balancing and improving lives.

Andrea’s passion to help others recognize and tap into their potential to live their best life is seen in her writing, classes, and presentations. Her enthusiasm and passion, combined with her health and fitness knowledge make self-improvement almost contagious.

When Andrea is not on one of her own personal mission’s, she loves to spend her time hiking the trails with her rescue dog, doing yoga and being with her two kids in Caledon, Ontario.

Patricia Smith

Find Patricia Smith books at CPL.

Patricia Smith is registered clinical social worker and runs her busy private practise from Haven Of Hope Counselling Centre, a mental health facility that she co-founded. This centre is located in a quiet rural setting near Loretto Ontario. Her office is uniquely and specifically designed for the comfort of her clients.

Patricia believes strongly in marriage and relationships and engages in ongoing research for new and innovative ways to set marriages up for success. By developing the Vow Factor System of divorce prevention she has been able to facilitate better outcomes for those couples who take part.

Her debut publication The Vow Factors, “the magic of happily ever after”, clearly and simply outlines step by step how to use this system to improve a not so new marriage and set up a new one for success. This book is self-published under Ladybug Press, a publishing company she has established for her planned series of books on relationships. The companion workbook will be available in the fall of 2016.

In her private life, Patricia enjoys spending time with family and friends. She and her husband enjoy gardening, travelling the world and are jointly addicted to their three grandchildren. They can frequently be seen at hockey games, horse shows and theatrical productions cheering them on.

They can also be seen in the summer months on their Goldwing motorcycle or top down in their convertible. Love to be on the move. Having a busy active lifestyle and a love of writing best describes this author.

John Steckley

Find John Steckley books at CPL.

John Steckley has been teaching at Humber College since 1983, where he has specialized in teaching Socio-Cultural Anthropology, Physical Anthropology, and Sociology. He has also taught at Memorial University of Newfoundland, Trent University, and at Laurentian University. He has published 16 books, non-fiction, including studies of the Wendat (Huron) language, Aboriginal biographies and contemporary issues and textbooks in Aboriginal Studies, Sociology and Physical Anthropology. He is currently working on a book about Indian Agents, and about Gibbons (the smallest apes).

Karina Sumner-Smith

Find Karina Sumner-Smith books at CPL.

Smith is a fantasy author and freelance writer. Her debut novel, Radiant, was published by Talos/Skyhorse in September 2014, with the second and third books in the trilogy to follow in 2015. Prior to focusing on novel-length work, Karina published a range of fantasy, science fiction and horror short stories, including Nebula Award nominated story “An End to All Things,” and ultra-short story “When the Zombies Win,” which appeared in two Best of the Year anthologies. Visit her online at karinasumnersmith.com.

Andrew Welch

Find Andrew Welch books at CPL.

When Andrew Welch moved to Alton in 2004, he had no idea that scattered incidents during that transition would lead him to a unique exploration of human motivations, the power of numbers, and the role of value systems in our everyday lives. A decade later, his debut book "The Value Crisis" is gaining attention far beyond Caledon’s borders.

When not writing, Andrew is a speaker, facilitator, IT consultant, actor, and more. He has directed Theatre Orangeville’s Young Company, holds a national role on the Canadian Red Cross Disaster Management team and is presently serving as Caledon’s award-winning Official Town Crier. He is also proud to be a member of CPL’s own Writer’s Ink (Alton Chapter).

Andrea Zanetti

Find Andrea Zanetti books at CPL.

Andrea Zanetti writes her Garden Plot mysteries, featuring garden centre owner Marilee Bright, from a Caledon home overlooking the Etobicoke Creek. In addition to penning the series, Andrea is an avid gardener and devotee of four fun-loving felines. Andrea's books include Grounds for death : a garden plot mystery.