I wrote this book for so many reasons: to help kids and parents gain skills and tips on what to do when they have big worries; I also wrote this book because I love to write, and I wanted to challenge myself; but I also wrote this book because I couldn't find a book on this topic and so I decided to write one myself; and also I wrote it because writing a book was on my bucket list! I could go on, as there are so many reasons I wrote this book.
I have had the honour and privilege of reading “Reg Goes Swimming” to many, many children over the past 6 months since my book Reg Goes Swimming was published. This is the greatest joy of being a writer of children’s literature: the children, themselves. I just adore them. I am drawn to their wonder and engagement and enthusiasm for Reg, as a character. They make it all worthwhile.
After a long winter's nap, Reg wakes up in his snug little den, buried deep in the hillside---built under the tangled roots of a leafy tree.
The Impact of Stress Recently, I felt overwhelmed by a task I was about to undertake. I could feel the signs of stress in my body: shallow breathing, increased heart rate, tightness in my belly and more. Since I was home at the time, I was able to tap into some built in resources I …
I am very grateful for the following people’s involvement in writing reviews for my first book, Reg Goes Swimming. This is a public “thank you” to them and acknowledgment of the time they took to read my initial draft, prior to publication, along with acknowledgement of the time they gave to write a review for my …
Oh, hi there! It has been a while since I introduced myself to you all. So glad you are here today. Welcome! I am delighted to have you land here on my website. Pull up a chair, grab a nice hot cup of something delicious and stay awhile. There are a few new readers these …
While in my Grade 3 school year, a new family moved into Tremont, N.S., a lovely little community in Nova Scotia’s King’s County, located approximately 10-15 minutes away from my childhood community of Melvern Square. While this moving event was not significant in itself, what made the whole thing so interesting was the fact that …
My dad died two and a half weeks ago. Dad had Parkinson’s for twenty plus years and finally succumbed to this wretched disease via a choking incident that left him with aspirated pneumonia. I could talk at length about the week that dad lay dying in the hospital and all the feelings that evoked in …
The word “anxiety” has been thrown around a lot over the last few months. Anxiety is a state of fear or apprehension about what is to come. It is the body’s response to stressful situations. For many, anxiety is high because of the pandemic alone. Not withstanding the changes in normalcy it has brought. One …
The much-awaited and long needed downpour just broke through heavy clouds, and I am staring out the window at the forming puddles, thinking about school. One week from today and we will return to a building we have not met or gathered in as a staff or school community since March 13. March 13th. The …
These past four weeks, I have not cried. Haven’t shed a single tear. Not when presented with missed opportunities, lost experiences (and financial reimbursements), and the monotonous daily grind. Not when discovering that the worst was yet to come. Not when reading heart-breaking accounts and watching soul-ripping moments. Not even when I could not see …
This time of the year, with winter’s melt and spring’s thaw, one has to watch where one steps. The ground is soft, mushy and squalid. Although tempting to wear that bright, new pair of sneakers you ordered off the clearance rack on The Shoe Company website (that cute and airy, light-blue pair of Adidas that …
