Sacred Leaf

I was born in Cochrane, Ontario, and grew up in Paris, Ontario. The younger of two sisters, I was a loner who preferred books and my own imagination for company. Somewhat at odds with a formal education, I became a political activist at the age of seventeen. After high school, I moved to Toronto and worked in the Peace Movement and the Women\'s Movement. Today I works as a counselor in a psychiatric group home for women.

Writing books is something I have always wanted to do, and have tried to do, since I was twelve years old, growing up in Paris, Ontario. Writing helps me to understand the world, and myself. While the work of writing is often frustrating and difficult, it can also be glorious and exciting.

As soon as high school was over, I got involved in the movement to rid the world of nuclear weapons. Political activism for peace and social justice forms a large part of my life. My books reflect the heroism of people around the world who are struggling for decent lives. It has been a real privilege for me to sit with people in many parts of the world and learn how their lives have been drastically altered by war or disease, and how they try to remain kind in spite of it all. This has taught me how fundamentally alike we all are.

I now live in Simcoe, in Southern Ontario, and divide my time between writing and wandering around. My mother, Betty, passed away a few years ago. My father, Keith, lives in Simcoe and bakes wonderful cookies. My sister, Carolyn, is a nurse with two daughters. I live alone and have no children.

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