Hello my fellow Canadians! I recently joined the site and decided immediately to look for a group to connect with other Canadians. I was born in Toronto, Ontario and lived in the GTA for the majority of my life. I attended the University of Toronto, completing my Bachelors of Arts with a double major of History and English (both subjects I LOVE!). Then, after graduating I decided to to pursue a degree in Education, which I did at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Alberta. I have always loved children and I decided that a practical choice for my life would be to work with them as a career. I completed my degree in Elementary Education and found a job teaching in Calgary, AB (which is where I find myself now). At the age of 26 (this year), I found myself in a job I love with students I adore to teach. But, something was missing. I know now what that is. Teaching is not the only goal that I have for my life. I have wanted to be a writer as long as I can remember. I have written and enjoyed it above all other activities since I was a child. I've always been an avid reader as well, and admired the feats that others achieved through the production of such masterful pieces of literature. However, being an author was one of those things that I thought other people did. It was a dream, and an impractical one at that. It's only recently that I decided it's something I can do too. I at least need to give it my best shot. Along with teaching, it's something that I love. So why am I stopping myself from trying? Fear of rejection and failure, of course. Anyway, I've always written stories for myself and it was only this summer that I really made the choice to put my ideas together and begin to write something for public consumption. I love many genres (chick lit, historical, literary fiction, YA) which sometime makes it difficult for me to choose what exactly I want to write. But I know I'll figure it out and make it work. Along with making a decision to write, I also started a book blog to talk about the books I read (and probably the book that I'll be writing as well!). You can find it at: http://thebookjunkiechronicles.blogspot.com/ I just started it up so it's pretty sparse right now. But I hope to get things started more soon. Anyway, that's a bit about me. Teacher, voracious reader and passionate writer. I hope to get a chance to connect with many of you through this group and website. :) Cheers! Steph

Welcome, Metaxa. Interesting and useful blog--the best kind! I'd be happy to send you a complementary copy of my novel if you have any interest in reviewing it for your blog. Best of luck with your dreams. Mara Feeney Author of Rankin Inlet: A Novel ISBN 978-0-9819319-5-1 www.gabypress.com http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8rh-5BP9UF4

I did visit the Blue Lagoon. It was actually my second trip to Iceland, so I was already familiar with much of the country - and the Blue Lagoon is one of my favourite stops while there!

Hello. I was born and raised Alberta, and I currently live in the mini metropolis of Red Deer. I have my Bachelor of Education degree with a major in English. I have spent the last ten years working with special needs students, and though I enjoy my work, my dream has always been to become a successful writer. I went through some life changing circumstances last year and found that knitting, quilting and other domestic-type of endeavors were not doing it for me. This is when I truly started writing in earnest. I started to write to help myself heal and it has ignited a passion within me. In the last six months I have started my own blog http://www.metaxacunningham.com/wakingupawriter/, became a blogger for skirt.com. and I write articles for untrainedhousewife.com and book reviews for blissfullydomestic.com. I plan to freelance as well as write short stories. I hope to write a novel or a non-fiction book, but for me it is early in the game and I will see where my writing takes me. I have joined She Writes to learn, share and receive feedback. I want to gain more insight into the writing world.

Welcome! Tammy, I hope you dipped in the Blue Lagoon and took a drive to see the icebergs. Please feel free to start any discussion you like on our group page. That option is open to everyone and really is a great way to talk to each other. djw

Hi folks. I just joined the site yesterday and am still feeling my way around - it's a pretty busy website (it's nice to find a group devoted to fellow Canadians, though!). I live in a teeny-tiny town just north of Toronto, although I usually just refer to myself as a "Toronto-based writer" for ease. For as long as I can remember, I've had dreams of being a writer - as a child, I would stay up way past my bedtime, scribbling stories into a notebook under my covers; my mother even has a photo of me, asleep, with a pencil still in hand and my face pressed against my notebook. Unfortunately, growing up and working for a living seems to have sucked some of that drive out of me, and I have become the uber queen of writerly procrastination. I'm hoping this website can kick me out of that funk. I work full-time as an editor for a legal publishing house in Toronto, and do some freelance writing on the side. Most of my writing has been in the travel genre (I'm a travel junkie) and I've had pieces published in the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail, and on various websites. Most recently, I was in Iceland writing about the volcano eruption for the Toronto Star - that was by far the highlight of my writing career! I keep saying I'm going to start a travel blog, but haven't yet because I'm not quite sure what I'll write about when I'm not travelling (like, say, right now). I'd also like to get into fiction and I have the beginnings of a novel in my head - I just haven't found the guts to put the story to paper yet. Anyway, looking forward to some inspiration here!

Hi Patricia, thanks :) You can find my blog here: Literary Coldcuts on Toasty Buns

Welcome Allison! What a variety of communications! Best Patricia http://pmpoetwriter.blogspot.com/

Welcome, Brenda. Sounds like you have a very busy life! Do you have a website link? Best Patricia http://pmpoetwriter.blogspot.com/

Welcome to the group Faith! What is the blog link for your writing? Patricia http://pmpoetwriter.blogspot.com/