Our 2020 White Pines Authors Part 1

The Port Moody Public Library created the White Pines Local Author Collection to highlight and support local authors, poets, and illustrators from our community. We launched the collection in May 2019 with 12 inaugural authors. Over the last year, we have received many exciting, new submissions and now have more than 40 local authors who are a part of this special collection.

You can browse our White Pines Collection online to place holds on items, or in person during our Controlled Access hours.

Over the next few blog posts, we will introduce you to all our 2020 White Pines authors.

Author A. J. Devlin

A.J. Devlin

A.J. grew up in the Tri-Cities before moving to California and earning a BFA and MFA in Screenwriting from Chapman University and The American Film Institute. After working as a screenwriter in Hollywood, he returned to Port Moody, where he lives with his wife and children.

Cobra Clutch, the first book in the "Hammerhead" Jed comedic mystery series, was released in 2018, was nominated for a 2019 Lefty Award, and won the 2019 Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Crime Novel. The sequel Rolling Thunder recently came out to great acclaim. To learn more about A.J.’s books visit ajdevlin.com.

Book: Rolling Thunder, A "Hammerhead"Jed Mystery

Former pro wrestler "Hammerhead" Jed Ounstead, now a full-fledged private investigator, is riding high after his first successful case. In this second episode, Jed leaves the wrestling realm to enter a new arena: women's flat-track roller derby. When old acquaintance Stormy Daze seeks his help finding her team's missing coach, Jed discovers that the turnbuckle-and-metal-chair mayhem of the wrestling ring pales in comparison to roller derby's four-wheeled ferocity. Rolling Thunder continues A.J. Devlin's hard-hitting, award-winning mystery series with its unbeatable one-two punch of over-the-top-rope humour and elbow-to-the-face adventure.

Borrow Rolling Thunder from the Library.

What inspired A.J to write books?

Having become a bit frustrated with the craft of screenwriting, and at the urging of his late professor, mentor, and great friend Leonard Schrader (who he had the honour of dedicating his first book to), A.J. decided to switch gears and take a crack at crime writing. As a result, he had an absolute blast and produced what he believes to be the best writing of his career.

What is A.J.’s favourite part about writing?

A.J. enjoys getting to create escapist entertainment while spending time with characters he loves and watching them develop and grow over the course of a mystery series.

Author Alf Dumont

Alf Dumont

Alf served in the United Church of Canada for over forty years. Some of his positions included minister at Tottenham-Rich Hill United Church Pastoral Charge (1975-1977) and Beverley Hills United Church (1978-1984), and Keeper of the Circle or Principal of the Dr. Jessie Saulteaux Resource Centre (1984-1988), a theological training centre for First Nations people entering ministry in the United Church of Canada. Alf was the first speaker of the All Native Circle Conference, a non-geographic conference of First Nations congregations from 1988-1992. He returned to pastoral ministry in 1992, serving St. John’s United Church in Alliston until 2012. During this time, he also held a position as Adjunct First Nations Staff at Emmanuel College. Alf retired in 2012, moving with his wife Barb to Coquitlam. Since retiring, Alf has been an Elder at the Indigenous Services Centre at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). Alf works to help build bridges of understanding between Christian and traditional Ojibwa spiritual ways, both at BCIT and with United Churches in British Columbia.

Book: The Other Side of the River: From Church Pew to Sweat Lodge

Alf Dumont walks between two worlds of Indigenous and settler, traditional spirituality and Christianity. In this book, he shares stories of building bridges between these worlds. He challenges the church to re-examine the theology behind its past traditions around residential schools, so that it might live out the words of its apologies. He challenges the country to re-examine its responsibilities and relationships with Indigenous people. Through stories, humour, poetry, and insight, he encourages all people to “sit down together again” and share in a new way.

Borrow The Other Side of the River: From Church Pew to Sweat Lodge from the Library.

What inspired Alf to become a writer?

Alf started to write his story over twenty years ago. He was used to writing and speaking through his engagements within faith and spiritual communities and within college and university settings, so writing this book came very naturally. At first, Alf was reluctant to share some of his story, especially those parts where he wrestled with deep spiritual questions that he knew would challenge others in their faith or spiritual journeys. As part of his Anishinaabe culture and spirituality, Alf was taught not to interfere in the journey of others, just to share his story and let people take what they needed from his sharing. It was through the encouragement of his colleagues, friends, and family that he wrote this book. They assured him that people wanted to hear his story. With the assistance of the United Church of Canada, Alf’s story was published.

What is Alf’s favourite part about writing?

Alf has wrestled with many ideas and teachings from many sources in his life’s journey. Some of those moments of wrestling took him deeply within himself and the various understandings that lie within spiritual teachings. Alf’s family gifted him with a sense of humour. It is that sense of humour, being able to laugh at himself and with others, that has given him the balance to walk respectfully in life and to write his story in the way he has.

Author Eileen Holland

Eileen Holland

Eileen is the author of the humorous children’s books Sophie Trophy (2019), which was shortlisted for a 2020/21 Chocolate Lily Book Award, and Sophie Trophy Too (2020, Crwth Press). Eileen has written many magazine articles, has been Associate Western Editor of a magazine, and was a jury-selected delegate at the 2002 B.C. Festival of the Arts Literary Arts Program. Her stories were selected for two anthologies: Letting Go: An Anthology of Loss and Survival and New Beginnings. Eileen wrote the historic document The Story of Nelson Public Library 1986-2013. She taught for thirty-three years in Campbell River, Vancouver, and Coquitlam. Find Eileen online at eileenhollandchildrensauthor.com and on Facebook: @eileenhollandauthor.

Book: Sophie Trophy Too

Can Sophie make friends with the not-shy, not-scared new girl at school? Hailey is new to Sophie’s grade three class and seems confident and fun. Sophie tries to be nice to Hailey but every time she does, she embarrasses herself or Hailey, while Hailey makes friends easily with Sophie’s buddies Brayden and Enoli. Sophie feels left out, but will she give up on finding a way to make Hailey her friend? No.

Borrow Sophie Trophy Too from the Library.

What inspired Eileen to write a book?

When Eileen’s children were little, they would visit the local libraries regularly. Whenever they finished reading a great book, they discussed what made the book shine. One day, Eileen’s son said, “Mommy, why don’t you try writing a book?” So, she did! Eileen had a lot to learn and had to read a lot of children’s books along the way to acquaint herself with what good writing encompassed.

Writing had first become something she truly enjoyed when she was eleven and wrote her own book. It was exhilarating piecing together a story and editing it over and over until it felt real. At the time she started writing Sophie Trophy, Eileen was teaching at Ranch Park Elementary in Coquitlam. She wrote the book as if it were happening in that particular school. In real life, a spider did try to land on her while she was teaching. As a teacher, she also witnessed many children struggling to make friends. Writing these two stories came naturally as a result.

What is Eileen's favourite part about writing?

Eileen enjoys getting her character, Sophie Trophy, into uncomfortable dilemmas and then making sure she redeems herself with heartfelt actions. She also absolutely loves writing humour. For example, in Sophie Trophy, a spider lands in her teacher’s hair. Sophie’s wacky plans go wrong in the funniest ways as she tries to help both her teacher and her friend Brayden, whose spider got loose. She's determined to save the day—and the spider—no matter what. Another example of this humour can be found in Sophie Trophy Too. There’s a new girl in Sophie’s class and Sophie is certain they should be friends. But every time Sophie tries to be nice to Hailey, disaster strikes in a variety of hilarious ways.

Author Wolf Schamberger

Wolf Schamberger

Wolf obtained his MD from the University of British Columbia and after four years of general practice in his hometown of Duncan, he specialized in rehabilitation and sports medicine. Personal troubles led him to discover that being out of alignment can cause major problems, in particular back pain and referred symptoms to any part of the body. Wolf has written four books on the topic, trying to make people aware that being out of alignment is a medical disorder that needs to be diagnosed and treated to prevent long-term consequences. Wolf loves reading and classical music, and after running marathons, has settled on kayaking and hiking to help him shape his writing thoughts.

Book: Read My Hips: Suffering Needless Pelvic, Limb, or Back Pain? Time to Check Your Alignment!

This book starts by explaining how your pelvis and spine function when in alignment and when things go wrong. It emphasizes that, whether you have complaints or not, it’s time to look at your alignment, given that the pelvis and spine are not properly aligned in 80% of us. The resulting unwanted stresses can affect every part of your body and may be felt, for example, as “low back pain”, a “bursitis”, or “tight hamstrings”. The book describes some easy ways to recognise and correct the three most common ways the pelvis goes out of alignment. It wraps up by providing a comprehensive treatment approach aimed at achieving and maintaining alignment, making use of appropriate complementary techniques (e.g. acupuncture, massage), and encouraging your regular participation in order to achieve lasting results.

Borrow Read My Hips: Suffering Needless Pelvic, Limb, or Back Pain? Time to Check Your Alignment! from the Library.

What inspired Wolf to write his book?

Because of a personal issue, Wolf stumbled into the area of alignment-related problems that his medical training had not prepared him for. He came to realize how many of his patients were affected by this disorder. Eventually, he felt compelled to write a book aimed at making medical doctors aware of how to diagnose and treat this condition. Giving talks and workshops for patients made Wolf further realize that he could probably do a lot more good by writing a layperson’s version to increase general awareness, allow anyone to do some simple self-assessments to see if they are out of alignment, and if so, get on with starting on a proper course of treatment. His hope is that his book will make this information available to everyone.

What is Wolf's favourite part about writing?

Writing a book starts with an idea and the aim is to get it out to the reader in a way that is easy to read, concise, and crystal clear. The challenge is to organize the material in a logical way, juggle details so they appear in the right place, and enhance the words by use of illustrations. The joy for Wolf comes from seeing the work evolve until you finally feel “this is as good as it’s going to get – it’s time to release it," and then seeing the positive response it evokes in your readers.

About the White Pines Local Author Collection

The Port Moody Public Library created the White Pines Local Author Collection to highlight and support local authors, poets, and illustrators from our community. We launched the collection in May 2019 with 12 inaugural authors. Learn more about this collection and how you can become a White Pines Local Author.

0 Likes