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Back to SearchThe 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.
Now, with over 100 authors represented, the collection has grown to house even more creative and diverse submissions from members of our community. You can browse our White Pines Collection online to place holds on items, or in person at the Library under the green White Pines sign.
Teri Shaw
Teri Shaw is a local author, facilitator, and entrepreneur who has lived on the West Coast of B.C. since 1991. Her work allows her to connect with people of all ages, from tots to teens, adults young and old, and the elderly. She is the mother to a handful of wonderful humans, all of which she is incredibly proud of. Through experiences and lessons she has uncovered along her journey, Teri is reminded of how fleeting life is, and that things can change in an instant. She finds renewed energy by spending time in nature, especially near the ocean. Her first published children's book, The Angel, the Lion and the Secret of the Waves, holds a universal message about the importance of realizing that we are all unique. She is currently in the process of creating her next children’s book while she continues to inspire others through her work.
Book: The Angel, the Lion and the Secret of the Waves
Have you ever wondered where the waves come from? Angel has, and luckily, Lion might have just the answer. So, join the friends as they sip tea, watch the sunset and explore the secret of the waves. Whatever could it be?
Borrow The Angel, the Lion and the Secret of the Waves from the Library.
What inspires Teri to write?
Teri finds inspiration for her writing from ordinary things: places she has been, things she has seen or heard, and people she has met. Teri can capture the feelings of many experiences she has been through and subtly weave them into her writing, taking the reader on a journey of discovery. According to Teri, "being able to take an idea and turn it into a story that has feeling and meaning, with a message that people can relate to, is powerful. Words have power. As an Author, it is my responsibility to treat words with the care and respect they deserve."
What has been the most challenging part of writing for Teri?
One of the biggest challenges in the process of creating The Angel, the Lion and the Secret of the Waves, was finding an illustrator who could bring to life the visions Teri imagined for the story. Finding Kezzia Crossley was the perfect match! Teri's advice to other aspiring writers is "keep looking until you find the person whose work best fits with the story you are telling. You will know when you have found the right fit! As a writer, it can also sometimes be challenging to believe in the work you create. Trust the process."
Bitten Acherman
Bitten Acherman was born and grew up in Denmark. After finishing a degree in library science, she immigrated to California where she lived several years before she, together with her family, moved to Canada where she now resides in Port Moody. She was an avid reader as a child and along the way discovered that she liked the idea of coming up with her own stories and began writing — and never stopped.
While attending a manuscript writers’ group at the Shadbolt Centre in Burnaby, she found that she especially enjoyed writing for the young adult market with a main focus on historical fiction.
Find out more about Bitten and her writing at www.bittenacherman.com.
Book: Lost in Barkerville
This novel begins with a high school field trip to the former gold rush town of Yale, British Columbia. Here Zach, Kyle, and their eccentric teacher, Miss Reid, are transported back in time to 1866 at the height of the Cariboo gold rush. Stranded in Yale, the threesome is taken under the wing of Theo Cox, who becomes their friend and persuades his brother Enos, who is carrying freight in his wagon to Barkerville, to take the three along with them. Barkerville presents many hardships and adventures for the trio. But, when a murder is committed, and the evidence seems to point to their friend Theo, everything changes. Theo finds himself fighting for his life at a trial presided over by the imposing and straight-talking Judge Begbie. Desperate, Zach intercedes with the famously severe judge to find a way to save Theo from the gallows.
Borrow Lost in Barkerville from the Library.
What inspired Bitten to write Lost in Barkerville?
The idea for her YA novel, Lost in Barkerville, came about when she visited the former Gold Rush town of Barkerville in the Cariboo district of BC. As she was sitting watching a group of teenagers trying their hand at gold panning, she began visualizing how modern-day teenagers might fare in the harsh world of the gold rush era. The idea so intrigued her that she knew she had to write the story about Zach and Kyle, and their uptight English teacher, Miss Reid, as they navigate the year 1866 during the height of the gold rush.
What has been the most challenging part of writing for Bitten?
One of the biggest challenges for Bitten has been writing in a second language. Not being able to formulate her thoughts with the same ease as in her native language has been at times frustrating. However, all she can do is push ahead and read as much as she can to become more fluent.
Another challenge has been finding a publisher. After having papered a room in rejection slips, Ronsdale Press finally took on the book, and published Lost in Barkerville in 2020.
In the future, Bitten hopes to publish a sequel to Lost in Barkerville in addition to some of her other finished YA novels which mainly take place in Viking Age Scandinavia.
Bonnie Jacoby
Bonnie Jacoby writes adventurous fantasy and futuristic science fiction for teens. As a resident of the beautiful Pacific Northwest, Bonnie's love for nature is reflected in her stories, transporting readers to worlds that are both familiar and fantastical.
Her debut book, Dreams of a Dragon Girl, is a magical fantasy with hidden dragons, where a young girl discovers her own strengths and stands up for those in need. Bonnie's tales are about respecting all beings, no matter how different they may seem. Find out more about Bonnie and her writing at www.bonniejacoby.com, or on Instagram at @bonniejacobyauthor.
Book: Dreams of a Dragon Girl, Dragon Descendants Series
Dragons disappeared long ago. Now they’ve returned, and magic pours back into a world that has buried its existence.
Becca is ridiculed for believing dragons are more than the plague-bringers of history. When a fever sweeps through her village, igniting fears that the dragon plague has returned, her belief becomes dangerous. To make matters worse, Becca can suddenly sense emotions. It’s a curse, exposing secrets she’d rather not know and making life almost unbearable.
The youngest dragon, Gregor, watched his family die because he didn’t know his power could’ve saved them. Defying the rules, he risks exposure to search for a human girl from his vision, certain she’s the key to dragon survival.
Borrow Dreams of a Dragon Girl, Dragon Descendants Series from the Library.
What inspired Bonnie to become a writer?
Bonnie loves stories, but that wasn't always the case. She struggled with learning to read, until she encountered a book that sucked her into another world. Now, Bonnie writes imaginary worlds in an easy to absorb fashion to entice other teens to discover the joy of escaping into a book. Plus, she loves dragons, so she had to write a dragon book that bridged the gap between the Wings of Fire series and the epic fantasy books for adults.
What has been the most challenging part of writing for Bonnie?
While writing this story, Bonnie developed an entire world, which required a lot of time and research. She looked up other fantasy worlds as well as exploring our own history for bits and pieces she could combine to flesh out the story. The biggest challenge for Bonnie was figuring out if her dragons were a type of dinosaur or bird. She eventually created them based on giant sea turtles! A related challenge was finding the time to write while raising children and working full time. It was worth it, though.
Silvana Goldemberg
Silvana Goldemberg is an Argentine Canadian educator and award-winning author of over twenty books published in Spanish and English throughout the Americas. She is a specialist in Children’s Literature and Philosophy for Children, a leader of workshops in the fields of Creative Writing for all ages, and a creator of Literary Awards and Book Fairs. Her novel Victoria was distinguished by the BC Book Prizes in 2014 as one of five outstanding books for children by a British Columbian author.
Book: Victoria
After losing her parents at 14, Victoria and her younger brothers move in with their aunt. Yet, sadly, more trauma follows when Victoria is assaulted and forced to leave. She soon becomes one of the countless teens living on the streets in Latin America, crossing paths with murderous gangs and drug dealers. By selling flowers and cleaning cafés, she somehow manages to survive. Only her sheer force of will to carve out a life of dignity for herself and her little brothers can save her from destitution and the violent life of the streets.
Borrow Victoria from the Library.
What inspired Silvana to become a writer?
Silvana’s mom was an author and she passed on her adoration of stories to Silvana. She taught her that not only can we read books, we can also write them.
What has been the most challenging part of writing for Silvana?
Writing is Silvana's passion. From the first draft to the final edit of the manuscript, she enjoys every single exhaustive detail of the process. So, she'd have to say that the most challenging part for her has been finding the right publisher. Silvana tells her students that, while 100% of your job is writing, you will still need to use an extra 100% of your effort to get it published.
Carmen Wright
Carmen Wright is the author of Spy Skills for Girls and the Tri-City Mysteries. She has always loved mysteries and wishes she had better tips for spying and detecting back when she was a kid. When Carmen became a mom, she noticed that there weren’t many options for kids in elementary school who were having trouble reading and wanted easy-to-read, exciting stories. This combined inspiration got Carmen writing and into indie publishing. Carmen lives in Coquitlam.
Find out more about Carmen and her writing at brightgreenbooks.com.
Tri-City Mysteries Series
Whenever fifth grader Caitlyn notices something suspicious, she's determined to investigate. Join Caitlyn, her best friend Jamie, and her dog Buster on a series of fun adventures as they explore strange cats, bandits, and zombies in their neighborhood.
Book 1: Mystery of the Scarlet Cat
Caitlyn and her best friend Jamie are hot on the trail of an exotic and clever cat. Unfortunately, with Caitlyn's dog Buster in tow, things don't go smoothly. With signs pointing to danger and destruction, Caitlyn must act quickly to save the strange scarlet cat and reunite a family.
Book 2: Mystery of the Tin Can Bandit
Caitlyn and her dog Buster keep getting woken up in the middle of the night by strange noises. Caitlyn calls on her best friend Jamie to help. The bandit she spots seems to be stealing tin cans from the apartment recycling bins, but why? Caitlyn won't rest until she's solved the mystery, even if it means sneaking into the local high school.
Book 3: Mystery of the Zombie Bear
Caitlyn and her dog Buster get spooked during the annual salmon spawning in October. Halloween is approaching and a huge creature is lurking near the local creek. Is it a bear? Or could Jamie be right that it's a zombie planning a Halloween night attack? Caitlyn, Jamie, and Buster follow the smelly, misty trail.
Borrow the Tri-City Mystery series from the Library.
What inspired Carmen to become a writer?
From when she was very young, Carmen always had an active imagination and found many different ways to tell stories. There were always stories to tell, whether it was writing for school, or creating plays and productions where she recruited her sister, cousins, or neighborhood friends to perform. Carmen would write, direct, do props, hair, make-up, and music. Over the years, she’s written kids' books, screenplays, stage plays, comics, computer games, song lyrics, poetry, short stories, and novels. Some have been published or produced, others have been just for fun, and some are works-in-progress. All of them have been an adventure and there are many more stories waiting to flow from her imagination.
What has been the most challenging part of writing for Carmen?
The biggest challenge for Carmen has always been finding the time to think about and write the stories. She works full time and has other commitments, and, for better or for worse, Carmen’s mindset defaults to getting work for others done first. Her poor stories are often left waiting and waiting. Her renewed commitment to herself and her writing is each day, find even fifteen minutes to think about her stories and to write a little bit. Because even a little bit at a time builds momentum and before long, the stories will be done and out into the world.
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.
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