Tag Archives: Canadian authors

ACTOR, BEST-SELLING AUTHOR, HORSE-LOVER SHELLEY PETERSON SITS HIGH IN THE SADDLE AS SHE LAUNCHES HER 9TH NOVEL

Throughout the 80s and 90s, I’d become a fan of Canadian film and tv actress, SHELLEY PETERSON. She appeared in all the major hit tv shows like Night Heat, E.N.G., the anthology series Alfred Hitchcock Presents, the comedy Dog House and another fave of mine, Twice in a Lifetime (2000). In 2007, Shelley appeared in the scary, spooky thriller Dead Silence alongside one of my favourite Australian actors, Ryan Kwanten, who starred with Aussie superstar Aaron Petersen in the original Mystery Road movie.  During all this time, Shelley was not only married to politician and future Ontario premier, David Peterson, she also raised a family and started writing books for Young Adults based on her love of horses. Oh, and by the way, she continued riding and owns a horse facility north of Toronto. Talk about an over-achiever and a great success story!

Her books are beautifully crafted novels targeting the tween/teen/young adult readership and focuses on horse-lovers and their adventures with their 4-legged best friends.  Her latest book is THE JAGGED CIRCLE which Shelley is currently promoting and hopefully will soon be able to do the usual meet-n-greet reading events with her fans as the province opens up after 15 months of Covid lockdown. I recently spoke with Shelley where we discovered our mutual love of horses, sharing our pony club stories from way-back…Cover final, Jagged Circle copy (1)Congratulations on the publication of your latest Y/A novel The Jagged Circle. You’ve written 9 books now involving horses so you must have been a pony club girl from way back…yes?  Yes, you’re right. I went to Pony Club in London, Ontario. We had wonderful teachers who were thorough and demanding. For example, we were timed taking our bridles apart, cleaning and oiling them, then putting them back together. We learned every part of a horse, how to look after them from top to bottom, including how to feed and groom them. The riding part was just as demanding, but more fun!  My favourite teacher was Dorinda Brickenden Greenway, who was an international show jumper. I admire her so much that I put her in ‘The Jagged Circle’ as a judge in the March Madness Steeplechase.

I gather you’ve always ridden throughout your adult life, too, and now own a fabulous horse facility, Fox Ridge – can you tell us about it and how it allows you to fulfil any childhood dreams?  I’ve been extremely lucky to have been around horses all my life. I had horses as a child in our backyard barn in London and then married a man whose father had a farm with Hereford cows. Pete loved horses and knew more about them than anybody else I’ve ever met. He’s a character in many of my books as Pete Pierson. He bought me my foundation mare, Sandpiper, and I’m now raising her great-grandchildren in Caledon where we live at Fox Ridge. I can think of nothing more fulfilling than guiding the journey from wobbly-legged new-born foal to a responsive, calm, willing adult horse.thumbnailI read a brief synopsis of one of your earlier books, Dancer, which was inspired by your then-teenage daughter. I must admit, the story could have been written about me, too. I was the class geek back home in Australia, and instead of 2-legged friends, I had a whole herd of 4-legged ones at the local stables. Have you found that your books offer comfort and validation to your predominantly tween and teenage female readers? And have you received “fan mail” reflecting that?  Absolutely. Readers’ emails and letters warm my heart and keep me writing. Each of my novels deals with a real issue (or several issues) that kids face, and each person will take what they need out of my books. If something that happens in one of my novels reflects a reader’s personal situation, I hope they’ll find strength and inspiration by how my characters cope with it. Otherwise, it’s just part of the story.sundancer (2)When you were acting on a regular basis, you appeared in 2 of my favourite Canadian tv series, E.N.G. and Night Heat. Do you miss those days or are they now just very fond memories?  I loved the world of theatre, television and film, and it was good to be a part of it. It’s very tough work, regardless of the glamourous perception of it, but very rewarding as well. The magic of theatre cannot be replicated elsewhere, and I revisited it in my novel, ‘Stagestruck’. One day I might go back to it as a little old lady, but for now I prefer allowing my imagination the freedom to create stories as opposed to acting them through other writers’ characters and dialogue.th (2)Being the wife of a politician must have been demanding – did you find horse-riding offered you relaxation and an outlet to de-stress?  Horses only relate to you when you set aside your stress. They actually turn away if you bring your troubles to the barn. As soon as you understand that, things go well. Through any turmoil in my life—being the wife of a politician, raising children, having a stressful career– horses have always demanded that I put my mental garbage in a sack and leave it metaphorically at the barn door.

Riding horse Prospero with grand-daughter Willow

Riding horse Prospero with grand-daughter Willow

The Jagged Circle is the second book in your Jockey Girl series and this time your heroine, Evangeline Gibb, is up to her stirrups in solving a murder while training her steeplechaser, Kazzam, for a big race. Can you give us any more clues as to how Evangeline does…with the helping the police solve the crime as well as the race?  Before the story begins, her grandmother Mary has been training Evie and Kazzam over jumps, and there’s already a very strong bond of trust between horse and rider which allows them to escalate their training over cross-country jumps with Piers Anders. And Evie’s love of her little sister, along with her curiosity and grit, won’t allow her to stop delving into the mysteries until they’re solved. The story takes place over a very short time, going from the boredom of being alone at Spring break to action overload as the drama unfolds. One reader told me he needed a nap when he finished reading my book!

Do you have social media where fans can follow you and learn more about your books?  I have a website, www.shelleypeterson.com  and a Facebook page “ShelleyPetersonBooks”. My publisher is Dundurn Press and I’m on their website as well. Any questions can be sent to me directly via my website, and I’ll answer them as soon as I get back from the barn.thumbnail (1)Thank you so much for sharing your life and loves, Shelley, and I know my readers will be checking out ALL your books which are available from Amazon as well as through your own website.  You can also visit the Dundurn Press website and social media: @dundurnpress
THE JAGGED CIRCLE by Shelley Peterson
Paperback ISBN: 9781459746947 • $14.99
eBook ISBN: 9781459746961 • $8.99willow riding Robyn

MEDIA PERSONALITY IEDEN WALL LAUNCHES NEW BOOK OF POETRY & PROVERBS

I recently had the pleasure of meeting IEDEN WALL, Toronto tv host, writer/producer, motivational speaker and now…. author!  Ieden (pron. Eden) has just published a book of poetry and proverbs, the result of  years spent discovering life, love and career, meeting the challenges of creating a productive and authentic life.Ieden-HeadShot-Glenda“Being on my own at age 15 opened up a very unique lens through which I viewed the world. By sharing my poetic lyrics and pearls of wisdom, I have been able to impart many life lessons that I learned the hard way. I hope those reading The Wisdom of Wall will be empowered to survive the many pitfalls and speed bumps of life without suffering the way I did. And that makes me feel great.”  – Ieden Wall (pictured above)

In his book, The Wisdom of Wall, Ieden engages a wide range of topics such as human existence, social and political unrest, love, romance, spirituality, religion and much more. He explores the world and the human condition with a sharp wit, an acute sense of irony and a mysterious sixth sense.  In this book of poetry and proverbs, we find a complex mind in search for identity, lost memories, purpose and transcendence amid a dizzying gust of existential curiosity.

I sat down with the author and asked him about his inspiration for the book and what drives him to create:

What first inspired you to start writing your thoughts down in rhyme?  Strange though it sounds, I was inspired by the genius of Leonard Cohen and then Bob Dylan and Tom Waits. Even at 15 years-old, I was so moved by their depth and creativity. I was on my own so young and the raw, brokenness of Cohen captured my imagination.

Having experienced a challenging life as a teenager and young adult, how do you think sharing your wisdom and poetic insights will help others surmount their own obstacles in life, relationships or careers?  Too much wisdom can be a heavy burden, but my wish is that readers will find that special message that connects with them at just the right time and makes all the difference. The truth is a great liberator and there are many truths in my book, from cover to cover.

What advice were you given as a youngster that has stuck with you over the years?  Don’t be afraid to share what is most precious to you. Good art and great art is separated by the many depths of honesty and revelation.

To date, you’ve had a successful career in broadcasting as well as motivational speaking – how difficult is it to sit down and write in a solitary environment? Writing in a solitary environment was cathartic, in the deepest sense. I am a walking paradox. Enigmatic to myself and others. [smile] On one hand I love interactive performance art like broadcasting and stand-up comedy. On the other hand, I adore the soulful isolation that gives birth to honest, raw poetry.

How relevant do you feel poetry is in today’s world? I believe it depends on the poet. I suppose poetry about the inner beauty of butter churning is not so relevant to our high-tech generation [laughs] but the deepest matters of the heart are always in high demand — even more so now as technology pushes us into our brains and away from our hearts.HolySpark

I hear you may be considering collaborating with musicians to create recordings of your spoken word accompanied by original music – any favourite artists on your “wish list”?  Well I’m currently trying to lure Garth Brooks away from his 60 bedroom, 25 bathroom shack in Montana and back into the recording studio. He would do a fabulous job with my poem called “No Love to be Won”.

Any advice to would-be poets/authors looking to take that first step in putting pen to paper?  Be honest. Be brave. Be yourself. Enjoy the process and detach from the outcome.

Wall has already garnered kudos and thumbs-up for his literary work from fans such as …

“A Canadian poet with a distinct charm and remarkable grace.”   –  Dr. Jonathan Sarna, Newsweek

“Wall’s ability to fuse absurd humour with the poignancy of humanity is brilliant.”  – former Mayor of Toronto, David Miller

“The Wisdom of Wall is 200 pages of grace, charm and an agile wit. Wall does something that few poets have been able to do here in Canada – he delivers deep, profound messages, with the punch of a comedian and the rhythm of a master lyricist.”    – comedy legend & Founder of Yuk Yuk’s Mark Breslin

with Mark Breslin

with Mark Breslin

“There is nobody out there quite like him. So much soul under Wall’s veneer of wry humour.” – John Terauds, The Toronto Star

“A wonderfully wise and thoughtful read.”   filmmaker Robert Lantos

SPECIAL BOOK SIGNING EVENT
The author will be selling & signing copies of  The Wisdom of Wall on Saturday October 14  (8pm to 9:30pm) at the 5-star Shangri-La Hotel (VIP screening Room, 3rd Floor) located at 188 University Avenue, Toronto. Live music and video segments will accompany the readings.

If you would like to attend, please RSVP to me at FordhamPR@rogers.com – space is limited so email soon.SLTO-Hotel-LogoThe book will also be available for sale online at EdenTV.ca or Amazon.com on October 15th.  Published by Cosmic Landscape Publishing.