Though a sojourner now in the world of books, I remain a journalist by trade, training and temperament. Editors, please note that I continue to pursue freelance work!
Training:
I received an Master of Arts Journalism degree from the University of Western Ontario.
Experience
Since 1990, my work has appeared in a wide range of Canadian titles — Adbusters, Canadian Business, Canadian Geographic, Canadian Living, Reader’s Digest, Books in Canada, Western Living, Alberta Venture, Quill and Quire — to name a few. I have done my share of food, travel and design pieces. I have been a magazine columnist (regular restaurant reviews) and a newspaper columnist (pop music, mostly); and I’ve done plenty of straight-up service bits. Though not as salty as some of the old characters I used to work with on the London Free Press city desk, I have done some hard time in hard news. I have chased firetrucks. I have served as editor-publisher for SEEN and Broadway Magazine (both urban A&E tabloids), and Synergy (national magazine, sustainable food and agriculture).
Awards & Grants
Recently, I shared my first National Magazine Award win with the editorial team at Canadian Geographic for a special environmental package we put together. I have been fortunate to pick up a number of Western Magazine Awards over the years. I received the inaugural Science Journalism Award from the University of British Columbia Graduate School of Journalism for an article on Lake Winnipeg. I have been the recipient of an expedition research grant from The Royal Canadian Geographical Society. My first book, Lakeland: Ballad of a Freshwater Country, received the Governor General’s Award for nonfiction.
Areas of specialty
For me, journalism’s allure is the opportunity to explore the new. I would hate to be typecast. However, here is a keyword list of areas where I have some advanced knowledge:
Aviation, Agriculture & Food in Canada, Alternative Schools, Boreal Forest, Business, Art in Canada, Canoeing, Citizen-science, Cottages, Journalism, Lakes & Limnology, Media & New Media, Potash, Sailing and Boating, anything to do with Saskatchewan, Science Administration, Uranium, Water, Western Canada, Wilderness Travel.