This is an encore presentation from last summer, when we talked with Donna Wootton. Donna is a graduate of the Humber School for Writers. She is a member of TWUC (The Writers Union of Canada), PEN International, and SOTH (Spirit of the Hills – Northumberland). Her book about her late father, who was a charter inductee in Canada’s Lacrosse Hall of Fame, is called MOON REMEMBERED. It was published in 2009 and is archived in Trent University’s Library. Most recently her poetry was published in The Divinity of Blue (a collection from CCLA-Canada Cuba Literary Alliance), The Beauty of Being Elsewhere (a travel anthology), and Musings from the Heliconian Club. Her novels include Leaving Paradise (2008), What Maisie Missed (2018) and Isadora’s Dance(2021). Now her new novel The Age of Privilege is being released by AOS Press.
Month: January 2025
Marion Fuessel
This week we welcome back Marion Fuessel to Word on the Hills. Marion came to Canada as a child. Her immigrant parents were not wealthy but were able to create a comfortable life. It was expected that she would find a stable life, get married and have children. She managed the first two quite quickly but decided to wait before beginning a family. Since she did not have the option of going to College in her younger years, she decided to pay for her own education later in life and became a late bloomer. Her income from office work allowed her to get a College degree and pursue a degree in Montessori. At the same time, she had her three children so it took some time to complete her diploma. She was also influenced by her connection with a Yogi who encouraged her to read the Bible, Koran, Upanishads, Buddhism, etc. in order to educate herself about the various religions. This opened her eyes to a universe that accepts many different beliefs.
Marnie Hare Bickle
Marnie Hare Bickle worked most of her career in music academia for the Music Library, Faculty of Music, Western University; Ontario Regional Director, Canadian Music Centre; and Concert Manager, Faculty of Music, University of Toronto. She combined her pursuit of music and writing in essays and articles to promote and showcase classical musicians. In 2004, she and her husband moved to a family home just north of Port Hope in the hamlet of Canton. There she discovered long forgotten letters, manuscripts and other writings by her husband’s relative, John Thomas David Ford. His stories of growing up in the East Arctic (1910 – 1930), written down before he left the Arctic to enlist for WWII, were researched, reworked and edited by Marnie into Native Born Son: The Journals of J. David Ford published by Blue Denim Press, 2018. Now she has released a second book, On Display which tells the story of the first exhibit of Innuit art in southern Canada and David Ford’s role, acting as translator and guide for its artists.
Ted Staunton
This week we welcome Ted Staunton. He is the author of nearly fifty books for young people, from toddlers to teens (though adults are allowed to read them too). His most recent book, the graphic novel The Good Fight, about the infamous riot at Christie Pits in 1933, was listed for the City of Toronto Book Award. Ted keeps up a busy schedule visiting with students around Ontario as well as teaching creative writing at George Brown College. His new novel, Comic Shift, will be published by Scholastic Canada in 2025.
Holiday Show 3
Our final holiday show for 2024 is an encore presentation of one of our 2021 shows, filled with stories suitable for the season. We hope you enjoy it. The Word on the Hills team wishes you a very Happy New Year.
Word on the Hills Radio Program 