WCDR is administered by a board of nine volunteers who guide the group’s activities according to the members’ needs and interests. Contact the Board here.
President – James Dewar
James Dewar is a freelance writer, editor and web designer. His poetry has appeared in magazines, chapbooks, anthologies and The Garden in the Machine (Hidden Brook Press 2007). He organizes/hosts the Hot-Sauced Words Poetry Series and is an active participant in the Toronto poetry scene. He enjoys publishing poetry and other books through his publishing house, Piquant Press (www.piquantpress.ca). He has been a WCDR member for eight years, a member of the Board for 4 years. He offers writing/performance workshops on a variety of skills, most notably the “A Novel Approach” workshop (with co-presenter Sue Reynolds) where participants meet bi-weekly for a year to complete the first draft of a novel. Please visit www.hotsaucedwords.ca and www.piquantproductions.ca for more information.
Vice President and Workshop Coordinator – Sally Moore
Sally Moore has published articles in The Globe and Mail, Word Weaver, Ottawa Business Magazine and Sustainable Cities IV, published by the Wessex Institute. Her writing credits include a poetry prize from the Ontario Poetry Society, and award-winning film credits and business writing. Her heart is in fiction and she has written two novels now being offered for publication, and she is the recipient of the Len Cullen Writing Scholarship for 2010/11. Sally is a marketing executive with over 25 years of experience in business, and holds a Diploma with Distinction in Commercial Communications, and an Executive Education Certificate from Schulich School of Business. Her most recent novel, Wings of a Fly, is based on her experiences as an executive in the high tech industry.
Membership Co-ordinator – Maureen Curry
“Books are magical, almost sacred!” That was Maureen’s attitude throughout her teaching career. For 32 years, she encouraged youngsters to create stories and rhymes. Her own writing consisted of verses and plays for these students. With retirement came time to develop her own abilities. By joining The Writers’ Circle of Durham, she received the support she needed. In 2007, she ventured into the adult world with her poem Timber Wolf, which appeared in Liaisons 11: The R. D. Lawrence Commemorative Anthology. She is currently working on poems and Chapter Books for children.
Breakfast Co-ordinator- Sharon Overend
Sharon Overend is an emerging author who has begun to see her work appear in print. In 2008, Surfacing Magazine published her first short story. In 2010, she received the Terry Fallis Education Grant and in 2012 won a Len Cullen Scholarship from the WCDR scholarship program. She was awarded the 2010 Random House Student Award and in 2011, was named a finalist in the same award. Her poem, Stolen Kisses in the Checkout appeared in the Spring 2012 Word Weaver. She is currently finishing the final project before receiving a Certificate in Creative Writing from U of T Continuing Studies and is working full-time on her novel.
Secretary – Phil Dwyer
Phil Dwyer’s asthmatic childhood contributed to a deep love of reading, an encyclopaedic knowledge of British sixties pop (and encyclopaedias), and a healthy distrust for the curvature of normal lives. He was a journalist for 20 years in the UK, working in the magazine industry, as a reporter, news editor, editor and latterly as a publisher. He moved to Canada in 2002 with the first draft of a novel on his laptop’s hard drive. In 2007, after a life-changing heart attack, he picked up that first draft and has been working on it ever since. His creative writing has been published in The Globe and Mail and Canadian Stories, and his journalism has been published in over 15 UK publications (including The Financial Times and The London Times). He is now working on a short story collection about collectors and collecting, tentatively titled Ironclad Evanescence.
Treasurer – Jenny Madore
Jenny Madore is a stay at home mom who works full time on writing urban fantasy romance. As the 2012 recipient of the Writing Fairy Scholarship she continues her education, learning everything she can about the glorious world of writing. Currently Jenny is working on a five book, urban fantasy series where alpha women kick butt and devour the gorgeous male warriors around them. Jenny knows that it is only through the support and wisdom of the members of WCDR that she has been able to reach the level of writing she has and could think of nothing more rewarding than to pay it forward and serve the Board.
Web Liaison – Christina Vasilevski
Christina is a writer and editor; in addition to being part of the WCDR, she’s also a member of the Editors’ Association of Canada, and currently manages the WCDR’s editing directory. In 2011 she finished the Certificate in Book Publishing offered by Ryerson University. She provides writing, editing, and WordPress design services on a freelance basis. You can visit her website, where she blogs about language, writing, science fiction and fantasy, and the publishing industry in general, at www.christinavasilevski.com
Special Events Coordinator – Cryssa Bazos
Cryssa Bazos is the recipient of the WCDR’s Neil Crone scholarship. She is working towards her Certificate in Creative Writing at the University of Toronto, studying under Holly Luhning. Cryssa’s short story, Confessions of a Tooth Fairy will be published in an anthology titled Canadian Tales of the Fantastical in September 2011. She is currently working on a historical fiction novel set during 17th century England and is a member of the WIHW Writing Circle.
Cryssa has always been impressed with the generosity of WCDR members who have given their time to mentor and encourage developing writers.
Public Relations – Hélène Paquin
Hélène Paquin is a senior business analyst in Toronto’s financial and transportation sector. Her specialty is preparing collateral material for global web based products. She initiated the Crack Spine Drink Wine book club to share her love of books with fellow Bay St. professionals. Hélène blogs and tweets about their meetings and the literary events they attend in the Toronto area. She was thrilled when Penguin Canada featured the club in their monthly newsletter (May/2011). She began exploring freelance opportunities this year and has written promotional material for food and travel websites. Her passion however is theatre. She’s writing a musical based on the financial crisis and the Madoff affair. She’s grateful for WCDR’s supportive environment as it keeps her motivated and focussed on this multi-year project.
Member at Large – M-E Girard
M-E Girard is a registered nurse moonlighting as a fiction writer. M-E spends most of her time telling tales of teenage angst and happenings of high school halls, with a focus on LGBT realities. She has completed her first Young Adult novel (runner-up in the 2010 Young Adult Novel Discovery Contest) and is working on her second one. Sometimes she’ll dish out a short story, or a blog entry amidst all the novel-writing craziness. Her short stories were published in a Canadian anthology. She lives just outside of Toronto, in Ajax, Ontario, Canada, with her partner-in-crime Melissa and their two Chihuahua babies.