Books and Beyond

As the world evolves toward a deeper understanding of mental illness and the importance of seeking treatment, Kimberly DeFiori (MBA’20) shares an unusual perspective on her own recovery. Lessons from Thor, her debut book from Tactical 16 Publishing, tells the story of DeFiori’s struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder while serving in the U.S. Army and the life-changing lessons she’s learned from her service dog, Thor. 

Musician Craig Jones (PhD’97) traces the cultural and geographic journey of perhaps the single most influential modern music genre in Chasing the Blues: A Traveler’s Guide to America’s Music, which he co-authored with Kingston-based travel writer Josephine Matyas. Together they chart the history of the blues, from its birth in the pre-Emancipation Mississippi Delta to its modern-day influence on nearly every form of popular music.

Catherine Taylor (MSc’16) turned personal tragedy into a heartwarming lesson for young children. She wrote Ava Jean’s Wings, a rhyming story of a young angel who refuses to hide her wings, in 2019 while pregnant with her first child. Although her pregnancy ended in miscarriage, the story ultimately became a children’s book, illustrated by Champa Gunawardana, which Kickstarter recognized with the Project We Love label for its “compelling message and creativity.” The book, which was released in August, encourages children to recognize their unique qualities, use their talents, and be proud of who they are.

A backpacking trip through Soviet-era Estonia and a decades-long career in the tech industry inspired Free Radical, the debut novel by Lawrence Finlay (Artsci’92), which he released under the pseudonym Tyler Black. The book, published by FriesenPress, tells the story of James, a U.K. tech-firm employee who finds himself fighting for his life in the middle of a northeastern European forest, his only support coming from a toy-sized robot with the ability to learn by watching and listening to humans.

As tick-borne diseases continue to threaten the health of Canadians, Brian Owens (Artsci’02) sheds some light on Lyme disease, the often-misunderstood condition that is becoming increasingly prevalent among hikers, golfers, campers, and dog walkers every year. In Lyme Disease in Canada, published this June by McNally Robinson, Owens traces the arrival of ticks in Canada and shares stories of the perils of diagnosing and treating Lyme disease and tips on how to avoid ticks – and how to remove them when you can’t avoid them.

Dr. Alisa Yocom (Artsci’06, MSc’08) came to Australia as an international student and enjoyed it so much that she decided to live there permanently. The Brisbane-based physician shares the story of her unexpected adventure – complete with joys and challenges – in Medicine Women, an anthology of short stories and letters by 20 female health-care professionals from around the globe, coming this summer from Australian publisher Change Empire.

After working for more than a quarter century as an educator (and a parent), Jane Kristoffy (Artsci’93 MEd, Toronto) has amassed an arsenal of answers to the questions that keep parents up at night. She shares many of them in Launch Your Kid: How to Promote Your Child’s Academic and Personal Success (Without Being a Helicopter Parent). The book includes tips, tricks, and strategies that parents can use every day to help them “get their kids through school and prepare them for the real world.”

Since September 2020, Elamin Abdelmahmoud (Artsci’11) has been helping Canadians figure out which podcasts to listen to by leading them on a guided tour of some of the internet’s most intriguing aural offerings. Podcast Playlist, which airs weekly on CBC Radio One and can also be found on CBC On Demand, wades through the seemingly endless array of podcasts to serve up curated excerpts exploring a new theme each week.

Michael Kehler (Artsci’84, Ed’85 MEd, Western; PhD, Michigan State) has dedicated his career to challenging definitions of masculinity and assumptions about what it means to be a man. He shared his observations about the intersection of masculinity, education, homophobia, and body image in “Reimagining Masculinity,” his talk at TEDxYYC, in Calgary on June 24. The virtual event was dubbed “Reimagine,” as speakers introduced new perspectives on everything from access and inclusion to scientific literacy to wearable data.

Robin Rotenberg, Artsci’79, Ed’80 (Law, Western) is the author of Pound On!! From the Glass Slipper to the Glass Ceiling. This book explores real ways to effect change, lead with determination, and support women in the workplace. Featuring a collection of stories from female trailblazers at the top of their game in a variety of industries, “Pound On!!” defines what it means to be an alpha woman and offers a road map on how to become one.

Roy M. Paul, Artsci’85, (Th.D., Golden State School of Theology), shines a spotlight on Jonathan Edwards, the American revivalist activist-preacher and theologian who brought Christianity to the Mohican (Algonquin) population in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, and advocated for their rights at the same time. Jonathan Edwards and the Stockbridge Mohican Indians: His Mission and Sermons includes a history of the Mohican peoples and a biography of Edwards, as well as an analysis of his sermons, most of which had not yet been published.

D.J. (Dave) Richardson, Artsci’86 (JD), is the author of In Her Own Footsteps: Flora Ross and Her Struggle for Identity and Independence in the Colonial West, a novel based on a true story. Flora Ross worked as a nurse in the midst of the British/U.S. “Pig War” of 1859, married its American instigator, and then had to find the means to escape an abusive marriage. The book began as a 1985 Queen's history research paper on the San Juan Island boundary dispute. The discovery of Flora’s wedding announcement in an 1859 newspaper triggered a need to view these events of west coast history through Flora’s eyes. This is the first of a planned trilogy about her life. 

Rosemary Keevil, Artsci’77, is the author of The Art of Losing It: A Memoir of Grief and Addiction. When her brother dies of AIDS and her husband dies of cancer in the same year, Rosemary is left on her own with two young daughters and antsy addiction demons dancing in her head. This is the nucleus of The Art of Losing It: a young mother jerking from emergency to emergency as the men in her life drop dead around her; a high-functioning radio show host waging war with her addictions while trying to raise her two little girls who just lost their daddy; and finally, a stint in rehab and sobriety that ushers in a fresh brand of chaos instead of the tranquility her family so desperately needs. 

Robert Popple, Sc’63, has published his fourth book: Born in Huronia: Recollections of a Kid from Penetanguishene. This memoir includes his early childhood in Huronia and highlights from four years at Queen’s in Engineering Physics. His 32-year career in nuclear power at Ontario Hydro included functioning as the corporate spokesperson for five years after the Three Mile Island accident, a mission to Moscow in the aftermath of the Chernobyl accident, and a two-year assignment in Romania for startup of a CANDU nuclear power station.

Michael Minifie, Com’82, has written his first novel: The Brave Ones. Set in the American West of the 1870s, this adventure/romance novel follows the search for Maggie Brandt, who disappears when her family is attacked by renegade Sioux following the defeat of General Custer at the Little Big Horn. Rescued by a young ranch hand, her sister Emma will not rest easy until she is reunited with Maggie. A sequel is in the works.

Deni Melim, Artsci’93, MEd’14, is co-author of Belonging: A Relationship-Based Approach for Trauma-Informed Education. The call for trauma-informed education is growing as educators and parents increasingly recognize the profound impact trauma has on children’s daily ability to learn in traditional classrooms. This book outlines how Dyadic Developmental Practice can be used as a model for developing the relationships and felt sense of safety children with developmental trauma need. Integrating what is known from attachment theory, intersubjectivity theory, and interpersonal neurobiology, this work helps readers to understand both why children behave in the challenging ways they do and how to invite traumatized children into more successful relationships and learning.