Membership Fees
Shuswap Writers Group Membership Fees:
$40.00/year
(equivalent to $3.33/month or 8 latte's)
Payment can be made via cheque and payable to Shuswap Writers Group, or cash, or e-transfer at [email protected]
Drop-In Fees: No charge for the first visit - $5.00 each visit thereafter.
Shuswap Writers Group Membership Fees:
$40.00/year
(equivalent to $3.33/month or 8 latte's)
Payment can be made via cheque and payable to Shuswap Writers Group, or cash, or e-transfer at [email protected]
Drop-In Fees: No charge for the first visit - $5.00 each visit thereafter.
Our Members
Our pool of talents from across the Shuswap includes writers, authors and poets - published and unpublished, famous and infamous, esteemed and not so esteemed.
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EXECUTIVE MEMBERS AND DIRECTORS 2023 - 2025
President - Ellie McGaughey
Vice-President - Dorothy Rolin
Secretary - Susan Kyle
Treasurer - Brenda Kilberg
Membership Director - Brenda Kilberg
Webmaster - Ellie McGaughey
Publicity Director - Dorothy Rolin
Coffee House Director(s) - Dorothy Rolin/Brenda Kilberg
Director for Writing Out Loud - Ellie McGaughey
Marketing/Displays - Ellie and Mitch McGaughey
Archiving - Hugh Marchand/Susan Kyle
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MEMBERSHIP - The following is a list of our members as well as some photos.
Members
Gretta Bakewell
Jeanette Clement
Wendy Collins
Young Seon Cook
Kay Johnston
Brenda Kilberg
Eric Kilberg
Susan Kyle
Hugh Marchand
Shirley McIver
Ellie McGaughey
Mitch McGaughey
Barbara Paul
Monique Pharand
Kyla Redekop
Dorothy Rolin
Susan Shantz
Caryn Stroh
Estelle Visser
June Welter
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Young Seon Cook
Young Seon joined the Shuswap Writers' Group in 2023 where she connected with fellow writers and nurtured her passion for storytelling. She explores the complexities of feelings and experiences, keenly observing the world around her. When she's not immersed in writing, Young Seon often spends time in her cozy home studio, surrounded by an array of colourful paints and canvases. There she indulges her artistic side by creating a diverse range of paintings that capture the essence of her thoughts and emotions, adding another layer to her creative expression. |
Kay Johnston
Kay has published two books. ‘Spirit of Powwow’, published by Hancock House, which has now sold approximately 3,000 copies.
Her second book, The Amazing Mazie Baker, Squamish Nation’s Warrior Elder is a biography, with a Foreword by Senator Pat Carney. It has received excellent reviews and was nominated for a BC Book Prize and for The BC Historical Federation Book Award.
She is a well-respected presenter and workshop leader and has given different types of presentations and writing workshops in England, throughout BC, Alberta, Texas and in the Western United States.
She is a member of The Writers’ Union of Canada, The Federation of BC Writers, Shuswap Writers Group, President of the Shuswap Association of Writers, and Festival Chair for Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival. She is also a Director of the Salmon Arm & District Arts Council Board.
Kay is privileged, and proud, to be an adopted member of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) Baker family.
She lives on acreage in Salmon Arm, British Columbia with her partner, her Westie and tabby cat.
Kay has published two books. ‘Spirit of Powwow’, published by Hancock House, which has now sold approximately 3,000 copies.
Her second book, The Amazing Mazie Baker, Squamish Nation’s Warrior Elder is a biography, with a Foreword by Senator Pat Carney. It has received excellent reviews and was nominated for a BC Book Prize and for The BC Historical Federation Book Award.
She is a well-respected presenter and workshop leader and has given different types of presentations and writing workshops in England, throughout BC, Alberta, Texas and in the Western United States.
She is a member of The Writers’ Union of Canada, The Federation of BC Writers, Shuswap Writers Group, President of the Shuswap Association of Writers, and Festival Chair for Word on the Lake Writers’ Festival. She is also a Director of the Salmon Arm & District Arts Council Board.
Kay is privileged, and proud, to be an adopted member of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) Baker family.
She lives on acreage in Salmon Arm, British Columbia with her partner, her Westie and tabby cat.
Brenda Kilberg
Brenda has lived in BC for forty years and the last thirty years in Salmon Arm. She set aside her International Travel Consulting career to raise her three boys. She finds writing inspiration from family history, life events and her extensive classroom of global experiences. Brenda has had eight years of piano and a few singing lessons, hoping someday to write her own lyrics and music. She has kept a few journals and enjoys creating Haiku along with free style poetry as well as short non-fiction stories. Brenda feels the Shuswap Writers' Group is giving her a clear direction and motivation to improve her writing skills. She loves her adventures in her VW van, books, music and living a simple life.
Brenda has lived in BC for forty years and the last thirty years in Salmon Arm. She set aside her International Travel Consulting career to raise her three boys. She finds writing inspiration from family history, life events and her extensive classroom of global experiences. Brenda has had eight years of piano and a few singing lessons, hoping someday to write her own lyrics and music. She has kept a few journals and enjoys creating Haiku along with free style poetry as well as short non-fiction stories. Brenda feels the Shuswap Writers' Group is giving her a clear direction and motivation to improve her writing skills. She loves her adventures in her VW van, books, music and living a simple life.
Hugh Marchand
Hugh is new to Salmon Arm, arrived in Canada in our Centennial year and settled in Ontario. There he met his wife and a busy life ensued learning about a new country. A busy life that soon became a noisy one with the arrival, in short order, of three bright but boisterous children, which precluded contemplative pursuits - like writing.
However, as children grew, the decibels decreased and permitted him to start writing something other than management reports. Words began to tumble out of his mind onto page. Success in poetry and short story competitions has punctuated his toiling to complete and publish his first novel. Hugh's published book The Bright One of The Skilful Hand can be purchased on www.amazon.ca available as a paper back or download on Kindle. Hugh's inspiration to write came from his mother, an author in her own right.
Hugh is new to Salmon Arm, arrived in Canada in our Centennial year and settled in Ontario. There he met his wife and a busy life ensued learning about a new country. A busy life that soon became a noisy one with the arrival, in short order, of three bright but boisterous children, which precluded contemplative pursuits - like writing.
However, as children grew, the decibels decreased and permitted him to start writing something other than management reports. Words began to tumble out of his mind onto page. Success in poetry and short story competitions has punctuated his toiling to complete and publish his first novel. Hugh's published book The Bright One of The Skilful Hand can be purchased on www.amazon.ca available as a paper back or download on Kindle. Hugh's inspiration to write came from his mother, an author in her own right.
Ellie McGaughey
Ellie was raised in Calgary, Alberta, lived in the area of Ponoka and Red Deer for many years, then eventually moved to Fort Saskatchewan. She and her husband Mitch have now happily retired and settled in Salmon Arm.
She is currently president of Shuswap Writers' Group and on the Board of Directors with Shuswap Association of Writers.
Ellie has published a novel, "Asea, a Journey Told" and just recently published 'Room 217', with another story in the works.
Ellie was raised in Calgary, Alberta, lived in the area of Ponoka and Red Deer for many years, then eventually moved to Fort Saskatchewan. She and her husband Mitch have now happily retired and settled in Salmon Arm.
She is currently president of Shuswap Writers' Group and on the Board of Directors with Shuswap Association of Writers.
Ellie has published a novel, "Asea, a Journey Told" and just recently published 'Room 217', with another story in the works.
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Shirley McIver
Shirley, a B.C. girl, and her husband Stu retired to Blind Bay from Surrey in 2007. After receiving inspiration from attending the Word on the Lake Festival and the SWG Writers Coffee House, she joined the Shuswap Writers Group for continued inspiration.
Presently, Shirley is writing a memoir “Family Ties & Fish Tales”, a teen deckhand’s memoir.
Monique Pharand
Monique moved to Salmon Arm in the fall of 2019, to be closer to her family. For the previous 20 years she has been an active member of many organizations in the small community of Dease Lake in northern BC. This included the local Reading Centre, the Lions Club and even the Canadian Rangers (to name a few). Her passion for community involvement continues to call her. Monique's career in education became the perfect way to awaken and encourage creativity in students from Kindergarten to Post Secondary. Inquisitive by nature, she dabbles in the field of Visual Arts, enjoys quilting as well as improv games and treasures spending time outdoors. Monique always enjoys writing.
Monique moved to Salmon Arm in the fall of 2019, to be closer to her family. For the previous 20 years she has been an active member of many organizations in the small community of Dease Lake in northern BC. This included the local Reading Centre, the Lions Club and even the Canadian Rangers (to name a few). Her passion for community involvement continues to call her. Monique's career in education became the perfect way to awaken and encourage creativity in students from Kindergarten to Post Secondary. Inquisitive by nature, she dabbles in the field of Visual Arts, enjoys quilting as well as improv games and treasures spending time outdoors. Monique always enjoys writing.
Dorothy Rolin
Dorothy has lived in Salmon Arm since 1978. In that time, she has helped found the Shuswap Writers' Group (1989) and was awarded a lifetime membership for her many years of involvement. She has emceed many Shuswap Writers' Coffee Houses and been an active and supportive member of the Shuswap Association of Writers. She is a past President of the local Historical Society and Shuswap Writers' Group. She writes fiction, non-fiction and poetry, but her love of the written word lies in the non-fiction genre. Dorothy has published work in many anthologies, a chap book, and has written articles for the Okanagan Historical Society. Her garden is her sanctuary where she finds inspiration for her art and writing. 
Caryn Stroh
Caryn is from Turtle Valley, a small community in British Columbia, Canada, living her best life with her partner, Aaron. Retired in 2021 from her career with BC's Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, Caryn spends her time gardening, travelling and writing about travelling on her website (hitps://cometravelwithme.ca). She is writing her debut travel memoir about her year-long, solo, backpacking journey through South America at age 54, a journey that had her constantly out of her comfort zone and wondering why. Caryn has been a member of the Shuswap Writing Group since 2022. 
June Welter
I am soon to be 92. I was born in Regina, adopted at age 3 and spent my youth in Swift Current. SK. Moved to Calgary and was married there. Later we retired and moved to St. Ives where we lived for 30years. We moved to Salmon Arm when my husband, Gus took ill. He died on February 24th, 2022 and I moved to Sidney. B.C. in July 2023 to be close to my family. I guess I started writing in school but I didn't do anything serious until I retired. When we moved to St. Ives in 1987 I wrote a play called "Eye Witness." It was performed at the Lakeview Centre in Anglemont, B.C. I joined SPLATT (Seniors Playing Live at the Theatre) in Blind Bay and wrote a Radio Play called "Losing It." It was performed at a venue there. (I forget the name???) I also wrote and had printed a short story called "Caught in the Act" for B.C. Women's magazine (now defunct). When we moved to Salmon Arm in 2017, I joined the Shuswap Theatre and also SWG. I have written several scripts, poems and stories through their auspices. Many of which have been read on The Voice of the Shuswap. Now I do some writing here at Shoal Centre strictly for entertainment at functions and I have continued my affiliation with SWG. |
