Point Roberts Author Fest showcases local talent

Margot Griffiths was born and raised in Victoria, BC, where her story is set. She spent twenty years as a psychotherapist at The University of British Columbia and spent her sabbaticals volunteering as a visiting professor at Tumaini University in Tanzania, East Africa. She is a free-lance writer for the Blaine Washington Northern Light and for the Point Roberts All Point Bulletin and a contributor to UBC’s publications, writing book reviews and articles pertinent to student concerns. Margot now lives in Point Roberts. Clarion Review describes Angel Hair as “Beautifully written…rich with exquisite images… With her beautifully written debut novel, Margot Griffiths (exposes) society’s hypocrisies through a child’s coming-of-age. Poignant and powerful, Griffiths’ writing is rich with lyrical turns of phrase and evocative symbolic imagery, adding sophisticated depth and dimension to the story . . . a complex rendering of time, place and emotion . . . a multilayered world that reflects the complex process of growing up.”

Marin Katusa is CEO of Katusa Research. He is one of the leading experts on the energy and resource exploration sectors. Marin's debut book The Colder War won critical acclaim and a spot on the New York Times Bestseller List. Marin has been featured on newspaper, TV, radio, and podcast outlets, appearing on CNBC, BNN, Forbes RT, CTV, CNN, Bloomberg and Yahoo!Finance. Research for his company and clients has taken him to over 100 countries. In The Colder War he tells about a new cold war underway, driven by a massive geopolitical power shift to Russia that went almost unnoticed across the globe. In The Colder War: How the Global Energy Trade Slipped from America's Grasp, energy expert Marin Katusa takes a look at the ways the western world is losing control of the energy market, and what can be done about it. Marin lives in Vancouver with his wife and daughter and enjoys spending time at his vacation homes in Point Roberts, Washington and Zadar, Croatia.

Patricia "Patch" McCairen has the soul of a gypsy and has set foot on each of the seven continents. She has worked in many fields from legal secretary/assistant to whitewater river guide. These days her passion is photography, which can be seen on her website: www.pcmccairen.com. She is originally from New York City, has lived in six states. residing for the past 12-1/2 years in Point Roberts. She is certifiably Corgi Crazy and shares her life with Dylan, the incorrigible Corgi. Her book Canyon Solitude is the story of the 25-day solo raft trip Patch did on the Colorado River through Grand Canyon. It weaves between her awe for the canyon and river with environmental issues as well as dealing with her own internal demons. When you are alone for an extended period of time you have only yourself for company. She believes she is the first woman to have completed a solo trip of this nature.

Lesley McKnight moved to Vancouver as a child and lives there with her husband and three children. For the past ten years she has been a freelance researcher and writer, and her articles have been published in places like The Globe & Mail and the Vancouver Courier. Her book Vancouver Kids tells the history of Vancouver through the voices of children, bringing it to life through the eyes of real Vancouver kids, past and present. The book was shortlisted for the 2011 City of Vancouver Book Awards.

Arthur Reber is a cognitive psychologist who spent a half-century studying human intuition. He's an elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Association for Psychological Science and the Fulbright Foundation. He's also a dedicated poker player and expert on gambling. He lives in Point Roberts in semi-retirement with Rhiannon Allen, Obediah Jones and Burney Blue. In Xero to Sixty he tells the story of Xero Konstantakis who flunks out of college and runs away with the circus. Over the next 40 years Xero takes an amazing ride, becoming the owner of his very own underground poker club in New York City. He learns it's not about going legit ─ it's about being the best degenerate you can be. His website is www.ArthurReber.com.

Mark David Smith is an English teacher from Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, where he lives with his wife and children. Caravaggio: Signed in Blood is his first published novel. To find out more about Mark, visit his website: MarkSmithBooks.com. His book tells an exciting tale for young readers and adults alike. In seventeenth-century Rome, connections are everything. But for fifteen-year-old Beppo Ghirlandi, an indentured servant accused of murder, there is no one to turn to. The only person who will help him is the painter from across the Piazza, the madman genius known as Caravaggio—who, unfortunately, has serious troubles of his own. By helping Caravaggio flee, Beppo might just be able to stay alive. The book was starred and recommended by Kirkus Reviews, and was a Holiday Pick for Young Readers by the Winnipeg Free Press.

Barbara Lois Wray lives in Point Roberts under her other name, Barb Wayland. Her published works include The Drum Maker; Landing on My Feet, the memoir of John Olt, American Master Sculptor; and The Annotated History of ME, a guide to writing your own life story. She is also the author of more than two dozen health care training films currently in use in hospitals and colleges throughout the US and Canada. For the last five years she has written a regular column for the All Point Bulletin. She loves to write, sing, read, sew, and hang out with her quilting buddies. She has enough book ideas to keep her busy for another 30 years.

Janet Pavlik and two co-authors have written Echoes Across Seymour, an engaging history of Seymour, which lies between North Vancouver and Indian Arm. Each of the 19 communities in this diverse and interesting area are covered. The authors worked closely with members of the Deep Cove Heritage Society to create this history and guide.