Skinner, Shannon

On By Sara WalkerIn Fiction, Writer Local to Kawartha LakesLeave a comment

Sharon Skinner writes as Shannon Skinner.

Sharon was born on 17 September 1944, in Winnipeg, where her father was a flying officer. When she was nearly one year old, the family moved to Guelph. She is the eldest child of her family with one brother and two sisters. She married in 1966 and later divorced.

After her marrying, she started to write more until it became an obsession. One of the first was an English mystery, Murder at Ashley Manor.

During the years from 1967–1991, she wrote many stories: “The Key,” “The Promise,” “The Legend of Death Valley,” “A Cry in the Dark,” “Never Say Good-Bye,” and White Dove and the Heirs of Falcon Ridge.

She now lives in the Kawartha Lakes area. 

Her book, White Dove and the Heirs of Falcon Ridge, is partially inspired by the Boyd family of Bobcaygeon.

Built on a young woman’s strength, love and her undying love for her husband and family, White Dove And the Heirs of Falcon Ridge is a fictional story that deals with this woman’s life in the 1800’s until the early 2000 period. Anne, who, at the age of ten, has been living with her mother and grandfather. Anne’s mother is abused by her father and beaten continually. Her mother’s dreams are of finding a better life for her daughter and herself. It is a story of a very unique family, their struggles, heartbreak, love, faith, and their strength to always draw the home where they would find hope, love, and honor.

Books:

White Dove and the Heirs of Falcon Ridge (2010)

Further Reading:

http://www.mykawartha.com/whatson-story/3720564-avid-writer-publishes-first-book/

https://www.facebook.com/White-Dove-And-the-Heirs-of-Falcon-Ridge

https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4331401-sharon-skinner

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2010/08/prweb4410344.htm

Victoria Ryce

On By Sara WalkerIn Non-Fiction, Writer Local to Kawartha LakesLeave a comment

Bethany-area resident and former stockbroker, Ryce is the co-author of The CEO of Everything with Gail Vaz-Oxlade, a book that tackles the challenges that women face when they find themselves suddenly single later in life.

“People like routine,” Ryce said. “When you become uncoupled, all of the pieces of your life shift, and some people don’t know what to do when you normally had four of you playing cards, and there are only three of you now. Other friends aren’t sure whether they can talk about your former partner when they invite you to dinner.

“There is a huge shift for everybody when this happens,” she said. It’s important to be patient when “everyone is finding their way.”

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/single-is-fun-1.3937349

Ryce’s first book, By Me, About Me is a book of prompts to help the writer put down their life story.

Books:

The CEO of Everything: Flying solo and soaring (2016)

By Me, About Me (1996)

McGinn, William

On By Sara WalkerIn Fiction, Teen Literature, Writer Local to Kawartha LakesLeave a comment

William J. McGinn is a kid with big dreams (and who may be in over his head). He self-published a five-book young-adult series called The Blacktop Brothers from 2012-2017 as a teenager, and he is now working on taking the next step, looking into an agent with his next publications. Though his specialty is young-adult, he has also dabbled in adult romance, plays, and a fan fiction novel to revive a video game character whose story has been left incomplete. He is also an actor, having played at the Lindsay Little Theatre and voice acted in several productions. He is additionally a proud nerd, procrastinator, Yu-Gi-Oh player, a self-described tomgirl, and often stays up until midnight, at least, to write when the house is finally quiet. You can visit him at williammcginn.com or across social media under the name William J. McGinn

Author of: 

Cerebra
The Shoreline
Escape from Central West

The Blacktop Brothers
The Blacktop Brothers 2: Mountain Mission
The Blacktop Brothers 3: Dropzone Madness
The Blacktop Brothers 4: Years Ago or From Now

Magahay, Lois (1928-2022)

On By Sara WalkerIn Local History, Non-Fiction, Writer Local to Kawartha LakesLeave a comment

Author of:

Assets in Ashes

Mayors of the Town of Lindsay

Directory of marriage notices appearing in the Ontario Gleaner, Cannington, ON, 1888-1925 by Lois B Magahay

Directory of birth and death notices appearing in the Ontario Gleaner, Cannington, ON : births, 1888-1925, deaths, 1888-1935

Dunsford Cemetery : Lot 6, Con 3, Verulam Township, Victoria County

Directory of birth, marriage, death notices appearing in Fenelon Falls & Bobcaygeon ON newspapers : births, 1880-1905, marriages, 1880-1920, deaths, 1880-1930

Directory of birth notices appearing in Lindsay, Ontario, newspapers, 1883-1899

Directory of marriage notices appearing in Lindsay Ontario newspapers, including parental information, 1900-1925

Directory of marriage notices appearing in the Woodville advocate & Beaverton express, 1878-1925

Directory of death notices appearing in Lindsay, Ontario, newspapers, 1883-1899

Directory of birth and death notices appearing in the Woodville advocate & Beaverton express : births, 1878-1910, deaths, 1878-1935

Directory of death notices appearing in Lindsay, Ontario, newspapers, 1900-1919

St. Aloysius Roman Catholic Cemetery : Lot 23, Con 3, Verulam Township, Victoria County by Marlene Clancy Diamond

Tidbits from our past : “little bits of this and that”

Directory of marriages appearing in Lindsay Ontario newspapers, 1920-1929

Directory of marriage notices appearing in Lindsay, Ontario, newspapers, 1900-1919

Lakeview Cemetery : Kirkfield, lot 43 con 8, Eldon Township, Victoria County

Directory of birth notices appearing in Lindsay Ontario newspapers, 1900-1919

Directory of death notices appearing in Lindsay, Ontario newspapers, 1920-1929

Directory of marriage notices appearing in Lindsay, Ontario, newspapers, 1920-1929

Directory of marriage notices appearing in Lindsay, Ontario, newspapers, 1883-1899

Obituary for Lois Magahay

Lois Blanche Magahay (https://www.mackeys.ca/memorials/lois-magahay/2923318/index.php)

August 6th, 1928 – September 14th, 2022

Lois Blanche Magahay passed away at the age of 94 in Kingsville, Ontario on September 14th, 2022. Lois was born on August 6th, 1928 to Marshall Stephens and Blanche Stephens (nee Sisson) in Lindsay, Ontario where she grew up and went to school. On December 26th, 1946 she married Joseph Edwin (Ted) Magahay, also of Lindsay. Together they had three daughters, Sharon Jane, Stephanie Sue and Deborah Joy. Ted’s employment took the family to Parry Sound and then on to Sudbury where Lois was employed by the CIBC, working in Garson and Capreol as a Branch Manager. When Ted retired they moved back to their home town of Lindsay. Ted predeceased her in January 2002. Lois was active in genealogy as a member of the Association of Professional Genealogists and held the Professional Learning Certificate from the National Institute of Genealogical Studies and the University of Toronto. She was a founding member of the Friends of the Lindsay Branch Library serving as Fund Raising Coordinator, Speaker Coordinator and Chair (for four years). In 2007 she was designated as a Life Member. She published several books and articles on local and provincial history and her research archives now reside at the Lindsay Branch Library. She will be sadly missed by daughters Sharon Gauthier (Raymond, predeceased), Stephanie Wright (Clifford, predeceased) and Deborah Ethier (Michael), five grandchildren, several great-grandchildren and many friends and relatives. Lois’ family would like to thank the wonderful and caring staff at Chartwell Royal Oak in Kingsville. A Celebration of Life will be held at Mackey Funeral Home, 33 Peel Street, Lindsay on Thursday, October 13th at 6pm. Memorial donations may be given in Lois’ name to a charity of your choice.