MEET SHAUNA
With the exception of my first sip of morning coffee and hugs from my children, there is nothing I love more than a good story.
Stories connect us to each other. They inspire and transform us. The right story at the right time can influence the course of a life, shift a community, change the world. Stories give us hope.
As a book coach, my passion is helping authors birth their stories into the world with authenticity, clarity and plenty of joy.
Here’s what I know: Whether you are just mulling over an idea for a book, or you're in the middle of your first chapter, or you’ve wrapped up your first draft, writing can feel lonely. And that loneliness can become an impassable brick wall. You can’t see beyond it and you feel stuck behind it. That’s where I come in. Together, we break down the wall. We start moving. We make progress.
I’ve been in love with books and writing my entire life. Let me tell you a story: When I was seven years old, my family had a subscription to the Canadian Tire Catalogue. Exciting, I know. I waited eagerly for each issue to appear in our mailbox, not because I had a passion for tires, but because I fell in love with the endless descriptions.
I’d settle onto the sofa with my red PaperMate ballpoint pen, and sit for hours circling words and underlining phrases. I had no idea what an editor was, but my heart already knew that playing with words – deciphering them, re-ordering them, making them sing – put me in my happy place.
After graduating with a bachelor's degree in English, I headed for law school. Or so I thought. I passed my entrance exams and selected my programs, but then suddenly, I heard about my local university's journalism program. And just like that, every other plan, obligation and commitment faded away. Law felt secure, but journalism felt joyful.
So I chose joy.
I'm an award-winning journalist, a writer, and a book coach. For more than 20 years I've had the pleasure of helping people tell their stories.
I’ve collaborated with national newspapers and magazines. I've told stories on TV and radio. I’ve helped my clients bring their books out from the hidden realm of their imaginations into the bright reality of publication and readership.
From the beginning, my commitment, vision and happiness have all been tied to one thing – words. Words that teach us about the hearts of others, and ultimately, about our own hearts. What could be better than that?
I’d love to hear about the words you're gathering for your own book. Together, I know we can turn them into something beautiful, powerful and true.
