Learn from the Mesdames

Many of the Mesdames are accomplished teachers and mentors. Please contact each Mme directly for their workshop through the links in the blurbs below or through their websites on the right.

Mme Rosemary Aubert, our Mme Emerita, is an accomplished and revered creative writing teacher. She has led many courses at University of Toronto Continuing Studies and at the Loyalist Summer Arts Program.

Though retired, Rosemary occasionally leads private workshops upon special invitation.

Mme M. H. Callway shares her publishing journey through her popular workshop, How To Get Published. Her debut novel, Windigo Fire, was short-listed for the Debut Dagger and the Unhanged Arthur awards and eventually, the Arthur Ellis Best First Novel award but getting traditionally published still proved to be a challenge. Madeleine’s journey will inspire all emerging writers!

Mme Melodie Campbell has taught novel writing at Sheridan College, Oakville since 1992. Crafting a Novel I is a fourteen week course that outlines a practical, step-by-step approach to developing and building a novel. Ample time is allowed each week for feedback on students’ work. Individual assistance is also available.

Melodie Campbell also gives workshops on crime fiction writing at many libraries. Please note: This workshop involves an honorarium.

For more information visit funnygirlmelodie.blogspot.ca and use the “Workshops & Contact Info” link.

Mme Donna Carrick has been a mentor to a number of talented protégées, including authors Elle MacPherson, winner of the Arthur Ellis Best First Novel award and Bill Hall, who was short-listed for the Unhanged Arthur.

Donna’s new venture is the podcast, Dead to Writes, where she interviews crime fiction authors and airs their work. To be considered for an interview, authors should apply through the Dead to Writes website.

In her workshops, critically acclaimed novelist and Ippy Award winner, Mme Lisa de Nikolits explores 16 – count ‘em – shades of crime noir. Want to know what they are? Revenge noir, short story noir, literary noir, young adult noir, noir love, noir soundtracks, noir@twitter, Toronto noir, Dystopian noir, graphic noir. She can also talk about self-editing, how to become a better writer and how to write the traditional narrative arc.

Mme Cheryl Freedman is a seasoned professional editor of crime fiction and has assured the successful publication of many books. Her client, Derrick Carew, was shortlisted for the 2013 Debut Dagger for his thriller, Fighting Darkness: The Killer Trail, published by NeWest Press.

Cheryl also leads the Bony Blithe Award for light crime fiction and the Bony Blithe Minicon, held annually in May.

Mme Rosemary McCracken was a finalist for both the Unhanged Arthur and Debut Dagger awards. She has taught Novel Writing II at George Brown Community College for many years. To register for Rosemary’s course, go directly to the George Brown website http://www.coned.georgebrown.ca.

Rosemary also gives a creative writing workshop on the four-act plot structure of any good novel. In a new venture, she assesses and edits the first page of participants’ novels in progress.

Mme Lynne Murphy’s short crime fiction has appeared in several anthologies. She leads a drop-in writing workshop for seniors at West Scarborough Neighbourhood Community Centre, 313 Pharmacy Ave., Toronto.

There is no charge for the workshop but you must be a member of the Centre’s Seniors’ Club to attend. The main focus is on memoirs and personal essays but has also focused on short fiction and even rants!

To obtain further information on session dates, phone the Centre at 416-755-9215 or contact Lynne through the Mesdames website.

Before retiring Mme Caro Soles taught novel writing at George Brown College, Toronto for many years. An author of extraordinary versatility – mysteries, erotica, gay lit, the occasional bit of dark fantasy, and science fiction – she now writes historical fiction. Her latest novel, A Friend of Mr. Nijinsky, is the inspiration for this workshop: Historical mysteries; more than just dressing up your characters in muslin and ribbons!

For more information visit http://carosoles.com/

Mme Sylvia Warsh teaches classes in writing at the Bernard Betel Centre for Creative Living, a community centre geared for seniors, 1003 Steeles Avenue, near Bathurst Ave., North York. The course helps students develop writing skills in memoir, personal experience, short story and poetry. Classes continue throughout the year with new sessions in the spring and fall.