I throughly enjoyed Finding Flora by Elinor Florence. It's an historical fiction novel about early female settlers in Alberta. Read more in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2026/02/04/f...

Why are so many recent bestsellers about older people making the most of the last years of their lives? Find out by reading my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2026/01/24/p...

I received a book from a book fairy yesterday at the restaurant where I had breakfast. What is a book fairy. Click on the link to find out. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2026/01/20/a...

What would happen if suddenly you SNAPPED and behaved inappropriately and perhaps even criminally? A new novel by Susin Nielsen explores that possibility with humour and heart. Read more in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2026/01/09/s...

A beautiful new book, Levi's Gift by Kathy Stinson, about a man who gives away his cherished violin, will be in my violin-playing granddaughter's stocking this Christmas. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/12/02/l...

Read my review of Hazel Prior's engaging novel, How the Penguins Saved Veronica. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/12/09/h...

I love Colleen Nelson's latest middle-grade novel, which is set in a historic Winnipeg library. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/12/11/a...

A new children's book, The Christmas That Almost Wasn't by Laura Alary, had me thinking about how we can make Christmas memorable even if things don't go as we planned. @lauraalary.bsky.social maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/12/16/a...

My editor, Deborah Froese, has created a series of podcasts that both experienced and novice writers will find very helpful. Read more in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/11/27/w...

I recently finished two novels about lost children. Read my reviews in the post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/11/23/t...

The Atlantic recently published a list of what they believe to be essential children's picture books. I agreed with some of their selections, but not all of them. Read more in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/11/21/e...

I helped set up a Little Free Library in Winnipeg which has been thriving for a decade. Read more in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/11/14/t...

A story told entirely with letters? I was skeptical, but The Correspondent by Virginia Evans won me over. It was an absorbing and intriguing read. See my review in the post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/11/13/t...

I learned about a new idea that will change the way I think about my reading and writing, and my life experiences, at a children's writing conference in Toronto. Read more in my post below. #PYI2025 maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/11/10/l...

It's I Read Canadian Day, and I'm celebrating a new book for middle-grade kids by British Columbia author Nikki Bergstresser. Read more in my post below. #IReadCanadianDay @heritagehouse.bsky.social @nikkibergstresser.bsky.social maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/11/05/a...

Jean Pendziwol gave a truly inspiring talk about the value of curiosity at the children's writing conference I attended in Toronto. Read more in my post below. #PYI2025 maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/10/26/t...

At a conference for children's book writers and illustrators in Toronto, I was lucky enough to have a chat over lunch with well-known Canadian author Tim Wynne-Jones. Find out what we chatted about in my post below. #PYI2025 maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/10/27/i...

The Poet Laureate of Winnipeg, Jennifer Still, is asking people to help her write a collaborative poem about the city. You can add your contributions to a neat little fold-up map available at public libraries. Check out my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/10/22/w...

Did you know today is the start of Friends of the Library week? I'm part of that organization here in Winnipeg. Read more in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/10/19/f...

A rambling autobiography is a great way to write a memoir. Read my sample to see what I mean. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/10/16/a...

A novel that chronicles a 70-year marriage had me thinking about my own marriage. Read more in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/10/15/t...

In a unique bookstore in Montreal I found some newly released books by Canadian children's authors I admire. Read more in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/10/09/d...

Inspired by David Hurn's new book On Reading I collected photos of people reading from my collection. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/10/04/p...

In his latest book Canadian author David Bergen engages readers with his descriptions of food and a protagonist desperately trying to cover up a murder. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/10/03/m...

Amanda Peters' book The Berry Pickers reminded me of a children's book where children are separated from their parents while picking berries. Read my review in the post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/09/27/s...

I just did a jigsaw puzzle that challenged me to think about why books I'd read and discussed with my students had been banned from schools and libraries. Read more in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/09/29/b...

On a cycling tour in the Eastern Townships of Quebec, we visited the community that inspired the Three Pines setting in the mystery novels of Louise Penny. Read more in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/09/14/l...

Read my review of Brittany Penner's new book, Children Like Us. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/09/06/c...

It was great to see my two novels included in a Canadian Vacation Reading Guide in the latest edition of Book News. Read about it in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/09/04/p...

I attended a memoir workshop at the Mennonite/s Writing Ten Conference in June. It inspired me as I prepare to participate in a memoir writing workshop at the Mennonite Heritage Village Museum in September. Read more in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/08/31/w...

'Tuberculosis Might Have Triggered World War I was the headline my editor gave to my newspaper column this week, which was about John Green's New York Times bestseller, Everything is Tuberculosis. Read more in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/08/29/e...

When I lived in Hong Kong, I wrote 58 articles for a website called Things Asian. In the post below, I look at five of my favourites. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/08/22/f...

My teenage grandson wanted to know what my top five books in my lifetime would be. A hard task. I've started trying to answer it in the post below. What would be your choices. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/08/16/t...

A presentation by Elsie Neufeld at a recent writing conference had me thinking about some of the people I have interviewed during my journalism career and what I learned from them. Read more in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/08/14/1...

I used a 1951 painting House at Qualicum Beach by Edward John Hughes-to illustrate a post about my latest newspaper column which my editor headlined The Sacred Space of a Cottage. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/08/12/t...

What did you think of My Friends by Fredrick Backman? Read my thoughts in the post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/08/06/m...

Writers need to have other passions and hobbies. Read more in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/08/05/w...

I just finished reading a beautiful book about environmentalist and best selling author Rachel Carson by Ann E. Burg. Read more in my post below. @aeburg.bsky.social maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/08/01/s...

I'll be doing a workshop on writing memoir at the museum in Steinbach in September. You can read more in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/07/29/t...

I received a beautiful new book bag from a friend. Click on the link to read more. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/07/21/a...

Someone asked me recently if I was still writing. See what I might have replied in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/07/11/a...

Two Winnipeg podcasters tried to figure out how old I was from my writing. Click on the link below to find out more. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/07/07/d...

I was fascinated by Jacinda Ardern's autobiography. Find out why in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/07/02/i...

The ‘here you are singing’ installation at the Mennonite Heritage Centre Gallery on the Canadian Mennonite University campus by Sarah Ens and Jami Reimer is a sensory rich experience you won't want to miss. Read more in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/06/27/h...

In my newspaper column this week I ran my annual summer reading recommendations. Read all about them in my post below. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/06/29/s...

For Father's Day my publisher suggested making some videos that made a connection between our Dad and our writing. Go to the link below to see mine. @heritagehouse.bsky.social maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/06/15/m...

I am the editor of NOTES a monthly publication of the Winnipeg Friends of the Public Library. We provide funds for our city's 20 libraries to enrich their programming. Go to the link below to learn more. maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/06/12/f...

It's springtime when people are planting seeds with hopes of a successful garden. What kind of seeds do writers need to plant if they want to be successful? maryloudriedger2.wordpress.com/2025/06/02/5...