Marjorie Simmins is the author of four non-fiction books: Coastal Lives (2014); Year of the Horse (2016); Memoir: Conversations and Craft (2020); and Somebeachsomewhere: The Harness Racing Legend from a One-Horse Stable (2021).
Simmins began her career as a freelance journalist in Vancouver, appearing regularly in The Vancouver Sun and writing for trade magazines. She also published numerous essays and articles in magazines and newspapers across Canada, and in the United States, and has stories in Canadian and American anthologies. She has won a Gold Medal at the National Magazine Awards for "One-of-a-Kind Journalism," and two Gold Medals at the Atlantic Journalism Awards for Best Magazine Award, and in Arts and Entertainment, Any Medium.
In November 2020, she was awarded the prestigious Established Artist Recognition Award by Arts Nova Scotia.
While continuing to do some magazine and review work, Simmins is starting to focus more on offering online Coast to Coast to Coast workshops, and in-person workshops, many related to memoir writing.
Marjorie Simmins has a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature from the University of British Columbia, a Certificate in Adult Education from Dalhousie University, and a Research Master of Arts in Literacy Education, from Mount Saint Vincent University. She teaches workshops across Canada, at venues such as the UBC Alumni Centre, in Vancouver, BC (2016); StoryFest, in Hudson, QC (2017); Thinkers Lodge, in Pugwash, NS (2014-2019, resuming in 2022); and the Fortress of Louisbourg, NS (2019).
In September 2020, Simmins took part in the Cabot Trail Writers Festival, as a panellist and workshop leader. The following spring, Simmins was honoured to serve as a reader for the 2021 CBC Non-Fiction Prize.
I am happy to talk on many different subjects - memoir writing, the writing life, journalism, teaching, coastal lives, our lives shared with animals, etc. I like to offer humorous readings within these presentations because it's always more fun to laugh as you hear about new ideas and experiences.
I focus primarily on memoir writing, though am happy to talk about short and long-form non-fiction. Currently I teach new and experienced writers. In coming times, would like to teach a Master Class in memoir or non-fiction. This could be on Zoom, or in person - or both.
Any area of writing expression that might be useful to the teacher to have a writer present on - and of course, life writing and "true" personal stories.
