Promo and Marketing Discussion: May 14, 2026
Hosted by Gina X. Grant
This month’s meeting focussed on the importance of newsletters and a discussion of BookFunnel.
Monthly Meeting: April 16, 2026
Presentation by Lorna Poplak*
Lorna Poplak discusses her author journey and the development of her latest nonfiction book, On the Lam: Great (and Not So Great) Escapes from Prison. A work of nonfiction, the book explores the age-old tug-of-war between prisons struggling to keep inmates inside and escapees desperate to get out.
Lorna Poplak is a Toronto-based writer, editor, and researcher with a fascination for the dark side of history. She is a member of Crime Writers of Canada, Sisters in Crime, and Mesdames of Mayhem. Her three true crime books are Drop Dead: A Horrible History of Hanging in Canada, The Don: The Story of Toronto’s Infamous Jail, and On the Lam: Great (and Not So Great) Escapes from Prison. The Don was shortlisted for both the Crime Writers of Canada Excellence Award and the Heritage Toronto Book Award.Website: lornapoplak.com
*Please note the presentation was not recorded at the request of the author.
Promo and Marketing Discussion: April 9, 2026
Hosted by Gina X. Grant
This month’s discussion focussed on promotion via newsletters. A wide variety of topics were covered, including SEO key words, Book Funnel, KU, and much more.
Monthly Meeting: March 19, 2026
Presentation by Cheryl Freedman
Cheryl Freedman discussed the Bony Blithe Mini-Conference. Whether you’re an author or a reader, there’s something at the BB event for you: panels, a book seller, lunch and nibblies, a chance to meet new friends and schmooze face to face with old ones, and (not to be ignored) a reasonably priced bar. All this for $85 ($89 if you use Paypal). So save the date: Friday, May 15, at The High Park Club, 100 Indian Road, Toronto, from 9:30 am to 6 pm. Registration form.
Monthly Meeting: February 19, 2026
Presentation by Rosemary McCracken
Rosemary McCracken is the author of the Pat Tierney Mystery Series. Her short crime fiction has appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies. Rosemary lives and writes in Toronto. Website: rosemarymccracken
Monthly Meeting: January 15, 2026
Presentation by Maaja Wentz
Maaja Wentz presented about her Wattpad serial, Feeding Frenzy, and its evolution from an artistic dare to the indie-published Loon Lake Magic trilogy. Maaja Wentz concocts tales of magic and mystery. Her first novel, Feeding Frenzy: Curse of the Necromancer, won a Watty Award. Her locked-door mystery, “Inside of a Dog,” appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, which called it “very original.”
Monthly Meeting: November 20, 2025
Presentation by Ed Adach
Detective Ed Adach presented about forensic detection in literature. Detective Ed Adach shared his extensive career experience in forensic investigation, including detailed case analyses and innovative techniques for footwear evidence collection and analysis. The conversation ended with discussions about forensic evidence collection methods, and storage logistics for organization materials.
Monthly Meeting: October 16, 2025
Presentation by Greg Rhyno
Greg Rhyno discussed his writing process for his Dame Polara mystery series, including his approach to depicting a female detective protagonist and his research methods for setting the novels in Toronto’s Parkdale neighborhood. Greg discussed his character development for Dame Polara, who subverts traditional detective fiction conventions while balancing personal struggles with her role as a private investigator. The conversation concluded with a discussion about the theme of outsiders in detective fiction and Greg’s writing process, including his MFA background and potential TV adaptation of his work.
Monthly Meeting: September 18, 2025
Presentation by Harini Nagendra
Harini Nagendra is a scientist and author of the Bangalore Detectives Club series set in 1920s India, who discussed her writing journey, research methods, and the development of her historical mystery series featuring a female detective navigating social norms during the British colonial period.
Monthly Meeting: June 19, 2025
Humour and Crime Writing presented by Susan Juby
Susan Juby’s novels have been awarded many prizes and honours. Republic of Dirt won the Leacock Medal for Humour and The Woefield Poultry Collective was a Leacock nominee. The Fashion Committee was a Horn Book Best Book of the Year and The Truth Commission was named a best book of the year by Barnes and Noble, the Globe and Mail, and Kirkus, and it was the winner of the Sheila A. Egoff Award for Children’s Literature and the Amy Mathers Teen Book Award. Her first book, Alice, I Think, was a national bestseller and it was adapted into a TV series on CTV. Rolling Stone called it one of the top forty young adult novels. Her memoir about her struggles with teenaged addiction, Nice Recovery, was a Globe and Mail best book of the year. Susan lives on Vancouver Island, where she teaches creative writing at Vancouver Island University.
Monthly Meeting: May 15, 2025
Spies, Subterfuge, and Scams: The Art of Misdirection by Espionage Expert Nick Gunz
Nick Gunz is a naval and intelligence historian, specializing in the link between intelligence analysis and military strategy. His current work concerns the early development of the CIA in the naval dimension of the Cold War, and the question of how governments, when facing crises and uncertainty, try to “know'” things. He did his undergraduate work at the University of Toronto before going on to graduate work at Corpus Christi College, Cambridge. Prior to returning to Toronto to teach at U of T, he spent several years teaching undergraduates at the University of Cambridge and at Yale.
Monthly Meeting: April 17, 2025
Talking About Evelyn presented by Sarah Farr
Sarah Farr is a writer and researcher from Hamilton who explores historical true crime cases. Through investigation into the 1946 story of Evelyn Dick from Hamilton, she discovered the tragic missing persons case of Marianne Schuett from Kilbride. She reached out to retired Peel Regional Police investigator, Gord Collins, and former RCMP inspector, Linda Gillis-Davidson, who in 2021 began renewed search efforts to find Marianne’s remains. Sarah has assisted with investigative efforts into events surrounding Marianne’s disappearance and is currently writing a book documenting her deep-dive into the archives of the Evelyn Dick case.
Monthly Meeting: February 20, 2025
Presentation by Elizabeth Renzetti
Elizabeth Renzetti is a bestselling Canadian-British author and journalist. She is the author of Bury the Lead, a mystery novel co-written with Kate Hilton, and a work of non-fiction about gender equality, What She Said: Conversations About Equality. Until recently Elizabeth worked for the Globe and Mail, where she wrote a popular opinion column and feature stories. Elizabeth is the author of Shrewed: A Wry and Closely Observed Look at the Lives of Women and Girls, which was a national bestseller. Her first novel, Based on a True Story, was shortlisted for the Kobo Emerging Writer Award. Elizabeth is a teacher, advocate, and public speaker. She currently lives in Toronto with her husband, two children, and two very badly behaved cats.
Monthly Meeting: January 16, 2025
Presentation by William Deverell
Bill Deverell was a journalist for seven years while working his way through university, graduating in law in 1963. As a trial lawyer he both defended and prosecuted and was counsel in over a thousand criminal trials including thirty murder cases. His fields of practice also included civil rights, labour, and environmental law. He is a founding director, former president, now honorary director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association. His first novel, Needles, won the $50,000 Seal Prize and the Book of the Year Award. His subsequent novels include High Crimes, Mecca, The Dance of Shiva, Platinum Blues, Mindfield, Kill All the Lawyers, Street Legal, Trial of Passion, Slander, The Laughing Falcon, Mind Games,April Fool, Kill All the Judges,Snow Job, I’ll See You in My Dreams, Sing a Worried Song, Whipped, andStung. His novels have been translated into fourteen languages and sold worldwide.
Monthly Meeting: November 21, 2024
Presentation by Iona Wishaw
She is married, has one son and two grandsons, and lives in Vancouver with her artist husband, Terry Miller.
Monthly Meeting: September 19, 2024
Author Readings
Monthly Meeting: June 20, 2024
Presentation by Amy Stewart
Amy Stuart’s fourth novel, A Death at the Party, emerged as a longstanding #1 bestseller and has been published internationally. She is the author of three other bestselling novels — Still Mine, Still Water and Still Here. All of her novels have been optioned for film/television. Amy’s most recent project was co-writing hockey legend Mats Sundin’s memoir, Home and Away, which went straight to #1 on the non-fiction list after its release in October 2024. She is currently at work on her 5th novel. https://www.amystuart.ca/aboutamy