Workshops / Sally Basmajian is an executive escapee from the corporate world of broadcasting.
She writes everything from short memoir pieces (several having appeared in The Globe & Mail's First Person column) to poetry (most recently featured in Australia’s Antithesis, Volume 22) to novels of varying genres, traditionally published by small U.S.-based companies. Her first, So Hard to Do (2023), is a rom-com that California Bookwatch describes as "not just a different kind of love triangle, but a different growth experience that will lead patrons to laugh, cry, and ponder." Her second (Fountain of Evil, a women's psychological thriller) and third (Apprentices in Magic, a middle-grade fantasy) are also scheduled for publication in 2023. She lives in Niagara-on-the-Lake, and credits the NOTL Writers' Circle for inspiring her to write. Please visit her at sallybasmajian.com, follow her on social media, and sign up for her newsletter! 
Terry Belleville worked for many years as a professional actor in Australia and in Canada. His studies of advertising and marketing ultimately led him to work as Creative Director for BBDO International. He won national and international awards for his work in the industry and as an independent filmmaker. He taught at the Alberta College of Art for six years and was a regular guest lecturer at the University of Calgary. Terry was also President of The Factory Inc., a creative resource for agencies and The Film Factory, a film and television production company.
As a writer he has worked extensively in communication; he has also written plays that have received professional productions; he’s had articles published and completed six screenplays. He is currently working on his fourth novel and a series of short stories. He has always written and always will. He loves visual arts, tennis, working out and cooking. (Butter makes everything better.) He is a Canadian/Australian citizen. He and his wife, Donna, have two sons and four gorgeous grandsons. It’s a grey day if he doesn’t get to laugh. www.terrybelleville.com Chair/Executive / Eileen Campbell taught French as a second language for 14 years. After a two-year sabbatical in Paris where she studied culinary arts at the Le Cordon Bleu, her focus changed to food writing, food styling, and recipe development. She recently retired after a 38-year career supporting food service companies in Toronto.
She has published two cookbooks with Dietitians of Canada, Simply Great Food and Simplement Délicieux. Her love for murder mysteries inspired her to research toxins that can be added to food. You might want to think twice if she invites you over for dinner! 
Dorothy (M.J.) Chiotti's
writing projects include Murder on the High Cs; long-listed 2018 Arthur Ellis Awards’ Best Unpublished First Novel, the “Unhanged Arthur,” (Crime Writers of Canada); Sonnets from Poet’s Paddock, an anthology inspired by her dear Shakespeare; Isla, a woman’s triumph over adversity tale based on a true story; Kitchen Wisdom, a homespun short story collection, and Shedding Light on the Family Tree, a blog series celebrating her maternal ancestry. In addition, she’s published poetry (Aurora Storyalis II, Aurora Writer’s Group, 2008); and articles (The Toronto Mendelssohn Choirin Intersections, George Brown College, and Performing Arts and Entertainment in Canada,1993). Dorothy, an award-winning photographer, lifelong equestrian, and classical vocalist, was born in Vancouver, raised in London, England, and lives in St. Davids with husband, Lloyd, two collies, and a cat. https://dorothychiotti.com/ 
Executive / Sharon Frayne is a multi year/multi genre winner in our Rising Spirits writing contest.
In 2020 and 2019, she won the Best YA Novel in the Muskoka Novel Marathon. A winner of the South Simcoe Short Story Contest, the Phyllis Smallman Award for Great Storytelling, and short listed for the Eden Mills Writers Festival, the NOWW writing contest and the CAA Niagara Poetry Contest. She was the 2018 winner of the Eden Mills Writers Fringe Festival, and a 2018 winner in the CAA Niagara Poetry contest. Sharon is a member of the Canadian Author's Association and The Writer's Union. Caught Between the Walls, Sharon’s ghostly tale of the old Niagara Courthouse and Gaol (1817 -1920) was released in November 2016. Available in NOTL Museums and bookstores and on Amazon. Her prize winning YA novel, The Sound of a Rainbow, was released by Latitude 46 Publishing this year. fraynesharon.com / [email protected] |
Communications / Executive Arlyn Levy is a founding partner of a Toronto communications firm (started in 1998), balancing award-winning corporate marketing strategies with short fiction. (Is there a difference, you ask?)
She’s published in Descant (Venice edition), The Globe and Mail, and two NOTL WC Anthologies; taken creative writing courses at Humber College; and participated in several writing groups prior to joining the Circle in 2019. Arlyn and her partner Gail have lived in Niagara-on-the-Lake since 2017. Their cockapoo, Otis, a NOTL resident since late '21, is also fond of the written word, in that he's been known to digest content when no one is looking. 
Book Fairs / Paul Masson is a retired economist who writes detective novels in the series The ABC Files.His protagonist, Hamish Cameron, is a retired judge who lives in the fictional Nova Scotia town of Ashcroft-by-the-Sea. His latest novel, volume seven in the series, entitled Ignorance is a Pleasant Evil, is mainly set in Alberta's oil sands, and features a new detective, Beth Phillips.
Paul and his wife Betsy live in the early-19th- century NOTL home bought by his parents over 50 years ago. He enjoys sailing, kayaking, gardening, and hiking. paulmassonwebsite.com / Amazon author's page ResearchGate/ LinkedIn 
Book Fairs / Kathryn Recourt often made up stories; initially for her children, and now her grandchildren. The Sir Archibald series was born when her grandchildren asked why her rescue dog, Archie, drooled so much. She wanted to put all that drool to literary use!
Three books have been published in the Archie series. (www.kathyrnrecourt.com) Other stories and genres are in the works. Kathryn's always been an avid reader; and although happy to delve into anything and everything; history is her first love. She and her husband, Don, have lived in NOTL since 2011. 
Treasurer / Richard West is a retired engineer who has resided in NOTL for over 35 years.
Richard’s career has taken him to all continents (except Antarctica) and has included a wide range of experiences. Whether it is Dickens, Lawrence or Czerneda – it’s the story they tell that fascinates. He considers himself an apprentice at writing, but finds the journey rewarding. Richard has published four books, available at www.amazon.com/author/westr, as well as several short stories. www.richardpwest.ca Committee Members
Eileen Campbell/Sharon Frayne: Co-Chairs Sally Basmajian: Workshops Arlyn Levy: Communications Paul Masson/Kathryn Recourt: Book Fairs Richard West: Treasurer Leslie Woodward: Memberships E. Campbell/S. Frayne/A. Levy/R. West: Anthology |
