Sue Johnson

Sue was born on Vancouver Island and later moved to the North Shore. Growing up close to the mountains she became an enthusiastic skier and continues to enjoy the great outdoors. After high school she attended university, then college, and then worked downtown in the corporate world. She got the bug for residential real estate and built a successful career spanning more than 37 years. She is married and the proud mother of two daughters and grandmother to two beautiful granddaughters. Her passions are tennis, travel and learning an elusive game called golf. Her quest in life is to have more grandchildren than Linda. Sue worked on the chapters involving Helen and was primary writer of the scenes involving Miss Twist, Candy Wright, and the Spring Fling dance. She also contributed hours to the editing process.

Cathy Kershaw

Cathy was born and raised in Vancouver. She studied education at UBC with a major in Physical Education (B.Ed.) and later studied marketing and sales at BCIT. She worked with major consumer packaging and pharmaceutical companies as a sales representative. Now retired, she is an avid reader and plays tennis and golf. Cathy credits her membership in the book club with fostering strong, long-lasting friendships and introducing her to books she may never have otherwise read. Among other contributions Cathy collaborated with Linda on the Lions Gate Hospital scenes and participated in progress reviews.

Maureen Richardson

Maureen was born and raised in Vancouver. After high school she lived in Italy for a year, then obtained a B.A. from UBC. She worked in a television newsroom for 35 years as a control room director and is now retired. She is an avid tennis player and cyclist, and a hobby photographer. But her great passion is travel and she is currently on a quest to travel to a hundred countries. Maureen contributed to the writing in several foundational sections including the scene featuring grown-up Jane at the Stanley Park Teahouse and the scenes where young Jane becomes intrigued by the flashing lights. She also a major participant in the editing process, which took many more hours than the initial writing part of the project.

Judy Rothwell

Judy was born in North Vancouver at Lions Gate Hospital. She graduated Delbrook High School, took a year sabbatical traveling in Europe, completed studies at Simon Fraser University then became a professional accountant working for a major firm. She has a daughter and a grandson. Happily married, she's now living on the Sunshine Coast. She performs extensive volunteer work with a variety of charities and is especially dedicated to mission work in Africa. "It's been a great joy to spend time in Vancouver with the BWB girls amidst the laughter, sharing stories and views on the latest novel!" Judy, along with Sue and Deb, created the storyline featuring Helen.

Linda Stevens

Linda grew up in North Vancouver then attended UBC where she obtained a B.A. (theatre) and LLB. She practiced law for 25 years then retired to focus on her tennis game and other neglected interests, including her husband, three children and seven grandchildren. When not hosting social gatherings, she loves exploring deserts and making pickles and jams during summers spent in the South Okanagan. Linda developed the main plot involving young Jane and provided the impetus that kept the project moving forward.

Lynda Stevenson

Lynda was born in Greece, lived in Australia, and then moved to Canada. She was employed by 3M for 15 years as a systems specialist. She married and started a family and simultaneously founded a national telecommunications distribution company which she and her husband operated for 25 years across Canada and the USA. She is retired and having fun reading, baking, hiking, gardening, playing pickleball and tennis. She enjoys great friendships, and her grandchildren continuously bring joy and keep her young at heart. Lynda, together with Sue, created the character of Doreen and the sub-plot related to her Avon ambitions.

Deb Tivy

Deb grew up in North Vancouver and ventured over to the west side to UBC where she graduated with a science degree. She is a CPA and enjoyed a career in finance and human resource management in the airline, technology and insurance industries. In retirement Deb dabbles in art and photography. Deb is the official leader of the BWB book club and is to be credited with keeping our membership active and connected over the last 25 years. She wrote the camping trip chapter, Ambleside family picnic scene and collaborated on the scenes involving Helen. She was also heavily involved in the editing process and created the back cover illustration for this book.

Lea Tkatch

Lea was born in Vancouver and raised merely steps from Kitsilano's beachfront where she grew to love and respect the ocean. At age fifteen she ran away from home, lived on a farm in Richmond where she boarded her horse, and worked full time after school and on weekends pumping ice cream and flipping burgers in Steveston until graduation. After a short stint in fashion retail, Lea turned her organizational superpower to administration and spent the next 40 years in the high-tech sector providing executive support, event, project and financial management services and running her own personnel placement business. After retiring in 2016, Lea began volunteering for the Vancouver Orphan Kitten Rescue Association (VOKRA), originally as a foster, then moving on to serve on the board and for eight years as finance manager. Lea's ideas for Jane's sexual awakening scene were adopted by the group and she wrote the first draft of the scene at the base of the oak tree describing the attraction between Jane and Scott. She was part of the final review and editing.

Joanne Webster

Joanne was born in Newfoundland, grew up in Montreal and went to Queen's University where she studied history and psychology. She moved to British Columbia to become Director of Sales and Marketing for the Whistler Resort Association, leading to a 30-year career in hotel management and tourism. She is the mother of three, a proud grandmother and an avid golfer, skier, tennis player, and outdoor enthusiast. She was involved in writing the science fair chapters and helped with the final review and editing process.

Eleanor Wright

Eleanor is from Bayfield, Ontario. With a degree in nursing, she worked on a surgical ward at Women's College Hospital in Toronto then became interested in pharmaceuticals and began working in sales for Eli Lilly Canada. She was transferred to Vancouver to cover BC and Alberta and later set up her own contract sales business. "Reading is a pleasure; Travel is a passion," she says. She and her husband travel yearly, exploring the globe. Eleanor wrote nuanced descriptive passages that appear throughout the novel as well as a version of Jane's sexual awakening that had us laughing to the point of tears. Eleanor also worked on the final review and editing process.