Dropped Threads 2 (28 page)

Authors: Carol Shields

Tags: #Biography & Autobiography, #Literary, #Social Science, #Women's Studies

SHELAGH ROGERS

I am a twenty-two-year veteran of CBC Radio. For the past two years, I’ve hosted the flagship current affairs program
This Morning
, building a loyal and growing audience. I am one of a small group of recipients of the John Drainie Award for Outstanding Contribution to Canadian Broadcasting. And in the spring of 2002, I received an honorary doctorate from the University of Western Ontario. I live in a bosky village on the Eramosa River in southern Ontario with my husband, Charlie, three miniature schnauzers and, occasionally, my stepchildren.

CAROLE SABISTON

As a child in England and before emigrating, at age eight, I knew that visual expression was to be my connection to the world. Creating artwork by drawing, painting, cutting, stitching and assembling became the core of my life. In 1987 I was elected to the Royal Canadian Academy and also received the Saidye Bronfman Award for Excellence in Fine Craft. My work has been exhibited across Canada and internationally. I live in Victoria with my husband, Jim.

JENNIFER L. SCHULZ

I was born and raised in Winnipeg, encircled by an amazing family and terrific friends. For the past six years I have lived in Toronto with my loving spouse, John, and for the past three have commuted to the University of Windsor to teach law. Now about to embark on an adjunct professorship and doctoral studies at the University of Toronto, I anticipate many new, inspiring, toe-ring-wearing opportunities.

SHIRLEY A. SERVISS

Although I have done many things in my life, the role of stepmother has been a defining one. My first poetry collection,
Model Families
, reflected on my experience in this role, and my second collection,
Reading Between the Lines
, explored the life of another stepmother, Elizabeth Boyd McDougall. I have also co-edited
Study in Grey
, a collection of women’s writing on depression. Besides my twenty-year-old stepson, I have a fifteen-year-old daughter who has also taught me tremendously.

PAMELA MALA SINHA

“Hiding” could not have been written without the faith of my loving father, Snehesh. Debashis gave encouragement; Stewart, his belief. From Tina and Shaun, wisdom; from Mohuya and Papiya, the constancy of sisters. And I am never without the unfailing love of Damon and Brian. I live in Canada and the U.S., performing in theatre, film and television. I have three beloved stepchildren, two boys and a girl. And anything I have done that is remotely beautiful, my mother Rubena is the reason.

SUSAN SWAN

I started out as a journalist on a Toronto daily, knowing I was going to write fiction. Having a child was less plotted, something I would one day do, like graduating from high school. I had no idea my daughter would provide me with one of my most treasured relationships. My novels have had wide international publication and my stories have appeared in
Granta
and
Ms
. magazine. My novel
The Wives of Bath
was recently made into a feature film,
Lost and Delirious
, with release in thirty-one countries. I am an associate professor of humanities at York University, Toronto.

JANE URQUHART

Born in Little Long Lac, Ontario, in 1949, I grew up in Toronto and received my B.A. in English (1971) and a second B.A. in visual arts (1975) from the University of Guelph. My works, as a writer of poetry, short fiction and novels, include
The Whirlpool
(1986),
Storm Glass
(1987),
Changing Heaven
(1996),
Away
(1997),
The Underpainter
(1998),
Some Other Garden
(2000) and
The Stone Carvers
(2000). I currently live in Stratford, Ontario.

ALISON WEARING

When I was seven or eight years old, I knew I wanted to write. I remember wandering through the fields behind our house, composing elaborate and (to my mind) extremely elegant titles for the books I planned to pen. I felt proud and confident. Determined. Strong. I offer my story in honour of that little girl, with the hope that it helps even one woman stand tall.

WANDA WUTTUNEE

I am a lifegiver: to Cody, thirteen, and Drew, ten, who are proud of their Cree and Portuguese heritage. I am a student: of life and all things that surround us and have a Ph.D. in Aboriginal economy. I am a teacher: program director for Aboriginal students earning business degrees at the University of Manitoba and professor of Native studies, where students learn about our people.
A day without sunshine is like, well, night
.

Cover Image:
Vinaterta Lady

Vinaterta:
An Icelandic-Canadian layered prune torte, which, when sliced, reveals thin black and white stripes.

Vinaterta Ladies:
A collection of sketches of stylized female figures by Toronto artist Katrina Koven. They are united by their signature vinaterta stripes, which appear on some feature in each of the sketches. Whether with a blue face, spiral tail or lopsided eyes, the figures encourage women to celebrate their differences, their infinite beauty and the boundless array of moods specific to the female experience. The figure on the cover of this book, as with all of those in Katrina’s collection, proudly flaunts her unique approach to being a woman.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We were guided and supported by others whom we want to acknowledge with beams of appreciation: Catherine Shields for providing warmth, wisdom and keen insight during the selection and editing process; Anne Giardini, for guiding us expertly through contract details; Sylvia Anderson Koshyk for helping to organize the book—and her sister; James and Fred Anderson for their support and writerly instincts; Katrina Koven for the artwork that has been our beacon in the bookstores; Ruth Partridge for her constant loyalty and assistance with the project; Susan Roxborough, Tanya Trafford and Anne Collins for their professional insights and gracious guidance; all the contributors from the original
Dropped Threads
for their enthusiasm and suggestions; and, of course, Gary Martin and Don Shields, whose love and support keep us bolstered.

Defago Dowsett Johnston, Ann, “The Boy Can’t Sleep” Copyright © 2003 Ann Dowsett Johnston. This piece appeared, in an abbreviated form, in
Maclean’s
.

Pages 383–384 constitute an extension of this copyright page.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review. Published in Canada by Vintage Canada, a division of Random House of Canada Limited, in 2003. Distributed by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.

Vintage Canada and colophon are registered trademarks of Random House of Canada Limited.

www.randomhouse.ca

National Library of Canada Cataloguing in Publication

Dropped threads 2 : more of what we aren’t told / edited by Carol
Shields and Marjorie Anderson ; with a preface by Adrienne Clarkson.

eISBN: 978-0-307-36588-0

1. Canadian literature (English)—Women authors.
2. Canadian literature (English)—20th century.
3. Women—Literary collections.
I. Shields, Carol, 1935–
II. Anderson, Marjorie May, 1944–

PS8235.W7D762 2003 C810.8′09287 C2002-904398-0
PR9194.5.W6D762 2003

v3.0

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