It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Joan Weir on June 15, 2019. She was the writer of many books for young people, notably The Brideship and The Principal’s Kid, which won the BC Centennial Book Award in 2000, along with six books of history. Our condolences go out to Joan’s family and friends. There will be a funeral service at 11 a.m. on Saturday, July 6 at St. Paul’s Cathedral in Kamloops. Condolences may be expressed at www.schoeningfuneralservice.com. You can read the full obituary here and a profile on Joan by Dave Jenkinson for CM Magazine here. 

“On the other hand, when you’re writing a book, you’re sitting down at your computer, and you’re inside your own space. You can let your characters come to life and do what is right for them — do what they want to do — do what you feel they will want to do. And suddenly the whole thing comes to life, and your story is saying much more than you expected it to be saying when you first started. One of the most fascinating things about writing is that the characters really do become real people. It’s almost as if you know them, and you find yourself talking to them.”