Sarah is from western Canada, and has been a lover of nature and books her whole life. She grew up on the traditional territories of the Niitsitapi (Blackfoot) and Métis peoples, exploring the Bow River and foothills around Calgary, and the world of books in its old Central Library. On Saturdays, as a pre-teen, she rode the bus solo to the downtown, and came home with her arms full of boys’ adventure stories, and later, the romantic Jalna series.

Sarah’s interest in writing was kindled early. She was Literary editor of her high school newspaper, and had poems published in the school’s Yearbook.

Her passion for nature and the environment led her into writing non-fiction for many years. She became skilled at distilling complex material into easy-to-read content for non-technical readers, and learned the importance of graphics and photos to illustrate text. 

In 2002 her non-fiction guidebook On the Living Edge, Your Handbook for Waterfront Living became the flagship product of an award-winning environmental project. Sarah knows the importance of marketing; she and her then partner promoted the book extensively. Over five years 22,000 copies of the book were sold, making it a three-times Canadian best seller. 

Sarah has written many articles on environmental topics, offering her unique observations. She writes a regular monthly column for a newspaper in Salmon Arm with her musings about urban life, nature and sustainability. From her home base in Victoria, BC she reflects on the same topics, and what inspires her, in her colourful blog Coastlines https://linesfromthecoast.blogspot.com/.

In recent years Sarah has explored creative non-fiction, especially memoir, and returned to her early interest in poetry, with pieces published in various anthologies and journals. Her memoir piece “Pansies” won first prize in Word on the Lake writing contest (2013), and the poem “Two Mid-Winter Nights” won second prize in the Victoria Writers’ Society contest (2022).

Sarah has finished the first draft of her memoir Twin Islands. The book is the story of a dream she shared with her ex-partner to create an environmental education centre, the struggles involved in their two different visions of how to make it happen, and her growth as she developed her strengths.

Sarah has been a professional planner, an educator, a workshop facilitator, and a member of the boards of various non-profit agencies. Her concern for environmental action has led her to organize workshops, a town hall, and a candlelight vigil. She holds an MA in geography; her thesis topic was on the challenges of monitoring and implementing plans. 

Sarah loves wandering the delightful old communities of Victoria, and spending time in nature—by the windswept ocean, in a Garry Oak meadow, or deep in a mossy rainforest. One of her happy places is morning coffee time with her partner, watching the ever-changing light and moods of sky, clouds and ocean.