10/12/2026
📚🇨🇦 Did you know Victoria, BC, is a city where you can meet an author almost everywhere you turn?
This Canadian Thanksgiving, I’m feeling especially grateful for the writers, storytellers, and creative people who made my recent visit to Victoria so memorable.
I had the pleasure of meeting Indigenous author Monique Gray Smith whose latest book, Sharing the Light: Stories and Reflections, I had already read. Her reflections on gratitude, love, joy, and hope felt especially meaningful during my visit, and even more so as I celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving.
I dined at Deer & Dough Bakery Café and came home with a cookbook filled with its recipes.
I went seaweed foraging with marine biologist and author Amanda Swinimer Amanda Swinimer 💙🌊🌎 and we exchanged books, including her The Science and Spirit of Seaweed.
At Russell Books I discovered that the woman behind the counter, Zoe Dickinson, was also an author! Naturally, another book exchange followed.
And I left a little piece of my own storytelling behind, dropping off copies of my Beato The Cat children’s book series at neighborhood Little Free Libraries. If you’re in Victoria, keep an eye out for Beato’s adventures, and pick up a book by a local author while you’re there!
What stayed with me wasn’t just the books, but the conversations with the people who write them. Canada has such a rich literary culture, and Victoria reminded me how stories connect us to people, places, nature, and history.
Happy Canadian Thanksgiving! 🍁 Thank you, Victoria, for the stories, friendships, and inspiration. I can’t wait to return.
Visit Victoria Little Free Library
