Micki Findlay
Vancouver IslandArtist
Author, Columnist, Poet, Photographer, Multimedia Artist, Activist
BOOK LAUNCH
Our Story
We are The Pen Pals...
Nestled amid the wild, wistful beauty of Vancouver Island, a spirited group of seasoned women writers
came together, bonded not just by a love of words but by a soul-deep sisterhood.
We’re not your average writing group—we’re a caffeine-fueled, tear-streaked, laugh-till-you-snort kind of tribe.
Our writing sessions are where secrets are whispered, dreams are dusted off, and joy is shared like chocolate (generously and often).
One day—between sips of caffeine and impromptu brainstorming, someone tossed out the idea:
“Hey, let’s write a book!” (Cue collective blinking.) We had no idea what we were getting into. But we
leaned in—determined, inspired, and a little unsure, as we poured our collective voice onto the page.
After months of writing, rewriting, staring into the void, and valiantly battling rogue punctuation, Something Has Changed
was born.
This book is our love letter to you, the reader, and our way of honouring friendship, vulnerability,
creativity, and what happens when women dare to share their truth—on paper and in life.
We hope it finds you. We hope it moves you. And maybe, just maybe, inspires your own sacred circle.
Our book will soon be launched!
To find out how to purchase your copy, email us at
THE AUTHORS
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REVIEWS FOR SOMETHING HAS CHANGED
“When women come together it is a beautiful thing. When women write about their journeys and share their struggles, their successes, their joy, their wonder, it is amazing.
This collection of stories and poems highlights and exposes the complexity, the creativity, and the beauty of women. It is a glimpse inside their lives seeing and feeling what these women have gone through. It is about growing through life, seeing the humor in the things we do, understanding and accepting ourselves, and ultimately finding the value in ourselves. These stories weren't about me, but I could relate to many of the words, the meanings, the situations. It truly shows how connected we are.
The stories are rich with feeling, insight and humor. Some lines that really stood out for me are:
"...stuff my colors back in the box..."
"time stretches out like a great lazy cat..."
"The hag, the crone has arrived at a really bad time."
Enjoy this beautifully written collection of stories... poems... words... that are so relatable. We all are on the same underlying path of trying to find our way.
‘If you keep your tears inside, you'll never learn to fly.’
Beautiful advice.”
Glenna Mageau – multi-award-winning author and speaker,
who writes nonfiction under her own name and suspense/thrillers under a penname; Maggie Thom – www.glennamageau.com
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“I just finished reading Something Has Changed, a collection of stories and poetry by five seasoned women reflecting on their lives and the challenges they have faced.
It’s a gem! The abundance of emotion and the richness of language make this book a joy to read. I recommend it to anyone seeking inspiration.”
Ulla Håkanson – Author of The Price of Silence and Flight Across Waters – https://ullahakanson.com
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“Something Has Changed—a fitting title.
Amid histories of trauma, loss, struggles within the Self, these women ultimately chose patience, humour and love over anger.
Living through difficult relationships, love gone sour and unsettling adolescences, the Pen Pals writing group have embraced the changes in their lives, their legacies, and their futures
through their love of family, nature and writing, as each author tells their truths in inspirational stories and poems.
A good rainbow read on a rainy day.”
Lynn Tait – Author of You Break It You Buy It – on Amazon:
www.amazon.ca/You-Break-Buy-Lynn-Tait/dp/1771838108
(Guernica Editions 2023): https://guernicaeditions.com/products/you-break-it-you-buy-it
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“The Pen Pals proudly demonstrate their talents as 'the weavers
of words’.
The authors share personal life challenges and experiences through compelling poetry, stories, haikus, and quotes that captivate and inspire the reader.
Something Has Changed is a must-read for women of all ages, and for those who want to understand the makings of true fortitude.”
Sharon Easton: Storyteller, Presenter & Writer
Author of Beach Moose & Amber: Finding My Jewish History
Writer’s Union of Canada, Canadian Writers Association
The Federation of BC Writers and Around Town Tellers Nanaimo
Website: www.sharoneaston.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/sharoneastonauthor
THE PEN PALS
Debra Kuzbik
is an award-winning educator, author and photographer. She holds Bachelor of Education and Bachelor of Arts degrees from the University of Regina, as well as a Master of Education degree from the University of Saskatchewan.
After over thirty years as a teacher, education administrator, and Director of Education, Debra and her husband John, retired from Saskatchewan to Vancouver Island where two of their adult children also live. Their eldest son and his family reside in Saskatoon.
In addition to writing and photography, Debra enjoys creating art, gardening, yoga, traveling, and spending time with her grandson.
Micki Findlay
Micki Findlay, an author, poet and freelance columnist, focusses primarily on writing memoir
prose and poetry in hopes of helping others recognize their self-worth, find hope through difficult circumstances, and realize they are not alone in their struggles.
Micki’s writing has been published in Chicken Soup for the Soul, Van Isle Poetry Collective, Black Press Media, various magazines including Oasis Life and EyesOnBC, and several anthologies including Back The Way We Came by The Memory Keepers, Crone Rising by Jazz House Publications, and Grateful by Quillkeepers Press.
Her poems, These Hands and If Given The Chance, won awards, and her story, ‘Too Late’, was a finalist in the Women on Writing 2024 non-fiction writing contest. Several of her poems were accepted for the 2024 Perth Poetry Festival’s Poetry on the Big Screen, at the Northbridge Piazza in Perth, Australia.
Micki lives to write and writes to live. Creativity, collaboration, and coffee are her love languages.
Jacqui Townsend
Living alone now, in French Creek, BC,
Jacqui Townsend can look back, decade by decade, to Calgary – 1941, and write her life, chapter by chapter. All her growing up moments work into her writings of today.
The ‘50’s are historically the best time to have been a teenager and the ‘60’s – the best time, though early, to marry the love of her life, Bill Townsend.
They travelled, lived carefree, and emigrated to Australia where they began the ‘70’s with the birth of their son, David Warwick. Their return home to Canada, before the ‘bust ‘80’s’, brought the family to paradise on Vancouver Island.
From then to now, Jacqui had a career in nursing, wrote two newspaper columns, published a cookbook, discovered directorship at Elder College, flash fiction, poetry, and how to form her thoughts into words with the encouragement of friends within her writing group, The Pen Pals.
Lynn McEwan
Born in the year of Hurricane Hazel, Lynn McEwan
has since circled her creative life as a traveller, parent, artist, and educator.
A past member of the Canadian Authors Association (Sarnia) and the Canadian Poetry Association, her writing was published in Prairie Fire and Poemata.
As a proud Haudenosaunee woman, Lynn enjoys learning and sharing her heritage and experiences through both poetry and prose.
Ramona Jones
I’ve asked my stories and poems to stand up for themselves because, I haven’t many writing credits to my name to prove I’m good. Because of a teacher, Debra Kuzbik, I joined a writer’s group who made room for me and my stories. Thanks to writer and editor, Micki Findlay, I got an invitation to be in this book. I got my kicks, a pressure release, writing. I did study English Literature at SFU, but so long ago, so much forgotten. Please don’t hold me to that. Thanks for your time, limited and prized, it’s my pleasure.
