Although I was born in Edmonton my childhood was spent in small towns of central Alberta, north central British Columbia, the Fraser Valley and the Sunshine Coast.In 1967 I graduated from Elphinstone Senior Secondary School in Gibsons, BC. Post secondary education included training as a Medical Records Technician.

Having decided to make writing the focus of my life, in the fall of 1980 I moved into a rent-free floathouse at Clowhom Falls, a small settlement 25 miles by boat from Sechelt,BC. There I began plunking out stories on an ancient Remington manual typewriter. Since then I have attended writing festivals, workshops with Ian Slater and Daniel Wood, and on-going tutorials with Betty C. Keller and the Quintessential Writing Group.

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How do you deal with writer’s block?

Rosella M. Leslie When my writer's block is at its worst, I push myself to set a time each day when I will write. Then I push myself to show up at that time and write o…moreWhen my writer's block is at its worst, I push myself to set a time each day when I will write. Then I push myself to show up at that time and write one word. The next day, I try to write two words. And so on. The following poem from my book, Losing Us: A Dementia Caregiver's Journey, demonstrates what I mean:

A SINGLE STEP

A single step. That’s all it takes.
One foot stretched forward
And planted firm . . . and somehow
The second foot follows.
The trick is, don’t look ahead—
Therein lies exhaustion and defeat.
Instead, focus on the moment—
The ground beneath your feet,
A single bramble that needs cutting,
A weed that needs pulling,
A stick of wood that needs carrying.
No plans. No expectations.
No threat of failure.
Just one step forward, and then another;
One minute of endurance, and then two,
Until the wait is over, the discomfort eased.
One step at a time. It is all we really have.
Anything else is fantasy.

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What’s the best thing about being a writer?

Rosella M. Leslie The best part of being a writer is finding myself in a world that's all my own, where time slips away and something deep within my self breaks free an…moreThe best part of being a writer is finding myself in a world that's all my own, where time slips away and something deep within my self breaks free and lands on my screen in the form of a poem or a story or simply a word that says everything.(less)

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Rosella M. Leslie’s books

Average rating: 3.81 · 104 ratings · 13 reviews · 8 distinct works • Similar authors

	The Cougar Lady: Legendary Trapper of Sechelt Inlet 3.91 avg rating — 44 ratings — published 2014 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Goat Lady's Daughter 3.53 avg rating — 36 ratings — published 2006 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Drift Child 4.18 avg rating — 11 ratings — published 2010 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Losing Us: A Dementia Caregiver's Journey really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 6 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Bright Seas, Pioneer Spirits: A History of the Sunshire Coast by Betty Keller, Rosella M. Leslie (Goodreads Author) 3.83 avg rating — 6 ratings — published 1996 — 6 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Federov Legacy 4.33 avg rating — 3 ratings — published 2013 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sunshine Coast: A Place to Be 3.50 avg rating — 2 ratings — published 2001	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Sea-silver: Inside British Columbia's salmon-farming industry by Betty C. Keller; Rosella M. Leslie, Rosella M. Leslie (Goodreads Author) 0.00 avg rating — 0 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

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