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Rod Raglin

Goodreads Author

Born

in Vancouver, Canada

Website

https://revuecommunitynews.com/rod-raglin-author

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Rod Raglin

Genre

Contemporary, Romance, Fiction

Influences

Environment, nature, politics, the human condition

Member Since

January 2013

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Rod Raglin is a Canadian writer/journalist/photographer, the author of fourteen novels, two plays, and a collection of short stories.

Much of his work, considered literary/commercial, combines romance and action with environmental themes for an entertaining and exciting exploration of contemporary culture.

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Popular Answered Questions

How do you deal with writer’s block?

Rod Raglin I’m trained as a journalist and so have never had writer’s block. My experience has been that I have twenty minutes to deadline and forty inches of sp…moreI’m trained as a journalist and so have never had writer’s block. My experience has been that I have twenty minutes to deadline and forty inches of space to fill with copy. It’s not always inspired but at least it’s not a blank page.
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Did you find the plot and the characters your second novel, Loving the Terrorist, restricted by the confines of this genre?”

Rod Raglin Despite the lack of success of my first novel, Saving Spirit Bear, my publisher was still keen on publishing two more novels as part of the Eco-Fi ser…moreDespite the lack of success of my first novel, Saving Spirit Bear, my publisher was still keen on publishing two more novels as part of the Eco-Fi series, Eco-Warriors, and I was still keen on writing them. The plan (remember the plan?) appeared flawed, but perhaps not fatally.

As a journalist I'd been following and commenting on a local protest where residents and hardcore environmentalists had joined forces to boycott the development of a highway bypass that would destroy Eagleridge Bluffs, a very rare eco-system, home to migratory birds and at least one endangered species.

Despite a number of other viable options the government was intransigent. In frustration the protestors set up a blockade and eventually were arrested and literally dragged off to jail.

I've spent the best part of my life climbing and hiking in the local mountains. I've seen some awe-inspiring scenery, moments when I truly felt if I died in the presence of such magnificence, well, that would be just fine.

But Eagleridge Bluffs was the best. These ancient rock faces, carved by eons of Pacific storms roaring down Georgia Strait, and decorated by gnarled Arbutus Trees emanated a benign energy that soothed and uplifted the human spirit - no kidding.

When they dynamited The Bluffs they destroyed something very special and to this day I feel guilty. I should have done more to save this wonderful wild place that I loved.

But what could I have done? Loving the Terrorist - Risking it All, is that story.

Miriam is forty and frustrated. In an attempt to enhance her living-just-to-breathe life she joins some neighbours protesting a highway bypass that will destroy Eagleridge Bluffs. Not only are the Bluffs her special sanctuary, they’re also the beautiful home of rare and endangered plants and animals.

The protest gains the support of environmental organizations including the attention of a group of eco-radicals lead by an enigmatic younger man named Zaahir.

Miriam is mesmerized by this charismatic leader and sees him as someone that can save her as well as the Bluffs. But is Zaahir just using Miriam to help him further his radical political agenda?

As legal channels fail and civil disobedience falters, Miriam is seduced into the murky world of eco-terrorism.

The plot of this story follows the actual events that took place over three months that summer - up to a point. I literally lifted dialogue for my characters from news clips and stories. Then I took it further.

I wanted to explore the theme - is violence justified if the cause is just? Furthermore, is violence effective?

I wanted a sympathetic villain because as an author if you have a political agenda (and boy, did I) the only way to keep from sounding didactic is to also present it from the point of view of the anatgonist - and do it fairly. I gleaned this from Robert Boswell's book, The Half-Known World: On Writing Fiction. Not only does this approach work it, was a good idea since I wasn't quite sure where I stood on this issue myself.

I took the criticism of my first novel to heart and "sexed up" this one.

This presented a challenge and I wondered how I could write explicitly about sex without it being gratuitous? I decided to make Miriam a virgin, her lover fifteen years younger than her, and she white and him brown. My idea was to let my readers discover sex along with my heroine.

I hit most of the points including a "Happy Ever After" ending but even as I was writing the novel I could tell I was straying beyond the confines of the romance genre. Despite the ending, this wasn't a happy story, how could it be - innocent creatures were wiped out, a beautiful, spiritual place was destroyed, and for no good reason (as if there ever is one).

I couldn't help it, I couldn't change it. It bombed, but I felt better.

By the time Loving the Terrorist was published I was well into the third novel for the Eco-Warriors series. I'd learned quite a bit about writing and about publishing and even more about myself. This would be my last romance. I knew I was leaving genre even as I was writing Not Wonder More, Mad Maggie and the Mystery of the Ancients. I was also becoming increasingly dissatisfied with my publisher (and no doubt, she with me) and had begun exploring other options.

Next Question: Did your third novel Not Wonder More, Mad Maggie and the Mystery of the Ancients resolve the issue of whether to write genre or literary fiction? And what about your publisher?

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Rod Raglin’s books

Average rating: 4.35 · 106 ratings · 64 reviews · 37 distinct works

	The Rocker and the Bird Girl 4.08 avg rating — 13 ratings — 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 LOCAL RAG 4.36 avg rating — 11 ratings — 4 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
	Saving Spirit Bear really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 10 ratings — published 2010 — 8 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
	FOREST - Love, Loss, Legend 4.50 avg rating — 8 ratings — published 2015 — 4 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
	Loving the Terrorist: Beyond Eagleridge Bluffs 4.38 avg rating — 8 ratings — published 2010 — 7 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
	Mad Maggie and the Mystery of the Ancients 4.43 avg rating — 7 ratings — published 2010 — 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 Big Picture: A Camera, a Young Woman, and Uncompromising Ethic 4.29 avg rating — 7 ratings — 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
	The BIG PICTURE: A Camera, A Young Woman, An Uncompromising Ethic 4.60 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2014 — 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
	East Van Saturday Night - Four short stories and a novella 3.67 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
	Abandoned Dreams 4.20 avg rating — 5 ratings — published 2016 — 4 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

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Rod Raglin's Blog

Love of Lilacs – a gallery of 8 of my images is being featured on the front page of the Open Arts Forum site.

A gallery of 8 of my images of lilacs is being featured on the front page of the Open Arts Forum site.

View them at https://openartsforum.com/forum/threads/love-of-lilacs.35895/

For more photos of gardens, urban and natural landscapes, the street and skyscrapers, the moon, mountains and more visit https://rodraglin.smugmug.com/

Series by Rod Raglin

Eco Warriors (3 books)
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Rod Raglin (Goodreads Author)

4.24 avg rating — 25 ratings

Rod is Currently Reading

Rod Raglin is currently reading

The Overstory

by Richard Powers

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Jun 23, 2019 12:07AM

Rod Raglin is currently reading

Mercedes Wore Black

by Andrea Brunais (Goodreads Author)

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Jun 22, 2019 11:59PM

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Rod Raglin wrote a new blog post Love of Lilacs – a gallery of 8 of my images is being featured on the front page of the Open Arts Forum site. A gallery of 8 of my images of lilacs is being featured on the front page of the Open Arts Forum site. View them at https://openartsforum.com/forum/th Read more of this blog post »
May 29, 2026 12:31AM · like
Rod Raglin rated a book it was amazing The Mother of My Reinvention: essays, stories & lyrical assemblages by Lorraine Devon Wilke (Goodreads Author)	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
An intimate glimpse at the life of an exceptional artist Lorraine Devon Wilke has gone up close and personal with her new book, The Mother of My Reinvention: essays, stories & lyrical assemblages. It takes courage to layout your life and your feelings ...more
Apr 08, 2026 01:16AM · 1 like · like · see review · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Mother of My Reinvention by Lorraine Devon Wilke. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Mother of My Reinvention by Lorraine Devon Wilke <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Rod Raglin rated a book it was amazing The East End Rules, An East Van Memoir by Norman Nawrocki (Goodreads Author)	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
In the 1960s and 70s, before Vancouver’s East End became mainstream and obedient, the preferred neighbourhood for the gentrified elite, it was a marginalized, defiant immigrant and working class community. It was in this environment, Norman Nawrocki ...more
Mar 12, 2026 01:50AM · like · see review
Rod Raglin answered Rod Raglin's question: Do you think marginalized authors still need special privileges? It’s 2025 and most Canadian publishers are still discriminating in favour of marginalized authors. My new novel, The Thin White Line, challenges an assumption nearly all Canadian publishers adhere to religiously. That assumption is that Black, Indigen See Full Answer
Aug 10, 2025 12:02PM · like
Rod Raglin rated a book it was ok Dirt: Farm Girl, Town Boy. Can They Fix Each Other's Worlds? by Laura Baggaley (Goodreads Author)	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
Dirt has more holes than a garden ready for planting. In the not-too-distant future, fifteen-year-old Sam and his family live in NewBeck, a small, arid, town on the edge of nowhere in an undisclosed country. The population of Newbeck as well as the re ...more
Aug 04, 2025 06:57PM · like · see review
Rod Raglin joined the groups Blogger Lift and The Indie Connection: Authors and Bloggers Unite!
Feb 11, 2025 11:54PM
Rod Raglin made a comment in the group The Indie Connection: Authors and Bloggers Unite! — Authors Promote Here! topic " As a journalist, I’ve come to realize that when a concept becomes “baked” into the public’s psyche it most often is false or at least flawed. This is ...more "
Feb 11, 2025 11:43PM
Rod Raglin made a comment in the group The Circle: for readers/beta readers/critiques/reviews/free reads — Interested in a racially charged novel of political suspense, domestic terrorism and murder. topic " In the midst of our culture war, journalist Matt Bennett, has uncovered an inconvenient truth, one that has made him a racist to some and a cultural h ...more "
Feb 11, 2025 11:38PM

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