Sylvia BarnardSylvia Barnard is a daughter of immigrants and grew up in mining communities in northwestern Quebec and north of Lake Superior. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in French and German from Wilfrid Laurier University, both a Bachelor and Masters of Educatio from the University of Toronto, and a certificate in Creative Writing from Humber College. A professional educator for forty years, Sylvia worked as a classroom teacher, superintendent of schools, and ended her career with eleven years as the President of Cambrian College in Sudbury, Ontario. She has published articles on Leadership Development and Strategic Planning and worked with government and industry officials in Chile, India, and Tanzania on projects bringing women into the economy of their countries.

Her debut novel, Rhubarb, Strawberries, and Willows, was published in 2021 and won the B.R.A.G. Gold award. Her short story, Oma's Shawl, was published in the online magazine Commuter Lit, and two of her stories were featured as honourable mentions in the anthology Fifteen Stories High (2021), published by the Canadian Authors Association-Niagara Branch. When she's not writing, Sylvia enjoys travelling, hiking, kayaking with her dogs, golfing, and creating stained-glass art. She lives with her husband under a canopy of maples near Penetanguishene, Ontario. Read More Read Less