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What sets the Author Development Program apart from other mentorship programs? YOU - the Story Maker - get to choose who you want to be your mentor. We can't guarantee that you will get the person you want, but we make every effort to accommodate requests.
Browse this year's Story Coaches and select your top three who you think will help you meet your writing goals. If you're still not sure, contact us and we can help. |
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CHOOSE YOUR
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KATIE BICKELLKatie Bickell is an award-winning author and seasoned manuscript consultant whose mentorship style blends heart with craft and candour with compassion. Her debut novel-told-in-stories Always Brave, Sometimes Kind was widely celebrated for its emotional resonance and literary merit, earning five major awards and national critical acclaim. A former Regional Writer in Residence for the Edmonton Metro Federation of Libraries and a past ADP Story Coach, Katie has mentored emerging writers through programs with the Writers’ Guild of Alberta, Pandemic University, and her own studio, K.H. Bickell Literary Inc. Katie has also professionally ghostwritten two full length memoirs, in addition to confidential projects.
Katie specializes in helping writers discover their project’s core truth and refine its expression through character development, tone, and structure. She works across genres including literary fiction, memoir, and short story collections, delivering insight with a warm, thoughtful, and practical approach that respects the storymaker’s voice while elevating the work’s artistic power. Cognizant of the practical needs of writers, her coaching also includes publication and career coaching, providing direct insight on developing one’s artistic CV, grant writing, and contract negotiations. Her client list includes everyone from first-time writers to Governor General Award nominees, and several mentees have gone on to win major literary prizes, art development grants, and publication. |
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Nicole brossNicole joined the Author Development Program at AWCS in 2025 and is excited to return again in 2026. She’s a certified fiction book coach and editor, and the author of both adult and YA genre-blending speculative fiction. Her debut novel, Past Presence (Literary Wanderlust, 2019), an adult supernatural mystery, was a top-three finalist for the Arthur Ellis Award for Best First Crime Novel, awarded by the Crime Writers of Canada. She’s currently working on a near-future speculative YA and co-writing a nonfiction book for neurodiverse writers called A Novel Approach: Strategies for ADHD Writers, coming fall 2025. She’s also been the editor-in-chief of Birthing Magazine since 2015, and her writing has been featured in many print and online publications, as well as nationally-broadcast nonfiction TV shows.
Besides her certification from Author Accelerator as a book coach for fiction writers, she has a Bachelor of Applied Communications in Journalism from Mount Royal College and a Bachelor of Arts in Film Studies from Carleton University. Through her book coaching business, Manuscript Alchemy, she’s worked with many writers at all stages of their writing journey, from planning to drafting to revising to pitching. Nicole works with fiction authors writing adult, YA, or MG SFF (all subgenres), horror, romance (sweet to spicy), mystery/thriller/suspense, historical, contemporary, and short story collections. If you have a mashup of any of these genres, even better! She loves working with first-time authors as well as more experienced ones, and her last Story Maker had the following to say about their time together: “Being mentored by Nicole was an incredible experience. Nicole’s patience, insight, feedback, and knowledge were shared with such collaborative generosity – I loved how she challenged me to dig deeper into my characters’ emotions to understand the reasons why they do the things they do and get those emotions into my storytelling. She’s helped me to develop my own creative process and unique approaches to plot outlines so I can more easily bring these wacky stories in my head to life. The tools she’s given me will continue to benefit my writing long after our six months together. I’m inspired by and so grateful for her mentorship and coaching.” |
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Dawn BryanFor as long as she can remember, Dawn Bryan has lived for language and stories. The power of words never ceases to fascinate her, and she rejoices in a practice that puts her in conversation with readers, with other writers, and with herself. The challenge and delight of using language to connect and communicate is what draws us to our craft and shapes our ambitions, whether that is getting a story in print or writing for the sheer joy of it. Learning to shape language takes a lifetime, and Dawn is delighted to invite you to join her in the serious study of making words work.
Writing as DM Bryan, Dawn is the author of three novels, Very Scary Very Scary (University of Calgary Press, forthcoming), Pugg’s Portmanteau (University of Calgary Press, 2019) and Gerbil Mother (NeWest Press, 2008). She is a writer of literary fiction who loves to play with genre, and her novels include elements of gothic/horror, historical fiction, and a little romance. For fun, she writes short fiction in a variety of forms. Dawn holds a PhD in English from the University of Calgary, where her dissertation took the form of a novel about a dog, a famous printmaker, some laundry, and women writers of the eighteenth-century. Most recently she has taught creative writing at the University of Calgary. As a Story Coach, Dawn looks forward to working with Story Makers who are passionate about producing writing that really sings, and she is comfortable with fiction projects, either short or long, and in any genre. She’s keen to share specific writerly strategies and tactics, while contributing an energy focused on a respectful exchange of ideas and enthusiasm. |
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ANDREW BUCKLEYAndrew Buckley is a full-time author, speaker, and creator who writes across a thrilling spectrum of genres including paranormal fantasy, horror, fairytale fantasy, humour, satire, action, and the delightful chaos in between. With over 15 years of traditional publishing experience and three years as an independent publisher, Andrew has worked with three publishers, signed with two agents, sold screenplays, and even founded and operated his own online writing school, and immersive storytelling brand.
In addition to his writing accomplishments, Andrew is a sought-after speaker, teacher, and mentor who presents at conferences, conventions, and classrooms around the world. His focus? Storytelling in all its forms — the art, the craft, and the chaos of bringing ideas to life. As a story coach, Andrew is a hands-on collaborator who thrives on helping writers crack open their stories, untangle plot snarls, and breathe life into complex, compelling characters. He offers detailed, constructive feedback not only on the page but also on a writer’s habits and mindset — helping to shape sustainable careers and push projects toward their greatest potential, whether it’s a novella, a full-length novel, or a screenplay. |
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FINNIAN BURNETT (they/them)Finnian Burnett (they/them) is a queer, neurodivergent author, educator, and story coach with a deep passion for teaching. When they’re not writing, giving speeches about writing, teaching classes and workshops on writing, making memes about writing, or stalking people at parties to talk about the three-act structure, they can be found watching Star Trek, playing wholesome video games, or desperately attempting to keep houseplants alive. They're also an expert at buying (but never writing in) fancy new notebooks and planners in their ongoing, ADHD-fueled quest to organize their life.
Finnian founded and runs a full-time novel-writing program through the Golden Crown Literary Society, leads one of the ten-month novel classes at the Alexandra Writers’ Centre Society, and coaches emerging writers in both novels and short fiction. One day, they hope to best the final boss of this writing life by actually taking a day off. Finnian's coaching approach is about developing a partnership based on a mutual desire to help the author maintain their own voice while honing aspects of craft skills. They’ve worked with clients writing speculative fiction, literary, contemporary, family drama, science fiction, flash fiction, and queer lit. Finnian offers a safer, affirming space for writers navigating mental health challenges, anxiety, and imposter syndrome. Writers can expect to meet regularly, talk about craft of writing and navigating the writing life, and possibly exchange a flurry of ridiculous memes. Finnian’s own work has appeared in Writer’s Digest, Reflex Press, Blank Spaces, The Daily Sci-Fi, Pulp Literature, CBC Books, and more. Their short fiction has been nominated for Best Microfiction, Best Small Fictions, and Best of the Net. They’ve published across genres including CNF, autofiction, literary, horror, and speculative fiction. Their novellas-in-flash include The Clothes Make the Man (Ad Hoc Fiction), The Price of Cookies (Off Topic Publishing), and the forthcomingRed Shirts Sometimes Survive (Off Topic Publishing). Finnian is represented by Stacy Kondla of The Rights Factory. Finnian can be found on the web at www.finnburnett.com |
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Chris patrick carolanChris Patrick Carolan is an author, editor, and hovercraft enthusiast, originally from Glasgow but now based in Calgary, Alberta. He writes fantasy, science fiction, and horror, though he has also been known to turn to crime to make ends meet. Crime fiction, that is. His short stories have appeared in various award-nominated anthologies, and his first book, The Nightshade Cabal, (Parliament House Press, 2020) was a finalist for the Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence ‘Best First Novel’ award.
As a Story Coach, his approach is rooted in inclusion and respect. Everyone is bringing something different to the table. It isn’t simply about identifying a writer’s underdeveloped skills, but also examining their confidences and what they already do well, and finding ways to use these identified strengths to inform and build up the Story Maker’s unique toolkit. |
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Amy eversleyAmy Eversley is an agented author represented by Bethany Hendrix at Spencerhill Literary Associates with seven published novels, including The Watcher Series and The EverMarked Series, and three more on the way with a Big Five publisher, scheduled for release in 2027. Additionally, she is a seasoned screenwriter and story analyst with over a decade of experience in publishing, film and entertainment. She offers compassionate mentorship grounded in detailed, actionable feedback, and a deep understanding of story structure, voice, and dialogue.
Through her work in the entertainment industry, she’s had the privilege of analyzing IP and story trends for companies like Warner Bros. Discovery, AMC, Sony, and Paramount—including a comparative analysis of Interview with the Vampire across its book, film, and television formats for AMC. This experience informs her keen eye for audience expectations, genre resonance, and narrative clarity. Amy’s coaching style is collaborative and strengths-based, designed to meet writers where they are while helping them grow both creatively and confidently. She’s especially passionate about guiding Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Romance writers across Adult, New Adult, and Young Adult categories. |
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meredith hambrockMeredith Hambrock has worked in writing rooms on over 100 episodes of TV Comedy. She most recently served as Executive Story Editor on the sitcom Corner Gas Animated. In 2022, her episode, A Lot to Be Desired, was nominated for a Leo Award. Her debut mystery novel, Other People's Secrets, was published in September by Crooked Lane Books and was called "audacious" and "fabulous" by the New York Times Book Review, was one of The Rapsheet Mags Best Reads of 2022, was a Whodunit Mystery Bookstore Book of the Year Finalist, and was nominated for a Lefty Award in the Best Debut Mystery Category. She is the 2023-2024 Saskatoon Public Library Writer in Residence. Her next novel, She's a Lamb, -a work of literary fiction - is being published by ECW Press in 2025. She holds an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia. I'd prefer to work with anyone writing novels in the following genres: thriller, crime, romantic comedy, women's fiction, literary, horror, or anyone who feels they write between genres. I'm also happy to work with anyone writing a screenplay. The majority of my experience is in television. |
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bradley somerDear Story Maker,
A moment of your time for a pitch. My name is Bradley Somer, and I’d like to help you on your writing journey. I have been writing for nearly all my life and publishing for a better part of half of it. I’ve participated in critique groups for decades, been a writer in residence for many organizations, have presented at conferences and on discussion panels, and have spent months-worth of hours mentoring and in blue pencil sessions over the years. I’ve had almost 40 short stories published in literary magazines, journals, and anthologies. I also have had four novels published, two with amazing Canadian presses, and two that have gone geographically broader, publishing to the world through ‘big-five’ houses. Importantly, this has given me a breadth of experience in the publishing industry, locally and abroad. From this, I’ve seen what different publishers look for, how different processes work, how a spectrum of editors (mis)behave, and how story can act and impact nationally and globally. |
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KAREN SOMMERVILLEKaren Sommerville is a multi-published author, seasoned story coach, editor, and mentor with over a decade of experience guiding fiction writers through the complexities of storytelling and revision. She specializes in manuscript feedback and developmental editing, offering high-touch support that strengthens structure, character development, pacing, and voice. Passionate about helping writers grow in confidence and craft, she works across genres including mystery, suspense, women’s fiction, and recently, magical realism. Through customized coaching, editorial letters, and strategic guidance, Karen empowers authors at every stage—from blocked first-drafters to emerging writers seeking publication.
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