With a name that means “faerie,” it’s only natural that most of my tales involve at least a hint of magic. I’ve spent more than 30 years of seeking out and telling stories – my repertoire includes dozens of folktales and personal yarns, as well as science stories and historic tales. Many of my stories celebrate nature; others encourage generosity and compassion – with ourselves, one another and with the earth.
I love charting new territory – let me know your wishes and I will plan a program to delight your audience.
Travelling the World with Story:
My repertoire includes at least 100 folktales from all around the world – I love the way they give us insights into other cultures and into our own lives. Give me a theme, I’ll tell you a handful of stories.
Natural Wonders: I’ve spent years exploring the wilderness and love to share stories about some of my transformative encounters there. A few examples include…
The Gentle Wild – a kaleidoscope of butterflies creates a kaleidoscope of healing memory.
St. Elmo’s Fire – nature,at its most dramatic, helped me ‘wake’ up to the wonder of being alive.
Swimming Into the Light – a moment of inspiration helps me overcome the fear of swimming in the great outdoors.
World Peace is Possible – my dog, cat and chicken teach me an important lesson.
Times Gone By: 
A few stories about my extended family and other irresistable characters – for anyone who loves the way one person’s story reflects another.
Lappish Breeches and other Troubles – A story rooted in the space between fact, fiction and folklore. In the 1890’s, in the process of immigrating to Canada, an Icelander finds himself reliving some of the folktales his mother told him as a child.
The Letter – the true 1918 story of my maternal grandparents’ romance and how it was nearly thwarted.
Cupid comes to the Turnip Patch – the true story of my paternal grandparents romance and challenging immigration to Canada in the late 1920’s.
The Trouble with Chickens – a small flock of chickens help lighten the difficult move from city to the homestead life
An Ear of Barley – an eight year boy (my uncle) faces some challenges when he wants to prove that he is old enough to help with the harvest.
Irresistible Spirit – you never know what might happen in the back of the family sleigh.
The Trouble with Cheese – a modern, humorous love story about the troubles that can arise when you’re a slightly homesick immigrant.
Off the Beaten Path – my World Travels:
Keep Calm and Carry On – when we were locked out in Turkey, we learned much about the quirky neighbourhood
Hung Up on Butterflies – a migration to Mexico coupled with serendipity brings peace.
A Silver Tongue – or how I (mis)managed a frightening border crossing into Uganda.
A Container of Yogurt – a surprising reflection from Darfur, Sudan.
Seasonal and Other Celebrations:
Marking the cycle of the seasons and other changes in life is important to me.
Halloween – I love the fun of a good (not too scary) ghost tale. My repertoire includes stories from Lapland, Iceland, Denmark, the Southern US, Mexico and beyond.
Mid-Winter – much magic occurs in the dark of mid-winter. My repertoire includes stories from Iceland, the Southern US, Denmark, Canada and beyond.
I also tell stories that give thanks for Spring, Summer, Autumn and much, much more.
Ravens, Crows and other Signs of Intelligence: When these majestic birds gather, they are called a murder. Intriguing, intelligent and mysterious – my many experiences with them reinforce why they play a dominant role in mythology from all around the world.
Raven on Call – a personal story about a surprising encounter with ravens that transforms a miserable experience into something joyful.
Cantebury Crow – a modern retelling of Chaucer’s The Manicle’s Tale which is based on Ovid’s Metamorphoses, which was no doubt based on an oral story that warns of the dangers of gossip.
The Naga Princess and her beloved White Crow – a tale from Burma about jealousy and self-protection
Tom Moore’s Jackdaw – a traditional Irish story collected by Yeats. A Jackdaw
Baby Bird – a true and magical story bout a lively white raven that graced a small community on Haida Gwaii in the 1990’s.
I’m always working on new stories… but I had to stop the descriptions somewhere.