Roy MacSkimming has been writing all his life. He wrote poetry in his teens, some of it published in Canadian literary magazines and in a volume co-authored with poet-songwriter Bill Hawkins and titled Shoot Low Sheriff, They’re Riding Shetland Ponies.
Roy published his first novel at 28 and recently finished writing his fifth at 82. To date he has published eight books and co-authored three others. His 2003 study of Canadian book publishing, The Perilous Trade, was termed “masterful…a brilliantly seductive cultural history of Canada” by The Globe & Mail and was a finalist for the National Business Book Award. Of his historical novel Macdonald, Nino Ricci said “Roy MacSkimming not only brings John A. Macdonald to life, he brings him into our hearts.” Both books were named among the Globe & Mail best books of the year.
Roy had an active career in and around the publishing industry. He was an editor with Toronto publisher Clarke, Irwin, co-founder of New Press, books editor and columnist for The Toronto Star, an official with the Canada Council for the Arts, and government relations director of the Association of Canadian Publishers.
Born in Ottawa and educated at the University of Toronto, Roy met his wife Suzette while travelling in Spain. They have two sons and five grandchildren and recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They moved to Burgesswood on Otty Lake in 2002 and into Perth six years ago.
Roy will speak to us about his new novel The Cure for Love, a prequel to his 2007 book Macdonald. He has titled his talk, “Reconciling with Sir John A. Macdonald.”
