Writing is in Her Blood
When Lois Rooney-Giurin, new Assistant Director of Write! Canada, first attended the conference last year, she was at a crossroads in her life. Having just quit her job at Sears Canada, she asked God, “What next?”
A new friend, Jayne E. Self, invited Lois to come to Write! Canada 2011, and, feeling that God was leading her, Lois agreed. Leaving her home in Chatham, Ontario, she travelled down Highway 401 to Guelph.
As she ate lunch in the dining hall at the Bible Conference Centre, she connected with fellow writers. In classes at the chapel, she affirmed her skills as a writer/editor. In the lounge, she visited The Word Guild booth and became a new member, enabling her to “keep in touch with others on the same path.”
As the daughter of a former editor of the Imperial Oil Review, and the granddaughter of a newspaper editor from Dublin, Ireland, writing is in her blood. Other influences were the writings of L.M. Montgomery, Louisa May Alcott, Jan Karon and C.S. Lewis. She was a Georgetown, ON, newspaper columnist in the 1990s.
Recently, Lois experimented with children’s books, penning The Brown Dog Finds a Home, based on her childhood dog, Gypsy, who had been abandoned by a hunter and left for dead, but found his way to a town and was adopted by her family. Lois is currently seeking a publisher for her story.
The daughter of Presbyterian minister in Southwestern Ontario, Lois was so immersed in church life that she vowed she would never marry a minister. She found a nice, Italian-Canadian, Roman Catholic boy, and they settled down. In time, her husband converted to her "brand" of Christianity and studied to be a pastor – and Lois became a minister’s wife. They went on to raise two healthy children. 
Studying piano and voice as a youngster fostered a lifelong love for music. With the encouragement of her high school music teacher, who taught her how to play a number of woodwind instruments, she adopted music as her major at the University of Western Ontario where she studied Music Education and majored in voice.
More recently, Lois learned how to play bass guitar, and she currently plays in her church praise team. She has used her musical abilities successfully to lead others in worship.
As Write! Canada’s Assistant Director, Lois works with the Core Leadership Team. Right now, her role is primarily administrative, writing letters and editing documents.
As a former participant at the conference, her advice for newcomers is this: “Bring some stories and an open mind, and make sure you have some time afterward to assimilate the information you receive.”
In 2009, Lois started a web-based proofreading and editing business called e-Edit Plus. She explains that the “plus” in her business is her faith in Christ.
When asked for advice for beginner writers, she says “persevere and pray.” It was prayer that led her to last year’s conference. Let prayer be your guide as you consider signing up for Write! Canada 2012. Lois would tell you it’s worth the trip!
Check out Lois’ blog at www.changingbig.blogspot.com.
Lois was interviewed by Linda Jonasson of the Write! Canada PR Team. Check out her blog here.
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