Today is the anniversary of the release of my most successful novel, THE CAMINO CLUB.
I was obsessed with this story when I walked the Camino de Santiago back in May of 2014. I began my pilgrimage on the Camino with the kernel of an idea. I wanted to create an homage to THE BREAKFAST CLUB, but I wanted it to be fresh. Instead of a Saturday in the school library, make it a couple of weeks walking across Spain. Instead of a fully straight white cast, make it gay and diverse. I walked with these 6 characters I created in my head, and I breathed life into them with every footstep.
It was my first time walking the Camino de Santiago. I did not know what to expect, so I went with my good friend, SUE KENNEY. She had, by then, been organizing yearly group pilgrimages on a portion of the Camino. I thought I would try it on for size…to see if the Camino was really my thing.
Sue Kenney, walking into Monte de Gozo…MOUNT OF JOY! May, 2014. Sue was my intro to the Camino de Santiago. It was the greatest gift she ever gave me.
Spoiler Alert! The Camino, as it turned out, was definitely my thing. It has since become a part of my identity. I actually dream of organizing groups of my own to do a portion of the Camino…but as a group of writers, writing and sharing our words along the way. I can envision this, but I do not, as of yet, have the bandwidth for such an endeavour. Never say never, though.
I walked that first Camino–from Ponferrada to Santiago de Compostela–with my characters in mind. I built the story up along the way. This is the first time a novel came to me in this way. I didn’t write anything down, apart from a few point form notes, but I felt like it was forming in stone with every step I took.
I finished The Camino Club circa 2017/18/19…depending on what you call finished. There were tinkerings and rewrites and edits.
It was released on this day in 2020. October 6th! By Duet Books, the YA imprint of the LGBTQ+ publisher Interlude Press. Interlude was later bought by Chicago Review Press…which is why THE CAMINO CLUB‘s home is now Chicago Review Press. It’s been on a journey.
You can pick up a copy of THE CAMINO CLUB wherever books are sold! Or give your local library a shot. At last count, it was in over 3,000 libraries across North America.
I LOVE this book! I know you’re not supposed to have favourites, but of my 9 novels this is my favourite. I think because of the way it evolved…and because of the journey I went on to research it and bring it into being. The Camino de Santiago is a magical place that I want to share with EVERYONE. That’s why I wrote about it. If ONE SINGLE PERSON reads the novel and puts the Camino on their bucketlist, that’s enough for me!
Here’s the synopsis:
THE CAMINO CLUB (Duet Books/Chicago Review Press) –After getting in trouble with the law, six wayward teens are given an ultimatum: serve time in juvenile detention for their crimes, or walk the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route across Spain over the summer holidays with a pair of court-appointed counselor guides. When it becomes clear the long walk isn’t really all that much of an option, they set out on a journey that will either make or break who they are and who they are to become.
The Camino Club was a SILVER WINNER in the Teen Fiction category of the 33rd Annual IBPA Benjamin Franklin Book Awards!
I didn’t want to write this post. I didn’t want it to be true.
Ever since Sue Kenney reached out to me last September while I was in the airport lounge in Toronto awaiting our flight to Spain for our walk on the Camino de Santiago, I’ve been dreading this outcome.
“This is a lot to hear, but I wanted to ask you if you would take my intentions with you to Santiago de Compostela on your Camino pilgrimage that you’re starting tomorrow?”
I did not hesitate. It was the least I could do for the woman that gifted me an entirely new path in life.
Sue Kenney, at work along the Camino de Santiago. (I apologize for the grainy photo, but phone cams were NOT the same in 2014. I thought this photo captured Sue’s energy.)
I met Sue at a novel writing marathon in Pickering, Ontario. Her effervescent personality immediately called out to me. I can’t even recall whether or not she told me about the Camino de Santiago at that time or not. I’m pretty sure she did. What I loved about her was the over-boiling infectious energy she exuded. Like me, she could not sit still.
Fast forward a few years, and she had begun taking new pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago…in groups. By that time I had learned quite a bit about the Camino. Once you hear about the Camino, it acts like a timepiece in your heart…ticking and ticking and ticking away while it pleads with you to heed its call. It gets into your blood until you can no longer ignore it.
I signed up for Sue’s May 2014 group pilgrimage. We would begin our journey in Ponferrada and walk into Santiago de Compostela some week or so later.
We were a group of eight and Sue led us across Spain with grace and love. This is half of our contingent…being silly near the beginning of our journey while we were just discovering one another.We kept meeting more and more pilgrims along the way. Some walked with us for minutes, some for hours, some for a day or so, and some for the remaining of the journey to Santiago de Compostela. Our group of eight was constantly expanding and contracting and our hearts were being filled by the experience! All thanks to our fearless leader, Sue Kenney.
Sue was a barefoot walker, which is something I loved doing since early childhood. My mother could not keep my shoes on my feet, no matter how hard she tried. Eventually she gave up, once she realized I’d walk through rocks and gravel barefoot unscathed and happy. With four boys to run after, she probably realized it was easier to risk my cutting off my own feet than running around forcing me to wear shoes. Sue’s barefoot lifestyle shouted out to me immediately.
I joined Sue in walking barefoot for quite a bit of our Camino. I was still going from Crocs to barefoot, not quite as accomplished as Sue, but enjoying those stretches where I was barefoot and free.
There were two memorable adventures during my first Camino that stood out the most. One of those adventures was a crazy bar run by two sisters. The Casa Verde was electric and eclectic. Sue brought us to this wild stop along the way and she was greeted like visiting royalty. It was one of those times that I felt all tingly realizing that everyone along the way knew and loved our fearless leader. Sue Kenney, or Barefoot Sue as she was also known as, was loved by all. Even elder locals walking out in the streets and alleys seemed to know her. She was definitely well known by the sisters who ran Casa Verde. They spread out the red carpet, and lined the bar with shots for all, on the house. Friends of Barefoot Sue were friends of theirs.
Sue, at the bar at Casa Verde. Pilgrims left t-shirts, which were festooned with pithy quotes and Camino wisdom and pinned to the ceiling, left to dangle. Every wall, table, window, chair, and object were covered with notes and quotes. Sadly, the bar is no longer in operation. An albergue now stands in its shadow.
Sue had us all gather food and drink in the town of Portomarin and organized a quick picnic for us at the top of the hill just outside of town.
This picnic was the absolute pinnacle of our journey. It was such a moment. I sat back at times, fighting back tears trying to fathom how lucky I was to be a part of the magic.
Sue Kenney seemed able to conjure magic wherever she went.
Our Camino group, minus Connie and myself. Connie was unable to attend this Fall 2014 reunion event, and I was taking the photo. Notice Sue’s joy!I had many reunion moments with Sue. She was a fixture at the annual MUSKOKA NOVEL MARATHON. When she wasn’t participating herself, she would make her way to the Marathon every Sunday for her widely attended and much loved CREATIVITY WALKS.Sue, during the Muskoka Novel Marathon…one of the years she participated in the 72 hour novel writing marathon…Many of the Muskoka Novel Marathoners joined Sue for her yearly CREATIVITY WALKS. That’s Sue’s foot with the purple strapped shoe with the blue arrow. She also invented a barefoot shoe…which was bottomless. She appeared on Dragon’s Den with these shoes.
I just wanted to share some of the memories I had with Sue. It doesn’t begin to crack the surface of the time I spent with her. My most cherished time, of course, is that walk along the Camino de Santiago. You grow so close while walking across a country with people. We began as eight near strangers. We all knew Sue in one way or another, but we didn’t know each other. Sue brought us together.
The talks we all had! It was so magical.
I will be forever grateful that Sue came into my life that day at the Pickering Public Library. She lit a flame in me that day that would never go out. It is a profound thing to gift someone a totally new trajectory in their lives. This is what Sue did for me. I can’t imagine my life now without the Camino in it.
It was because of her impact on my life that I did not hesitate a second before telling her, “YES, YES, YES…I will take your intentions across Spain. I will walk every single step for you! I will dedicate the entire walk to you.”
It was what she next told me that stopped me in my tracks and had me searching out a quiet place in a busy airport where I could hang my head.
After giving me her awful news, she followed up with so much inspiration…I was ready to face the Camino and take her with me in my heart.
I want to directly quote Sue here because I want you to see how full her heart was and how thoughtful and caring she was at all times. I’m sure she wouldn’t mind me sharing her words in full.
“Since you’re about to walk the path to Santiago, and it doesn’t mean that you have to be religious or have a religious intent, I would like to ask if you would do me a favour and carry my intentions for world peace, a universal love for nature, and great compassion for all the people in the world.
“And to my dear Camino, I want to intend so much gratitude for the 29 different journeys that I took on the path to Santiago. I am so grateful for the lessons and the stories and the experience of guiding other pilgrims on the way, that I was blessed with. Including you! ❤
“I’ll be with you each step as you both walk, without your guidebook, following your heart.
Sending love and light.
Buen Camino
Barefoot Sue.”
Of course I walked for her. Each step I took, I thought of her back home and the journey she was now forced to be taking. I walked into Santiago de Compostela with Sue’s intentions in my heart. And if I ever walk the Camino again, I will do the same. It was her who gave me this great big wondrous gift, and it will always be her I thank for opening my heart to it.
We lost Sue this week. Her light is carried in the hearts of so many pilgrims. I’m certain she will never be forgotten. Her 29 journeys on the Camino alone would be enough to ensure it doesn’t happen. Not to mention the myriad of other ways she entered the hearts of the thousands of people she changed for the better.
Walk on, my friend forever. Captain, my captain.
Sue Kenney, walking into Monte de Gozo…MOUNT OF JOY! May, 2014. Joy meeting Joy!
It’s December once again. It’s been a year. Many blessings amidst the chaos of the world!
As I try to remember everything that happened in 2025, I’m a little flabbergasted. Some of it is so far back in my memory that I would have sworn it happened a year or two ago. But the Google timeline doesn’t lie. Apparently we DID take our grandson on a cruise in 2025…it wasn’t actually in 2024 or 2023. No, it was in fact in January, 2025. Here’s the blog post I created about January as proof of our trip.
On the plane to Florida with Edward…the 13th Birthday cruise to the Bahamas!
It seems so long ago. We had an absolute blast taking Edward on his first flights, first cruise, first outside the country vacation. I know he did too. My only regret is that we didn’t do more with him. He found a friend group early in the cruise and spent a lot of time at the kids’ club. We had all our meals together, and we did the Perfect Day at Coco Cay together. It’s not like we didn’t see him. But he did have a lot of free time with friends. I’m certain he loved it this way. No quiet time at the pool onboard, though. Seems weird in retrospect.
Google tells me we also did Cuba in 2025. In April. That too seems like a year or two ago. I swear, the older I get the more difficult it is for my brain to understand time. Something that happened last week could have happened a year ago or an hour ago. The concept of time just floats through my fingers.
But Google doesn’t lie. Cuba is definitely in the 2025 timeline. We visited the LGBTQ friendly hotel Gran Muthu Rainbow. It was our second visit…and we absolutely love it there!
As much as 2025 was not much of a year for writing, it was a year in which I released my latest book. This one won the 2016 Muskoka Novel Marathon’s Best Adult Novel Award. I WILL TELL THE NIGHT. One of my biggest thrills of the year was when my new novel was reviewed in the Miramichi Reader! I’ve been a longtime fan of this publication. My family is in the Miramichi…I began with that connection, but quickly fell in love with the publication for all the usual literary reasons. Here’s where I wrote about the review, with a link to the review itself in the post.
We had a great time, once again, with our annual trek to NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE! Always an amazing time winery hopping! Such a lovely city…and great company!
Trius Winery – Niagara-on-the-Lake
Other highlights of 2025 include several visits from our cousin Jordanna! And 2 of those were with lovely Aunt June in toll!
May, 2025 – We had an amazing time with Jordanna and Aunt June at the 25th Anniversary party at BIFF’S BISTRO downtown. This is one of our favourite Toronto restaurants! Great company too!
Earlier in the month, we toured Chinatown with Jordanna and Stephen.
Egg Tarts procured! Chinatown, Toronto. May, 2025.
In October, we had an amazing time at Grossman’s Tavern in Chinatown. Jordanna and Aunt June met us there for an afternoon of Jazz! So much fun. I would not be lying if I said our little group danced the conga through the tavern on our way out. Yummy all-day Dim Sum was had for supper that day. Another great visit with family from Nova Scotia! Always great to see Jordi! And Aunt June!
Grossman’s Tavern.
There is also September, of course. Michael and I once again walked the Camino de Santiago. We had to get back to the Camino Frances. We missed it so much! This time we walked from Leon to Santiago de Compostela. Just a quick wee walk of 310ish kms. We stayed in some incredible places this time around! And once we landed in Santiago de Compostela, we finally made a trip to Finisterre and Muxia! Those two iconic beautiful ends of the world are definitely worth seeing in one’s lifetime. And I guess that’s what we’re doing when we travel, no? Collecting all the things we want to accomplish in our lifetimes. In the end, our regrets are most often the things we didn’t do…not the things we have done.
At the end of each day’s blog, there’s a link to the next day…all the way through to the end of the world!
Oops, we did it again! Holding our Compostelas at the end of the yellow brick road!
Not a lot has happened in the past couple of months. I’ve been writing again. I’m working quite diligently on my mid-grade novel and just beginning to feel like I’m getting back into the swing of writing. It’s at least tickling at the senses. Hopefully the desire builds. I really think that you lose it if you don’t use it. Like every other muscle, writing needs to be exercised. I’m finally doing that again. We shall see, we shall see.
I did have a night out with the girl child! We did a quick movie night for Halloween. ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW at the Biltmore Theatre in Oshawa! What a night!
Creatures of the Night at the Biltmore bar…With Ashley at the Biltmore, pre ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW! Can you see us shiver with antici—pa—-tion?There’s a light…
I was going to write about the books I read this year, but I think I’ll have to save that for another post. I’m almost up to BOOK 80 for the year and there have been some really great reads. But that’ll wait for closer to the end of the year. We’ve had a great year!
One more thing to add! TODAY IS GOTCHA DAY for DollyAnn & LollyPop! They have officially been with us for 5 years today! Our little pandemic babies…they’ve been a blast!
DollyAnn & LollyPop
They’re a lot bigger now, and maybe a bit more chaotic. Riding in cars with pugs is a LOT!
The PugsTHE BOYS, at the back of a streetcar, coming home from the CNE in August! Another great day trip of 2025!US, with THE BOYS. August, 2025. They’re getting SO grown up!
It’s almost a wrap on another year around the sun! It’s hard to believe we both turned 59 years old this year. Time just keeps on ticking…marching forward with no concern whatsoever. In 2026 we turn 60!!!!!!!! We will have to celebrate that milestone! Perhaps in Hong Kong? (-;
