Sooke-based author Darrel McLeod is a busy man. With another book on the horizon, McLeod balances his writing with a mentorship role as part of the WriterB次元官网网址檚 Trust of Canada Rising Stars program.

McLeod was asked to take on the role after being shortlisted for the 2021 Hilary Weston WriterB次元官网网址檚 Trust Prize for Nonfiction B次元官网网址� for his second book Peyakow: Reclaiming Cree Dignity. HeB次元官网网址檒l be working with Joseph Kakwinokanasum, an author from the James Smith Cree Nation in Saskatchewan, who has also been nominated for the CBC Nonfiction Prize.

Mentorship isnB次元官网网址檛 new to McLeod. HeB次元官网网址檚 been involved on both sides of the relationship before and said it worked best for him when the mentor took a more hands-off approach.

B次元官网网址淥ne of the things that were beautiful about how (my previous mentors) worked with me was they were very careful to nurture my voice, to help me find my own voice, my own writing style, and not interfere with sort of the organic development of my style of writing. But to foster it, and encourage me, and they did it in a really generous way.B次元官网网址�

Acting as a mentor is something McLeod hopes to do more of in the future, but heB次元官网网址檚 also got a busy writing schedule.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a really tricky balance to strike daily because I find IB次元官网网址檓 more inspired and motivated when IB次元官网网址檓 part of a writing community. But I have to really limit how much time I spend because my real goal is to write and spend as much time writing as I can.B次元官网网址�

McLeod is currently revising his third book and first novel B次元官网网址� set in a fictitious First Nations community in northern British Columbia B次元官网网址� which will be released sometime in the fall of 2023. He is also working on the manuscript for his fourth book, a memoir about tackling difficulties he faced in the pandemic.

B次元官网网址淥ne day, I was feeling sorry for myself at home, there in Sooke, sitting at my kitchen table, and my muse came to me and said, B次元官网网址楽top whining and write about that. Write about the fact that you have no time to write.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

ALSO READ: Sooke author among finalists for $60K Hilary Weston WritersB次元官网网址� Trust prize

ALSO READ: Sooke launches first-ever literary festival