Writing · Learning · Living with intention
I write books about learning, choice, and the art of living well. I also help people turn their experiences and ideas into books worth sharing.
01 / The bookshelf
Quiet stories about ordinary people, and one practical guide. Read them in any order. Each one stands on its own.
Sam has a busy job, a teenage son and too much stuff. Across the street lives Dan, a man with a small dog, an old fountain pen and a habit of answering questions with questions. One year next door changes how she sees money, things and her own life.
Own it strongly.
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A woman who can't leave. A man who can't say goodbye. A goose that couldn't fly south. One Ontario winter teaches all three how to love without gripping.
Hold it lightly.
Read the first chapters free
Reading is meeting the author. This practical guide shows you how to choose books with purpose, map what you read and keep the ideas long after you close the cover. It's built on years of teaching reading and Mind Mapping.
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02 / A letter from Vam
Some stories begin with a goodbye. This one begins with an empty driveway, a fountain pen and one request.
Read the first chapter of Hold It Lightly before it comes out. Now and then I'll also write to you about books, ideas and the small things that make a good life.
03 / About
“A meaningful idea becomes more powerful when we can share it.”Start a conversation ↗
I write with a fountain pen. Ink on my fingers is normal for me.
I'm a writer in Ontario, Canada. I come from an engineering background in materials science, and I hold a Master of Business Administration. But the subject I have always loved most is how to live well. For years I have studied happiness, well-being and what it takes to live a balanced life. My books are where that study goes.
Jean Webster and Jim Rohn raised me through their pages. I still celebrate their birthdays. Tony Buzan taught me Mind Mapping, and I've taught it to others for years as a licensed instructor.
My stories are about ordinary people who reach extraordinary results through small, steady choices. The characters are partly invented and partly real. Some of my neighbours, friends and my Yorkshire terrier, Bella, walk through the pages under their own names.
I believe everyone is a teacher, and everyone is a student. My books try to be both.
When I'm not writing, I'm walking in the forest, driving country roads with classical or country music on, or making pizza for friends.
04 / Work together
Whether you have a lifetime of experiences or the first spark of an idea, I can help you shape it into a book with clarity and care.
We discover the heart of your story, build its structure, and develop a manuscript that sounds like you.
From conversations, recordings, and notes to a thoughtful manuscript developed around your message.
Make existing writing stronger through structural editing, rewriting, and careful refinement.
05 / Contact
Questions about my books? Have a story you'd like to develop? I'd be glad to hear from you.