Long term success in 'small town' business depends on integrity, trust and good service. Glen and Lise Mcleod's excellent reputation has evolved over thirty six years of full time living and working on Mayne Island. Newcomers who are just beginning to explore the unique quality of life found in the Gulf Islands will appreciate our honest, low pressure, Island style of doing business.

Jim McKenzie lives and paints on Mayne Island. After exhibiting at several galleries in Vancouver and Victoria, Jim opened McKenzie Fine Art Gallery on Mayne Island in 1998 to show his work.

Nestled among the trees in beautiful Bennett Bay, The Yoga House offers you Iyengar yoga instruction in a soothing setting. Natural lighting, new floors, a wood stove, and complimentary tea help to create the ambiance for regular classes and workshops. Private lessons also available upon request.

Genre: Cozy mystery Cozy mysteries de-emphasize sex, violence, and offensive language. The stories are rich with fascinating characters and charming settings. Brief Synopsis: Olivia Weatherington was raised in a nest of lies. The lies were spun to protect her. But all she wants is the truth. Will she find it? And what part does Mayne Island play in this mystery? Excerpt: "My people, my nation has been coming here, from the beginning of time. This is a magical island," he smiled. "YOu were lost when you came here but now the island has found you. It will reveal many lessons to you: why you're here; who you are; where you came from. Don't be afraid to learn. These lessons will leave you stronger." Michael got up and strode away.

Magda's Mayne Island Mystery and Mayne Island Aliens are two adventure novels I've written about Magda, Brent and their friends who live on Mayne Island. Although meant for young readers, 9+, older readers can enjoy the books, as well. Remarks made by readers have been very positive. Here are two recent examples:

I just finished reading your book. I loved it! I've always enjoyed reading books from my childhood (I read my Beverly Cleary books just a few years ago during a trip home) so I had a lot of fun reading this. You're very talented! The story was wonderful and definitely a page turner. I'm excited to read your next book. Do you have plans for future books?

Hi Amber, I bought my daughter your book, 'Magda's Mayne Island Mystery' while we were on Mayne a couple summers ago, and she loved itso much she did a novel study on it for school. She also did an adorable diorama. So, I read the book too, and I just loved it!!Thanks!

My first picture book is being illustrated by Aislann O'Shaughnessy, with her inimitable drawings. It is a story written in verse, about Sylvie O'Southerly, a mother who has an adventure with a kite that carries her far from home. She meets an assortment of charming animals that help her return to her children, who are still playing on the beach.

A non-fiction book, Sundance School: An Alternative School of the 70s and 80s, is still about a year away from publication.

You can see other stories and articles I've written by going to links given on my website, www.treewithroots.ca

Happy reading.

Amber

I thought I'd give blogging a try. My chief focus has been my writing, especially the process of writing and self-publishing my second novel, Mayne Island Aliens. I wanted to shine a light on the highs and lows of writing, the times that the muse calls out to us and the times when her voice is just a whisper. I wanted to explore the things that inspire me to write, especially the children here on Mayne Island and all the other children I've known, my own "inner child," the memory of playing with my friends and the adventures that happened mostly in my imagination, as well as the beauty of my adopted home, Mayne Island.

Many of the books I enjoyed as a child, such as L.M.Montgomery's books like Anne of Green Gables, Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain, Treasure Island and Kidnapped by R.L.Stevenson, fed my imagination and made me yearn for my own adventures.

I think Mayne Island affords the children living here the same sort of freedom I had as a child, freedom my own children missed by living in a city. I hope that never changes.

Please support Island Businesses! Come to Miners Bay Books for both new & used books, gifts, toys, art and craft supplies, cds, dvds, jewellery, fairies & fun!

Casual Fine Dining on Pender Island. The best "on the water" dining experience on the island with fantastic views, great food and excellent service.