When I was growing up, my mother enforced a rule in our house that Saturday trips to the local public library were mandatory. Although she wasn't an academic herself, she had the insight to push us into loving literature. So my brother, sister and I would walk down the street to the Albion Public Library and choose books for the week. I found myself absorbed in the fictional tales, lost in the settings and surrendered myself to the protagonist's struggles. It spurred my own craft, and when I wasn't reading I was writing my own stories. When my Grade 5 teacher gave me a certificate for story writing, I realized who I was. It took me a long time, but I needed to live before I could write. One day, I sat down in front of my computer, and the story came out. I hope you enjoy Brown Girl in the Room.