Leslie Vryenhoek
Writer ~ Editor ~ Communications Specialist
Writer
Leslie Vryenhoek is the author of three books and hundreds of essays, articles, stories and poems.
Her recent novel, Ledger of the Open Hand, is a story of family and friendship and the weight of love, sorrow and debt. Told through the eyes of a young woman trying to own her life, Ledger asks why we believe we can ever reconcile the balance sheet we call love.
The novel has won wide acclaim and was nominated for the Winterset Award and the Dublin Literary Award. Consumed by Ink says "Leslie Vryenhoek has made a book about an ordinary family and an ordinary life into a page-turner." Learn more about Ledger and how to get your copy.
Leslie's first fiction title, Scrabble Lessons, is a collection of stories about the desire that punctuates our most ordinary days. Her first collection of poetry, Gulf, explores longing and belonging in a transient world. Both were published by Oolichan Books.
Vryenhoek's fiction is tension around
a blaze; a fist holding a sapphire.
~Kathleen Winter
Leslie also founded and for six years directed Piper's Frith: Writing at Kilmory -- a writing retreat held in the fall on Newfoundland's spectacular Burin Peninsula. In 2016, she mentored a diverse group of fiction writers at the Frith.
Leslie is the acclaimed author of Scrabble Lessons?a collection of stories about the desire that punctuates our most ordinary days, and the moments of acute clarity on which whole lives pivot?and Gulf, a collection of poetry that explores longing and belonging in a transient world.
Her first novel, Ledger of the Open Hand, will be released in May 2015.
Her writing has won numerous, awards including the Winston Collins/Descant Prize for Best Canadian Poem in 2010, Arts & Letters Awards in both fiction and poetry, and the Dalton Camp Award.
Leslie is also the founding director of Piper's Frith: Writing at Kilmory, an intensive writing retreat held every October on Newfoundland's spectacular Burin Peninsula.
Leslie is the acclaimed author of Scrabble Lessons?a collection of stories about the desire that punctuates our most ordinary days, and the moments of acute clarity on which whole lives pivot?and Gulf, a collection of poetry that explores longing and belonging in a transient world.
Her first novel, Ledger of the Open Hand, will be released in May 2015.
Her writing has won numerous, awards including the Winston Collins/Descant Prize for Best Canadian Poem in 2010, Arts & Letters Awards in both fiction and poetry, and the Dalton Camp Award.
Leslie is also the founding director of Piper's Frith: Writing at Kilmory, an intensive writing retreat held every October on Newfoundland's spectacular Burin Peninsula.
Editor
Leslie provides substantial and stylistic editing services. Clients range from publishers, authors and researchers to international non-profits and cultural organizations. Her communications background makes her a highly strategic editor with insight into how tone, language and structure intersect with audience and interpretation.
Recent projects include rewriting websites for The Rooms in St. John's and for the international research organization WIEGO, and substantively editing Kate Evans' acclaimed 2016 novel The Inward Journey, as well as other works of non-fiction, fiction and poetry.
Contact Leslie by email.
Communications Consultant
Leslie has two decades of communications experience, encompassing issues management, media relations, strategic planning, event planning and publicity.
She's led communications during high-profile natural disasters and reputational crises; helped large and small organizations develop their profiles; produced brochures, newsletters, presentations and ads to meet strategic needs; written articles across a wide section of topics; conducted media training; and publicized hundreds of successful events.
From 2010-15, she provided communications, writing and editing support to WIEGO, an international network that improves the lives of poor working women through mobilization, research and policy reform. Read some of Leslie's Workers' Lives profiles.
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Leslie also helped develop and implement a communications strategy to garner widespread interest in First World War programming at The Rooms. Previously, she held provincial and national public affairs portfolios for the Canadian Red Cross, managing media relations and communications during high-profile disasters (1998-2005/2008-09). She also coordinated communication for both the University of Winnipeg (1994-1998) and Memorial University (2005-10), and created emergency communications plans for large institutions.
Contact Leslie by email.