"Winter Renovations" by Sheila Koop

Sheila Koop writes poetry, short stories, bits of creative non­fiction and is currently working on a novel for preteens. Her poem “Purple Voyage” won first prize at the 2003 Elora Writer’s Festival Competition, and her short story, “The Arcana of Living Springs”, was awarded Honourable Mention for the 2014 Elora Writers Festival competition. Recent retirement from teaching has opened new writing opportunities and allowed her the time to follow her own fiction and creative non­fiction pursuits. Her inspiration comes from being near water, trees, birds and people – her writing tends to start with place, and then invites the characters and emotions.