Celebrate Indie Author Day at the Library

On Saturday, Nov. 15, join us and celebrate Indie Author Day at RHPL! Indie Author Day at the library offers a chance to promote and bring together local, independent authors and readers from our community. 

Indie authors enrich the literary world with diversity, innovation, and accessibility, providing readers with a wider range of choices and perspectives. 

Bring the family and hear local children's authors read from their books. We'll also have several drop in activities, including blackout poetry, and the chance to design your very own bookmark. 

Scroll down to view the list of indie authors who will be sharing their works during Indie Author Day.
 

Event details   Read-Aloud schedule 

Alene Sen

Alene Sen is a multidisciplinary artist, poet, and author based in Toronto, ON. With over 20 years of experience in literacy advocacy and community engagement, Alene’s work highlights the power of storytelling to strengthen connection and  awareness. Her work has appeared in various journals and anthologies. Rainbows in the Night: poems (2024) is her first poetry collection.

Alexandra Beige Blum

Alexandra Beige Blum is the artist and co-creator of the award winning comic Witch Hazel. A bi-racial queer illustrator and OCAD university grad, she is the founder of Dirty Laundry Collective, a Toronto-based crew of women of colour and LGBTQ+ artists. She’s also the lead artist for AL ARD, a Palestinian-owned brand designing streetwear staples of resistance.

Angela Van Breeman

Angela van Breemen is an author, poet, and soprano soloist. She's the former co-owner of a dental supply company and a graduate of the University of Guelph. She now writes, creates music, and volunteers at Procyon Wildlife. In 2024, she published first novel, Past Life’s Revenge, a crime thriller with a twist of spiritualism; and in November 2025, the second novel in the series, Revenge is Not Enough, will be released. Angela belongs to multiple writers’ organizations and lives in Loretto, Ontario with her husband, author Peter Thomas Pontsa.

Betty Stewart

Betty Stewart started a writing class at 79 years old, and published a book at the age of 88. She's worked as a secretary for several different firms, including a stint in London for two years. While there, she drove over 12,000 kilometres through Europe in a van purchased by her and her roommate for a mere seventy-five pounds. After working for 50 years, she retired to enjoy camping with her Scottish husband whom she met in London.

Frank Beghin

Frank Paul Beghin is a University of Toronto graduate and married father of two. His tales of fantasy and horror have appeared in both anthologies and ezines. His debut novel Sweet Creatures: A Trilogy of Terror was released in early June of 2025.

Howard Wong

The creator of Iron Man: Hong Kong Heroes and Damned, Cursed Children, Howard is a Joe Shuster Award-nominated comic writer and a National Geographic Mentor. He has extensive experience in IP and creative content development across animation, comics, toys, and video games, collaborating with industry leaders such as Bandai Namco, Bungie, Marvel Comics, National Geographic, and Threezero.

John Champaign

John Champaign has worked as a software developer and computer science professor. Although, he's frequently on the move with his beloved wife, he grew up in northern Ontario, Canada.

Ken Sparling

Ken Sparling is the author of eight novels, including Book, which was shortlisted for the Trillium Award, and Listen Stinky Poo Butt, which was handmade using discarded library books and a sewing machine. He's lived in Richmond Hill since he was a kid.

Michelle Richards-Graham

Michelle Richards-Graham writes bold, unapologetic stories for young adults (YA) about complicated relationships and the difficult decisions to be made in the middle of it all. Michelle wrote the first draft of her debut novel, It Could Never Happen to Me, when she was 14 after she had been molested. Writing was the only way she knew how to cope until she found the courage to tell someone what had happened to her. Throughout her career, Michelle has made multiple speaking appearances at schools and local events, and she also received an Arts Acclaim Award from her hometown, the City of Brampton, for her achievements in independent publishing. 

Peter Dennis

Peter Dennis is a past president of the Richmond Hill Board of Trade, the Human Resources Professionals Association of Windsor and District, and the Ontario Chapter of The International Graphoanalysis Society. He's a certified consulting hypnotist, a meditation teacher and a channeling facilitator who has worked as a human resources executive. As a college and university educator, he's taught courses in emotional intelligence, metaphysics and spiritual development. Peter continues to write, give talks, work with channelers, and teach spiritual development.

Peter Thomas Pontsa

After Peter Pontsa's career in the dental industry, he decided to develop his creative writing side. His novel Outfoxed was the first in his William Fox Adventure Series and was published in 2023. The second book, Sanctity of Freedom, was published this year. He is an avid British sports car enthusiasts, a former president of the Headwaters British Car Club and has a second-degree black-belt in taekwando. He lives in Loretto, Ontario with his author wife Angela van Breemen, and their orange tabby, Mr. Tee.

Raven Murphy

Raven Murphy is an author, storyteller, outdoor educator, and speaker whose work helps people reconnect with nature as a source of clarity, creativity, and connection. With a candid and humorous voice, she makes the outdoors feel accessible and inspiring in her books Shut Up and Listen: A No-BS Guide to Unlocking Nature’s Wisdom and Shut Up and Listen: Snow, Slush, and Sanity—A Guide to Redefining Winter in 31 Days. Raven also produces the podcast and companion albums Silence of the Season and Reflections of the Season, which blend story, music, and reflection to spark fresh perspectives. 

Richard Bercuson

Richard Bercuson is the Editor of the Brooklin Town Crier newspaper in Durham Region, and is a longtime newspaper and magazine writer, editor and columnist. He's a former teacher and a lifelong hockey coach and educator who has also written and produced multiple plays. His short story "Dead Run" was awarded a Crime Writers of Canada Awards of Excellence (Arthur Ellis Award). 

Roderick Turner 

Roderick D. Turner has an educational background in engineering and science and has worked in a variety of engineering roles for over 10 years. He has also been an Engineering Technology professor at Seneca College. Roderick began writing short stories in 1990, and has been writing ever since. His work now includes more than 150 short stories, as well as 14 novels and four audio plays. His writings can be classified as speculative fiction and includes sci-fi, general fiction, fantasy and space opera.

Tracy Tong

Tracy Tong is a romantic comedy author who believes love stories should be swoony, sassy, and just a little messy. When she's not writing, Tracy is probably plotting her next meet-cute from her home in Ontario, Canada.

Willie Handler

Willie Handler has reinvented himself on several occasions throughout his work career. He has been a hospital administrator, a government policy manager, an insurance expert, and consultant. Following his retirement from government roles, Willie began a writing career. He has published three fiction novels over the past few years. His latest book is a memoir focusing on growing up as a child of Holocaust survivors. Willie is active in Toronto’s Holocaust second generation and third generation survivor community, participating in educational programs, commemorative events, and group discussions.