Living My Best Life!

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Susie Helme Review

About Me

A writer, a traveller, an adventurer, a dog mom—that’s me, happily exploring the world from prehistoric times right up to now. Over the decades, I have explored the Americas primarily, although in my teens and early 20s, I travelled in Europe and the Middle East. That travel has been one of the things inspiring my writing. I have written poetry, stage plays, short stories, novels, plus zillions of non-fiction articles and two histories—all published or produced. My non-fiction has been on housing, social, and women’s issues, plus legal information for the general public in my role as Editor-in-Chief of LawNow Magazine.

My love affair with Latin America

As is obvious from the photos above, I am in love with Latin America, especially Peru and Guatemala, the countries where I have spent the most time. But I’ve enjoyed all of the South and Central countries I have travelled in. I have been blessed by the wonderful Latin Americans I have met, become friends with, lived with, volunteered with, helped build new schools with. My Dance Me a Revolution, is set in the Andes. It grew over the decades from a two minute conversation with my guide at 16,000 feet on the Salkantay trek in 1987, a conversation that went like this:

Me: “I heard you went to university. What did you study?”

Guide: Oh we were all revolutionaries then. They closed the university.”

It tells the story of a family of indigenous South Americans trying to survive through a difficult time in their country, while also leading treks—for two N. Americans in this story. It’s not an easy story, but one that celebrates the strength of the human spirit.

My most recent novel, Beware When the Cormorants Dance, stars characters from Dance Me a Revolution, but isn’t a sequel. A trip to Peru that included long walks in the coastal desert inspired the notion that Rosa and Kelly would travel to the North Coast desert and all its hidden wonders. And watching marinera dancers made the notion of a journey to the Trujillo Marinera Festival essential. Hope all my readers love this story as much as I have.

I’ve been lucky enough to trek in Peru and Bolivia in 1987, to tour in 2019, and to volunteer with two different organizations that help poor children, the future of South America. I taught English with photography to campesino children in Peru during six separate month long visits, and helped both physically and financially to build their new school, partly so I didn’t have to teach in the yellow brick hut with the family chickens or in the burro paddock with the burros.

I also had great fun being a temporary co-ordinator of a telecentre for Los Chicos de la Calle, homeless children in Esmeraldas Ecuador, teaching ESL, computers, and helping them make a video of themselves during an eight week stay. These children didn’t have shoes to wear, houses to live in, never mind mirrors, so seeing themselves on video seemed to be wonderfully exciting to them.

Many people, especially in poor countries, live with poverty, racism, and danger unimaginable to even poorer citizens in privileged western democracies like Canada. No matter how difficult my life has been at times, l’ve never feared for my life. With a dog beside me, as big as my Goldens or as small as my Cavalier, I’ve always had a companion that I could keep safe and that would bark up a storm if they sensed any problems.The urban street children in Ecuador were often frightened, but always resourceful hard-working kids with a thirst for education that might improve their future. In Peru, poverty and inequality, especially in the rural Andes, have led to many revolutions over the centuries. But the people of the Andes are always loving and kind. I love and respect them all, regardless of their political philosophies.

If you want to ask me questions about my novels Beware When the Cormorants Dance or Dance Me a Revolution, or my earlier novels and non-fiction, you can do so at mildonml@gmail.com. I also answer questions about the writing process when asked on email.

Publishing History

Dance Me A Revolution –soon to be ebook, watch this space

WINning: The Trials, Tribulations and Triumphs of Opening a Women’s Shelter (2020)

“What an interesting read – on so many levels – not the least of which is  – as the Margaret Mead quote states –  ’never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world’.  The book gave insight into the times…women’s issues….social issues…political influences…”  Laura from Edmonton Community Foundation

The Great Canadian Diamond Rush and Arctic Mirage (2010) poetic stories self-published, most previously published in literary magazines.

Stalking the Goddess Ship. (1999) Vermont, USA: New Victoria Publishers.

Fighting for Air. (1995) Vermont, USA: New Victoria Publishers, (loosely based on my wonderful 15 years as a scuba diving instructor, though minus the murders here & in Stalking the Goddess Ship).

The Case of the Purloined Socks. (1995) Edmonton AB: Catalyst Theatre.

Adventures in Figleaf Gardens. (1994) Northern Alberta Tour: Catalyst Theatre (1991) Edmonton AB: Catalyst Theatre

A Wealth of Voices: A History of the Edmonton Social Planning Council 1939-1990

Lightning Strike. Workshop West Theatre (1984) Edmonton AB: Access Theatre of the Air, Access Radio; (1986) New York: New York Women’s Theatre Co.; (1984) (loosely based on the first teacher’s strike in Edmonton, led by Mary Crawford, a highly respected Edmonton teacher.