Faith Richardson

Faith Richardson can’t remember a time when she was not fascinated by stories—imagined, experienced, shared. And what magic when words typed on a page spring to life! As a young author, she was privileged to be mentored by the poet Luci Shaw, writer Madeleine L'Engle (author of Newbery Award winner, A Wrinkle in Time) and to assist Madeleine L’Engle in writer's work- shops in Vancouver, Canada, and Oxford, England. Along with books, animals have always filled her life. Fable and Walter (Dalmatians), Parry the tabby cat, horses, goats and chickens make their home at Fox Song Farm, where Faith and her husband live surrounded by trees on Vancouver Island. The forest and animals become happily entwined in many of Faith’s stories. Faith's doctorate is in advanced nursing practice (DNP) and she practiced as a family nurse practitioner, ecotherapist, and educator. Faith’s approach to therapy, teaching, and writing grows out of a tradition of healing arts that recognizes the nature connection and the power of story. Faith has published most recently in the medical field (Elsevier) and previously had YA novels published by Harold Shaw Publishers and Hodder & Stoughton (under her birth name Fay S. Lapka). She also self- published YA novels under her own imprint Fox Song Books, one of which, The Peacock's Stone, won the 2005 Eric Hoffer award. Now, as Faith is slowly retiring from practice, she is joyfully plunging back into the kidlit writing world!

www.fait