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About Heather Mallett

Valiant Be–a memoir of fortitude in the face of adversity–is a collection of short stories and vignettes that begin with the author’s childhood growing up in a gristmill in rural Ontario. 
The Mill was located on the outskirts of Toronto, which in 1941 had a population of 645,000. The stories include some of the hazards of living in close proximity to a stretch of the Don River north of Steeles Avenue, as well as the perils of school, summertime, university, marriage, motherhood and beyond.
 
Here is an excerpt from one of the stories,

WALLS OF WATER, in Valiant Be:
 
"The troughs of the waves were so deep, it was like being in between two walls of water. Nothing but turquoise blue surrounded our kayak. We were surely going to drown.
 
A swell lifted our kayak, allowing us to see our guides in the distance, on another crest, wildly gesturing for us to turn back. But how could we? My years of experience as a flat-water canoeist in Ontario had not prepared me, or my husband, John, for anything like rip tides or countervailing winds on the Pacific Ocean. The incoming tide pulled us, while the wind pushed us. We bobbed around on the sea, cork-like and powerless. …"

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STORIES AND ARTICLES PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED

  • Blueberry, Cross Country Short Stories about an old Car by Ed Janzen, Gentle Edge Publishing Company Ltd. 2021, pages 55 -57

  • Joan Fierro, Canadian Stories, Vol. 24 #133, 2021, p. 26

  • Rollway Rapids, Canadian Stories, Vol. 22 #129, 2019, p.10

  • Crosstalk, Ottawa Section of the Anglican Journal, March 2009, p. 16: A Response to Psalm 25

  • Bound and Lettered, April 2007, Vol. 6, #1, pp 28, 29, Two-page, illustrated article on collaboration: Joy in the Making

  • Canadian Living Magazine, December 2001, p. 264: 600-word essay, All the Dear Children

  • Parry Sound Beacon Star, August 11, 2001, p. 4, Essay: The Best Bathroom Window

  • Spring Splendour: Point of View Column, The Ottawa Citizen, City Editorial page, May 18, 2000

  • Book reviews in John Neal’s Newsletter from Greensboro, NC, Review of seven books on Creativity and the Creative Process, including books by Julia Cameron, Corita Kent and Peter London, April 1994, p. 2, also review of the book Color Choices by Stephen Quiller, and full-page article on the uses of watercolor in calligraphy, November 1991, pp 1, 2

  • Five brief reviews of instructional drawing books, April 1990, p.1

  • Coronation Program, Commonwealth Youth Movement, (UK) June 1953, 79 pages, An original poem, To England and Our Queen (p. 2)

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AUTHOR

BACKGROUND/

EDUCATION

  • Accredited Post Graduate Studies completed: Group Dynamics 1 (IPA 5129) Saint Paul University, 1993

  • Poetry Workshop (291) Carleton University, 1988/89

  • Celtic Studies (CLT 3999) Guided Research: Sources of Zoomorphism in Insular Manuscript Ornament, 58 page original research paper, University of Ottawa, 1985

  • Canadian Art II (3343) University of Ottawa, 1984

  • Life Drawing (Art 2100), University of Ottawa, 1983

  • Summer Institute in Art Therapy (EDU 420S), 60 hours, Simmons College, Boston, 1978

  • Art History, Eskimo Art (11.307A) Carleton University, 1975/76

  • Psychology (4.367N) Behaviour Disorders of Childhood, Carleton University, 1974/75

  • Secondary School Specialist Certificate in Art, Ontario Ministry of Education, 1974

  • Elementary Teacher’s Certification (Ontario), 1961

  • B.A., (Psychology major) University of Toronto: 1958

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