Marlet Ashley, B.A., B.Ed., M.A., began her career as a T.A. in psychology at the University of Windsor and an instructor of psychology at St. Clair College of Applied Arts and Technology, Windsor, Ontario. After earning an M.A. in English Literature and Creative Writing at the U. of Windsor, she taught creative writing there as a sessional instructor. Moving to Vancouver, B.C. she was a tenured instructor of literature and composition at Kwantlen Polytechnic University, Surrey, B.C. Her most recent book, The Liberation of Oliver Rook (Austin Macauley Publishers $12.95), is a novel that follows the tumultuous life of Oliver Rook, trapped in a nightmarish existence with his oppressive wife, Mona. As their two children, Gavin and Gwendolyn, bear the brunt of Mona's cruelty, Oliver's attempts to seek help from various systems prove futile. The narrative escalates as Mona's malice reaches new heights, pushing Oliver to make a desperate promise. The story unfolds with unexpected twists as Oliver, driven by guilt, takes drastic measures to escape his torment, only to realize that he is capable of even darker deeds. Drawing inspiration from Winston Churchill's wisdom, Oliver embarks on a journey through hell, determined to find deliverance from the relentless grip of his past.

Marlet was one of three finalists for the 2012 John Kenneth Galbraith Literary Award for “A Garden of Marigolds;” Recipient of an honourable mention in the Lorian Hemmingway 2018 Short Story Competition for “Labor Day” and the 2020 Writers’ Digest Literary Short Fiction Contest for “Design.” Her short story “A Day’s Work” was performed at the 2021 Woodstove Festival in Cumberland, BC. “Scars,” a creative non-fiction piece written by Marlet was the winner of 3rd honourable mention in the contest issue, and her short story, “Labour Day” have both appeared in Canadian Stories. Her short story, “Design,” won first place in the 2022 Royal City Literary Arts Society’s Write On! Contest. Marlet lives with her husband, artist Pieter Molenaar, in Comox, BC.

BOOKS:

The Liberation of Oliver Rook (Austin Macauley Publishers, 2024) $12.95 9798886938623

The Right Kind of Crazy ( ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2018) $20.00 9781985885516

Must Be Christmas!: Christmas Magic on Vancouver Island (Createspace Independent Publishing Platform, 2012) $14.64 9781479365784

Penelope Piper's Great Adventure: when seashore creatures meet... (Createspace Independent Publishing Platform, 2013) $14.64 9781482338607

The Interlopers: Estuary birds' adventures (Createspace Independent Publishing Platform, 2013) $14.64 9781492111160

Trumpeters' Tribulations: Bad old days (Createspace Independent Publishing Platform, 2013) $14.64 9781492111795

Henri Sings the Blues: How to make friends (Createspace Independent Publishing Platform, 2014) $14.64 9781495470400

A Pirate's Life for Gabby (Createspace Independent Publishing Platform, 2015) $14.64 9781511825320

Literature and the Writing Process, Canadian Edition (Pearson Education Canada, 2004) $105.00 9780131203099

[BCBW 2024]