It all began in an elevator in Parkdale…

An exasperated woman entered the elevator in my cousin’s old apartment building. As the woman stepped into the elevator, she hollered, “Mango! Stella!”  Startled at first, I wondered who would name their child ‘Mango’. In response to the woman’s shouts, two tiny, so-ugly-they-were-cute pooches came scurrying into the elevator.

And that was it. I was officially inspired. Yes, by these two quirky animals with their loveable names, wagging their tails, sniffing around my ankles (a little too closely). And I thought to myself, standing in the tight, stuffy middle-of-summer elevator, if I ever had a small business I would call it Mango&Stella after these two little creatures.

Enough said. What about the facilitator? 

I have a post-graduate diploma in journalism and my writing has been featured in various publications such as, This Magazine, Post City Magazines, The East York Mirror and The Etobicoke Guardian to name a few. I’ve written about topics ranging from art, international adoption to Canadian politics.

I’m just another writer in the city like yourself! I’m based in Toronto scribbling away at short stories and a novel. Much of my creative work is memoir writing but I like to dabble in everything. I am an aspiring novelist just looking to keep things creative!

What else do I need to know? 

Mango&Stella is a labour of love for writing and living creatively! Most importantly, it’s a space for positivity, inspiration and cultivating a community where everyone and their work is welcome to encourage, take creative risks and write!