Alanna Rusnak lives on a little patch of untamable land in small town Ontario with her husband (of more than two decades), children (two of which still live at home), a rude cat (who thinks he is a bird), and a vintage van she's far too excited about (and will never stop celebrating).
Her debut novel was a finalist for the 2018 Kobo Emerging Writer Prize and named one of the top reader-recommended titles of 2017 by cbcbooks.ca.
She writes fiction in her office, an old chicken coop that has been renovated into a beautiful work space where she also runs an award-winning publishing company (for which she was named Most Influential Ontario Indie Publishing Businesswoman of 2024 by Acquisition International) and a literary arts magazine.
All I want is to create something beautiful. To make music with words, verses with rhythm, harmonies with synonyms...to create something from nothing, from empty space where no story lay before—this is what a writer does, they search for the extraordinary in all things.
I have been passionate about words from a young age - writing stories, journals, poems, and songs as long as I can remember.
I grew up before the internet, found solace in books and companionship with fictional characters. Gilbert Blythe and I had a wildly romantic affair during my early teen years!
I believe that life is story and that story is magic. If we open ourselves to receive it, the universe has plenty to go around. I share the ones that challenge me, that push me, and that nag at me until I have no choice but to record them without shying away from tough issues that might confront your world view.
If you enjoy any of my work, thank you.
If you support me by purchasing one of my books, thank you.
If you have shared my work with others, thank you.
If you don’t know why you’re here, stick around a while. I think we could become friends.
Storyteller|Creative|Pragmatic Romantic
Community Engagement
Author/Publisher in Residence for the West Grey Library, with monthly in-branch office hours on the third Wednesday of every month from 10:30-noon and bi-monthly Library Write/IN sessions
Children’s Work Convener for the local Agricultural Society, advocating for children’s creativity
Host of a 12 hour writing intensive at the Durham Art Gallery - two per year
West Grey has a thriving writers' community - join myself and a handful of amazing published authors for their take on the writing life!