Ten Stories That Worried My Mother

Ten Stories That Worried My Mother chronicles a 40-year literary journey that began with the publication of Winona Kent's first short tale, Tower of Power-about one night in the life of a rock and roll radio newsman-which won first prize in Flare Magazine's fiction competition in 1982.The journey finishes with two mysteries starring Winona's professional musician/amateur sleuth, Jason Davey: Salty Dog Blues and Blue Devil Blues, the former being shortlisted for the Crime Writers of Canada's Awards of Excellence for Best Crime Novella in 2021.Between these two milestones are seven more pieces of short fiction featuring an unhinged Saskatchewan farmer; a bored secretary in England taking on an opinionated tea lady named Mrs. Thatcher; a shy high school kid with a crush on his soon-to-be-married social studies teacher; a creative writing instructor whose main claim to fame is one episode of the 1960s tv spy series, The Man from U.N.C.L.E.; a subversive temp working at a Canadian government office responsible for administering grants for cows; and two adventures featuring Winona's time-travelling romantic heroes Charlie Duran and Shaun Deeley.The collection includes four prize-winners, three mysteries, two previously unpublished works and one where the hero manages to spare-change John Lennon at the premiere of A Hard Day's Night in 1964.And yes, these stories really did worry Winona's mother… Winona Kent was born in London, England. She immigrated to Canada with her parents at age three, and grew up in Regina, Saskatchewan, where she received her BA in English from the University of Regina. After settling in Vancouver, she graduated from UBC with an MFA in Creative Writing. More recently, she received her diploma in Writing for Screen and TV from Vancouver Film School.Winona has been a temporary secretary, a travel agent, the Managing Editor of a literary magazine and a Program Assistant at the School of Population and Public Health at UBC. Her writing breakthrough came many years ago when she won First Prize in the Flare Magazine Fiction Contest with her short story about an all-night radio newsman, Tower of Power. More short stories followed, and then novels: Skywatcher, The Cilla Rose Affair, Cold Play, Persistence of Memory, In Loving Memory, and Marianne's Memory. Winona began her Jason Davey Mystery series in 2017 with the novella, Disturbing the Peace. Two further novels followed: Notes on a Missing G-String and Lost Time. Ticket to Ride is the fourth book in Jason Davey series.Winona lives in New Westminster, British Columbia where she is the BC/YK/NWT Representative for the Crime Writers of Canada as well as an active member of Sisters in Crime.