Welcome to the official website of Liza Potvin, an acclaimed author, poet, and educator whose voice resonates through a diverse range of literary forms. Liza’s writing draws upon her rich international upbringing and vast academic experiences, offering readers stories and insights that are deeply reflective and thought-provoking. Her work spans multiple genres, including creative nonfiction, fiction, poetry, and drama, and has been celebrated in literary circles for its emotional depth, authenticity, and lyrical style.
Liza’s unique background, from growing up on Canadian Air Force bases in Europe to her extensive education at universities across North America and Europe, has infused her writing with a broad, multicultural perspective. Her award-winning memoir White Lies (for my mother) earned the prestigious Edna Staebler Creative Nonfiction Award, showcasing her talent for blending personal history with universal themes. Over the years, she has continued to captivate readers with a wide variety of works, including The Traveller’s Hat, Cougarman Percy Dewar, and Dog Days, each of which explores different facets of the human experience.
In addition to her books, Liza’s poetry and short stories have appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies, earning her accolades such as Best Story from Quarry Magazine and First Place for Fiction from Zygote Magazine. Whether through prose, poetry, or drama, her writing consistently delves into themes of identity, place, and memory.
Now living in Nanaimo, B.C., Liza has not only made her mark as a writer but also as a dedicated educator, teaching English and Creative Writing for over two decades before embarking on a new path as a massage therapist. This website offers a glimpse into Liza’s world — past, present, and future — as she continues to explore the intersections of body, mind, and story.
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Liza Potvin’s Bio:
Liza Potvin was born on a Canadian Air Force base in France, raised there and in Denmark, studying at Odense Universitetet, Université de Toulon, University of Montana, University of Calgary, Queen’s University, and McMaster University (Ph.D., 1991). She won the 1992 Edna Staebler Creative Nonfiction Award for White Lies (for my mother) (NeWest). Her books include The Traveller’s Hat (Raincoast, 2003), Cougarman Percy Dewar (Trafford, 2005), and Dog Days (Louise Hamilton, 2010). Her poems and stories have appeared in journals such as The New Quarterly, Pulp Literature, Quarry Magazine (Best Story, 2000), Zygote Magazine (First Place, Fiction 2001), Descant, A Room of One’s Own, The Antigonish Review, CV II, The Grist Mill, LitWit, Crash, and in anthologies like Outskirts: Women Writing from Small Places, Visions and Echoes: Patterns of Transcendence Among Canadian Women Writers, and Islands West: Stories from the Coast. Her choreographed play Wings was produced in 2008, and she’s written numerous essays, both personal and academic. Most recently she received a BC Arts Council grant to complete her first novel. She lives in Nanaimo, B.C., where she taught English and Creative Writing for 25 years before changing careers to become a massage therapist.