Tim Wynne-Jones: Canada ★ Author

“Fiction, the shape of fiction, with its literal Thresholds, trains the mind to recognize Life’s invisible truths and thus lends form to the chaos of living. ‘Somewhere meant for me’ is only reached through many such doorways, both real and fictional.”

Tim Wynne-Jones

Born in England in 1948, Tim Wynne-Jones was not always on the path to becoming an author. He emigrated to Canada in 1952, and knew from a young age that he wanted to become an architect. He studied in the architecture program at the University of Waterloo for three years before realizing that he was not meant to design physical structures, but instead was an “architect of the spirit.” He went about his newly discovered calling by creating stories, and rather than designing physical structures, he designs spiritual architecture in the minds of his readers.

Wynne-Jones tested the waters in various career fields before settling down as an author and creative writing instructor. After graduating from the University of Waterloo, he completed a Master’s degree in Visual Arts at York University, and worked first as a musician and subsequently as an art lecturer. As he developed his writing career, Wynne-Jones also enjoyed working as a creative writing lecturer, and has taught on the Master of Fine Arts program in Creative Writing for Children at Vermont College in 2002, the Banff Centre’s Writing with Style Program in 2003, and was a correspondence instructor at Humber College in 2006. He has been involved in other aspects of children’s literature, such as his regular contributions to the Globe and Mail as a children’s book columnist from 1985–1988.

Wynne-Jones’ early love of architecture is carried on throughout his writing, and each story he writes centers on an overall “floor plan” which guides the reader through its events. Wynne-Jones crafts his stories like architectural structures; each has beauty and purposefulness that stands the tests of time. With his understanding of children and his gentle humor, Wynne-Jones is able to create approachable and child-like tales from foundational Canadian histories, and he writes fiction for young people from every age group. His fiction typically explores the experiences of boys and young men, and although his stories often tackle solemn issues, his humor continually shines through.

Wynne-Jones has been honored with many literary awards, such as the Governor General’s Literary Award in 1995 and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award in 2011. He was also shortlisted for a second Governor General’s Literary Award in 2009. Wynne-Jones currently lives near Perth, Ontario with his wife, Amanda Lewis, the Artistic Director of the Ottawa School of Speech and Drama.