Simon's novel “The House of Wives," inspired by the lives of his mixed race family was published by Penguin Canada and Penguin India in 2016. His short stories have appeared in Ricepaper magazine and short fiction won the Friends of White Rock Library’s Writing Contest in 2015 and also the Surrey Writers' Club award. Simon was born and raised in Hong Kong and educated in Canada at McMaster University ‘72. He did post graduate theatre studies in New York, returning to Canada to work as an artistic director, director and playwright most recently as the Executive and Artistic Director of the Gateway Theatre in Richmond, BC. In 2011 he was awarded Richmond’s Cultural Leadership Award. Recently retired from the Gateway Theatre in 2012 where he was made the company's first Artistic Director Emeritus. He now lives in South Surrey, B.C. with his wife Sheila and their sybaritic cat Dash working on his next novel. www.simonjohnston.ca
My book is inspired by my ancestors who lived in 19th century Hong Kong and were opium merchants. My presentation is on "The House of Wives" a novel that tells the story of class, culture and romance in a British colony. The presentations gives the context on the opium trade through photos, then introduces the real characters in the book and ends with how much the narrative is fact and how much is fiction.
My book is inspired by my ancestors who lived in 19th century Hong Kong and were opium merchants. My presentation is on "The House of Wives" a novel that tells the story of class, culture and romance in a British colony. The presentations gives the context on the opium trade through photos, then introduces the real characters in the book and ends with how much the narrative is fact and how much is fiction.
