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Home » About The Author

Margo Bates

You can take the girl out of the north, but you can’t take the north out of the girl. Who would want to? Margo Bates was born and raised in British Columbia’s Pacific Northwest. She lived there until she was in her late twenties.

She has a quick wit, and an unusual turn of phrase that captures the distinct voice of the north.

Margo is an experienced public speaker. Interviewers say she’s entertaining, engaging, and easy to talk to — a natural. As a publicist for more years than she wants to count, Margo understands the media’s needs and can keep the chat going. She also knows when to let the story tell itself.

She is the owner of Margo Bates Publicity Inc., a Vancouver-based public relations firm, and writes for a living. Margo lives in the Sunny South with her husband and family.

Besides writing, her hobbies include gourmet cooking, photography and travel. Margo invites you to visit her blog, and follow her on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. P.S. Don’t Tell Your Mother is available in paperback, e-book and audio book format. Her second book in the P.S. series, Queen of the Gated Community is due in the autumn of 2010. She's currently working on her third novel.  A compilation of family memories, recipes and anecdotes is in her cookbook, Favourite Recipes from the Telkwa Café, will be released in the spring of 2010.

A note from Margo…

Dear readers:

My stories are part fact, part fiction. My grandmother Nana Noonan wrote letters to me for over thirty years. So did my Aunt. It was from their chronicles of day-to-day life in Telkwa, B.C. Pop. 852, that I got the idea for this story, and to write in the form of letters.

Though they wrote people nearly every day, neither Nana Noonan nor my Aunt learned to fold a letter. They’d just grab the pile of pages and fold them until the paper fit the envelope.

It made for a reading experience beyond compare. The richness of their descriptions was pure entertainment. What they left out, we read between the lines. Most often they would write about the same thing. Nana wrote to me. My Aunt wrote to my Mom. We could compare the letters and find out the real story. I soon learned that some of the 'news' from Nana was not for immediate publication.

The incidents and events in my stories happened in one way or the other. Some of the physical descriptions of the area are changed, as are some of the dates.

While the characters are based on real people; they are mostly fictional composites. Any relationship to living people is shocking and purely co-incidental.

The Telkwa Barbecue and Smithers Fall Fair are actual events. If you’re ever up that way and have the chance, be sure to attend.

The Smithers Skating Club might exist in some form. The Ice Follies is purely fictional. Although there was a skater once …

My books are dedicated to my grandparents, parents, husband, kids and cousins, aunts and uncles, and friends, and all our dogs, past, present and future. Thanks for your love, friendship and support. Sincere thanks for the material!

The richness of life in the North Western part of British Columbia is truly something to be celebrated. We’re a unique lot. We have a distinct voice.

And, not to repeat myself (too much), as my husband says, ‘You can take the girl out of the north, but you can’t take the north out of the girl.’ He’s right. Who would in the heck would want to?

P.S. Always remember those who help you.  Here's my growing list: Russ Froese, Art & Frankie Bates, my "kids" - Ana & Karim, Rachael &Tommaso, Joel, Perry, Tyson, Corina & JT, my 'g-kids' - Dami  Z & Anna to be, plus Miss Inaara, Carol Froese & Bernard Fortune, Leanna MacDonald, Rhonda Norbirg, Patsy Kowan, Tammy Charles, Doug Johnson, Tamara Stanners & Lorne Badger, Jackie Davidson, Susie Meredith, Donna Hollings, "Grandma" Beth Arp, Agnes Johnson, Edie Groening, Stephanie Charles Hammond, John Adames, Tuija Seipell, Cheryl Wilson-Stewart, Kelly Stewart, Karen K. Merrell, Barbara Bell, Tamara Paulin, Gloria Macarenko, Randene Neill, Bill Johnson, Gordon Kirkland, Tim Bete, Susan Reinhardt, Sylvia Taylor, Matthew Patton, Kelly Barrow, Kelli Shute, Eli Richart, Virginia Bassett & Larry Stroh, Hugh Power, Ed Kenney Jr., John Chen-Wing, Tony Burke, Yumi Hirai, Karen Bowman, Asa Zanatta, Diane Askin, Angela McGregor, Terry Reid & Diane Johnson, Mike Whittingham, Sherrin Griffin, Karen Klasen, Randy Pruden, John Harris, Roland & Elaine Holtz, Dave & Claire Wadley, Gayle Seaman, Brian & Caroline Lennan, Susan Campbell, Rob Rose, Audrey Walsh