Insights, News & Resources

Join former CBC journalist James Hees at Audreys Books for a special meet and greet and book signing featuring his memoir, Born to be Mild.

AI can be an incredible tool for writers, helping with everything from spelling and grammar to research and brainstorming. But when we start asking AI to rewrite and polish our prose, something important can get lost along the way: the author's voice. Your writing doesn't need to be perfect, but it does need to sound like you.

Sometimes the road changes us long before we realize we needed to change. A journey can begin as an escape, an adventure, a retreat, or simply a change of scenery. But somewhere along the way, something shifts. We find clarity. We heal. We rediscover a part of ourselves we thought we had lost. We make a decision that changes the direction of our lives. Wanderlust Chronicles is now accepting submissions for our upcoming anthology, Roads to Renewal. We are looking for women wit

Join us in beautiful Puerto Vallarta for the Wanderlust Writers Retreat 2026, a week of writing, workshops, books, culture, connection, and adventure. Join us for the full retreat or choose the events that inspire you most.

Born to be Mild is what Hees calls a “misremembered memoir,” a darkly humorous look back at a youth spent standing uncomfortably close to danger. Told with sharp wit and self-deprecating humour, Hees revisits the remarkable characters, near misses and unexpected turns that ultimately shaped his life.