Who Is Susan Blacklin?
Susan grew up near London in the UK. Some folks said she was born with a pencil in her hand, as she loved to draw and write from an early age. She spent a great deal of time with her grandparents, who were avid gardeners; her father also enjoyed gardening. This is where Susan developed her love of gardening, from playing and reading in their gardens.
Susan immigrated to Canada and lived seventeen years in Winnipeg, then twenty-five years in Saskatchewan, before she eventually made her home on Vancouver Island.
Susan claims she has “done her time” living in the Prairies, where she was always too busy working and raising four children to ever pursue her love of art and writing. Once retired and living on the inspirational West Coast, Susan took many art classes with accomplished teachers and practiced developing her own style. She is not sure she has a trademark design as she loves trying new ideas.
At her daughter's suggestion, Susan began writing her memoirs and found the exercise very therapeutic. She took online creative writing classes, and an editor friend remarked after reading some of her work that “you have a book here.” This inspired Susan to focus on this period of her life, and she is humbled and proud that her first book was published by Caitlin Press and very well received.
She is currently writing her second book.
All royalties from Canadian sales of her first book will be donated equally to Keepers of the Water and Safe Drinking Water Foundation.
Expertise and Passion
Susan Blacklin is not only an author, but also an advocate for Indigenous rights. Her passion for this issue shines through in her paintings and writing, which is both informative and deeply moving.
Extensive Research
Susan's work is based on extensive research and firsthand experience. With her late husband, Dr. Hans Peterson, Susan has traveled across Canada to meet with Indigenous communities and learn about their struggles and triumphs.
Engaging Writing Style
Susan's writing is accessible and engaging, making complex issues easy to understand and compelling to read.
Susan’s water colour painting of Knut, her last, faithful Old English Sheepdog.
“Water Confidential: Witnessing Justice Denied - The Fight for Safe Drinking Water in Indigenous and Rural Communities in Canada”
The shocking truth about Canada’s ongoing water crisis and the government’s failure to provide safe drinking water to First Nations communities.
Susan reaffirms Maya Angelou’s quote: “There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you,” and that, once written, a story is even more satisfying.
In her first book, she shares the fifteen years during which she was supporting her late ex-husband’s pursuit of safe drinking water being available to Canadians in rural and First Nations communities. Her late ex-husband, Dr. Hans Peterson, developed a biological water treatment process for First Nations. She shares the indifference and what she sometimes felt was outright discrimination toward First nations as they attempted to make safe drinking water a reality for all Indigenous communities across Canada. She also touches on the emotional and personal toll that this time in her life took on her.
Canadian taxpayers should be alarmed at how their tax dollars have been spent.