*** Latest Review from The Hamilton Spectator ***
Catherine Astolfo retired in 2002 after a very successful 34 years in education, during which time she served in several capacities – Teacher, President and Teacher Welfare Officer of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Elementary (OECTA) Unit of Dufferin-Peel, Vice Principal and Principal. Catherine received the Elementary Dufferin-Peel OECTA Award for Outstanding Service in 1998. She was also awarded Dufferin-Peel Catholic Elementary Principal of the Year in 2002 by the Catholic Principals Council of Ontario.
In addition to her career as an educator, Catherine is a qualified trainer for the Myers-Briggs Personality Inventory and spent many years speaking and leading workshops around Ontario, both in business and in education. Thus she is comfortable presenting to adults and children alike. Described by her colleagues as a “dynamic, fascinating speaker”, these skills would be extremely useful for book promotion purposes.
Catherine has always aspired to be a published writer. She can recall writing fantasy stories for her classmates in Grade Three. Her short stories and poems have been published in a number of small Canadian presses. In 2005, her book The Bridgeman was published by our company, Sisbro & Co. Inc. (of which Catherine is a co-owner), and immediately sold the three hundred copies printed. It was obvious early on that far more than three hundred could have been sold, had we been in a position to do more marketing.
The feedback regarding the novel was tremendous. In 2006, Catherine was given an Arts Award from the City of Brampton to honour the 2005 novel.
A year later, the readers of The Bridgeman were begging Catherine for Book Two. The result was the self-published Book Two entitled Victim and the third manuscript, in progress, entitled called Legacy.
Catherine is a personable presence and dynamic speaker who has a huge following for the “Emily Taylor Mysteries”. Her writing skills and her own personality are a publicity agent’s dream.
Catherine is a member of The Crime Writers of Canada and Sisters in Crime.