The Kitchener-Waterloo Region is quietly becoming a literary hot spot, thanks to a wave of local authors bringing fresh energy to the bookshelf. Fantasy lovers are diving into The Phoenix Legacy by Winter H. Rayne, where magical creatures and complex world-building collide. Meanwhile, romance readers are swooning over Sara Clement’s Run, Love, Repeat series—a feel-good blend of heart, hustle, and healing. And for those with little readers (or just a love of lyrical prose), Jennifer Harris is crafting beautifully written children’s books that tug at the heartstrings. These KW-based authors are putting local lit on the map—and honestly, it’s about time.
We caught up with these talented local authors to chat about their favorite spots around the city, where they find creative inspiration, and what books are currently on their nightstands. Here’s what they shared.
Jennifer Harris
Author of: The Witching Hour – Releasing: June 24, 2025
How long have you lived in the Region?
After a decade in the Maritimes, we landed in Waterloo about 12 years ago, and have no plans to move again. My husband is from New Hamburg, so we knew we were making a great choice! There’s so much going on here—The New Quarterly literary journal has an annual writing festival, and we can always find an exhibit or talk we want to go to at one of the galleries.
Do you have any favourite places to write in the Region?
I’m lucky to live within walking distance of fantastic coffee shops in uptown Waterloo, perfect for writing and revising: Pilot, LÀ LÁ Bakeshop, Seven Shores. They’re also great places to meet with writer friends and talk about what we’re working on. There’s an amazing number of award-winning children’s authors here—people have joked there must be something in the water. When Anna Humphrey needed to go bowling for a book, we met up at AMF Frederick Lanes. We might not have been great, but we tried.
Are there any people, places or things that have inspired your work?
It’s the smaller moments as a parent that often inspire my picture books. Do you have a baby who gets cranky at night? That’s my new book! Have you ever tried to convince a child they’ve already accomplished a lot, and shouldn’t be scared to try new things? I’ve got you covered! My goal is to write books that children will find fun, and parents won’t get tired of reading for the seventy-fifth time.
What are you currently reading?
I just finished Vinh Nguyen’s excellent memoir, The Migrant Rain Falls in Reverse. I picked it up at the Waterloo Public Library launch, and then couldn’t put it down. Next up is the young adult novel Catfish Rolling by Clara Kumagai—I know I’m going to have to fight my teenager for it.
Tell us about your most recent book:
A family of witches desperately tries to entertain a cranky baby in this delightful picture book for fans of cozy covens and books like Go the F**k to Sleep. In the witching hour between dinner and bedtime, anything can happen laughter, tears, fun screaming, not-fun screaming . . . parents, siblings, pets and neighbors are all familiar with this dreaded time of day. What happens when that cranky baby is part of a family of witches? Turns out, it’s pretty much the same, except sometimes the toys levitate and the soothing songs sound a little different . . .
Where can you buy it?
Available at Indigo, Amazon and most places books are sold
Sara Clement
Author of: Get Me to the Starting Line
How long have you lived in the region?
I have lived in the Waterloo region since I was eleven. I moved away for some years, but I always knew I wanted to settle here. My husband and I moved back with our three kids in 2017, and now we live in Wellesley.
Do you have favourite places to write in the region?
Our town has a beautiful boutique shop called Grammy’s where I hosted my first book launch and it’s being converted into Resolute Smoothie & Espresso Bar and I’m really excited to be able to use the space to edit and possibly hold more book events.
Are there any places in the region that have inspired your work?
This is a bit of an opposite answer, but my work inspired me to run my first ultramarathon, which I ran this past May in Shades Mill. My first book is a running romcom where two ultramarathoners fall in love, and while I am a long-distance runner, I had never done an ultra before. After I published, I decided to see if there was anything in the area and I came across Conquer the Canuck.
What are you currently reading?
I’m currently reading Suzanne Collin’s Sunrise on the Reaping and Katie Van Brunt’s For the Show.
Tell us about your most recent book:
My latest book, Get Me to the Starting Line, is the second book in my running romcom trilogy. It picks up where the first book, See You at the Finish Line, ends, but this time follows Leah Harrison, a single mother who embodies what it means to be an older sister. She’s fiercely loyal, smart, and completely terrible at asking for and accepting help. She’ll do anything for her sister, which includes taking up running, something she thought she’d never do.
Luckily for us, she runs into (quite literally) a dark and handsome goalie who makes a terrible first impression. Julien is a French-Canadian goalie for the fictional NHL team, the Whales. Leah might not have the best opinion of him to start but all that changes when Julien helps her accomplish something she’d never thought she’d do and helps get her to the starting line.
The third and final book in the Run, Love, Repeat series, I’ll Be on the Sidelines, will be released in December 2025.
Where can you buy it?
Available on Amazon Canada
Winter H. Rayne
Author of: The Phoenix Legacy
How long have you lived in the region?
I’ve lived in the KW/Cambridge my whole life so just over 40yrs.
What inspires your writing?
I began my writing journey about five years ago, balancing it alongside the joys and responsibilities of raising four children and running a business. Inspiration has a way of finding me in the most unexpected moments—whether it’s at 3 or 4 a.m. after waking from a vivid dream, during quiet drives to work, or in the middle of sharing bedtime stories with my children. I’ve learned to embrace these moments, pulling over when I need to write something down or exploring new ideas in conversation with my family. Writing, for me, isn’t confined to a desk—it happens anywhere and everywhere creativity sparks.
Much of the inspiration for my book comes from my dreams and the everyday moments I share with my children. Their imagination and curiosity often breathe life into the worlds I create.
What are you currently reading?
At the moment, I’m immersed in three fantasy novels, all of which draw influence from Chinese mythology and the storytelling style of manhua. I find these richly woven narratives both inspiring and creatively energizing.
Tell us about your most recent book:
My book follows the journey of a phoenix who has fled to Earth with her gravely wounded dragon husband. Once a healer, she now finds herself alone, thrust into a world where she must evolve into a warrior. As she fights to protect her family and find a way back to her kingdom, she embarks on a deeply personal quest—one of strength, identity, and self-discovery. Her mission is not only to reclaim her home and purge the demons that have overrun it, but to uncover who she truly is and the power that has always lived within her.
Where can you buy it?
Available on Amazon Canada
