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Author of the Month: Remembering Cindy Cherry — a Daughter’s Tribute, a Lasting Legacy

A loving daughter, animal advocate, and determined storyteller, Cindy Cherry leaves behind a powerful legacy with her final tribute to her father, Don Cherry

While hockey fans may know her as Don Cherry’s daughter, those closest to Cindy remember her as a passionate advocate for animal welfare and health causes. She was a founder of Don Cherry’s Pet Rescue Foundation, dedicating much of her life to saving and supporting animals in need.

At Tellwell, our Author of the Month features usually spotlight writers and their creative journeys. This month’s feature is a little different—and deeply special. It’s a tribute to Cynthia Margaret “Cindy” Cherry, an author, daughter, mother, and passionate advocate who left an indelible mark both in print and in life.

Cindy Cherry, the daughter of legendary hockey coach and media personality Don Cherry, passed away unexpectedly on July 15, 2024, at the age of 67. While the loss is felt profoundly by those who loved her, including her father Don, son Del, and brother Tim, it also reverberates through the Canadian literary and sports communities, who had only just begun to discover her voice through her debut book.

Cindy’s book, The Don Cherry Story, is not just another hockey biography. It’s an intimate, unfiltered, and fiercely loyal account of Don Cherry’s life as seen through the eyes of the person who perhaps knew him best. From his coaching days with the Boston Bruins to his decades-long tenure on Hockey Night in Canada, Cindy was there, taking notes and witnessing history unfold.

The book doesn’t shy away from controversy, including a candid account of her father’s highly publicized firing from Coach’s Corner in 2019. In a chapter titled “Poppygate,” Cindy offers her family’s side of the story, one of heartbreak, loyalty, and resilience.

More than a biography, the book is a love letter from a daughter to her father, and to the Canadian hockey culture that shaped them both. Released in April 2025, coinciding with the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the book quickly soared to the top of several Amazon.ca categories, reaching #1 in Hockey Biographies, Memoirs, and New Releases.

While hockey fans may know her as Don Cherry’s daughter, those closest to Cindy remember her as a passionate advocate for animal welfare and health causes. She was a founder of Don Cherry’s Pet Rescue Foundation, dedicating much of her life to saving and supporting animals in need. Inspired by a rescue dog named Lucy, Cindy’s compassion extended beyond words and into tireless action.

In her youth, she made a life-changing decision to donate a kidney to her brother Tim, a gesture emblematic of the selflessness that would define her life. Cindy also spent over a decade working with the Kidney Foundation of Canada, championing awareness and support for those battling kidney disease.

Cindy’s passing came just as she was preparing to release not one, but two books. While she didn’t live to see her work in readers’ hands, her son Del and the Cherry family made sure her dream was realized. A second book, planned for release this Christmas, will continue Cindy’s storytelling legacy.

As Del poignantly said, “This is her story, through her eyes.” And through her eyes, we’re invited not only to see Don Cherry as a national figure but as a father, a mentor, and a man deeply rooted in family tradition.

We honour Cindy Cherry not only as an author but as a woman of conviction, compassion, and courage. Her book reminds the importance of telling one’s truth, and to the enduring power of love, compassion, and loyalty.

In her memory, a portion of the proceeds from The Don Cherry Story will support Don Cherry’s Pet Rescue Foundation, ensuring that Cindy’s legacy of kindness lives on.

Cindy Cherry reminded us that stories matter, especially the ones told from the heart. At Tellwell, we’re proud to have been part of her publishing journey and to celebrate her as our Author of the Month.

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Author Success - In the media, awards, reviews

April Applause: Celebrating Our Authors’ Stories

Every month, we love taking a moment to recognize the achievements of our Tellwell authors. This April we’re celebrating five-star reviews and a well-earned award, and spotlighting one of our incredible storytellers.

Let’s look at some of the highlights and give a round of applause to the authors who continue to inspire us!

Publicity

Tellwell author Cindy Cherry has been making headlines with her book The Don Cherry Story, a heartfelt tribute to her father. Featured in Toronto Sun and Yardbarker, the book is a celebration of Cindy’s life with the iconic hockey coach and commentator.

Don Cherry, one of Canada’s most well-known and controversial figures, is best known for his outspoken opinions on hockey and politics. Cindy provides a frank account of his career, from his days as a player and coach to his rise as a broadcaster, and his impact on the hockey world and his family.

In a moving social media post, Don Cherry expressed, “This year has been the hardest of my life. I miss her every day, but I know she’s with me in spirit.”

This new book adds a personal layer to Cherry’s career, shedding light on his life beyond the public persona and offering an intimate look at a complex, influential figure.

Book Award

We’re happy to share that Peter Gribble has won a Gold Medal from The BookFest Awards in the Literary Sci-Fi & Fantasy category for his book Within.

Within is a richly imagined story that blends speculative fiction with deep, literary themes—truly a standout in its genre. Peter’s has published three books with Tellwell in the City of the Magicians series: Threat, Within, and Quickening.

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Tellwell Books

Celebrating Easter with Uplifting Reads

As we welcome the Easter season, it’s the perfect time to slow down, reflect, and enjoy a meaningful read. Whether you’re looking for stories of hope, healing, or personal transformation, these books offer thoughtful perspectives that resonate with the spirit of renewal Easter brings.

New Beginnings by Alysha Smith

New Beginnings is a no-holds-barred collection of personal stories, sharing my truths, lessons, and insights to inspire and support you on your own journey. Written for moms, those who’ve faced loss or abandonment, and anyone struggling to live with purpose, this book is for you. You matter, you are loved, and I hope you find your passion and live it every day. Thank you for letting me be part of your journey.

A Journey of Faith by Job Simukonda

A Journey of Faith shares a true story of struggle, patience, and unwavering faith, revealing the transformative power of God’s grace. Through prayer and trust in God, anything is possible, and you have the power to shape your own destiny. Job Simukonda’s life journey offers practical examples of how faith can elevate, inspire, and impact countless lives, as he continues to be guided by God’s grace in his ministry.

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Book Giveaways

Explore New Reads in Our April Book Giveaway!

Looking to add something new to your reading list? Our April giveaway features a couple of standout titles from Tellwell authors—stories worth exploring!

Smoke and Mirrors by Joanie Olson

What if one realization could unravel everything you thought you knew?
In her powerful memoir, Joanie Olson shares a deeply personal journey through narcissistic abuse, complex PTSD, and spiritual awakening. From the highs of the Freedom Convoy to the heartbreak of a failed longtime marriage, this raw and honest account invites readers to uncover hidden truths and begin their own path to healing.

Searching for an answer to a question you haven’t asked yet? You are not alone. One small realization and a whole world unravels. 

Woven through these pages are a series of my most significant life events relating to narcissistic victim/survivor syndrome. Inside are keys unlocking mysteries of complex PTSD, compounded through various forms of abuse.  

A journey of highs, like the Freedom Convoy, and the lows of a failed longtime marriage. With spiritual forces at work behind the scenes, could a Christian home have so many secrets? The smoke will clear to reveal our true mirrored self.

Click here to get your FREE copy

Day of Reckoning Seisan no hi by Don S Hunter

Day of Reckoning Seisan no hi by Don S Hunter is a powerful psychological novel about six people navigating the trauma of losing loved ones to unsolved murders. Guided by a group psychotherapist, they confront grief, buried truths, and a flawed justice system. A gripping story rooted in real-life experience, filled with emotion, insight, and unexpected turns.

Click here to get your FREE copy

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Tellwell Team Stories

A Tribute to the Artistic Legacy of Veronika Hipolito and Gerardo Basilio Faelnar

Illustration by Jamie Jamandre Trani, Tellwell Illustrator

At Tellwell, we’ve had the privilege of collaborating with some truly exceptional creatives. Veronika Hipolito, one of our amazing illustrators, and Gerardo Basilio Faelnar, an outstanding illustrator and designer, sadly passed away recently in a tragic motor vehicle accident while on their way to a short vacation together. Their loss is deeply felt throughout Tellwell. Their beautiful contributions will leave a lasting imprint, not only on the books they helped create, but on the whole company as we honour their lives and generous spirits.

In remembering Veronika and Gerardo, we reflect on the mark they made through their talent, dedication, and passion for storytelling. Their work brought stories to life, inspired readers, and became a vital part of our creative journey at Tellwell.

This tribute looks back at some of their most memorable projects—the ones that resonated deeply with readers and became team favourites. Through their art, their spirits continue to shine.

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Meet the Team

Behind the Pages: Meet Jen MacBride, our Tellwell Editor

This April, we’re shining the spotlight on one of our talented editors here at Tellwell—meet Jen! She plays a key role in helping authors bring their stories to life, guiding them through the editing process with care, expertise, and a true passion for storytelling.

Read on to learn more about Jen and her role at Tellwell.

How did you get into professional editing?

Throughout my life, editing and I have taken turns finding each other.

In elementary school, unasked, I would politely point out any errors I noticed in my teachers’ written materials. In high school, people were always showing me their angsty love poems and love letters and asking if I thought they should send them or if they should change any of the wording first for greatest effect. I would advise them to take out the cliches and build on the specifics. In university, as a student of English Literature, I was the one everyone asked to edit their essays at 2 a.m. For a summer I taught English in Japan where, while waiting at an airport in Tokyo, a pilot sat down beside me and silently handed over a pile of papers and a pen. Through hand gestures and facial expressions, I grew to understand that he was asking me to edit his flight notes. I did so, happily. But how did the pilot know to ask me?

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Book Giveaways Uncategorized

Your Next Great Read This March—on Us!

This March, let a new book take you on an unforgettable journey! Whether you crave adventure, mystery, or inspiration, there’s a story waiting just for you.

Enchanted tales of love and mystery

Can a princess defy fate and forbidden love to save her kingdom? Discover the secrets of Harbinger by Niah Bach!

In Praetoria, the elite do not have any special talents. Then why is it the only imperial princess is having vision-like nightmares? These dreams foretell the destruction of her world and the death of her family, and every day they gain strength in their horror.


The return of a particular imperial rook changes the tone of her dreams, providing her with much needed relief. But this too is perplexing, for he is a rook and she an elite. The law strictly forbids a union between the two. 


Yet four little female moiohs scheme to bring them together, providing the path to secure their future, a future threatened by traitors who would use the princess as a way to steal her father’s throne.

Click here to get your FREE copy

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Uncategorized

Literary Wins of March

This month authors have reached exciting new milestones, from launching books to earning well-deserved recognition. March has been filled with inspiring moments in the literary world—let’s take a look at some of the highlights.

Publicity

A story of survival, resilience, and an unbreakable bond. Richard K. Lowy’s Kalman & Leopold: Surviving Mengele’s Auschwitz shares the powerful true story of two boys who endured unthinkable horrors, were separated for 56 years, and found their way back to each other. Featured in North Hollywood news, this book is a vital reminder to preserve history and stand against rising antisemitism.

Amherstburg resident Stacey Davidson has turned a long-held idea into reality with 15 Fishes, her debut children’s book. Inspired by a fleeting moment nearly two decades ago, her story is a testament to the power of creativity. Featured in River Town Times, Davidson shares her journey from inspiration to publication—and she’s just getting started!

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Tellwell News

Her Words, Her Power

This #InternationalWomensDay, we shine a light on the remarkable women who are breaking barriers, uplifting communities, and leading with unwavering passion.

From authors and advocates to educators and trailblazers, these women redefine what it means to be strong and resilient. Their journeys—marked by courage, perseverance, and the pursuit of dreams—serve as a testament to the power of determination and the impact of lifting others along the way. Today we celebrate their stories, their achievements, and the boundless possibilities they inspire for future generations.

Ali Williams

An inspiring coach and therapist from Adelaide, South Australia. After being diagnosed with breast cancer at 45, Ali embarked on a transformative journey of healing in mind, body, and energy. Her experience ignited a passion for helping women do the same. Since 2017, she has been guiding clients worldwide through their own personal transformations. Ali’s journey also led her to write her first book, The Glorious Responsibility of Happiness, sharing the powerful message that happiness is within reach for everyone—often in simpler ways than we expect.

Chelsey Peat

Two Sides to a Face tells the inspiring story of Chelsey, a fierce advocate and educator who has defied the odds. Born with Sturge Weber syndrome, she underwent multiple surgeries, including life-saving brain surgery as an infant. Despite predictions of significant limitations, she has surpassed them all—earning a sociology degree and a certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. With nearly 40 years of experience living with a facial difference, Chelsey channels her journey into powerful advocacy, fighting discrimination and fostering inclusivity through her work with various organizations.

Peta-Ann Wood

An author, healer, and unapologetic trailblazer. After 25 years in media, PR, and communications, Peta-Ann found a new calling as a Holistic Counsellor, Reiki Master, and Colour Therapist. A breast cancer survivor, she chose to stay flat after a bilateral mastectomy—no prosthetics, no reconstruction, just full self-acceptance. Through soul-searching and self-discovery, she realized she didn’t need a “new normal”—she simply needed to celebrate her uniqueness. In What Happens When They Don’t Grow Back, she shares her story with warmth, wisdom, and a refreshingly candid style, inspiring others to embrace themselves fully.

Rasie Bamigbade

A leader, mentor, and bestselling author dedicated to empowering others. As the founder of RB Jumpstart Coaching and RB Jumpstart Mentorship & Youth Leadership Training Society, Rasie helps corporate leaders strengthen their teams and guides aspiring authors from idea to publication. Passionate about uplifting youth, she provides mentorship resources and bridges the opportunity gap in leadership. In Be Not Alone, she shares her insights on self-leadership and personal growth, inspiring lasting change.

Monica Buchanan

Monica, a psychologist, educator, and advocate for community empowerment, authored Outsider, a powerful exploration of resilience, identity, and belonging. With a PhD in psychology and a background in Women’s Studies, she built a long and fulfilling career in counseling, psychotherapy, and coaching. Passionate about uplifting marginalized communities, she now develops strength-based resources to support those in need. An active volunteer, she continues to make a difference while embracing mindfulness, reading, writing, gardening, and meditative walks. Through both her professional and personal life, she inspires others to live with purpose, resilience, and compassion.

Elaine Kozak

An author whose journey has been as rich and varied as the stories she writes. From designing information-retrieval systems to shaping international trade policy and co-founding an award-winning winery, she has embraced each chapter of her life with passion and curiosity. Her vineyard experience led to her debut mystery novel, Root Causes, followed by The Lighthouse and Rhapsody in a Minor Mode. Now based in Victoria, Canada, Elaine continues to craft compelling stories, proving that it’s never too late to pursue new adventures.

Monique Gliozzi

Monique, a psychiatrist, educator, and aviator, has a passion for both medicine and aviation. Based in Perth, she specializes in forensic psychiatry and has served as a Senior Clinical Lecturer at UWA. She also holds a commercial pilot’s license and works as a senior flight instructor. Monique published Foresight, Hunted, Vestige, Diversity, Facets of the Past, Once Is Never Enough, Hidden, and Requittal with Tellwell.

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Guest Post Tellwell Author Stories: Behind the Books

Tellwell Triplets: Robert McBryde Discusses Giving Birth to the Same Book Three Times

This is a guest post by Tellwell author Robert McBryde

My publishing experience with Tellwell has been unique: I’ve witnessed three radically different versions of the same book emerge squalling and wailing into the literary universe and collaborated with three different “midwives.”

My book is available in English, in French, and in audiobook form, and I translated the original English book into French myself.

Let’s imagine an interrogation of an author who has reached these heights of folly . . .

What inspired you to write the book in the first place?

The introductory vignette of my book and the very first tale addresses exactly this question!

I worked as a radio writer/broadcaster for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in Quebec City, Canada, for 10 years, between 1987 and 1997, honing storytelling skills through a weekly recounting of personal and often satirical tales of everyday life, which a number of listeners urged me to publish. My Time with You Has Been Short but Very Funny is a belated response to those requests and includes an array of freshly minted humorous and edgy sketches besides.

The book, my first, was prompted by a sense of urgency. I feel like my own shelf life is about to expire!

Over the last several years, and particularly since I reached the age of 70 nearly three years ago, I’ve become acutely aware of how little time I have left before disappearing like an evanescent soap bubble. Pop! Gone! Moreover, the surreal dystopia that suddenly emerged full-blown from the depths of a preternatural realm of nightmare in March 2020 has served to foreground the haunting fragility and fleeting nature of life itself.

These days, each time that I listen to a favourite piece of music, re-watch a beloved film, or re-read a personally meaningful book or article, I’m acutely aware that this may be the last time around. A bizarre and unsettling experience, which is both profound and strangely banal.

Memories are of course consciously prompted by a sort of mental rewind button, or arrive on their own, stimulated by sights, sounds, or smells. Rewinding memories and sharing them with readers—who may discover all sorts of affinities—is part of my ritualized last lap.

I’m a former college teacher and I once had a student who declared at the end of term, “My time with you has been short, but very funny.” This statement, made in passing, has come to summarize my earthly existence and was a logical choice for the title of my book. A fitting epitaph as well!

Last but not least, I’ve written this book as a legacy work for friends and family, most of all for my two clever and witty sons, Dan and David, and for Anne, my kind and gentle wife of nearly 45 years.

Why did you translate your book into French?

“You need your head examined,” my father used to tell me. ”You’re a devil for punishment.” It’s true that the fabric of my life is woven with multitudinous strands of inexplicable masochism. So often I love what makes me miserable and I’m miserable doing what I love. Acting, teaching, radio broadcasting and storytelling, social activism, translating . . .

Take translation . . . please. Specifically translation of idiomatic creative writing.

I relish the challenges inherent in striving to render what is ineffable, an ultimately futile attempt to transpose a verbal repository that holds an unassailable otherness. And yet these same challenges drive me bananas!In my pea brain, ambivalence not Brittania rules the waves.

When I set out to write My Time with You Has Been Short but Very Funny, the masochistic demon lodged within my scarred psyche pushed me to translate each sketch into French.

I was soon lost in translation with not one, but two books on my plate. Of course, the need to have the French version of the book revised by a Francophone professional became readily apparent. Fortunately, my younger son is a professional translator, educated in French. He had time to do some quick revising.

And I was so fortunate to be able to call on the services of a brilliant French language wordsmith, Hélène Charpentier, for deep revision. Translating this book was a true labour of love. And collaborating with Hélène, a brilliant editor, was an extraordinary privilege.

What are a few of the challenges of translating this creative work, or any other?

Let’s start with the title. Hélène and I first struggled to find an appropriate rendering of the book’s title. Hélène’s daughter suggested it, and we settled on, My Time with You Was Brief but Hilarious.

A title with an idiomatic flair! I had originally put forward a much more banal rendering: The Time I Spent with You Was Short but Very Amusing. In comparison to Hélène’s, my suggestion went down the proverbial hatch like a lump of undigested porridge!

Finding the author’s voice (Hélène’s French comments with my English summary underneath):

Hélène: You know, since I already told you, I really enjoyed doing this work. I really appreciated the subtlety of your style, your humour, and this incredible self-deprecation.

One of the first challenges: respecting this very particular spirit which emanates from your words; sometimes I had to think about whether what you had written was “correct” French, because sometimes you used unusual expressions, but which characterize your original personality well.

Hélène says here that during the revision process, she tried to respect my narrative voice, including the pervading tone of self-deprecation. It’s only in writing this book that I discovered that I had such a voice, and when translating the book I feared that the voice would vanish like the chirping of a lone sparrow at the onset of winter darkness.

Wordplay

Hélène: Another challenge: finding French expressions to make a pun identical to the English one.

Hélène was faced with the unenviable task of finding equivalents for puns and other wordplay, as was I when translating the texts.

Example: The title of a vignette, “Reigning Cats and Dogs”—In English, it’s excellent. You translated it donner sa langue au chat (give your tongue to the cat), as if you really wanted to keep the word “cat,” but it didn’t really have any connection with what you wrote afterwards. In French, I couldn’t find an identical pun, so I put les chiens ne fait pas des chats (dogs don’t make cats), but obviously we lose the touch of humour.

“This bird was for the birds” means nothing if you translate it verbatim. But I think that une cervelle d’oiseau (a bird brain) translates what you mean quite well while being a typically French expression.

“Youth hostile.” In English, the pun is excellent. In French, auberge de vieillesse is not bad, but we don’t find the same pun as in English between “hostel” and “hostile.” I haven’t found a better one. I’m still looking . . .

Hélène describes here the impossible challenge of dealing with wordplay, including puns and authorial inventions. For example, “youth hostile” is a play on youth hostel, because in the instance described in the story the hostel was indeed hostile to youth! There’s simply no way to capture that in French.

Idioms from Quebec and from France

Hélène: Another challenge: linguistic differences from one country to another, that is to say, in our case, checking that the expressions you used were more suited to France than to Quebec, or vice versa. I put a comment in the margin each time. Example: “shopping,” avoir les chocottes, etc.

Hélène is referring here to the fact that I tended to mix expressions from Quebec with expressions from France, which are not necessarily mutually understandable.

Cultural references

Hélène: Another challenge: cultural references. Any good translator must be highly cultured, right? Unfortunately, I didn’t quite catch your allusion to “Britannia.” I’m sorry!

“Cosmic muffin,” which means nothing to a French-speaking audience. Well, not to me, at least . . .

“Miltonic Hades.” It’s okay for Hades, but “Miltonian” won’t be understood by all audiences . . .

“Hairy Thunderer.” You translated “hairy” as poilu, but it seemed to me that barbu was more appropriate because I could clearly see the image of the angry god with his big beard, and I found that poilu didn’t sound right in French. Question: does barbu accurately translate what you meant?

I had trouble with “trespasses,” because in English the link is perfect between “trespassers will be prosecuted” and “forgive us our trespasses,” but in French this is not the case at all!

“A true hit of Father.” It sounds so good in English, but in French I couldn’t leave a “veritable dose” . . .

“Lather, rinse and repeat supplication time.” Not easy for me to guess the allusion to laundry or shampoo, so I don’t know if what I put corresponds to your thought, but in French l’heure de la mousse, du rinse, etc. didn’t mean much.

“Leaving the proverbial frying pan.” In French, la poële à fritre doesn’t mean much.

Here Hélène lists images and references that cannot be translated, or simply don’t resonate with a French-speaking readership. In short, my book is jam-packed with cultural baggage that I want so much to share with Francophone readers, but which sometimes get lost in translation.

But thanks to Hélène’s splendid suggestions and clever solutions, the French version of the book contains riches I would never have dreamed of.

You can order the French version of My Time with You Was Short But Hilarious is now available to order via this link.

Your masochistic proclivities reached an apex when you decided to have Tellwell produce an audiobook version of My Time with You Has Been Short but Very Funny. What on earth could you have been thinking?

The genesis of the audiobook is twofold. Firstly, I have a wonderful friend by the name of Kelly Edmison who swears by audiobooks and informed me that he would only listen to the book, not read it. The audiobook is dedicated to him.

Secondly, many of the stories were recounted on air, so are meant to be heard as well as read. Overseeing the production of an audiobook is not for the faint of heart. The project took a whole year to complete!

Tellwell authors are not permitted to narrate their own Tellwell audiobooks. The highly skilled narrator whom I selected from several options provided by the publisher had to overcome numerous obstacles, not the least of which stem from the bits of French and Slovak included in a few of the stories.

I’m excited to announce that the English version of my audiobook is at long last available on Audible, Amazon, and Apple Books, meaning listeners can purchase it outright, use an Audible credit, or get a discount if they own the Kindle version.

Your friend,
Robert

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