William Peckham began is fiction writing career later in life, but despite starting out at the age of 72 his productivity has been prolific.
With the help of his wife Lynn, Peckham is about to self-publish Ivanna – The Final Chapter, to be released this month on his 89th birthday.
The main character Ivanna is a Russian ballerina, married to a Russian Army officer. She flees her native country in 1912 in the beginnings of the Russia Revolution, and finds herself settling in the small town of Brockville, east of Toronto, where she becomes a dance teacher and nannie to two small children.
Her life subsequently becomes complicated by international intrigue, murder, betrayal and finding a man who secretly loved her.
This is the third novel written by Peckham – the others being House Number Twenty-nine and From Out Of The Woodwork – in a writing career that also includes threw memoirs, dozens of short stories and a stint as a columnist for the Kelowna Capital News in 2018.
Peckham credits the support of his wife, Lynn Vaughan-Peckham, for helping him realize his dream to be a writer.
“Without Lynn’s input, support and encouragement, I would not be a writer,” Peckham said.
The two have led a storybook life, having known each other growing up in Ontario, each marrying and leading separate lives, then coming together in Kelowna many years later when both were single.
They have lived in Kelowna since 2002, residing in the Sunrise Village 45-plus detached home residential complex.
“Bill is creative, and displays great imagination in his writing. My forte in school was English grammar. Between the two of us, we make one good writer,” laughed Lynn.
Peckham was born and raised in Niagara Falls. For many years he worked in the lumber business in Ontario. Under the pen name Michael C. Hammar, he wrote newspaper home improvement columns and hosted a radio call-in show.
He transitioned from radio to television in 1990 as the host and writer of the national series Don’t More Improve.
For her part, Lynn has performed in many stage musicals during her marriage to her first husband Mark Vaughan, and hosted a community show on Shaw Cable in Kelowna for many years in the ’90s.
Peckham has self-published his latest book and hopes to take advantage of an extensive email list he has built up over the years across North America to help assist in the sales effort rather than going through the bookstore retail sales route.
To obtain a copy of his new book, email Peckham at peck102mch@yahoo.ca or call 250-860-2420.
