Who doesn’t love a good thriller? Especially one that happens to be written by a Trent alumnus?

Linwood Barclay is a New York Times bestselling author who has published over 20 novels internationally, and began his incredible journey here at Trent. From being a student of former Trent Chancellor, Margaret Laurence’s to running his family’s business, Mr. Barclay has spent many years honing his craft to become the author he is today.

Recently, Lady Eaton College (LEC) and Traill College welcomed the LEC alumnus  to discuss his journey to become a writer, where he shared stories from his childhood, his time at Trent, and his gigs with various newspaper outlets, including the Peterborough Examiner and the Toronto Star.

The Zoom-based event was a laidback question-and-answer session, moderated by Dr. Michael Eamon, the principal of Traill College.

Embodiment of Trent, and Lady Eaton College, spirit

Mr. Barclay graduated from Trent University with a degree in English Literature and split his time between attending classes on campus and working at his family’s resort in Bobcaygeon. Dr. Eamon and Mr. Barclay are good friends, and their banter during this event was both genuine and entertaining. Professor Eamon recites how the two first met: “I first met Linwood when I was principal of Lady Eaton College and he was our alumni writer-in-residence. He is such a down-to-earth and supportive person and a great inspiration to young writers. For me, he is the embodiment of the Trent, and in particular Lady Eaton College, spirit that values both wisdom and its employment for the betterment of others (in short, sapientia et humanitas).”

Lady Eaton College principal, Dr. Christine Freeman-Roth was also eager to welcome Mr. Barclay back to Trent: “[Linwood] is an incredible storyteller and generous with both his time and his support of Lady Eaton College. I look forward to reading his new book, Find you First, when it is released in May and to welcome him back as alumni writer-in-residence at LEC when that is possible once again.”

Understanding the creative process

This event provided students interested in reading and writing an opportunity to ask questions and learn more about how to be a successful author. Marissa Pucci, a fourth-year student Environmental Studies student, attended the event and noted, “It is always fun to learn about an author's creative process and get to hear stories from their career and how they got into writing novels. Even though it was over Zoom, the event felt like a very comfortable space where you could cozy up at home and listen to stories and ask questions.”

Mr. Barclay’s next book, Find You First, will be released on May 4, 2021.

Watch the recorded panel discussion.