top of page

Susan Noakes

99 Springmount Ave.

Toronto, Ont

M6H 2Y5

Phone: 416-658-5298, 437-333-1507

e-mail: susangnoakes@gmail.com

​

Live to write and write to live

​

Novels:

  • Buds of Heaven:  A love story between a headstrong young woman who wants to save the world begins working with the homeless, but is challenged by her mother’s illness and the unexpected reappearance of an old flame.

 

  • A Dragon on the Wall: A realistic portrayal of the gap between the generations through the story of a runaway teen and his anxious but well-meaning parents.

 

  • The Mechanic’s Daughter: Set in the 1970s, tells the story of a naïve woman who gets caught up in the rape crisis movement after a friend is sexually assaulted.

 

 

Short stories:

  • Camper: honorable mention in Carleton Alumni magazine short story competition.

  • Numerous works of short fiction submitted to literary magazines.

 

 

Non-fiction:

  • Another Hong Kong, contributed to travel book published in 1988.

  • Canadian Living books Understanding Your Teen (1999) and Raising Great Kids (1999): Wrote the section “Parenting in good times and bad.

  • A Patchwork of Memories, a History of Vaughan Co-op Nursery:  Edited book shortlisted for Toronto Book Award about Canada’s oldest coop nursery.

 

Journalism background

  • journalist experienced in print and electronic media

  • diverse news-writing background

  • 35 years in journalism, large network of contacts

  • experienced with writing for the internet

  • experienced with creating interactive elements for the web (video, audio, UGC)

 

​

October 2005 to April 2020

National news editor at CBC Online. Now retired.  I wrote news, breaking news, features and enterprise journalism for the business page for three years after writing arts news for seven years.  Experienced curator of an online page with strong news sense and ability to create video and audio features, photo galleries and other media.

 

September 1997 to October 2005

Freelancer and casual for CBC. Magazine writer contributing to Canadian Living, Toronto Star, Forum magazine and the internet. I also wrote a bimonthly newsletter about business in China – China Express News.

 

March 1999 to December 2000:

News writer for CBC Newsworld, now News Network. Wrote and edited hourly TV newscasts.

​

May 1990 to September 1997

Reporter for The Financial Post (now part of The National Post). I wrote business features and travelled to Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and China to write reports on business and the economy in these countries.

​

January 1988 to February 1990

Freelance business writer in Hong Kong.

​

February 1987 to January 1988

Copy editor for Asian Wall Street Journal in Hong Kong.

​

November 1985 to February 1987

Freelance business writer in Hong Kong.

​

July to November 1985

Copy editor at Hong Kong Standard.

​

March 1981 to July 1985

Reporter and editor at The Toronto Star. I began as a reporter in the suburban regions, moved downtown to the city desk and later became editor of one of the regional sections of the Star.

​

March 1979 to March 1981

Reporter and editor at the Cobourg Star and Port Hope Evening Guide, small daily newspapers in southern Ontario.

 

May 1978 to March 1981

Reporter and editor at Foodservice & Hospitality magazine.

 

Teaching experience:

​

September  to December 1999

I taught first year journalism at Centennial College in Toronto, filling in for another instructor. This was an introduction to writing for students with no experience and little understanding of news. I constructed writing assignments and taught the basics of journalism.

 

July 1994

In the first course of its kind, I worked with journalists in Kyrgyzstan during its transition from being a Soviet state. In a three-week course, I was one of four instructors who introduced Western journalism techniques.

​

September 1983-December 84

I taught a night school course in media and current affairs at Seneca College in Toronto.

 

Education

Bachelor of Journalism

I graduated from Carleton University in 1978.

 

Community activities

Part of group sponsoring a Syrian family.

Working with redevelopment advisory committee for local church.

Past chair of Wychwood Open Door, a drop-in centre for homeless and socially isolated people in Toronto.

Past chair of Regal Rd. school council 1996-1999. In 1998-9 successfully led fight to prevent closing of this school

bottom of page