Born in Vancouver on January 12, 1942, she lived in Saskatchewan as a teenager and Vancouver as an adult. She received her B.A. (English & Psychology) in 1962 and her M.A. (Psychology) a year later at University of British Columbia. "When I went to the University of Victoria," she said, "I chose psychology instead of creative writing because I was scared to show anyone my stuff." She started to write fiction in 1973. Now residing on Gabriola Island, she is a former clinical psychologist who has written several successful books for young readers. In the tradition of her surrealistic, feminist novel, Dragonhunt, she has also written Pattern Makers, about three women and a spider undertaking a healing journey to the ocean. Her most recent novel, Never Sleep with a Suspect on Gabriola Island, is a mystery set on the Gulf Islands off the coast of B.C. Although chiefly known as a writer of fiction, Duncan also wrote a fifth grade science text, British Columbia: Its Land, Mineral and Water Resources. She worked as a Clinical Psychologist in the Greater Vancouver area, 1963-73, and was married to Norman Duncan 1963-80. She has two daughters, Kelly and Kirsten. Her YA novel Gold Rush Orphan is partially based on her grandfather's gold rush journal entries from an 1898 trip to the Klondike. It recounts a teenager's journey from Skagway through the White Pass.

With George Szanto, Sandy Frances Duncan is co-writing a series of mystery novels, starting with Never Sleep with a Suspect on Gabriola Island. Their follow-up is Always Kiss the Corpse on Whidbey Island. Both feature West Coast sleuths Kyra Rachel and Noel Franklin of Islands Investigations International. In the second novel, a grieving mother bends over to kiss her son's corpse at a funeral home viewing, only to shriek: "That's not Sandro!"; Having supposedly died of a heroin overdose, the body of Whidbey Island General Hospital nurse Sandro Vasiliadis is suddenly missing, and his mother is convinced he is still alive. The detectives' inquiries lead them deep into Sandro's life and to a medical clinic that specializes in transgendering.

Never Hug a Mugger (2012) was followed by Always Love A Villain on San Juan Island (Touchwood 2013). Promotional materials state: "A case of high-level plagiarism at a local university brings Noel Franklin and Kyra Rachel to San Juan Island to investigate. As they look into the theft, the investigative team get to know the small island's community. They soon become involved in another, more menacing, crime: The daughter of a professor engaged in highly sensitive research has been kidnapped. And her ransom is a piece of intellectual property that in the wrong hands could lead to catastrophe. While Noel and Kyra navigate the murky waters of university politics and come closer to discovering the origins of the crime and its perpetrators, their lives are first threatened and then terrorized."

BOOKS:

Always Love A Villain on San Juan Island (Touchwood 2013) $14.95 978-1-77151-024-0

NEVER HUG A MUGGER ON QUADRA ISLAND, with George Szanto (TouchWood, 2012). $14.95 978-1-926971-49-0

ALWAYS KISS THE CORPSE, with George Szanto (Touchwood, 2010). 978-926741-05-5 : $24.95.

NEVER SLEEP WITH A SUSPECT ON GABRIOLA ISLAND (TouchWood, 2009), with George Szanto

GOLD RUSH ORPHAN Ronsdale Press 2004. 1-55380-012-5

YVONNE mothertongue Press 2003 limited edition chapbook;
Icebox Pictures (Crisper Productions), 2003 movie

CARIBOO RUNAWAY ISBN 1-895110-00-9, 1-895110-47-5 (Pacific Edge Pub. 1997,
1990, Burns & MacEachern, 1976 145 pp.) juv. hist. fiction; movie rights
optioned

BRITISH COLUMBIA: ITS LAND, MINERAL AND WATER RESOURCES ISBN 1-
895110-38-6 (Pacific Edge Pub. 1998, 1996, 104 pp.) gr. 5 science text

LISTEN TO ME, GRACE KELLY ISBN 1-55074-012-1 (Kids Can Press, 1990, 261
pp.) young adult novel; Children's Book Centre Choice 1990, a Canadian
Materials Notable, 1990

PATTERN MAKERS ISBN 0-88961-138-6 (Women's Press, Toronto 1989, 206 pp.)
novel

AMANDA ET LE GéNIE ISBN 0-7773-4433-5 (Les éditions Heritages, Montreal
1984, 125 pp.) French edition of THE TOOTHPASTE GENIE

FINDING HOME ISBN 0-380-80143-4 (Avon, New York 1982, 190 pp.) novel.
Canadian Library Association 20 Best Young Adult Novels 1986; out of print

THE TOOTHPASTE GENIE ISBN 0-590-71090-7 (Scholastic-TAB, Toronto 1981,
1986, 1989, 1991, 1999, 134 pp.) juv. fantasy. Children's Book Centre
Choice 1982; G.V.L.F. Award 1984

DRAGONHUNT ISBN 0-88961-068-1 (Women's Press, Toronto 1981, 108 pp.) novel

KAP-SUNG FERRIS ISBN 0-7715-9606-5 (Burns & MacEachern 1977, Macmillan of
Canada, Toronto 1982, 1984, 126 pp.) juv. novel, Children's Book Centre
Choice 1979; G.V.L.F. Award 1981; out of print

EDITED:

WITNESS TO WILDERNESS: THE CLAYOQUOT SOUND ANTHOLOGY, Arsenal Pulp Press,
Vancouver 1994, ISBN 1-55152-009-5 co-editor
(f.)Lip, a journal of innovative feminist writing, co-founder and editor
1986-88

TEACHING:

1990 Westword VI, Summer Writing School for Women, Vancouver, BC
1989,90,91,92,93,98,99,01 Malaspina University-College, Nanaimo, BC
1989 Okanagan Regional Libraries, Kelowna, Vernon, BC
1988 Festival of the Written Arts, Sechelt, BC
1987 University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, Mb
1986 Westword II, Summer Writing School for Women, Victoria, BC
1984 Richmond Public Library, Richmond, BC

MEMBER:

The Writers' Union Of Canada (on National Council 1980-81; 1985- 86;
Co-chair Political Action Committee, 1988-89; Co-chair Status of Women
Writers Committee, 1989-90)
Federation of British Columbia Writers (Founding Chair 1980-82)
P.E.N. International
Canadian Association of Children's Authors, Illustrators, Per formers
(CANSCAIP)
West Coast Women & Words Society (Women's Peace Write Committee; West Word
Summer School Advisory Committee; Women's Voices Advisory Committee) Board
member 1988

[LITHIS / BCBW 2013] "Fiction" "Women" "Kidlit"