• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Welcome
  • Manuscript Consultation and Workshops
  • Reviews
  • Book Club Freebies
  • Contact
  • Books
Katie Bickell

Katie Bickell

Author, Ghostwriter, Instructor, Manuscript Consultant

Always Brave, Sometimes Kind

Warm and Gritty, Well-Defined and Utterly Complicated.

Winner of the 2021 Indie Project Award for Alberta.

Winner of the 2021 Georges Bugnet Award for Fiction.

Shortlisted for the 2021 ReLit Award for Novel.

Learn more

Author, Instructor, Manuscript Consultant

Katie Bickell


Katie Bickell emigrated from England to northern Alberta in 1990. Her first novel, Always Brave, Sometimes Kind, was released in 2020. Since then, she has professionally written two ghostwritten memoirs, Vertical Lift: A Help-Pilot’s Mission for Freedom, Family, and Success (2022) and Life in Repair: One Mechanic’s Path to Prosperity and Purpose (2024). She is currently penning her sophomore novel, Alskling.

Katie’s work has received several awards, including the Alberta Literary Award’s 2020 Georges Bugnet Award for Fiction, the Alberta Literary Award’s Howard O’Hagan for Short Story, The WGA’s Emerging Writer Award, The Alberta Views Fiction Prize, The Voices of Motherhood Essay Contest, two Alberta Foundation of the Arts Individual Artists Grants, and a Canadian Council of the Arts Grant. In 2024, Katie served as Metro Edmonton Federation of Library’s Regional Writer in Residence for the communities of Strathcona County and St. Albert.

Katie lives in Sherwood Park, Alberta, with her husband and daughters.

Services


Manuscript Consultation

Bring your story to its strongest draft.

Learn more

Workshops and Courses

Develop your craft with group instruction.

Learn more

Author Readings and Speaking

Join me to explore inspiring literature.

Learn more
Reviews
Awards

Send Me a Letter

    Let’s write.

    Subscribe to stay in touch

    Don’t worry, I won’t blow up your inbox (I’m far too disorganized to send mail that consistently). But if you’d like to receive the odd love letter when I’m feeling sentimental or be in the know when I’m offering new courses, consider signing up. Of course, those on the email list will be the first to know when Askling is launched (well, after the messy but loveable folks I live with, anyway).

    Sign up for the email list

    katiebickell

    Visit me on instagram!

    Everywhere I’ve gone today, people have held arm Everywhere I’ve gone today, people have held armfuls of spring bouquets. As I bought my own mama flowers, the lady wrapping them told me that folks were waiting at the door for them at 7AM. We both laughed and agreed that was a beautiful thing - this day’s urgency to properly love ‘the moms.’ By chance, my mom was in town and we were able to grab brunch before her lovely husband snapped this photo of us, she and I looking as though we could be standing with our teenage selves, our mini me’s. How lucky I feel to mother and be mothered today. #happymothersday
    Our CailyBaby is 16 years old today. Baby Girl, yo Our CailyBaby is 16 years old today. Baby Girl, you are simply extraordinary and loved beyond measure. Your dad and I couldn’t be more proud and thankful that out of all the wonderful daughters in the world, you are ours. And how did that sweet little baby grow up so fast and become one of my very best friends? I’m so excited to see you grow further into the woman you will be, Sweetheart 💝 The world is yours for the taking.
    Exploring the southshore’s ice breaks on a snows Exploring the southshore’s ice breaks on a snowshoe date and gathering setting inspiration for the next draft of Alskling ✨ ❄️ 🧊 I wish my phone could capture the true blues and the clarity of seeing this in person, but it didn’t so the near-true filter will have to do.
    It’s December 26, early morning. The house is st It’s December 26, early morning. The house is stirring with the sounds of young people preparing to hunt Boxing Day sales, the indignant cries of a cat - now indoors - who regrets her choice to have spent the prior evening under the holiday sky, and the soft snores of a granddad asleep on the couch. My husband has brought me coffee in bed, and the remains of a feast will last our family into the next week. Savouring it all, this first Christmas season both of our children have enjoyed as teens. We made it. The wonderful, wild, exhausting, exhilarating, magical merriment-making is over, and peace takes its place ✌️

Photo: Christmas Dinner, December 25th 2024, 7pm.
    Christmas Eve and Morning, 2024 Merry Christmas E Christmas Eve and Morning, 2024

Merry Christmas Everyone! 🎄 🎅 ✨

(Excuse the stickers on certain photos, I don’t have permission to post them without!)
    Enjoying music at home and at the Winspear Centre Enjoying music at home and at the Winspear Centre on December 23rd 🎻 🎄
    Banff 2024 Photo Dump. Celebrated our 16th anniver Banff 2024 Photo Dump. Celebrated our 16th anniversary, Freddy’s 43rd birthday, my residency wrap-up, and a little bit of Christmas in a 36 hour turn around. Loved roaming the top of Sulphur Mountain, wept with fear the whole way up and down on the gondola 🚠
    Just can’t shake this kid. #momofteens #workin Just can’t shake this kid. 

#momofteens #workinglunch #ItsLikeYoureObsessedWithMe (kidding xo)
    What a wonderful time it was to meet as a communit What a wonderful time it was to meet as a community of writers last night! Ready for the next Story Deconstruction session, featuring author @lesliegreentree, “The Yellow Wallpaper”, and The Unreliable Narrator technique? Register today, link in bio.
#sherwoodpark @sc_library #metrowir #writerinresidence #strathconacountylibrary #writersofsherwoodpark #shortstory #regionalwir
    Had a great time connecting with #stalbert and are Had a great time connecting with #stalbert and area writers at @stalbertlibrary last night! Thanks for the great turn out and the warm welcome 🥰

 #metrowriterinresidence #stalbertlife #saintcitywriters #librariesrock #authorsofinstagram #writingworkshop
    Valentines Day 2014, I walked into my first appoin Valentines Day 2014, I walked into my first appointment with @sc_library’s writer in residence, Margaret Macpherson (@writingmargaret), not really certain of what a writer-in-residence was. 

A decade later, a lot of hard work, and a little luck, and I’m helping emerging writers get their footing in the same way she helped me.

For me, it all started with that first visit: the moment my interest turned into a career. How about you? Set up an appointment to meet: regionalwir@gmail.com

What’s the best that could happen?

#valentinesday2024 #valentinesday2014 #beforeandafter #skiptothegoodpart #mentorshipmatters
    Today was a big day, 20 years in the making! Thank Today was a big day, 20 years in the making! Thank you @canadaslifeline #itsinyoutogive #firsttimedonor #blooddonor #lifegoals #IAmNotAMadCow
    Follow on Instagram
    • Welcome
    • Manuscript Consultation and Workshops
    • Reviews
    • Book Club Freebies
    • Contact
    • Books

    Copyright © 2025 · Katie Bickell