Margaret Hastings-James was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia sometime in the twentieth century. From 1984 to 1992 she accumulated degrees in secretarial arts (BSA), French (Honours BA), education (BEd TESL), and applied linguistics (MA).
She wrote her first novel while teaching in an Inuit community in Northern Quebec. After three years in the North, she thawed out in Paris for the next twelve years; she began raising two children and studying under the well-known British novelist Julian Gloag.
Now back in Halifax, Margaret continues to write and she and her children continue to grow up…
Margaret Hastings-James 
Margaret
Can’t believe I found you. Am in Turks and Caicos. Would be fun to chat.
Mary (from Champlain Regional College era)
Hi Mary! I’m glad you found me. I’m at my mother-in-law’s in France right now but I live in Halifax. What are you up to these days? Are you still teaching? I’m trying to get a job teaching grade 4 in a French school in Halifax. Competition is tough right now. You can email me at mahjames@eastlink.ca Can’t wait to catch up. I think of you from time to time.
Margaret
Will do. Chat soon, M
Are you still in Turks and Caicos? I’m thinking about going there for march break in 2013 with my kids.
Yes yes yes. I will be here after March 10. Before that I’ll be in Florida. Magic jack here in Turks…..321-420-7278. Home most evenings. I would love to see you and be Auntie Mary.
Sorry I haven’t written,,,procrastinated and then had a senior moment.
Mary
Hi Margaret:
Thanks for the books the other day.
I shall speak to Shelley-I believe she is going to Ca. in July.
I shall keep in touch-we can meet for a drink soon.
All the best.
David(Bluenotes).
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR STAR CROSSED IN CHAPTERS BAYER’S LAKE. YOU CAN FIND IT IN THE LOCAL SECTION OR IN FICTION. IF YOU ASK THEY WILL TELL YOU IT IS NOT IN. TELL THEM THEY HAVE IT ON CONSIGNMENT SO IT WON’T SHOW UP IN THE SYSTEM.
Hi Margaret,
How is the new book you are presently writing coming along?
The second draft is finished. Reworking parts of it but it’s getting there. Thanks for asking.
Of course I remember you, Alacie. I miss you guys…
is that you margaret:D, you were my teacher in akulivik 😀
hope you remember me:D
Thanks, Kris. Glad to have you with us!
Margaret
Great post! Just wanted to let you know you have a new subscriber- me!
Hi, Margaret,
I must agree, your portfilio pic is lovely. I’m sure you spoke to many ladies in the Sunnyside Mall today (Saturday, Feb. 28th) but I’m the one who pointed out ‘Lovely Bones’ to you. What a success story that one was, Margaret; picked up by a small publisher then driven mostly by word of mouth which, as we so well know, is so much part of the success of any publication or screenplay(ala Mama Mia, Sex in the City, Slumdog Millionaire and so on-lololo)
It was such a pleasure to speak to someone in my own language-the language of a writer. It was, oh, frig, breathtaking, to have someone complete your own sentences. I felt such a ‘relief’ to speak to another who has BEEN there and, most likely (for one book does not a writer make! ala Steel, King, etc., etc.) is still there with her next publication. It is so affirming to someone who is still on the journey, who is an island of themselves which I feel is how we, as writers, all live. A sort of, ‘O.K. that one’s done, now wait til you SEE my NEXT one!” I loved your story of having to set an alarm clock so you wouldn’t be so engrossed in your work you missed picking up the kids at school. OH, I SOO, GET you!
Kudos to you that you perservered and trusted your instincts (a big part of my literary drama-trusting instincts and moving forward in spite of adversity). Strangely, I have no doubt I will sell this manuscript but something you said today truly resonated in my heart.
Writing. It is a thing we HAVE to do every day, like eating, sleeping and nurturing. We are not authours, we are writers. I have worried about the exact same thing you mentioned-the mechanics and responsibilities of a published author once it hits that level. Reach the brass ring and be too busy with getting on the next ride to hang on to it for long!! It would drive me crazy not to have that freedom of putting my thoughts down ‘before I forget!’ The trade-off, however, is so much worth the accumulation for the brass ring, to me, is simply the affirmation that what we do IS important. Don’t you agree, Margaret? It is just that simple.
As a woman who has been in sales since 1967, I have taught so many prospective recruits that you must speculate to accumulate. As an outsider on the finge of understanding your journey in life but also a business woman, what I see is that THIS is your speculation, time, Margaret, so revel in the fact that you are living a dream that so many women will never fulfil; reaching and touching the goal. Prepared now to accumulate. A fabulous role- model for your kids.
I so appreciate that observation that you’d rather be writing for I will mentally prepare for that daunting task as things progress.
Be PROUD, Margaret for you have obviously followed your path in preparing for this dream. I am so very happy that you have taken what you have learned in your extended studies and chosen a commercial genre of fun, high-spirit and bravado blended finely with the positive aspects of life, rather than darkness which may sell a lot of books with no effort, thought or careful and details preparation whatsoever and, unfortunaltely, is all around us – no dedicated and passionate storywriters necessary; something that is a choice for all female artists but only the ‘lucky’ ones go ahead unafraid and persue once their decision is made on the ‘spin’ they will give this personal experience. Count yourself one of those ‘lucky’ ones, Margaret for, as we all know as females, the harder you work, the luckier you get!
So very wonderful to meet you today!
Pamela Lee
writer
Bedford N.S./Brantford, Ontario
Ton livre est très attendu en France ! Quelle joie de te voir avancer ainsi dans tes rêves . Nous t’embrassons. Les baulois…
Wonderful site! Nice to see Richard is alive and well all the best to you and family!
Posters are up around town so we shall see if you get Western requests for the book.
Sorry I missed the fete – the food pix look lovely! Looks like you were having fun.
All the best …..love Karin
Margaret, I was laughing so hard I was crying. That is so funny – the rat! Poor Juliet, I know Sarah gets frustrated with Harm too!
Congratulations
Dee
Margaret,
My talented wonderfully gifted friend!
Am so very proud of you – have been telling all my friends and clients – will try and post it in out next newsletter!
Thanks for letting me share in your special day!
Love & friendship,
Brenda (Vienna & Stefan)
xo
Hi Maragaret
Great website and photo! Who did the airbrush work? hahahaha.
I am off to Petra tomorrow for a quick visit on my last working trip before retirement. In Jordan for about 8 more days, Dubai for a couple and then back to Houston.
Even though I read your book quite a few years ago, I am really looking forward to rereading now it’s official 🙂 I think I lost the original when my hard drive crashed, too bad maybe I could have printed it out and sold it on Ebay as a prepublication draft …..
Lots of love
Richard
It is nice having a book in the house that a good friend wrote it almost seems unreal. Megan has started to read it before me. She thinks it’s great. So dreams can come true.
Well done.
love to all
Tara
Thank you everyone for your love and support. I don’t know what I’d do without you all. Now on to the next book … Takes place in France. Will keep you posted.
You look faabulous! Can’t wait to read the book.
Julia
For all those days sitting at home in Sannois wondering what you were doing,certainly not cleaning the house nor out shopping with me even though we had no money!
Here you are some 10 years later an author.Your dream come true your sanity intact,well done.
Love ya
Eve
Hey, Margaret, nice site.
Congratulations on getting through the book signing. Wish I could have been there.
My mom’s been visiting us, and my brother with his new baby, for the past month, but we just took her to the airport this afternoon. She read Star Crossed while she was here and said she plans writing you about it when she gets home.
Although I like to keep just about every book I read, especially those written by family, but I’m moved to sell it to the used book store around the corner from our house–just to get it into the hands of the locals. Maybe I’ll pencil an inscription on the inside cover, “Cooper Watt’s aunt wrote this!” … I’m the chair of the parent council at the kids’ school–so I’m known in the neighborhood, you see.
All kidding aside, congratulations, and all the best to you.
Good luck at the next signing!
Love,
Coop.
Hi Margaret,
It all sounds as if it was a blast and I’m so sorry that we were out-of-town. Your website is beautiful, the workshop worked and the picture of you is stunning. I hope that you’re sending it to everyone. The food looked good as well….I’m glad it was a success in spite of all the animal trauma! I don’t think that we’ll all get together before we leave but we’ll try to make a quick visit to Sunnyside on the 28th. We’ll talk soon. Congratulations and good luck,
With love,
Leila
Just read your happenings column…you go girl!!! So glad the book signing was so fun, well at least reading about it was fun!! Congrats Girl. If you need help with that rat problem…I have a few ideas.