Canadian author Caitlin Arlene expertly combines memoir and narrative-nonfiction into a genre of its own. As a sensitive and charismatic investigator of strangers’ stories, she conveys an unmissable sense of compassion through her writing. Her newest release, Mama: True Stories of Maternal Health in Malawi is a poignant demonstration of how a small glimpse into a different world can change your perspectives entirely.
Career
Little Lexi’s Spots
2017, First Class Press
Professional Writing Diploma
2018, Algonquin College
Mama – True Stories of Maternal Health in Africa
2021, Atmosphere Press
I graduated in 2018 with a diploma in Professional Writing, and have been in the field ever since. With several articles published in various newspapers and magazines, I have also written for international audiences through Relief and Rehabilitation agencies.
My first publication is a children’s book titled Little Lexi’s Spots. It’s a rhyming tale about a little ladybug who discovers confidence in her choice of clothing.
Mama: True Stories of Maternal Health in Africa, is a heart-turning compilation of testimonies from mothers, children, midwives, and community members in the warm heart of Africa. Offering an eye-opening glimpse into the reality of maternal and infant mortality and the efforts necessary to overcome barriers to health, Mama is full of heartbreak and hope.
Personal
Independent Travels
2015-2018; kickstarted my love for strangers and their stories
Married
2019; to the most handsome man in the world
First Child
2021; changing my life forever with the purest level of undiluted love
On top of a fiery passion for perfectly worded sentences, I keep my life interesting with a constant ebb and flow of adventure. I was once described as someone who “doesn’t let the grass grow under their feet.”
Want to know what I mean? Look at the list below!
- I graduated high school early so I could make my first overseas trip to Malawi. At seventeen, I had never boarded a plane before, much less traveled halfway across the globe alone. While there, I wrote several project articles for Emmanuel International.
- I moved to Ottawa, Canada for school, and stayed for several years, living with my best friends in various apartments throughout the city.
- At age twenty, my cousin and I backpacked around Europe for several weeks. I didn’t do any writing on that particular trip, but it heavily influenced my heart for strangers, and the desire to share their stories with the world.
- The following year, I travelled to Malawi a second time, this trip with the sole purpose to write my book, Mama.
- I married to the most handsome man in the world in 2019. He works as an officer in the Canadian Armed Forces, and is studying as a student doctor. Since getting married, we’ve migrated around Ontario, having lived in five different locations already.
- We welcomed our first child into the world in 2021, and have been loving every moment with him since. Growing and raising a child has opened my heart tenfold to the mothers and children that I interviewed for Mama.
Want to know more? I’m happy to answer your questions here, but the best way to keep up with me is online! Follow me on Instagram – I regularly share book news, life updates, and written inspiration. I can’t wait to see you there!
Caitlin Arlene 