Zara Reed was born in Toronto. She received the York University Entrance Scholarship and earned her undergraduate degree in English Literature and Creative Writing from Vanier College at York under the study of prolific writers such as Susan Swan, Christopher Dewdney, and Don Summerhayes. Other areas of study included earning High Honours in social services work from Sheridan Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning that included a focus on anti-oppressive practice.
Throughout her academic career, Zara has received numerous awards and honorary achievements including: Valedictorian of her graduating class; Peel Co-op Education Teachers Association Award, Ontario Scholar Award, and Brampton Rotary Club Award of Excellence.
She has always been actively interested in the creative writing community and has been associated with: The Brampton Writer’s Guild Association; The York Creative Writing Student Collective; executive officer of Writers at York; co-founder of Writer’s Read; editorial assistant for the literary magazine, Existere; and winner of the Word Guild Writing Contest. She has also earned First Honourable Mention for her short story, The Postcard, for The Write Practice Short Story Contest. Her continuing education training has included editing, proofreading, and copyright permissions through The Editors’ Association of Canada.
Formerly an editorial assistant for eight years for the publishing house, UCPH, her interests have varied from: reviewing Canadian fiction and literature; writing short stories and poetry; penpalling, photography; drawing; collecting postcards; critiquing film; visiting art galleries, museums, historical buildings, and churches; exploring fashion, ethnicity, cultural customs, religion; and advocating literacy and justice for marginalized, underrepresented communities.
Between being a writer, book reviewer, literacy advocate, wife, and a mother—she confesses an aversion to poor manners, profanity, prejudice, systemic discrimination, inequity, and social injustice against racialized communities, older adults, people who experience poverty, and those with mental health issues and developmental exceptionalities.
She will, in season, enable her love for Chestnut Praline and Pumpkin Spice compensate for her inexplicable dislike of the colour Pickle. And much to her partner’s astonishment, she continues to accumulate more books, plants, mugs, lipsticks, and Bath & Body Works candles than their shared space can house.
Her other aspirations include: the writing and completion of a published literary novel; to learn and speak fluent Spanish, French, and Japanese, as well as learn and perfect the mysterious flavours of a Lebanese shawarma garlic sauce recipe; and to learn to embroider and knit fabrics in direct rebellion to impending, chronic arthritis.
She also formerly reviewed books for Penguin Random House Canada, Simon & Schuster Canada, HarperCollins Canada, and House of Anansi, in exchange for prestigious bragging rights, free galleys, ARCs, exclusive author signings, and bookish parties—and primarily because she is passionate about the written word.
Her favourite colour varies depending on mood and season. Today, it is Deep Taupe.
Other hobbies include: reading by the lake; re-decorating her home; making friends with every dog in her community; nourishing her plant babies; and hunting for high-quality sushi dives, freshly baked bread, and mochi balls.
Zara currently lives in the GTA with her partner, her two children—and their rambunctious (yet, sensitive) spiny pincushion cactus, Gus.
To contact, please email Zara.
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