Yvonne Blackwood is the author of four adult non-fiction books: Into Africa, A Personal Journey, Will That Be Cash or Cuffs? Into Africa: The Return, and College Life of a Retired Senior, and her debut novel, The Ambition. She has also published three children's picture books: Nosey Charlie Comes to Town, Nosey Charlie Goes to Court, and Nosey Charlie Chokes on a Wiener. She is an award-winning short-story writer and has contributed stories to several anthologies, including Human Kindness, Canadian Voices, and Wordscape. Blackwood has published articles in More of Our Canada, Adelaide, InTouch and Green Prints. She has written columns for Pride Newspaper, the Toronto Star, and The African Connection. Blackwood worked in the banking industry for almost forty years. She is a graduate of the University of Technology and York University with a BA majoring in English. She is a Fellow of The Institute of Canadian Bankers and an alumnus of the Humber College School of Writers.