I was born in Ireland but have been living in Toronto since 1972. I suppose it would be more correct to say
based in Toronto because, until The Undergardeners found me, I had been working as an actor, which meant
much traveling around Canada. I have also worked as an actor in Dublin, London and Paris.

The Undergardeners is the first in a planned series about a boy who is nicknamed Mouse because he is small for his age. Mouse will have more adventures with the Undergardeners and the animals introduced to him by same. For example, there are some tough little mussels to be removed from the lake before they gum up the city's water supply. There's a Russian circus bear to be rescued from her cruel trainer. There's. . . well, lots more.

I have taken The Undergardeners to schools and libraries in the greater Toronto area and had a wonderful time reading to, and being grilled by, the young audience. I have also read from it in local bookstores.

Bockety, a memoir based on my childhood in Dublin, and with pen and ink drawings by myself, was recently published by Brandon Books in Ireland. I was at the launch in Dublin in September, 2006, as part of the Ranelagh Arts Festival in which I was also performing as an actor. The whole thing was most exhilarating.

My wife and I live in Toronto's west end with an ever changing number of stray animals that wander in from the park behind our house. The present count is three cats in residence.
I have a very rudimentary website at www.desmondellis.com.