Shelley A. Leedahl brings her deft craft with language, ear for the nuances of tone and careful observations of the everyday to a superb new collection of highly accessible poems. Whether Leedahl is writing about the squeak of runners on the gymnasium floor or the thin noise of ice, strawberry daiquiris or wet tents drying, pregnancy tests or the new sheets from Zellers, readers are guaranteed a lyrical and entertaining ride.

Multi-genre writer Shelley A. Leedahl assuredly shifts her creative focus between critically acclaimed books of poetry, short fiction, novels, and children's literature. With I Wasn't Always Like This the seasoned writer now adds creative non-fiction to her literary repertoire. Her numerous titles include Wretched Beast, Listen, Honey, Orchestra of the Lost Steps, The Bone Talker (with illustrator Bill Slavin), The House of the Easily Amused and A Few Words for January. Leedahl's work has appeared in anthologies ranging from The Best Canadian Poetry in English, 2013 to Great Canadian Murder and Mystery Stories, Slice Me Some Truth: An Anthology of Canadian Creative Nonfiction, Country Roads: Memoirs from Rural Canada, and Outside of Ordinary: Women's Travel Stories. Born and raised in Saskatchewan, Leedahl now makes her home in Ladysmith, BC. Aside from literary writing, she also works as a freelancer, editor, and writing instructor.

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