Allison McWood

Clarity Trout is an agoraphobic girl with a dream. Despite cowering in her apartment, Clarity yearns to be a journalist for a major news outlet. (Her bland refrigerator blog just isn't cutting it) But after a misunderstanding during her application process with Verisimilitude Media, Clarity accidentally causes the world to end. Chaos ensues when Clarity and her eclectic neighbors are all confined indefinitely to their apartments, while an invisible cataclysm brews outside. Otto's Cat Cafe is shut down, music is banned, random items are confiscated, a lion roams the streets, parents must make Armageddon fun, and pistachios are issued randomly as a kind of warped caste system. All the while, an eccentric internet influencer exploits the apocalyptic mess, a doomsday prophet shrieks warnings from his balcony and a professor of moral philosophy is shaking his head in bewilderment. Can a vainglorious prime minister and his gaggle of inept politicians save mankind from itself? And is it bad that Clarity is oddly relieved that she may never have to leave her apartment again?

Holly Plover, a posh perfume executive in NYC is eager to enjoy a meticulously planned Christmas. Her swanky apartment practically glimmers with elegantly festive perfection, and she has a hunch that her swoony podiatrist boyfriend is planning a picture-perfect marriage proposal. And with her new line of Christmas fragrances about to be launched for the holidays, things could not possibly be more superb. But Holly's fastidious Christmas plans come to a screeching halt when her estranged sister Ivy unexpectedly shows up for the holidays with her pet rat, shady past, blatant lack of filters and a duffel full of vulgar eccentricities. How can Holly possibly entertain this unrefined vagrant during what may be the most important Christmas of her life? With trouble following her wherever she goes, Ivy throws a monkey wrench into Holly's carefully planned holiday from the moment she arrives. From stealing a neighbor's Christmas tree to shamelessly flirting with Holly's boyfriend, Ivy clashes with Holly in every conceivable way. But more complicated still are the resurfacing feelings Holly has as she is forced to confront an arduous past that she thought she had finally out behind her.

About the AuthorAllison McWood is an acclaimed Canadian author, playwright and lyricist. Allison writes novels, plays and children's books, all featuring her signature quirkiness. Her writing has not only charmed audiences and readers across the country, but her works have also been taught in Universities around the world, from Vancouver to Lucknow, India. Allison is also a Shakespearean dramaturge and Marlovian academic.About the BookTired of having unnecessary nightmares after reading a morbid fairy tale? Great news There is finally a collection of fairy tales that are appropriate for children and sardonic adults alike "Not So Grim(m) Fairy Tales" slurps the scary right out of all your favourite, formerly dark classics. Filled with empowered princesses, average sized wolves, altruistic lumberjacks, donut-wielding goats, impish weirdos, freakishly well-mannered children and a witch's cauldron brewing with irony and sarcasm, this collection of un-scary spoofs is sure to have the whole family howling with laughter

About the AuthorAllison McWood is an acclaimed Canadian author, playwright and lyricist. Allison writes novels, plays and children's books, all featuring her signature quirkiness. Her writing has not only charmed audiences and readers across the country, but her works have also been taught in Universities around the world, from Vancouver to Lucknow, India. Allison is also a Shakespearean dramaturge and Marlovian academic.About the BookSocially awkward indie writer, Lydia Knapp is desperate to get out of Toronto. Plagued with annoying bouts of social anxiety, a soul-sucking day job, a noisy and uninspiring city and now an unreasonable deadline, Lydia has no idea how she can build her writing career without losing her sanity.The solution? She moves to a remote cottage on a forgotten lake.With her husband, Hunter travelling months at a time for work, Lydia can finally focus on her writing with literally no distractions. Her only neighbor is a freaky recluse across the lake with seemingly no desire to interact with Lydia. (Except when he skulks around and stares at her, but what else would you expect from a freaky recluse?)But can Lydia endure the tedious isolation without resorting to conversations with chipmunks? Luckily, a beguiling guy named Granger moves into the vacant cottage next door, and with their shared interest in random literary quotes, this could be the friendship Lydia has been craving. The only problem is, Granger is a little too irresistible, and Lydia is a little too married.

Senior executive Bianca Mumford is at the top of her game - that is, until she loses her mind. For seven years, Bianca was the very picture of work ethic, commitment, power, eloquence and poise. But with virtually no work-life balance, Bianca finally hits a breaking point, having a full-on meltdown during a critical meeting. Concerned for her sanity (and liability) Bianca's software company sends her on a mandatory leave of absence to a rustic log cabin in Algonquin Park. Leaving the city for the first time in her life, Bianca embarks on a mind-bending journey filled with mosquitoes, tippy canoes, peculiar rural folk and the impending threat of moose. With no phone signals or internet access, Bianca has no idea how she will endure the summer with no veritable survival skills. (Perhaps she is not as poised as she once thought) But the biggest anomaly in the forest is the enigmatic recluse staying in the cabin next door. Kraven Kane, with his radioactive stare and tendency to growl, appears to be obsessed with Bianca. Or maybe it's the other way around. Things were much less complicated in the city.

A full-length play. What do we really know about Christopher Marlowe? We openly discuss Shakespeare, his celebrated contemporary, but what about the dark playwright who fell victim to one of the most murderous controversies of the English Renaissance? It Was Kit is a farce which examines the last week of Marlowe's life, raising questions regarding the accuracy of history, the legitimacy of the Monarchy and the interpretation of the artist. Every character in the play existed in history: Thomas Kyd, Robert Greene, Ingram Frizer, Eleanor Bull, Richard Baines, William Shakespeare among many others. Laced with actual, historical quotes and references, the play combines historical elements with the contemporary, drawing relevant comparisons between the two eras. This comedic twist on history suggests that Marlowe was a man as well as a phenomenon. Murder and espionage have never been this much fun

A full-length play. A family is broken apart when an alcoholic aunt indulges in power and lust for wealth. Auntie Francis has just inherited more money than a human being can spend in three lifetimes. She attempts to use this new wealth in order to manipulate her family into submitting to her control. Although many members of the family fall victim to her ploy, Francis's niece, Petra seems to be the only one who recognizes that Francis has a disease which is slowly killing her. Auntie Francis and her Henchmen deals with the serious issue of alcoholism in a farcical way. Not only does the play demonstrate the destructive effect alcoholism can have on a family, it digs deeper, suggesting how the problem originates, and ultimately suggests how to deal with this sort of controversial situation.

A full-length play. Fifi Sandcastle is a typical twenty-nine year old, working in a typical office. She is surrounded by typical men who think of her as nothing but a giant, walking uterus, pursuing futile dreams. Fifi does not believe her dreams are futile. In fact, her current account with Maygrover Enterprises has her taking her job very seriously. Fifi has pretty much given up on men, claiming they are all a bunch of Neanderthals, but she is perpetually haunted by memories of her charming ex-boyfriend with great hair. Much to Fifi's shock, her smooth-talking ex re-appears in her life and creates a series of questions as to what direction this business-driven woman will take before she turns thirty.Meanwhile, Fifi is surrounded by mayhem in her office. She has an overbearing and completely incompetent boss who plans to outsource the entire department in order to create less work for himself. Her desk is sandwiched between a womanizing pervert and a compulsive lying kleptomaniac who has been infatuated with Fifi since the sixth grade. Then there is the meddlesome receptionist who annoys everyone with her ramblings of her perfect marriage and family. The powerful executive assistant to the CEO also has some warped ideas as to what the role of women really is in the business world. With all this chaos, how exactly is Fifi supposed to pursue a successful career and still remember how to be a woman?

A full-length play. Dr. Mendax has just given Shylie six months to live. In fact, he gives all his patients six months to live...and they obey him. Floyd, an insecure, male nurse thinks Mendax has acheived god-status. But an elusive, Romanian janitor seems to be the only one who knows the truth. It's a shame nobody can understand the janitor's accent, especially since he is the only one who can save Shylie's life. Wrapped in a beautiful mess of farcical escapades and mistaken identities, Because I Can explores the theme of Conscience. What is conscience? Who has one? Or more importantly, who doesn't?

Three little froggy siblings compete for Mama Frog's attention. But they soon learn that Mama Frog loves them all equally for very different reasons.

A Full Length Play. Understudying Wilk Scheissenberger is a backstage comedy detailing the life of Larry Duzzibedder. Larry is an unknown actor who has been chosen to understudy Broadway legend, Wilk Scheissenberger. Between dealing with the eccentricities of his colleagues, falling in love with the leading lady and being ferociously attacked by irate patrons, Larry must learn where he belongs in a world in which everything is artificial. When strange and frightening things begin to happen, Larry discovers that his life is being re-written by Monty Quillflinger, a neurotic playwright who talks to his hand. While everyone thinks Larry is simply being paranoid, Larry is aware that Monty's new plot cold put Larry's life in grave danger. Combining elements of farce and surrealism, Understudying Wilk Scheissenberger uncovers the artificiality and politics of the theatre. It is a story of survival and self-discovery, interlaced with dark humour.

Stafford is unlike any other giraffe. He loves to read oodles of books Each book he reads inspires Stafford to go on thrilling adventures in his imagination. But when the other animals make fun of his copious book collection, Stafford teaches them all a valuable lesson about the importance of literacy.

Douglas the Pinecone has a big problem. It's already Christmas Eve and he still can't think of anything to give his friends for Christmas. But using his heart and imagination, Douglas comes up with the perfect gift just in time

Donna-Lou Zast has a big problem. Because her name begins with the letter Z, she gets called last for everything at school. But after a series of festive disappointments, Donna meets a reindeer friend who understands her woes - and together they embark on a Christmas adventure of a lifetime