I wrote my first “book” when I was in Grade 2. It was a collection of my stories and poems, and some by my favourite poet at the time, Ogden Nash. (I had to get special permission to borrow his books from the library because they were kept in the Adult section. In those days, children weren’t even allowed to go into the adult section without a parent, let alone borrow from it.) The book was for the woman who was supposed to have been my Grade 3 teacher, but she had fallen ill. I loved her, and thought of her as a quasi-grandmother. The book was (so they told me) delivered to her in the hospital. Sadly, she died not long afterwards.
Business Books by Tema Frank
I have written business books and articles for decades. My first freelance article was for Profit Magazine in 1990. I called it a Cosmo quiz for entrepreneurs. The premise was that if you were a successful entrepreneur, you already understood marketing. But it was the era of the ascendancy of MBAs (I had recently completed mine) and many entrepreneurs felt intimidated by the MBA jargon. The piece was a lighthearted attempt to demystify the jargon.
My bestselling book, Canada’s Best Employers for Women: A guide for job-hunters, employees & employers, launched the idea of “best of” employer lists in Canada, and was praised by women, corporate executives, and even academic researchers.
My consistently 5-star-reviewed 2016 book, PeopleShock: The Path to Profits When Customers Rule, focuses on helping organizations strike the right balance between people and technology to deliver the outstanding customer experiences demanded by today’s consumers.
Fiction & Creative Nonfiction by Tema Frank
Now I finally have time to work on developing the craft skills that held me back in creative writing previously. And thanks to Covid-19 lockdowns, there have been plenty of online resources and classes to help me learn!
My main project at the moment is a book based on the true story of the early years of my grandfather’s life. It is about a poor, young Russian Jew who flees three countries to avoid being drafted but returns to Russia to fight for the Bolshevik cause and the dream of world peace. You can read more about it at Tema Frank: History Detective!
Travel Writing
I’ve been travelling since I was three years old, and, with the exception of the Covid-19 pandemic, I hope to continue doing so for many more years. If you are only interested in the blog’s travel articles, read them here.
