Acclaimed
writer, Elsie Sze, a native Hong Kong citizen,
currently resides in Toronto, but she has
traveled far and wide in her life before settling
in Canada. Sze has traveled to many unfamiliar
countries such as Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan,
Azerbaijan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Bulgaria,
Serbia, Croatia, Montenegro, Bosnia, Turkey,
Tanzania, South Africa, most of the countries
in Europe, China, Russia, India, and Egypt.
Though a woman of travels, she devotes her
time to fiction writing and has expressed
many of her wondrous explorations in her novels.
Recently, she produced her newest book, The
Heart of the Buddha, exploiting the elegant
lands of Bhutan.
When
writing The
Heart of the Buddha, Sze was truly inspired
by the great lands of Bhutan. Her depictions
of the landscape encompass the texture and
feel of the beautiful country. Through her
entanglement of mystery and glorious description,
she provides great insight about the country
that’s often forgotten.
Her
first novel Hui
Gui: A Chinese Story, was nominated for
Foreword Magazine Fiction Book of the Year
Award in 2006. The Toronto Arts Council awarded
Sze a grant for her work with the book. Sze’s
short stories have been published in IMPRINT
Magazine (an annual publication of Women in
Publishing Society, Hong Kong) and Cairns
Media Magazine. Most recently, New York’s
InTheFray Magazine published her article on
Bhutan. Sze meets regularly with members of
her writers’ group in Toronto to share
writing and publishing news as well as critique
writings of fellow members.
This
renowned educator graduated from the University
of Hong Kong with a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Sze continued her education at the University
of Toronto, where she acquired a Bachelor
of Education and a master’s degree in
English. Additionally, Sze took her education
just a step beyond and earned a master’s
degree in Library Science from the University
of Chicago.
Sze
has worked as a high school English teacher
in Hong Kong and Toronto, and served as a
librarian at the Warren-Newport Public Library
in Gurnee, Illinois and Toronto Public Library
in Toronto, Canada. She also serves as Director
and Office Manager of Sze Associates Ltd.
Though
Sze enjoys worldly excursions, she resides
with her husband Michael in Toronto. As a
dual citizen of the United States and Canada,
Sze often travels between the two countries.
She has three sons and one grandchild. With
her novels, Sze truly believes in spiritual
connection and embracing the life and love
around her. When she’s not writing or
traveling, Sze favors playing bridge and reading.
