Leslie Vryenhoek has worked as a professional communicator in international development, advanced education, emergency response, and the arts. She travels extensively to gather stories about the lives of poor working women, which have been published worldwide. Her 2015 novel Ledger of the Open Hand was shortlisted for Newfoundland and Labrador’s prestigious Winterset Award and longlisted for the international Dublin Literary Award. She lives in St. John’s.