How many times have you walked by or through an interesting old house, wondering about its past and what tales its walls could whisper if they could answer your questions? Although many of Victoria's heritage homes have disappeared, some remain—some rich and elegant and some working class. All have stories to tell.

Valerie Green offers the stories of fifty houses and the people who lived, loved and died in them. The homes are illustrated by architectural artist Lynn Gordon-Findlay in exquisite detail. In If These Walls Could Talk, Valerie and Lynn celebrate Victoria's splendid old houses and the history of another era. They include only those residences still standing. The time span ranges from the 1850s to the 1930s and covers a wide spectrum; there are stories about famous houses of historical importance as well as some less familiar, like the Rockland home that rocked with scandal and a farmhouse with a connection to Harrod's, the famous London retailer. Maps have been included to show exact location.

Valerie Green was born in england and studied journalism, english literature and history at the Regent Institute of Journalism in London. Before immigrating to Canada in 1968, Valerie's employment included a short stint at the War Office for MI5, as well as legal secretarial work and freelance writing. Her writing career is extensive and includes writing a weekly history column for the Saanich News for nineteen years, a monthly column for the Seaside Times in Sidney, BC, numerous articles for the Victoria Times Colonist, as well as authoring and editing over 20 books on local and regional history, mysteries and social issues.Now semi-retired, Valerie continues to freelance for a number of newspapers and magazines. In addition, she has served on the board of the Saanich Arts, Culture & Heritage Committee, the Saanich Heritage Foundation and volunteered with the Luther Court Society. She is a member of the Professional Writers of Canada (PWAC), the Federation of BC Writers, the Writers' Union of Canada, and the Hallmark Society of Victoria. She lives with her husband in Saanich and is the proud grandmother of two young boys. Visit her website at www.valeriegreenauthor.com

Valerie Green's profile page

Lynn Gordon-Findlay is an intern associate with the Architectural Institute of British Columbia and a member of the Island Illustrators Society; she works mainly in pencil, pen-and-ink, pastel and watercolor, and for several years, she has provided illustrations for Valerie's newspaper columns on Victoria's heritage buildings.

Lynn Gordon-Findlay's profile page