Tom Hawthorn is an award-winning (and, on occasion, award-losing) journalist, writer and newspaper columnist whose byline has appeared in publications large (Reader's Digest, Canadian Geographic) and small (South Bend Tribune in Indiana and the Sanger Herald in California). He currently writes a twice-weekly column on British Columbia for The Globe & Mail. He also writes about sports and politics for the online magazine TheTyee.ca. He has won several prizes from the Society of Professional Obituary Writers whose tombstone-shaped plaques are on display at his home in Victoria, BC.