Anna Eastland is a B.C. writer and mom of nine, with another in Heaven. She attended Capliano College and UBC, where she studied English and Classical Studies. Anna believes in the transformative power of poetry in dealing with loss and helping rediscover that life is still beautiful. She has been sharing her work on her blog, “Just East of Crazy Land: Adventures in Parenting,” for over a decade.

Anna is the author of the poetry book unexpected blossoming: a journey of grief and hope, and co-author of Beginner’s Guide to Growing Baby: Tips to Help You Through All Four Trimester, which she wrote with local author Bonnie Way. She has contributed chapters or poems to various anthologies: Love Rebel: Reclaiming Motherhood, Canadian Converts II, and most recently, Never-ending Love: Sharing Stories, Prayers and Comfort for Miscarriage and Infant Loss, Composed, and Habitations Vol.II.

She was chosen as a librettist for The Lament’s Project by soprano Ai Horton, who transformed Anna’s babyloss poem “Carry Me” into a song of lament accompanied by harp. Anna’s poem “Kootenay Glacier Crush” was featured on The Habit Podcast, her favourite podcast about writing, in the summer of 2023.

Anna is really excited about her next project, Ever Connected, which is a chapbook of poetry about her beloved late father, Bob McCandless, whom she lost to cancer. The book will also include several pieces of micro-fiction and some excerpts from her dad’s journals and letters to her.

An executive member of the Delta Literary Arts Society, Anna loves sharing her poems at open mic at the North Delta Centre for the Arts, often accompanied by her tiny sidekick in the snugly.

Anna recently started teaching a monthly writing circle for aspiring authors at the George Mackie Library, with the belief that our unique artistic voices grow best with the encouragement of community. She also helps out at the Delview High poetry club, where she loves sharing her passion for writing with local teens.

Her next poetry book, velvet flame: the poetry in life after loss, will be hitting the press this summer.