An award-winning writer, playwright, and filmmaker, Debra Anderson was the recipient of the Writers’ Trust of Canada’s prestigious Dayne Ogilvie Prize for LGBTQ Emerging Writers, given for a body of work (2009). She is a graduate of the York University Creative Writing Program. Her novel, Code White was supported by the Ontario Arts Council Writers’ Reserve Program (2004) and her current untitled work-in-progress has been supported by both the Ontario Arts Council Writers’ Works in Progress Grant (2011) and the Ontario Arts Council Writers’ Reserve Program (2011 & 2012).
A regular on the Toronto reading scene, Debra’s writing has been anthologized in More Than a MILF: Sex & the Aging Female Body – Upcoming! (Off Topic Publishing) Gender Ever After – Upcoming! (Bold Strokes Books), Glimpses of Us – Upcoming! (JMS Books, A Small Queer Press) Friday the Flirteenth: A Monsterotica Zine (Little Ghosts Books), America Does Not Exist: An Anthology of Protection Spells for the Queer & Trans Community (Beyond the Veil Press, 2026), Girl Fever: 69 Stories of Sudden Sex for Lesbians (Cleis Press, 2012), in the Lambda Literary Award finalist, Persistence: All Ways Butch and Femme (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2011), Geeks, Misfits and Outlaws (McGilligan Books, 2003), Bent On Writing: Contemporary Queer Tales (Women’s Press, 2002), and the Lambda Literary Award finalist, Brazen Femme: Queering Femininity (Arsenal Pulp Press, 2002). Literary journal credits include Fireweed, Xtra, The Church-Wellesley Review, Tessera, periwinkle, Zygote, Acta Victoriana, Hook & Ladder, as well as the now defunct Siren and Queers On-Line.
Debra just completed a residency at the Lesbian Herstory Archives on the writing theme of romance/erotic (2025). She has recently participated in two fall residencies in Northern Ontario (2023 & 2019) on new projects.
Debra has read at Blazing Femme in Naked Heart – An LGBTQ Festival of Words (2018), IN:VERSE in Naked Heart – An LGBTQ Festival of Words (2015), for World Pride & Nuit Rose at Cunning Linguists (Propeller Centre for the Arts, 2014), POETRIX – a Get Lit World Pride Program (Glad Day Bookshop, 2014), PROUD VOICES – Dirty.Sexy.Queer (Pride Toronto & Glad Day Bookshop, 2013). She participated in ‘Querying the Page Panel’ as part of the Thought Exchange Program (Toronto Public Library, Palmerston Branch, 2013), the book launch for Persistence: All Ways Butch and Femme (2011), Glad Day Bookstore’s Pride Program’s, Fiction with Friction (2012), Brockton Writers Series (2011), the book launch for Amber Dawn’s, Sub Rosa (This Ain’t the Rosedale Library, 2010), Trigger Festival (2010), Word on the Street (2009), Proud Voices Reading Series (Pride Toronto, 2009), the book launch for Chandra Mayor’s, All the Pretty Girls (Toronto Women’s Bookstore, 2008), Queer WIthin These Walls (Toronto Women’s Bookstore, George Brown College, CAMH, 2008 & 2007), IV Lounge reading series (2007), and Lit Live (Hamilton, 2007).
Her novel, Code White was on the syllabus for Queer Lit & Media 551 at San Francisco State University (San Francisco, 2024) and LGBT US HIST 45 at City College of San Francisco (San Francisco, 2024) where she was a Guest Author and lectured. Code White was also on the syllabus for WMST 1510 – ‘Sex, Gender & Popular Culture’ (York University) where Debra was a guest lecturer (2014 & 2015). She was the guest lecturer for World Pride 2014 at Monarch Park Collegiate (through Toronto Public Library – Danforth/Coxwell Branch), and was also a Guest Author for World Pride 2014 (Toronto Public Library – Parkdale Branch), a guest lecturer at York University’s Canadian Writers in Person Reading Series (AP/CLTR 1953 6.0A) where Code White was on the syllabus in 2009, and a Guest Author at UBC in a reading and panel discussion (2006).
Debra has facilitated a number of Creative Writing Workshops for the Toronto Public Library (Branches – Albert Campbell District Branch, S. Walter Stewart, Beaches, St. James Town, Pape, & High Park). She facilitated Creative Writing Workshops at Naked Heart – An LGBTQ Festival of Words (2018 & 2015), for World Pride 2014 (Glad Day Bookshop), to the Toronto Wordsmiths (Toronto Public Library – Parkdale Branch), at Queer Writes (Sexual & Gender Diversity Office & The Mark S. Bonham Centre for Sexual Diversity Studies at U of T (2014)), Unity Conference at OISE (2013), Word on the Street (2007) and at Pink Ink (Supporting Our Youth (SOY), 2007).
She has performed at the tenth anniversary of the Thin Air — Winnipeg International Writers Festival (2006), The Robson Reading Series (Vancouver, 2006), Festival Voix d’Ameriques (Montreal, 2006), and at the Durtygurls Reading Series (Ottawa, 2006).
Debra Anderson’s animated short film, Don’t Touch Me, premiered at the Inside Out Toronto Lesbian and Gay Film and Video Festival (1998) and has been screened internationally at independent film festivals. Her play withholding was workshopped at Buddies in Bad Times Theatre in the Ante-Chamber Workshop Series. She was the winner of the prestigious George Ryga Award for Playwriting (York University, 1997).
Debra Anderson currently resides in Toronto, and toured her first novel, Code White (McGilligan Books, 2005) on a cross-Canada tour in 2006. Debra visited Ottawa, Montreal, Winnipeg, Calgary, Vancouver, and Victoria, performing with talented local authors in each city at various events which ranged from appearances at literary festivals and reading series, to bookstore readings and spoken word cabarets.
Debra was also the organizer and promoter of Get Your Lit Out, a reading series based in Toronto that promoted local female authors. She organizes and promotes additional local literary events. To find out more information please email.
Debra writes book reviews for Shameless Magazine.
Contact Debra if you are interested in having her write reviews for your publication.
BOOKING & REPRESENTATION
Debra has read at numerous events across Canada including literary festivals, reading series, and at book launches. She has appeared in bookstores, art galleries, cafes, bars, salons, and cabarets.
Debra has also performed and given artist talks and lectures at Canadian universities and high schools. She has facilitated original Creative Writing Workshops for writing festivals, youth groups, libraries, students and the general public. She is a dynamic speaker on a wide variety of topics, among them: the creative writing process, the publishing process, feminist issues in texts, gender and sexuality, the outsider, finding your voice, how to create realistic dialogue, tips on working through writer’s block, facing your inner critic, building a sacred creative writing space, creating characters who speak from a marginalized perspective, performing your work, creating successful writing groups, where to find inspiration, and how to tell your own story.
To book Debra to give a lecture, artist talk, or to facilitate uniquely tailored Creative Writing Workshops for groups of any size, or to schedule her for festival events, readings, or book club visits, please email.
To contact Debra for an interview, or to receive a press copy of Code White and promotional materials for review, please email.
FREELANCE EDITOR & PUBLICIST
· MANUSCRIPT EVALUATIONS
· EDITING & PROOFREADING SERVICES
As well as being a novelist, Debra is a trained freelance editor with additional experience and expertise in the field of publicity. Her training in the field of publishing and writing includes Ryerson’s Certificate of Publishing, York University’s Creative Writing Program, an Honours BA in Women’s Studies (York University), and George Brown’s Certificate in Desktop Publishing. In addition, Debra has successfully completed Simon Fraser University’s Book Publishing Immersion Workshop.
She has completed freelance work for Colborne Communications, a well-known publishing services company based in Toronto. She additionally excels in corporate copywriting and proofreading, and has recently worked on successful corporate partnership proposals with Fortune 500 companies for non-profit agencies.
Debra is a creative problem-solver, brings a keen eye for detail to every manuscript she reviews, and thrives working under tight deadlines.
If you require any assistance around publicity or freelance editorial work—whether you are an emerging or established author looking for a manuscript assessment, email Debra to discuss your project and deadline, as well as to find out about rates.
Debra is able to offer assistance in the areas of manuscript consultation, substantive or stylistic editing, copyediting, copywriting, or proofreading, as well as publicity services to help creatively get the word out about your upcoming book launch or event.