The spark of interest in writing had its origin in Canadian author Margaret Anne Hume’s inquisitive search during her McGill studies into the life of Mary Grannan, the late fellow New Brunswicker and author of the beloved Maggie Muggins. This led to an extensive and rewarding journey of discovery about Mary Grannan, and left Margaret truly feeling like a detective after all. Appointed as Mary Grannan’s official biographer by Grannan's sister Helen, Margaret Anne Hume is the author of the biography Just Mary: the Life of Mary Evelyn Grannan, and editor of the “Just Mary” Reader: Mary Grannan, Selected Stories, both published by the Dundurn Group in 2006.
In 2012, she and her father, Albert Mair MacLean co-authored his memoirs, My Life: Adventures of an RCAF Flying Officer, Eaton’s Manager, and Family Man (Caissie Cape Publications), launching the book on the occasion of his ninetieth birthday.
Margaret’s interests in writing are evolving. Currently, she is acting as story consultant to Helen and Alastair MacCulloch as they develop a musical based on Margaret's biography of Mary Grannan. Margaret’s love of Canada and Canadian literature, and her intense interest in its history and people feature prominently in her writing. She enjoys speaking about writing and her books.
A former librarian at Concordia University, Margaret is a graduate of McGill and the University of New Brunswick.
Canadian author Margaret Anne Hume is an active member of Canadian Authors Association. In previous years, she has been national co-chair and past chair of CAA. Margaret is also a member of The Writers Union of Canada and the Federation of BC Writers.
Photo by Heidi Back.
Mary Grannan was designated as a national historic person on March 27, 2018, by Catherine McKenna, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada. read more...
Just Mary, Mary Grannan's signature radio program for children was first broadcast on radio in November 1937 on CFNB Fredericton. The program was also carried on CBC for a number of months in 1938, but in September 1939, Mary Grannan and her Just Mary program moved to CBC Radio, beginning a long, successful broadcast run that continued until June 1962. read more...
Just Mary: the Musical, based on the book Just Mary: the Life of Mary Evelyn Grannan, is under development by Helen & Alastair MacCulloch (Optimistic Music Company). read more...
Margaret Anne Hume's interest in Mary Grannan arose from happy childhood memories of enjoying her TV shows and books of Maggie Muggins. "I had never had the pleasure of meeting her or even seeing her in person, but I was always aware that she was from my home province of New Brunswick", says Hume. "My later desire to write her biography grew from an adult curiosity about this woman -- so well known throughout Canada for over two decades -- now largely forgotten. Since I could not find any biographies about her because none had been written, I eventually decided to write one myself."
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Children's author Mary Grannan published over thirty best-selling books from her CBC Radio shows Just Mary and "Maggie Muggins." She had other radio series that were never released in print. In the Just Mary Reader Mary Grannan's biographer Margaret Anne Hume presents a selection of stories from radio drama series Jubilee Road and Land of Supposing.
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Albert Mair MacLean chronicles his family history and his own life story, featuring the gripping details of his experiences as a pilot of an Avro Lancaster Mk III bomber in World War II. With warmth and humour, he recounts his years raising a family and working for the T. Eaton Company. Edited and co-written by his daughter, Margaret Anne Hume.
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