Author Q&A: Sandra Roe

Author/ Bookish Everybody
5 July 2026

Sandra Roe used the darkest of medical challenges as a child and, later, as an adult to fuel her imagination and become a writer. Her memory loss led to uninhibited creativity that has resulted in the penning of almost 30 children’s books.

How did you become a writer?

I became a writer/author after I was diagnosed with brain cancer and finished the 6 months of 8 cycles of industrial chemo in 2008. I had lost my memory prior to the diagnoses so it was like I was in a childlike state where I let go and let the funny things that occurred during my treatment happen and then write them down on paper.

Also, my grandma had a book shack on the farm where I was always surrounded by books. I had tried when I was younger to write a book, as I would read books by Victoria Holt. This genre of book was not, at my age, the right area to focus on. But, it gave me the seed to maybe one day write a book. I have now written 26 children’s books and typing up what I had hand written during my treatment used to calm me. As I have also had breast cancer and major heart surgery due to the radiation I had when I was 14 years old which was a childhood cancer, I also have a second book geared for adults to read.

What would you be doing otherwise?

Before moving to Hong Kong I lived in Canada and I was a dental hygienist. I thoroughly enjoyed my career being able to use my hands and interact with many different people and had planned on working in Hong Kong as a dental hygienist but due to the health issues that occurred this did not happen.

Of the characters you have created, which is your favourite and why?

As my books are all true stories about funny things that occurred during the 8 cycles of industrial chemo I had over 6 months (after being diagnosed with brain cancer (CNS Lymphoma)), I would say, the first person in my book, The Farting Princess, in other words, myself, when I let my 6- year old out to play. As adults, we sometimes need to let go and be more childlike.

How did you come to be in this part of the world and to start writing?

I had been to Thailand and met a couple there who lived in Hong Kong. They said to come on out, that they were renovating their apartment at the time but would find me a place to stay.

I flew out to Hong Kong and stayed with someone they knew, through whom I met and fell in love with my husband. My books are written about the experience that I had living in Hong Kong when I first met my husband, as well as after losing my memory and being diagnosed with brain cancer. My husband took incredible care of me and was by my side throughout and was very supportive with my books.

Tell us about your writing method. Is there a secret?

When I do book readings with the kids I tell them that anyone can write a book. I say to them just think of things in your life and everyday events that happen like what you like to do or places you have been, the pets you have and if you have siblings. Then they can either create a true story or one they made up.

The first seven books just flowed out of me because I was writing about the things that had occurred during my chemo treatment. As I had memory loss, I was not inhibited so I just wrote about what happened.

When I went to write more books, I had come up with the titles for each book and had a pen in hand but nothing came to me.

But I remembered that I had a meditation CD that I would listen to during my treatment, so I put it on and once it finished, I picked up my pen and the words came.

Which author, alive or dead, would you most like to meet?

I would have liked to meet Eleanor Alice Burford (of the Victoria Holt books).

Tell us about your favourite bookshop in the world.

I have two bookstores that I have always enjoyed going into.

The first was my sisters bookstore called Never Ending Stories in Canada. It was a used bookstore, which is great to pass on books for others to find and enjoy. Even though my books were new my sister put them in her bookstore which was great.

The second bookstore is Vibe Book and Music Shop located in Mui Wo. It is also a used bookstore, but my books are available there as well. It’s a cool store.

What advice would you give your younger, writer self?

I would say love who you are. Be authentic and genuine in everything you do.
Be kind and gentle with yourself.

Sandra Roe can be emailed on: [email protected].

About the Author

Bookish Everybody

Books and reading are too often on the periphery. Enter: Bookish Everybody, a one-stop community of book enthusiasts to read or write reviews, join read-alongs, buy/sell/give books and join our competitions to win books: www.bookisheverybody.com.