How can a career change become the thrill of a lifetime?

Bestselling author and Trent alumnus, Linwood Barclay, shares how turning the page on your career can be the doorway to unlocking your destined path

Described by his peers as a “stone-cold pro”, thrill master Linwood Barclay ’73 always knew that he was destined to become a writer. The former Toronto Star columnist and New York Times bestselling author, however, found the support he needed to pursue his passion at Trent.

"I was fortunate to have professors who gave me the leeway to write what I wanted," he says. "I can't imagine going anyplace else. At Trent, I was exposed to things I hadn't read or been aware of.

This English Literature graduate has 20 novels under his belt, which have been translated into more than two dozen languages, sold millions of copies, and even counts Stephen King among his fans. Many of his books have been optioned for film and TV, a series has been made in France (based on his 2011 thriller, The Accident), and he wrote the screenplay for a film based on his novel, Never Saw it Coming.

Linwood praises Trent's small class sizes and broad, interdisciplinary approach to learning.

"If you learn how to think critically, to understand other points of view, to assess a situation with a sense of history, you'll be able to draw on that experience for much, much longer," he explains.