Dr. Laurie Stanley-Blackwell is a retired history professor whose research interests include built heritage and the history of Maritime Canada. 

She is the author of books, articles, and websites relating to religious, social, medical, and material history. Laurie lives in one of Pictou’s old stone houses along with her husband, John Blackwell, who is a co-publisher of The Pictou Bee Press.

John Blackwell is a retired university research administrator and academic librarian, with graduate training in Canadian and British history. 

Now a freelance writer and editor, he has contributed to The Globe and Mail, National Post, Ottawa Citizen, and Huffington Post, as well as a wide variety of academic publications.