Winnipeg Novelist Michael Van Rooy Dies

I was surprised and saddened to hear of the death of Winnipeg writer Michael Van Rooy yesterday.  The CBC reported that he died of an apparent heart attack in Montreal while promoting his latest novel, A Criminal to Remember.  It was his third novel in the crime series about ex-con Monty Haaviko.

When I heard the story on the radio they lead with the fact that a well known Winnipeg crime fiction author had passed away.  I assumed to hear the name of some writer from seventies or eighties I had never heard of that had not published anything recently and had been battling an illness for years.  When they named Van Rooy, 42, in the next sentence I was shocked.  Not only did I know of his award winning work, I actually spoke with him at a book signing in November and blogged about it.  He seemed at ease and humble behind the small desk in McNally Robinson.  He was soft spoken, helpful and very encouraging.  I left with a signed copy of his book and a sense of inspiration to pursue my interests in writing.  I read the signed copy of his book, An Ordinary Decent Criminal over Christmas break. When I spoke to him in November the film adaptation of the book was in preproduction.

On mbwriter.mb.ca Michael wrote this about writing: 
Writing has become simply what I do. The never-to-be-perfected art of putting pen to paper and creating plots and characters is the most challenging and satisfying endeavor I have ever found. In my writing I am motivated by many things, the desire to give a voice to people who are unheard, the desire to write the truth and the desire to simply explore. These are all equally important and they all lead me to the belief that there is no end to the craft of writing, there will always be something for me to explore.

Michael Van Rooy was a man who had a troubled past and even did time in Stony Mountain Penitentiary.  But in recent years he was doing what he loved: writing.  And he was very successful and influential in the short career that he had.  He will be greatly missed by his loved ones, friends, readers and all others he inspired.

Soupy out.