Keen Ideas Publishing is a creative home for stories and art shaped by curiosity, craft, and imagination. We bring together writers and illustrators who care deeply about storytelling, visual beauty, and the joy of discovery.
Wendy Weston, Publisher, Editor, & Illustrator
Wendy Weston is a Canadian author, illustrator, and visual artist, and the owner/publisher of indie press, Keen Ideas. Wendy’s work blends imagination, storytelling, and a keen eye for detail. Her art has been exhibited in galleries across Canada where her visual storytelling continues to invite curiosity, warmth, and a second look.
Wendy’s illustrative works are seen in Emily Finds a Fox, Lexi Catt’s Meowmoirs, The Adventures of Alexander Catt, and Woodland Tales.
Wendy earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Victoria.
Marian Keen, Author
Marian Keen is a seasoned Canadian author of children’s, young adult, and adult fiction, known for her dedication to historical accuracy and vivid storytelling. After moving to Canada, Marian became a Grade 5 and 6 school teacher while remaining active in the arts, particularly painting.
The arrival of computers in the early 1990s sparked Marian’s journey into writing, leading to the creation of two beloved series: Alexander Catt’s Adventures—Tales of His Nine Lives and Lexi Catt’s Meowmoirs—Tales of Heroic Scientists.
These imaginative “meowmoirs” introduce young readers to famous figures and pivotal moments in science, medicine, art, exploration, and human history.
Marian’s stories often feature British Columbian wildlife, including skunks, raccoons, owls, bears, squirrels, crows, and seagulls, as seen in Abigail Skunk’s Lessons for Her Kits, and other stories in the Woodland Tales series. Her first young adult novel, Verity, marked an important milestone in her career.
She is also the author of the adult historical novel The Jewel of Britannia, set in British Columbia during the First World War. Upcoming works include a story about the founding of the Canadian Northwest Mounted Police, witnessed by Alex the Catt, and the young adult novel The Haunting of Pleasure Beach.
Marian Keen has been writing across genres since the 1980s, with a lifelong passion for historical fiction for children and youth.
Jodie Dias, Editor, & Illustrator
Jodie Dias, BA, is a children’s illustrator, painter, designer, and photographer. Her whimsical, expressive style brings warmth and personality to Lexi Catt’s Meowmoirs—Tales of Heroic Scientists, Alexander Catt’s Adventures—Tales of His Nine Lives, and the Woodland Tales series, pairing playful imagery with historically accurate settings.
She earned her degree in Art History from the University of British Columbia.
Jodie has worked as a production manager for the animated children’s film Legend of the Candy Cane and is also a commissioned portrait artist. She is currently a partner in Keen Ideas Publishing.