Peter Routis

Author Biography

I earned degrees in English Literature and Classics from Wilfrid Laurier University in Waterloo, Ontario, and in Computer Science from Humber Polytechnic in Toronto, Ontario. My studies in English Literature included World Literature and Creative Writing, and I further developed my craft by studying poetry at York University, Toronto, Ontario, under the distinguished Canadian poet Irving Layton.

My writing career spans several decades. As a university student, I wrote for the campus newspaper, where my poetry was published. During my time at Wilfrid Laurier University, my first play was produced at the University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, an experience that marked the beginning of my lifelong commitment to writing.

I am the author of the historical novel Free Besieged (NFB Publishing/Amelia Press, 2021, first edition) and When the Earth Died (Inkwell Books, 2024, first edition), which received the International Impact Book Award in the Contemporary Fiction and Literary Fiction categories in April 2025. My dramatic works include When the Earth Died: A Play in Two Acts (2025) and The Rats: A Play in One Act (2025).

In addition to my published books and plays, I have completed an anthology of poetry, an anthology of short stories, and two feature-length screenplays (“When the Earth Died” and “Free Besieged”) which are currently unpublished.

I am a member of the Writers' Union of Canada and reside in Toronto with my wife.