January 25, 2026 - 10:35pm - by Luke Thiessen

A book of writings by Alyson Shane, supporting the award in her name

We have some exciting news to share, especially for those who knew or worked with Alyson, our founder.

A few of Alyson’s family and friends have put together a book of her writing, taken from her personal blog during the last three years of her life. This book, called All The Small Things, is now available through Amazon – and all proceeds (about $10 per copy) are being donated to the Alyson Shane Memorial Award.

Why now?

We felt now was a good time to release this book into the world for a few reasons.

January is always a big month for conversations around mental health. Between the short, gloomy winter days and the frigid weather keeping many of us cooped up inside, it’s a tough time for a lot of people. We’ve just passed Blue Monday and Bell Let’s Talk Day, and still have some winter left to come.

Mental health was a frequent topic for Alyson; she was a passionate advocate for others getting the help they need, and she spoke openly about her own struggles. The writings selected for this book reflect that, with many entries delving into mental health and related challenges.

The other reason for the timing is that the team behind the Alyson Shane Memorial Award is hoping to reach their fundraising this year if possible, in order to begin awarding money to students.

About the book

All The Small Things is a collection of writings from Alyson’s personal blog between 2022 and her passing in late 2024. As Alyson’s husband John says in the preface, it would be impossible to be exhaustive without producing a Count Of Monte Cristo, so the collection is limited to what he viewed as the most poignant and representative blog posts from the final years of her life. 

Reading through the book in order, it paints a picture of Alyson’s inner world, as she saw and wanted to express it. From tender and difficult moments presented with raw honesty, to reflections on the best of times, to a list of frog and toad puns dreamt up with friends late one summer’s evening, it is a very beautiful, very human journey. 

It also includes many of the photos (and, of course, memes) which she included in her original posts.

About the award

As mentioned, all proceeds from sales of the book are going to fund the Alyson Shane Memorial Award in Rhetoric, administered by the University of Winnipeg Foundation.

Once fully funded, the award will help underrepresented students studying rhetoric, communications and writing at the U of W. The fundraising goal in order to begin awarding is $35,000, and as of now, is nearly half funded.

Anyone interested in supporting the award directly can find out more information or make a contribution through the University of Winnipeg Foundation here.

Where to buy

All The Small Things is published and sold through Amazon, and you can buy it here.

The books are printed in (and shipped from) Canada, and eligible for fast free delivery on Prime.

For any questions about the book or the award, please get in touch - we’re always happy to chat!