Chris Heil from St. Thomas, Ont., used to write letters to his wife years ago when cellphones were too pricey and he was out West for school.
He remembers how much you can express in a letter and the excitement of waiting for a reply.
Now, Heil is busy turning letter writing into an innovative business he launched with his son.
“Back in August 2025, we saw a rising interest in meaningful, screen-free fun that feels personal,” Heil shared.
The venture, Once Upon a Letter, tells tales that allow readers to look into the lives of fictional characters through the letters they receive.
“What began as a creative side project quickly grew into a full storytelling business,” Heil explained.
When his son, Zachary Paquin, lost his job at Alberta’s oilsands, they both agreed it was time to give this idea a shot.
Every customer who subscribes gets one letter every two weeks for an entire year.
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A still from a video created by Once Upon a Letter that shows off the packaging of the letters and an example of the various items included in the envelopes. (Once Upon a Letter)
The current story is a romance set during the last year of World War II and follows Edward Bennett, a Canadian soldier sent to help liberate Europe, and his wife Margaret back home in Halifax.
“It’s told in the first person,” Heil noted. “It’s basically letters between Edward and his wife, Maggie. They’re exchanging letters about their lives and experiences.”
The letter comes along with photographs and extra reading material like historical facts about that time period.
A sample letter available for potential customers acts as if it’s from Edward to Maggie before he leaves for war.
“I may already be gone, but know that my heart remains here with you,” reads part of the letter. “Light your candle in the window as you promised, and I will find my way back to it.”
With one story out now, more are on their way.
One is a horror tale through letters written by an archaeologist working in Egypt. Another features Richard Dawson, an Ontario farmer who left home due to financial struggles to work on the Canadian Pacific Railway out West.
Expansion is definitely something they’re thinking about for next year!
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Letter Writing Can Be Tough but Fulfilling
For Heil and Paquin, stepping into these characters’ shoes while writing has been both challenging and rewarding. Their teamwork involves lots of proofreading with help from friends and family. “It’s not just one person writing it all. It goes out to many people who give us feedback [that we consider]. It takes some time to craft a good story,” Paquin said. The stories have been well-received especially among older folks who grew up writing letters-and many still do today! “We’re focusing heavily on Canadian content since we’ve seen plenty of interest. I think even beyond Christmas season we’ll see new people using this as gifts for any occasion,” Paquin added. Even though they’re centered on Canada, there’s also interest from people south of the border asking if they ship internationally.Expansion is definitely something they’re thinking about for next year!
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