Tag Archives: fictional characters

Review: Creating Character Arcs, by K.M. Weiland

Creating Character Arcs, by K.M. WeilandCreating Character Arcs, by K.M. Weiland (PenForASword Publishing, 2016)

Often writing-craft books focus on one element in isolation. Not this time. Creating Character Arcs intertwines character change with story structure and theme.

The author asserts that “the Change Arc is all about the Lie Your Character Believes.” Through the plot, and interactions with other characters, the character will discover and ultimately accept or reject the truth that counters the particular lie. (Except in the flat arc, where he/she has a good grip on the truth in question and instead effects change in those around him or her.)

The book delves into different types of arcs: positive change, flat, and negative change. I appreciate the point-by-point way the author walks through the stages of each arc, with illustrations from well-known books and movies, and then asks specific questions to help writers discern what those points can look like in their current projects.

Later chapters address deciding which type of arc is right for your story, the importance of “impact characters,” how many characters should actually have arcs, and character arcs over the course of a series.

My copy of the book is heavily highlighted. The questions and illustrations helped deepen my understanding of my current work in progress, and I plan to work through the relevant sections for future projects.

K.M. Weiland’s popular website, Helping Writers Become Authors, is a rich resource for writers. She’s also the author of historical and speculative fiction, including the dieselpunk adventure, Storming.

[Review copy from my personal library.]

Without Proof: Meet the Supporting Cast

In getting to know the characters of Without Proof, we’ve met Amy, the heroine, Michael, her boss, and Aunt Bay, Michael’s great-aunt.

Today I want to introduce you to some of the secondary characters:

Emilie Renaud is the youngest sister of Amy’s dead fiancé, Gilles. She’s attending university in Halifax, NS, instead of her home city of Montreal, because she wanted to be near her brother… and to be near Michael, truth told. Emilie’s quirky, fun, and her hair is usually some bright, eye-catching colour.

Luc Renaud is Gilles and Emilie’s father. He owns an elite car dealership with showrooms in Montreal and Halifax, and divides his time between them. Luc has always been kind to Amy, but her questions about the crash turn him hostile.

Ross Zarin and his father occasionally buy Michael’s paintings for their hotel chain. Ross understands grief, and he’d like to help Amy with hers. He knows that sometimes those closest to us are too close to see when we’re ready to move on with life.

Troy Hicks is the journalist who starts it all with his questions to Amy. Troy’s a friend of Michael’s, and he and Michael attend the same men’s group at Troy’s church.

Safia and Dafiq are a mother and preschool-aged son who live next door to Michael’s gallery and studio. I just realized I never learned their surname, or Safia’s husband’s name. Safia is gentle and friendly, and Dafiq is, well, exuberant. Aunt Bay has a special fondness for him, cultivated out of kindness for his mother, who has no family nearby for support.

§

Without Proof [Redemption's Edge 3]

“Asking questions could cost your life.”

Two years after the plane crash that killed her fiancé, Amy Silver has fallen for his best friend, artist Michael Stratton. When a local reporter claims the small aircraft may have been sabotaged, it reopens Amy’s grief.

Anonymous warnings and threats are Amy’s only proof that the tragedy was deliberate, and she has nowhere to turn. The authorities don’t believe her, God is not an option, and Michael’s protection is starting to feel like a cage.

Do you like clean reads with a Christian thread? Grab your copy today at the Without Proof book page.

Without Proof: Meet Aunt Bay

"Make the most of every day. Sabotage or not, the plane crash taught us how quickly life can end." ~Aunt Bay, in Without Proof

My editorial assistant (and son), Matthew Sketchley, joins us again today for a conversation with Beatrice Rockland (Aunt Bay) from Without Proof. Matthew blogs at Probably Nothing Interesting.

Matthew Sketchley

Matthew Sketchley

Matthew: We’ve got Beatrice Rockland here, from Without Proof. Beatrice, would you mind telling us a little about yourself?

Aunt Bay: To get us off to a better start, my name is pronounced BAY-a-triss, not the conventional BE-a-triss. If that’s too much of a challenge, you may call me Miss Rockland. I’m Michael’s great aunt, a retired teacher, and active in a variety of volunteer roles. Michael’s parents moved frequently in his youth, so he came to live with me for his high school and college years. When I bought a condo in Halifax, he turned my old house into his art gallery and studio area.

Matthew: And you recently moved back to live with him and Amy, right? What’s it like living in an art gallery?

Aunt Bay: After the plane crash that killed Gilles, Amy needed a place to live while her injuries healed. Gilles’ parents, for reasons known only to themselves, cancelled the lease on his condo while she was still in the hospital. The poor girl had nowhere to go, and she needed to commute to her appointments. Michael has a caring heart and a huge house, so inviting Amy to stay with him was natural. I moved in as well to help.

I wondered about customer traffic in the house, but our bedrooms are upstairs with Michael’s studio. The gallery’s on one end of the main floor, with a separate entrance, and it’s only active during tourist season. It’s actually quite convenient. We can be in the main part of the house, and if a customer comes, we hear the door chime. Nobody has to stay on duty all day if there are no visitors. Of course it’s Michael’s work, and Amy is his assistant, so I’m rarely involved in the business end of things. He does beautiful work, though, if you’d like to buy a painting.

Matthew: I may have to take a look later. My first concern about living in a gallery would have been customer traffic too, but that actually sounds quite nice. How do you feel about having moved in to help take care of Amy? Has it affected your daily life much?

Aunt Bay: We’re on St. Margaret’s Bay, near Peggy’s Cove, and I always loved living here, but truthfully, I do miss living in the city. Especially now that I’m becoming less confident driving after dark. I’m in my seventies, you know. But I do like to drive, so during the day it’s not an issue. I’m on the go a lot.

Of course, Amy doesn’t need care anymore. She’s fully recovered physically, and she seems to be healing from her loss. She’s a fine young woman. Now that she’s working with Michael, it makes sense for her to keep living at the gallery. I’ve only stayed to keep people from talking. Michael and I are Christians, and it’s important not to give the wrong idea about our behaviour.

Matthew: Okay, so you’ve given us a decent picture of your normal life, and I think it’s time for some abnormal talk. Michael and Amy are a bit concerned by this talk about sabotage, albeit for very different reasons. What’s your take on the idea?

Aunt Bay: You’re a direct young man, aren’t you? Much like the reporter who brought up the sabotage notion. I was shocked to think the accident could have been deliberate, and I have to say it’s unlikely. Gilles’ parents would have jumped on any hint of a crime. His mother, especially, wouldn’t have let up on the investigators until they found the truth. I’d like to dismiss the idea, but the reporter, Troy, challenged me to pray about it. After all, God saw what happened that day. I haven’t had any clear answer, but it does seem odd to me that the matter keeps coming up. That may mean something. Do you think it could have been sabotage? And if so, why?

Matthew: I’m direct when it suits me, and in this case being straightforward is the best way to get proper answers. As far as what I think, I’m an outsider to the situation so I don’t know any of the technical details and I never knew Gilles. Even so, I suppose it’s theoretically possible. I think that to be convinced I would have to see a reason for the sabotage. People don’t kill like that for no reason. If there was a logical reason behind sabotaging that plane, I would consider sabotage an option. Regardless of whether it’s true or not, do you think this whole business could be bad for Amy or Michael?

Aunt Bay: It’s definitely affecting them both. Amy’s upset, not knowing what to think, and emotionally on edge, as if it’s thrown her back into grief. Michael says there’s no motive, and he sees it as a waste of time that’s needlessly upsetting Amy. That’s triggering his protective impulses, which of course makes Amy feel closed-in and could cause her to make some less-than-wise choices. What worries me most is, if someone did cause that crash and Amy stirs the pot, will she be putting herself in danger?

Matthew: It almost seems like you understand their relationship better than they do. And I don’t think the question is so much, “will she put herself in danger,” as it is, “if there is danger, what kind is she going to get involved in?” You are in a suspense novel.

Aunt Bay: Child, that is not a comforting thought.

Matthew: No. But if we spent all our time thinking comfortable things we would never accomplish anything. I’m just suggesting care. And besides, no one can be sure about this. There may not even be a problem.

Aunt Bay: My heart says you’re right, though. After all Amy’s been through, and Michael and I have grieved for Gilles too, I’ve been hoping for a happy-ever-after.

Matthew: Well, I think that’s still possible. And happy endings are so much more interesting when they’re preceded by unpleasantness. However, I think we’ve got all we need for this interview. Any parting words you’d like to leave us with, Miss Rockland?

Aunt Bay: Make the most of every day. Sabotage or not, the plane crash taught us how quickly life can end.

Matthew: A good sentiment. Thanks for being here.

[Other Without Proof interviews: Amy SilverMichael Stratton, and the supporting cast.]

Without Proof [Redemption's Edge 3]“Asking questions could cost your life.”

Two years after the plane crash that killed her fiancé, Amy Silver has fallen for his best friend, artist Michael Stratton. When a local reporter claims the small aircraft may have been sabotaged, it reopens Amy’s grief.

Anonymous warnings and threats are Amy’s only proof that the tragedy was deliberate, and she has nowhere to turn. The authorities don’t believe her, God is not an option, and Michael’s protection is starting to feel like a cage.

Do you like clean reads with a Christian thread? Grab your copy today at the Without Proof book page.

Without Proof: Meet Michael Stratton

"Just because there are ways to crash a plane like his without leaving clues doesn't mean it happened. For a crime, you need a motive.

My editorial assistant (and son), Matthew Sketchley, joins us again today for a conversation with Michael Stratton from Without Proof. Matthew blogs at Probably Nothing Interesting.

Matthew Sketchley

Matthew Sketchley

Matthew: We’ve got Michael Stratton here today, he’s one of the main characters in Without Proof. How are you doing, Michael?

Michael: I’m a bit frustrated today, actually. One of my friends is a journalist, and he just reopened an accident I’d like to leave in the past… and suggested to my assistant, Amy, that it could have been sabotage. Just when I’d hoped we were moving beyond this.

Matthew: That accident is the reason you have Amy as an assistant, right? Would you mind elaborating a little on your business and how it’s been affected?

Michael: Amy had just moved here to Nova Scotia to marry my best friend, Gilles. When he was killed in the plane crash, she needed a place to recover from her injuries, so I invited her to stay with me. My aunt moved in, too to help. Amy started helping with my accounts, to take her mind off her loss. I think she felt she needed to pay me back, too, although I never would have asked for it. Helping her was helping Gilles, and I’d have done whatever I could.

Anyway, Amy worked herself into a job. Now she handles the books, promotions, and even some of the framing. I’m a painter – nature scenes, mostly. Anything to do with water, although I’ll do the occasional portrait as well. I’m hopeless with numbers, so gaining Amy as an assistant has been a definite plus.

I’m based in Nova Scotia, which is a bit far from the larger markets. Two years ago, when the crash happened, I was in the process of moving my business to central Canada. When Gilles died, and Amy needed me, I scrapped those plans and came home. It might not have been the smartest thing, business-wise, but I have no regrets.

Matthew: It sounds like you and Gilles were quite close. I’ve heard a bit about him already, but could you tell me about your friendship?

Michael: For our non-French-speaking readers, here’s how to say his name: the “g” makes a zh sound like in “treasure,” and the name rhymes with “hill,” so say “zhil.”

Gilles was everything I’m not. Outgoing, adventurous, athletic, charming. From a wealthy French family. We were paired in an exchange program one summer in our teens. He came here first, and let’s just say some of the antics we got up to – at his instigation – bonded us closer than brothers. I still can’t believe he’s gone.

Matthew: I guess I should ask you this, although you’ve sort of already given an answer. What do you think about this sabotage theory?

Michael: Just because there are apparently ways to crash a plane like his without leaving clues doesn’t mean it happened. For a crime, you need motive. Everyone loved Gilles, and there’s not even a hint of evidence of sabotage. What makes me so angry about this coming up is that Amy’s finally starting to heal. We’re coming up to the second anniversary of the crash, and she doesn’t need anything to stir up her grief.

Matthew: I can understand that. You’re pretty protective of her, right?

Michael: More protective than she likes, sometimes. Amy carries a lot of hurt, from losing Gilles, the way his family treated her afterward, and from something else, something she thinks disqualifies her from a relationship with God. I’d give anything to see her whole again.

Matthew: So how does your business operate? Do you find sales tricky as an introvert, or do you let Amy handle that for you?

Michael: I run a small gallery from my home, conveniently situated for tourists, and I’m building a network of consignment sales through independent gift shops. I also take part in the major craft and gift fairs, and do exhibits in other galleries when I can get them. I let Amy handle as much of the people and paper as possible. She seems to like it. For the public venue events, people really like to meet the artist. I do my best, but schmoozing drains me.

Matthew: Yeah, people are the worst. Well, that’s all the questions I have for you today. Any parting words you want to leave us with?

Michael: Hey, people are fine… the right people, and in small numbers. But crowds? Definitely stressful. I’m getting ready for a major show in Toronto. Amy’s agreed to go with me, which will help. Here’s hoping some time away helps her forget that sabotage nonsense. Thanks for taking time to chat, Matthew.

Matthew: No problem, Michael, it’s been good talking to you. Good luck in your Toronto show.

[Other Without Proof interviews: Amy SilverAunt Bay, and the supporting cast.]

Without Proof [Redemption's Edge 3]“Asking questions could cost your life.”

Two years after the plane crash that killed her fiancé, Amy Silver has fallen for his best friend, artist Michael Stratton. When a local reporter claims the small aircraft may have been sabotaged, it reopens Amy’s grief.

Anonymous warnings and threats are Amy’s only proof that the tragedy was deliberate, and she has nowhere to turn. The authorities don’t believe her, God is not an option, and Michael’s protection is starting to feel like a cage.

Do you like clean reads with a Christian thread? Grab your copy today at the Without Proof book page.

Without Proof: Meet Amy Silver

"Let's just say God doesn't want me in His house. I wish I could be part of His family. The need to belong... Maybe it's because my mom died in my teens, and my father threatened legal action if I contacted him again."

I’m trying something different today: instead of introducing Amy Silver myself, I’ve asked my editorial assistant (and son), Matthew Sketchley, to do the honours.

Matthew Sketchley

Matthew Sketchley

Matthew writes… I’ll call it dark fantasy, but I’m not sure that’s quite right. Some is dark speculative. He’s just started a blog called Probably Nothing Interesting, which often makes me laugh but which is definitely not for everyone.

Matthew: Alrighty then. We’ve got Amy Silver here today. Amy’s the protagonist in Without Proof, a Christian romantic suspense novel. It’s great to have you here Amy, how are you doing?

Amy:  I’m fine, thanks, Matthew. This is the second time someone’s wanted to interview me today. I’m not sure what’s up with that.

Matthew: Your last name is Silver… any connection to Harry Silver, the dangerous offender? Reporters are always looking for new angles.

Amy: He’s my cousin, but thankfully we’ve never met. He wouldn’t even know I exist.

Matthew: Well, I guess a lot of people think you’re interesting. What was your other interview about? Anything exciting?

Amy:  I’m just an ordinary person. My claim to fame is surviving the plane crash that killed my fiancé. That was almost two years ago now, and a local reporter came looking for a human interest story for the paper. It’s really not my thing, but I thought it could give some free advertising for the art gallery where I work. Then at the end, this guy asks if I have any suspicions about the crash. Apparently there are ways to sabotage a small plane that may not be noticed. Honestly, I don’t know what to think about that. Wouldn’t you know, if someone hated you enough to want to kill you?

Matthew: I’d think you would, although some people do extreme things for reasons that don’t necessarily make sense outside of their own heads. You were banged up pretty badly yourself in the crash – how have you dealt with what happened? Did you get much support from family and friends in the aftermath?

Amy:  My fiancé’s parents deserted me in the hospital, and I have no family of my own. His best friend, Michael, offered me a place to stay. Michael’s great-aunt moved in to help drive me to appointments. They’re good people. As I healed, I worked myself into a job in Michael’s art gallery. The crash was tragic, but I’m finding a new life, and I like it here.

Matthew: It’s horrible that they would just walk out on you like that, but it’s nice to see that Michael and his aunt are good enough to take care of you. Can you tell us a little bit about your relationship with the two of them?

Amy:  We all live in this huge house, with Michael’s studio and gallery. Aunt Bay is what you might call “feisty.” She’s a good buffer when Michael tries to overprotect me. I’m ready to move forward with my life, but I don’t think he sees that.

Matthew: Sometimes it’s hard to really see when someone else is ready to move on. Now, I know Michael and Aunt Bay are very Christian people. How do you feel, living with them when you’re not exactly someone of faith yourself?

Amy:  It’s usually not an issue. They respect that I don’t want to attend church with them. Sometimes Michael plays Christian music while he’s painting, and that can make me… almost homesick. With this sabotage idea? The reporter asked Aunt Bay to pray for the truth to come out. I still hope there’s nothing to it, but if there is, maybe God will listen to her.

Matthew: What do you mean by “homesick?” Have you considered going out to church with them if you feel that way?

Amy:  Let’s just say God doesn’t want me in His house. I wish I could be part of His family. The need to belong is strong for me. Maybe it’s because my mom died in my teens, and my father threatened legal action if I contacted him again.

Matthew: Wow, Amy, that’s a lot to deal with. I think we have time for one last question, and I’m sure this is the one everyone wants to hear. You’re in a romantic suspense novel. We talked a little bit about the plane crash, so we’ve heard about the suspense, but where does the romance come in?

Amy:  From my perspective, romance is almost as unlikely as that sabotage theory. Michael doesn’t have a clue how I feel about him. It’s like he thinks I still belong to Gilles.

Matthew: Do you think that’s why he’s so protective? What does he think of this whole sabotage theory?

Amy:  You may be right, but I don’t know how to make him see the truth. The sabotage? He doesn’t believe it, and he’s angry with the reporter for bringing it up.

Matthew: Well, that sounds tense and complicated. I’m sure you’ll all have a great time working this one out! This has been an interview with Amy Silver, protagonist of Without Proof.

[Other Without Proof interviews: Michael Stratton, Aunt Bay, and the supporting cast.]

Without Proof [Redemption's Edge 3]“Asking questions could cost your life.”

Two years after the plane crash that killed her fiancé, Amy Silver has fallen for his best friend, artist Michael Stratton. When a local reporter claims the small aircraft may have been sabotaged, it reopens Amy’s grief.

Anonymous warnings and threats are Amy’s only proof that the tragedy was deliberate, and she has nowhere to turn. The authorities don’t believe her, God is not an option, and Michael’s protection is starting to feel like a cage.

Do you like clean reads with a Christian thread? Grab your copy today at the Without Proof book page.

Secrets and Lies Photo Album

Most of the settings in Secrets and Lies are fictional: Carol’s café, the Linden House art gallery, the apartments, Paul’s school. Two sites are real: the Roy Thomson Hall where Carol and Patrick attend the symphony, and the Toronto Island parks.

I wrote the island scenes with some help from Google Maps, but in 2013 my husband and I were in Toronto and visited the island parks. Like Carol and Joey, we took a water taxi to the islands and rode back on the regular ferry. I took hundreds of pictures, to capture the feel, and although we visited in mid-August and Carol and Joey went in September, they may have seen things like this:

Toronto Island gardens

Some of the Toronto Island gardens [photo credit: Janet Sketchley]

This is the path they walked along before the guy stole Carol's bag. If you walk far enough, it becomes a boardwalk. This is the concrete wall they'd have leaned on to watch the paddleboarder.

This is the path they walked along before the guy stole Carol’s bag. If you walk far enough, it becomes a boardwalk. This is the concrete wall they’d have leaned on to watch the paddleboarder.

Plenty of activity on the water -- the paddleboarder they watched may have looked like this.

Plenty of activity on the water — the paddleboarder they watched may have looked like this. [photo credit: Janet Sketchley]

This is the regular passenger ferry to/from the Island parks, with the CN Tower in the background.

This is the regular passenger ferry to/from the Island parks, with the CN Tower in the background. [photo credit: Janet Sketchley]

Roy Thomson Hall... sadly, we didn't get inside to enjoy a performance.

Roy Thomson Hall. What an interesting shape! Sadly, we didn’t get inside to enjoy a performance. [photo credit: Janet Sketchley]

Meet Frank Warkentin

Imagine yourself in 1940. We’ll visit a farm in Saskatchewan, Canada, to meet Frank Warkentin, a young man who’s a central character in Elma Schemenauer’s new novel, Consider the Sunflowers.

Janet: It’s good to meet you, Frank. I know you’ve been in Elma’s heart for a long time. Since we can’t actually see you, how about you describe yourself?

Frank: You know that new movie Gone with the Wind? I look like the leading man, Clark Gable. Actually I’m joking. I’m taller, darker, and handsomer than Gable. I think so anyway.

Janet: Sounds like Mr. Gable has some competition! You’re not very old, but you’ve already picked up a variety of work experience. What are some of the highlights?

Frank: I’m twenty-seven. I’ve been a farmhand, logger, dishwasher, guitar-player, manure-shoveller—you name it. I travelled around a lot during the 1930s, going wherever there might be work. Jobs were hard to find.

Janet: And now you’re running the family farm. How did that happen?

Frank: My dad and stepmother moved to Alberta and left me the place, along with the equipment and livestock. Tractor, plough, one-way disk seeder, hayrack, closed-in sleigh, horses, cattle, pigs, chickens.

Janet: That sounds like a heap of responsibility. You’ve endured a lot of small-town gossip and prejudice over the years because of your heritage. Are you staying on the farm now to prove those people wrong, or do you really want to settle down? Or are you waiting for an opportunity to get away?

Frank: My dad is a Dutch-German Mennonite. He married a Gypsy in the Old Country, Russia. A match like that was unheard of. Even now, with my mother gone for years, people can’t forget I’m the product of that mixed marriage. They don’t expect me to settle down like a regular Mennonite. I want to prove them wrong.

Janet: The municipality of Coyote has a large Mennonite component, but there are other ethnic groups as well. Your Norwegian friends, and the Chinese man who operates the restaurant. Does everyone stick to their own group, or is there a sense of blended community?

Frank: People cooperate and help each other in these little prairie communities. They’ve got to. Life can be hard. At the same time, folks always keep in mind who’s inside and who’s outside their own group. I don’t fit into any of them, but I’m more comfortable with the non-Mennonites. They don’t carry all that Russian baggage.

Janet: As well as your friends, I hear there’s a certain young lady—or maybe two—who you’ve been spending time with. How did you meet Tina?

Frank: I met Tina on the train platform in town, west of here. She’s from this area but she works for her relatives in Vancouver. She’s got a good job. I’m proud of her.

Janet: Is she “the one”?

Frank: I’m not actually looking for “the one.” If I was, Tina would be a prime candidate, though her parents wouldn’t be in favour of us getting hitched. They want her to marry Roland Fast. He’s a jerk in my opinion.

Janet: Maybe she’d be better off with you, then, Mr. Gable lookalike 🙂 Tell us something you appreciate about where you live.

Frank: I like the freedom. I enjoy seeing the whole sky and the whole horizon, and being my own boss on this farm.

Janet: The newspapers talk about war with Germany. Would you join the fighting, or do you share your father’s Mennonite values? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I understand you’re not a man of faith.

Frank: Hitler has got to be stopped. I’d join the army if I got my call-up; I wouldn’t make excuses. On the other hand, I’m already helping the war effort by raising food to send to the Allies overseas. Whether I’m a man of faith or not… probably not. I don’t attend church much. Too many hypocrites. At the same time, I’ve got my principles. I know what’s right and I try to do it.

Janet: What’s your biggest challenge right now?

Frank: Doing a good job on this farm. I owe my dad that. And I owe it to myself.

Janet: What do you like to do to recharge?

Frank: I play my guitar. And I go fishing with my Norwegian bachelor friends.

Janet: What’s the most surprising thing you’ve ever done?

Frank: Let Dorrie Harms talk me into taking her to the Mennonite Church. As I said, I’m not really a churchgoer, but Dorrie’s a little blonde charmer. I relax more with her than with Tina.

Janet: Cake or Pie? Coffee or tea?

Frank: Lemon meringue pie with real coffee. Some Mennonites drink prips. It’s made of roasted barley and stuff, a poor substitute for coffee.

Janet: Is there anything you’d like to say to Elma, your writer?

Frank: Tell Elma she can’t control me. I’ll run my life my own way, though I appreciate her concern for my eternal soul.

Janet: Thanks for taking time to chat, Frank. I’m sure the farm doesn’t leave you with a lot of free time. Your life hasn’t been easy, and I don’t think that will change. But I believe you have what it takes to overcome the struggles. And maybe there are more people on your side than you realize. God might be, too, if you’d let Him.

===

Author Elma Schemenauer

Author Elma Schemenauer

Elma Schemenauer was born in a Saskatchewan community like the fictional municipality of Coyote. “As I grew up,” she says, “I sank deep roots into prairie life and the traditions of my extended Mennonite family.” After teaching for several years, Elma fulfilled a lifelong dream by moved into a publishing career in Toronto. She’s the author of many books including Yesterstories, Russia, Jacob Siemens Family Since 1685, Ottawa, and Hello Winnipeg. In 2006 she and her husband relocated to Kamloops, British Columbia. There she writes, blogs, and takes walks on grassy hillsides that remind her of her prairie roots.

Consider the Sunflowers, by Elma SchemenauerConsider the Sunflowers paints a colourful, often humorous picture of family life on the Canadian home front during World War II and beyond. As the story begins, it’s 1940 and Tina Janz doesn’t want to marry the man her pious Mennonite parents have chosen for her. He’s as boring as turnips compared with the dashing half-Gypsy Frank Warkentin. Obsessed with Frank, Tina leaves her job in Vancouver to marry him. However, her joy pales in the face of loneliness on Frank’s farm in the prairie community of Coyote, Saskatchewan.

When Frank shuns local Mennonites because some of them scorn his mixed parentage, Tina feels torn between her Mennonite heritage and her husband. Their son’s death drives the couple farther apart. Then Tina’s former Vancouver boyfriend shows up, setting off a series of events that send her and Frank stumbling toward a new understanding of love, loyalty, faith, and freedom.

Paperback 299 pages $19.95, ISBN 978-0-88887-575-4, available from the publisher, Borealis Press. Also available online at Chapters Indigo by about November 15. E-book coming in 2015. For more information, please visit elmams.wix.com/sflwrs.

SPECIFICATIONS
Paperback 5½” x 8½”, 306 pages
ISBN 978-0-88887-575-4, $19.95
Ebook ISBN 978-0-88887-576-1

ORDER FROM
Borealis Press
8 Mohawk Crescent, Nepean (Ottawa), Ontario, Canada, K2H 7G6
Telephone: (613) 829-0150
Facsimile: (613) 829-7783
Toll Free: (877) 696-2585
Web site: www.borealispress.com/
E-mail: drt@borealispress.com

Meet Patrick Stairs

At 35 years of age, Patrick Stairs has a good life, carefully built. He has a rewarding and prestigious position as a senior investment consultant, and office gossip pegs him as the VP’s replacement within the next year.

He works long hours, plays racquetball at his club three times a week, and is a regular at business and social functions. A man with many acquaintances, but no close friends.

Patrick’s been walking empty for three years now, since his wife, Rita, lost their fight with the brain tumour. He tried every kind of treatment, to save her. When the expenses grew too extreme, Patrick began handling certain discreet deliveries. Amazing, how many executives in the city spice up their lives with drugs.

Now the boss – Lear – has tagged him with a new assignment. Carol Daniels. Pretty. Blond. With no idea Lear has her in his sights. She’ll know soon enough. Patrick pities anyone who had to deal with the drug lord. Including himself.

It’s not a hard assignment. Take a few meals at the café where Carol works, feed information back to Lear. She’s attractive enough. Patrick can feign interest for the time it takes to gain her trust.

Success could mean release from Lear’s clutches. Or so the drug lord promised. But the only promises Lear keeps are threats.

"Curse Lear and his string pulling. Someday the drug lord would get what was coming. Patrick just hoped he'd be there to see it."

Meet Joey Hill

Joey Hill is an ordinary-looking guy with a wispy moustache and a wide smile. He jokes that people expect him to be bigger, to fit his nose.

Joey was a popular radio personality on Canada’s West Coast until a very public disgrace cost him his job, his relationships and his freedom. He’d tell you the one good thing about losing everything is that he found Jesus. Or Jesus found him.

Now he’s starting over in a new city, hosting a late-night all-request oldies radio show. And lucky to have a job in the field he loves. The hours are terrible, the pay is worse.

Next to the music, his callers are the best part of the job. Mostly they chat about sports scores, movies, singers and songs. But something about the faceless contact with a friendly voice lets some of the regulars open up to him. That’s when Joey feels they cross the divide from acquaintances to friends—even if he’d never recognize them on the sidewalk.

Those calls are where he tries to make a difference, by his words or with a listening ear, and with a little prayer after he says goodbye.

He’s never felt driven to actually meet a radio friend before, but there’s this one woman, Carol. Joey can’t get her out of his mind. From the little she’s shared, he knows there’s a lot of pain in her past.

She sounds like she could use a friend. Carol’s very private, though, almost paranoid. She’d never agree to meet him in person.

When an opportunity to meet her drops into Joey’s lap, he takes it. Just to be a friend. Until he figures out how to do life as a man of faith, he doesn’t dare complicate it with a relationship. The protective surge he gets when he’s talking to her? Friends are protective. That’s all it is. Really.

Ron stretched out his palm for the car keys. "Do yourself a favour, Joe, don't do anything stupid." Joey snorted. "That's my new motto for life."

Character interview: Daisy Turner

Susan Fish is a Canadian author and editor as well as the principal of Storywell, an online resource for writers. Her new novel, Ithaca, releases October 1, 2014.

Susan Fish

Susan Fish

Today I’m chatting with Daisy Turner, the main character of Ithaca.

Janet: Welcome, Daisy, and thanks for taking time to join us. First, let me offer my sympathy for your loss. Would you care to tell us a little about yourself, and about Arthur, too? You were married a long time, and you’re bound to have shaped each other along the way.

Daisy: Thank you, Janet. I appreciate your sympathy. My husband, who died in May, was a geology professor at Cornell University. I was his right-hand man. Right-hand woman, I should say. I typed his papers for him and, as much as it isn’t fashionable to say this, I was very happy being Arthur’s wife and Nick’s mother, and running our household.

Janet: What do you miss most about him?

Daisy: Oh goodness, my answer to that would probably be different every day. What surprised me was that it’s the little things more than the big things, the things only I would know about him.

Janet: Shh… is there anything that’s easier about living alone again?

Daisy: This is actually the first time I’ve ever lived alone. I was very young when I married. I’m not sure easier is the word I would use, generally. Arthur had a heart condition and we had to adopt a low-sodium diet. It is nice to be able to season my food again.

Janet: Your son is working overseas, correct? Do you think you might visit him at some point?

Daisy: My son works in Singapore. We visited him a couple of years ago. I always keep a small rock in my pocket, a rock I picked up on a beach in Singapore. It helps me feel that he isn’t so far away. I imagine I will visit him again at some time, but he’s been good about coming home too.

Janet: I love that idea of the pocket-rock for connection! So much of your life revolved around Arthur’s schedule. I see you’ve kept the weekly Wednesday soup nights. How did those start? And do you find comfort in keeping up the tradition?

Daisy: I don’t think the people who come to Wednesday nights would let me stop even if I wanted to! But I don’t want to stop. It’s been part of my life almost since we moved to Ithaca. Initially it was just Arthur’s grad students who came to dinner, and soup was the easiest thing to make—because it stretches to accommodate an extra person or two. After a few years, it became a standing date.

Janet: Do you create your own recipes? And are you a local food cook, or does that matter to you?

Daisy: I cook for a large crowd so I have to adapt but I usually start with a recipe. Over time, it becomes my own. We have a vibrant farmer’s market in Ithaca and that’s where I get most of the food for my soups. All the vendors there come from a small radius around the town, so I suppose yes, I do cook local foods.

Janet: I confess I hadn’t heard of Ithaca before. It sounds like a charming university town, and I’d love to see the waterfalls. Please tell us about your home. What do you like best about where you live?

Daisy: I’m from the South originally but Ithaca has been my home since the early ’70s. I think I’d have to say—and I’ve never really thought about this before exactly—that there are two things I like most about Ithaca, and they aren’t that different from each other. One is the waterfalls and the other is the students. In both cases, what I love is the liveliness, the sense of movement. We have dozens of waterfalls in our area and I’m fond of all of them. You really should visit, and this time of year is a beautiful one with all the leaves in color. We aren’t a big city but Ithaca is home to Cornell, where my husband taught, and Ithaca College. Having the students around brings a freshness to our town; I always look forward to the end of summer when the students come back.

Janet: One of your friends keeps bees. Are you learning a few things about helping with them?

Daisy: I used to think bees were just a menace—other than the honey. Our friend Henry invited me to help him harvest honey recently, and it was fascinating to watch the process. I think we could learn a lot from bees. I’ll tell you one thing: bees eat honey but they don’t live long enough to eat the honey made from the nectar they collect. They have to depend on those who came before them, and they leave food for those who come behind them,

Janet: There’s a life lesson for humans in the bees’ pattern, I think! And there’s a new word in your vocabulary these days: fracking. I’m hearing more about that here in Nova Scotia, too. Do you think you’ll be able to figure out what it’s all about? It’s hard to know whose information to trust.

Daisy: I decided to take a course at the university to understand more about fracking. And yes, there are a wide variety of opinions on fracking—all of them quite strong too.  There’s a lot of excitement about being able to retrieve little pockets of gas from the shale, but I do worry that they are acting first and thinking afterward. That’s not the way to mess with things, if you ask me.

Janet: Your story isn’t particularly about faith, but you’ve recently returned to church. You’re even a Sunday School teacher now. Is there anything you’d like to share about what brought you back, or what difference faith makes in your life?

Daisy: I did come back to church. My son had moved to Singapore not long before the tsunami hit in south-east Asia. Singapore was not directly affected and my son was safe, but it unsettled me and it made me aware of how small I was and I needed something, Someone, who was bigger than a tsunami. I do teach Sunday School, and Father Jim comes to Wednesday nights, and I have a good friend who also came back to church with me. I feel like there’s solid rock under my feet now.

Janet: I find comfort in knowing there’s Someone bigger than me, too. Coffee or tea? And what’s your favourite season?

Daisy: Coffee in the morning, tea in the afternoon. Goodness, my favorite season… how can I choose? I don’t think I can pick one.

Janet: If you could do anything at all—travel, try something new, whatever—what might it be?

Daisy: I feel that that is exactly the question I am asking of myself these days. I don’t know the answer. There’s a lot that is new in my life, my new life without Arthur. I’ve had a nice, settled life until the last few months—and now I need to figure out what comes next.

Janet: Susan Fish is a fine person to write your story. Is there anything you’d like to say to her?

Daisy: She keeps asking me for my soup recipes. I was a bit surprised when she wanted to tell my story but she says she’s interested in grief and food and the power of community and sharing food, and I suppose my story really is about all these things, isn’t it? I would like to thank her for writing my story.

Janet: Daisy, I’m glad you joined us today, and I’m looking forward to getting to know you better as I read your story. I trust there are good surprises in store for you.

===

Ithaca, by Susan FishFor 39 years, Daisy Turner has been a professor’s wife, typing his notes and helping out. The centerpiece of her life is a weekly community dinner she hosts—one that always features soup. When her husband drops dead, Daisy has nothing to hold onto except, perhaps, the soup. Then, suddenly, Daisy finds herself entangled with a man whose wife is disabled, mothering a young activist-farmer, and swept into the controversy about fracking that has begun to concern their small Ivy League town.

Ithaca explores what happens when a quiet, almost sedimentary life meets the high-pressure forces of a small town. How do you rebuild after life as you know it is suddenly turned upside down—or is fracked?

Want to win a copy of Ithaca on Goodreads? Enter the giveaway before October 1, 2014.

Ithaca can be pre-ordered on Amazon or through your local bookstore. Book club members, this would be a great story for you to read together.

Susan Fish is a writer and editor (storywell.ca) in Waterloo, ON Canada. She loves to cook, walk her dog, and spend time with her husband and three kids. You can find Susan at her blog, Susan Fish Writes, and at Storywell.