Delays, distractions and a revival

Even after the paid edits in 2016, I lost the drive to resuscitate the novel for a small print run in 2023. I felt that it served its purpose as a creative outlet while I learned to manage PTSD symptoms since the life-altering incident in 2003. 

In 2024, I removed the novel's and Flo's presence from Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads and Smashwords and was ready to enter a quiet retirement with less ambitious creative activities. 

Enter 2025 which brought a random inquiry through email from an interested party searching for a copy of the novel. After confirming real life existence and exchanging polite emails about writing and publishing, I have been converting chapter files from Microsoft Word to PDF, one by one. I can't bring myself to confirm each change by the editor (my Ma. Eng. Lit. daughter). I trust her judgement so I just approved all changes before converting and sharing with the audience of one. I cannot read the details of each chapter because I get misty-eyed when revisiting the reactions between Father Gio and Sera. 

Even with the glowing and somewhat obligatory reviews from family and friends who read The Year of the Rabbit after it was published in 2011, it's a heartwarming feeling that a total stranger has sought out your story, ready to consume one chapter at a time then sharing personal reactions through email. 

This has been an interesting twist as we enter the Year of the Wood Snake this month. 

Thanks for following along. 

T

Hard decisions in the year of the pandemic

 Retiring the Ebook: January 2021

Happy New Year, eh?

We are in the process of removing the Ebook from online platforms, reconsidering that bright idea of publishing a limited print edition before 2023.

Apologies in advance for any broken links and rabbit holes on this blog and related pages.

Stay well. Stay safe.

T

Father's Day 2018

This post is in recognition of Father's Day.

Due to my own Father passing away many years ago and the lack of a Father figure in my little family, this day no longer holds much significance. 

I can imagine how it must feel for some families to celebrate Mother’s Day or Father’s Day in a home divided or where one parent has passed away. I admire families with dedicated, responsible fathers. I envy women who have had the good fortune to find a man, a mate who is faithful, kind and supportive, and who sticks around to help raise their children.

In the novel The Year of the Rabbit, we are introduced to Matthew Fletcher, father of Sera and her older siblings.  Only a handful of people had been aware of Sera’s true paternity. After Marie passes away, her hidden letter of confession reaches Matthew via an unlikely  messenger.  
 
I like to think of Matthew Fletcher as an ideal husband and a good father.  He was gentle and loving with his children.  He was forgiving of his wife’s wild behavior.  He performed honest work as a carpenter and cabinet maker.  Read more here. 

Here's wishing all the good fathers out there a wonderful Fathers’ Day.  Enjoy the time with your family.

I invite you to read more excerpts from The Year of The Rabbit, a Novel About Fate, Family and Forgiveness.  

Join others who enjoyed this unpolished gem of Canadian fiction.  Download the first few chapters of the eBook for free from Smashwords.  If you like what you have read, you can then purchase the entire book for 99 cents or more (you set the price).

--
In the spirit of conserving resources and time, most content of this post has been recycled from an earlier one. 

T

Another Halloween in Canada

Halloween will soon be upon us. I hope there won't be many creepy clowns lurking about and spooking the sensitive souls.  

As a kid from Canada, I can relate to the costume/snowsuit imagery shared by good ole CBC.

A monster...in a snowsuit! A mermaid...in a snowsuit! A robot...in a snowsuit! #Halloween #Canada pic.twitter.com/t6mOSYWx9d

— CBC (@CBC) October 28, 2016

As a chocolate-loving adult, I am enjoying that variety box of small chocolate bars we bought last week. We don't entertain trick or treaters in our building but I make a point of sharing the treats with family, friends and book shop patrons. 

Anyway, here's an attempt to lure you to an excerpt about Halloween night in The Year of the Rabbit.

Join others who enjoyed this hidden gem of Canadian fiction.  Read the first few chapters of the eBook online or download for free from Smashwords.  If you like what you have read, you can then purchase the entire book for 99 cents or more (you set the price).
 

T

Here's to the good Fathers

This post is in recognition of Father's Day.

One can imagine how it must feel for some families to celebrate Mother’s Day or Father’s Day in a home divided or where one parent has passed away. 

One can admire families with dedicated, responsible fathers. One can also envy women who have had the good fortune to find a man, a mate who is faithful, patient and supportive, and who sticks around to help raise their children. 

In the novel The Year of the Rabbit, we are introduced to Matthew Fletcher, father of Sera and her older siblings.  Only a handful of people had been aware of Sera’s true paternity.

After Marie passes away, her hidden letter of confession reaches Matthew via an unlikely messenger. 

I wrote Matthew Fletcher's character as an ideal husband and a good father.  He was gentle and loving with his children.  He was forgiving of his wife’s wild behaviour.  He performed honest work as a carpenter and cabinet maker.  Read more here. 

I invite you to read more excerpts from The Year of The Rabbit, a Novel About Fate, Family and Forgiveness.  

Join others who enjoyed this hidden gem of Canadian fiction.  Download the first few chapters of the eBook for free from Smashwords.  If you like what you have read, you can then purchase the entire book for 99 cents or more (you set the price). 


Thanks for dropping by.

T

What is family?

Well, we're coming to the Family Day holiday in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Ontario.

Many workers are relieved to have a long weekend in February. Many businesses will be closed. 

As I witnessed at the book shop yesterday, many parents of young children are grasping at options for indoor activities to take their bundled-up rambunctious kids to since it's too cold to play outside this weekend. One tired mother informed me that they also had Friday off as a PD Day!

It's too bad that libraries will be closed on Family Day Monday. I guess Librarians also need time off to spend with their families.

This year, I hope to spend the day with two of my young adult children. I was hoping to see another but time and travel options were not in favour.

In the novel, The Year of the Rabbit, Sera Fletcher faces loss of a close friend then people in her "family". When she discovers a secret project in her father's workshop she realizes the approaching death of her mother.

After a shameful teen pregnancy situation has divided her extended family, Sera courageously visits the Red Hare Restaurant to speak with Carl Young. She later shares in the joy when the birth of her illegitimate nephew reunites the families and friends one cold February night.

She is the unwitting messenger who reveals information that breaks her father's heart. After Matthew's descent into depression, she is pushed away, relocated to the Young family's apartment. Thanks to the kindness and love of Jenny and Carl, she is treated like family in their home.

This resilient young girl creates her own coping methods for dealing with the loss of her best friend, her mother, and others close to her. She later confronts a monster and is eventually united with her biological family.

Throughout the novel, the reader will encounter different situations where the concept of "family" will change and evolve. Whatever form of family you will celebrate this weekend, may it be one filled with love, respect and hope.

Sample some excerpts. See what others have shared after reading The Year of the Rabbit. Download the first 20% of the novel for free at Smashwords.

If you have already read the book, why not offer a brief review? Indie authors appreciate if readers post even a short review of how a book made them feel. Please do it!

Thanks for dropping by www.yearoftherabbit.ca. Stay warm :-)

T

Halloween omens

Pay no attention to that asteroid coming very close to us on Halloween.

With any luck in Eastern Ontario, it will still be cloudy, rainy and all superstitious parties will be oblivious to the ominous event anyway.

For Sera Fletcher, Halloween used to be an enjoyable celebration for dressing up and knocking on doors for candy. Unfortunately, 1974 was the year she lost a friend.

Read more excerpts from The Year of the Rabbit. Download a free portion of the eBook here. Unsure? See what other readers have said.

Thanks for dropping by.  Have a  safe Halloween.

T

You CAN go home again

I recently had a sentimental journey to my old home town.


We descended on Parry Sound, Ontario aka Seguin Sound, that fictitious small town in The Year of the Rabbit.

My siblings, their significant others and offspring were scheduled to gather for our family reunion.  My oldest son and I prepared well with a day on each side of the weekend to allow for and recover from travel.

Sadly, the passenger trains don't stop there as much anymore.  We took the train from Ottawa to Toronto then connected by bus. 

We played tourist in my old home town. A lot has changed in 30 years. I reacquainted myself with some of the sites that inspired settings in the Novel. We also got in a visit with a dear, old friend. 

I captured many photographs of my childhood neighbourhood, the nearby Seguin River and that famous CPR train trestle. If you read the novel, you will know that trains played a major role. They passed by many times a day and night blowing their loud whistles, sometimes stopping to bring visitors and at other times, taking people away. 

We walked to many places within good distance of the lovely Bed and Breakfast on the rich side of town. As you can see from this building mural beside the Seguin River, logging was a big part of Parry Sound's beginnings.

After a rainy Sunday walking tour to tower hill and around the old neighbourhood, we ate a warm lunch in the restaurant that inspired the Red Hare.

I was compelled to have a bowl of chicken wonton soup - for old time's sake.

 
The soup, the river and the passing trains wrapped me in the good, fuzzy memories of my old town. Thankfully, I didn't bump into any old flames or undesirable characters while I was there.  

As stated in the opening pages of the Novel, the reference to any characters that resemble people living or dead is purely coincidental.  Some characters may be a blend of individuals I encountered in my early life.

I haven't heard any complaints via email or in the reader feedback comments.  Maybe enough people haven't read the novel yet. So until they do, there is no worry of going home again.


Thanks for dropping by.  

If you're curious to read the novel, you can visit Smashwords to download a sample or purchase an ebook copy. It's only 99 cents or you can pay what you feel is a fair price. It's okay, I didn't write it to make money, only to share a story. If you enjoyed it, mention it to others. Please post a rating and/or a review on Smashwords, or on Goodreads if you already have an avid reader account. 

Otherwise, stick around for a few years as we work on a shiny new print edition, due out by 2023.

If you're curious to see more Georgian Bay vacation pictures, drop by my Deep Blonde Thoughts blog.  I'll be posting more soon.

Have a nice summer.

T

What it takes

This post is in recognition of Father's Day.

Due to my own Father passing away many years ago and the lack of a Father figure in my little family, this day no longer holds much significance. 

I can imagine how it must feel for some families to celebrate Mother’s Day or Father’s Day in a home divided or where one parent has passed away. 

I admire families with dedicated, responsible fathers. I envy women who have had the good fortune to find a man, a mate who is faithful, kind and supportive, and who sticks around to help raise their children. 

In the novel The Year of the Rabbit, we are introduced to Matthew Fletcher, father of Sera and her older siblings.  Only a handful of people had been aware of Sera’s true paternity.   

After Marie passes away, her hidden letter of confession reaches Matthew via an unlikely  messenger. 
 
I like to think of Matthew Fletcher as an ideal husband and a good father.  He was gentle and loving with his children.  He was forgiving of his wife’s wild behavior.  He performed honest work as a carpenter and cabinet maker.  Read more here. 

Here's wishing all the good fathers out there a wonderful Fathers’ Day.  Enjoy the time with your family.  Rock that colourful tie.

I invite you to read more excerpts from The Year of The Rabbit, a Novel About Fate, Family and Forgiveness. 

Join others who enjoyed this unpolished gem of Canadian fiction.  Download the first few chapters of the eBook for free from Smashwords.  If you like what you have read, you can then purchase the entire book for 99 cents or more (you set the price). 

Thanks for dropping by.

T

 

Blending traditions like there's no tomorrow

I'm not a fan of Valentine's Day.

I would not go out of my way to ruin the fun for all the lovers yet I feel sorry for the flowers suffering unnecessary carnage. 

No, I'm not bitter that I had nobody special to share this Hallmark holiday with.... I can celebrate it with my children and merge it with other tasty, shiny events this month.  I shall wait another day or two before I enjoy the savings on all the retail chocolate!  Bwaa-ha-ha-haaaaa.

It was a bittersweet day on February 14, 2015 when Michele Ferrero passed away. I shall think of him every time I bite into, every time I savour one of those tasty, chocolate-y, nutty Ferrero Rocher nuggets. There were times when they helped me through tearful drafts of the novel when Gummy Bears just would not do. Thank you, sir.
 
Wishing all visitors a safe, enjoyable and chocolate-y Valentines'-Flag Day-Family Day weekend and a prosperous, healthy Lunar New Year. 

  
Would you like a little taste from The Year of the Rabbit?

• Drop by the novel's domain;
• Read some excerpts;
• Download a few free chapters from Smashwords;
• Read comments from others;

Otherwise, stick around for a few years as we work on a shiny new print edition, due out by 2023.

Thanks for dropping by.

T (aka Flo)

Growing up Catholic

It's not a secret.

The average reader will have concluded that most of the Catholic themed portions of the novel are influenced by the author's upbringing.

While Sera Fletcher was often excused from Sunday mass,  my siblings and I were obligated to attend church.  Some of my brothers were altar servers so they had no excuse.

 
I have fuzzy memories of my First Communion and dropping my little white Bible into the Seguin River on the way home.  

As we became teenagers, some of us played hooky, smoking cigarettes and killing time beside the railway tracks. Shame, shame!
 
Sera would spend her Sunday mornings with the Johnsons, the kind neighbours who encouraged her to read Bible stories from Baptist and Coptic sources. After church, the Fletcher family and close friends gathered for brunch at the Red Hare restaurant. 

Those were good, wholesome times. 

What memories do you have of growing up Catholic? Any anecdotes filled with wonder, mischief or the fear of punishment by fire and brimstone? Do submit a comment below.

If you have read the novel, please add your comments to those of the other readers. Thanks!

If you haven't read the novel yet, take a detour through Smashwords to download a sampling of the ebook format of The Year of the Rabbit.  If the notion grabs you, purchase a copy of the entire novel.  You get to set the price.  How do you like them apples?


Thanks for dropping by!  

T

November is Picture Book Month at the Huntsville Public Library

While my writing friends are hunkering down to tap out an 80,000 word draft novel, I'm taking it easy with reading and fondly gazing at the remaining picture books in our home.

The kids are grown up but I still have a soft spot for some of our favourite titles. 

Edgar the Bear with a reading recommendation

As mentioned many times in this blog, I also have a soft spot and great respect for public libraries.  I even scored a work term in a library many years ago.

The library in my old stomping ground is celebrating November as Picture Book Month and posting recommendations from staff and patrons.  I think it's a great way to engage patrons, parents and families in sharing the love of reading.

The role of libraries has evolved over the past few decades.  To me, they are still gathering places in a community where people can search for information, acquire knowledge and exchange ideas.

In the novel, the library is a place where Sera Fletcher could escape and seek comfort during difficult times.  You won't find a printed version of The Year of the Rabbit in a library yet.  You can find the eBook version at Smashwords.  

Please submit a review there, at Goodreads or drop me a line.  See what others have written.


Thanks for reading!

 T

Loneliness

The kids are back in school. 

Most elementary and middle school students have made new friends or reunited with old ones to form their social circles and cliques.  

Let's not overlook the quiet loners who seek a safe corner of the playground or a quiet nook in the library.  They are likely too shy or embarrassed to approach a group and risk rejection after asking to be included. 

As much as parents and teachers would like to promote reading for our children, let's recognize that some of them turn to reading to escape loneliness.  Perhaps they can join a book club at the school or the public library.  That's one way to start.

Halloween is coming up too.  It used to be a happy, exciting occasion for Sera Fletcher, her siblings and friends.  That was until the night her best friend was whisked away. She soon turned to books and the public library as safe places with imaginary friends and wonderful, happy worlds.

 
"There's a little bit of Sera in all of us."

 How about you?  Is there a lonely tween wavering inside?

I invite you to read more excerpts from The Year of The Rabbit, a Novel About Fate, Family and Forgiveness.  Join others who enjoyed this piece of Canadian fiction.  Download the first few chapters of the eBook for free from Smashwords. 

Thanks for dropping by.

T
 

Birthday wishes

Just wanted to mention that it's Sera Fletcher's birthday.

Happy Birthday!

She's a fellow Leo and Rabbit.

"There's a little bit of Sera in all of us."

How about you?  Are you a Leo too?

Get your copy of the ebook version at Smashwords. 


Theresa

Giving it away for free

My ebook publisher is having a summer sale. 

Smashwords authors can participate to offer discounts on book prices.  Since I had set the price for The Year of the Rabbit to 99 cents or "you set the price", it will be free for the month of July.

That's okay by me.  The more readers this story gets, the better.  I would love to hear your feedback and add it to the list of other reader comments. 

Thanks for dropping by.

T
 

Make it a lovely Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day, if you celebrate it.

 

In The Year of the Rabbit, a novel about fate, family and forgiveness readers will encounter a few motherly characters:

• Marie Fletcher was a caring mother figure despite her struggles with mental health issues and a dark secret;
• Margaret MacDonald experienced deep guilt and regret that she did not prevent the abuse of her daughter;
  
• Jenny Young struggled with supporting her pregnant teen and understanding her husband's disappointment;
• Amy Young became a teenage mother who learned how to be responsible with the help of her own family and friends;
• Gio's Mom was the typical doting mother and eventually an exuberant grandmother. 

I hope you've already thought of a gift for your Mom.  She may enjoy reading The Year of the Rabbit if she doesn't mind a few references to teen sex, infidelity and murder. 

You can feel confident that you have purchased her an environmentally responsible gift by getting the Ebook for only 99 cents. 

If your mother has already left this earthly domain, please accept my condolences.  Perhaps you may relate to young Sera Fletcher as she realizes the impending death of her own mother.   That scene brought tears to my eyes while writing the novel, recalling emotions felt when I lost my own mother many years ago.

Have a lovely Mother's Day - or make it one for your own Mom. 

T

Things that spring up at Easter

You wouldn't know it in the Ottawa Valley but Spring is here.  

The snowbanks are melting into dirt piles, there's dog pooh everywhere and the rivers are rising.  Yuk!

I haven't witnessed crocus sprouts pushing up yet but am hopeful to soon enjoy the annual Tulip Festival.  

Some folks are adorning their homes and work areas with colourful symbols of renewal and rebirth.  

 
Yes, some of us writers still have day jobs in order to support luxuries like rent, food and utilities. 

Friends and relatives are decluttering their attics, basements and garages, planning up-coming events like yard sales.   Who knows what gems or skeletons they will discover in the process?

One of the resident youth recently helped me dig out a piece of concept art that was nicely tucked away in our deep, dark storage area.  It was a Yin Yang egg I painted during the 1999 Year of the Rabbit.

I wanted to inspect this piece of art I attempted while trying to restore harmony during an unbalanced time in our lives, while treading the murky waters of my own well-being.  

If you dig deep enough, you will reconcile with your shame and forgive yourself for not acting soon enough to rescue your family.  You can spend years writing down to the bones to regain your mental health, work up the courage to symbolically destroy the demons from your past.  

The above news story was published in The Seguin Sounder, a fictitious newspaper that evolved out of the novel.  

Spoiler alert:  The antagonist meets with a violent ending at the hands of the innocent - and with a little help from nature.

Read excerpts from The Year of The Rabbit, a Novel About Fate, Family and Forgiveness. 

Join others who enjoyed this unpolished gem of Canadian fiction.  Download the first few chapters of the eBook for free from Smashwords.  If you like what you have read, you can then purchase the entire book for 99 cents or more (you set the price). 

Visit the novel's web site.  Just watch where you are digging though. 

Thanks for dropping by.  

Happy Easter! 
 

T

Speed reading or gauged pleasure

As an avid reader who likes to relax with a good book, would you want an app that helps you speed read through a novel on a smart device?

Something like the Spritz app would be helpful in circumstances when you need to study a short article or story summary of a book.  I don't think it can compete with the pleasure of sitting down with a good book or taking a novel to bed.  Would you agree?

I'm the kind of person who likes to read printed books in paperback and hard cover format.  I have progressed with the times by reading books on my iPad Mini as well. I find that paperbacks work best when reading in bed.  They make less noise or risk less damage if they were to drop from my sleepy grip.
 
In The Year of the Rabbit, Sera Fletcher loved to read and would often go to the local library to soften the pains of loneliness and escape into other worlds she discovered through books.  

She would also find herself sorting and re-shelving the books from the return carts.  She loved this sense of order and control since her world was falling apart around her.

• If you would like to download the first few chapters of the eBook version for free, visit this page at Smashwords.
• If you want to read more, you can set your own purchase price (above 99 cents) at Smashwords.
• If you’re not sure but would like to first see what others thought of the book, start here. 
• If you don’t own one of those newfangled eBook readers yet, you can purchase a Portable Document Format (PDF) version of the novel and read it on your computer, laptop or tablet.

Although it took me four years of drafts, edits, love and tears, I will allow you the right to read it as fast as you want. 

If you’re waiting for the next print edition, it may be ready before 2023.  

Thanks for dropping by.

T
 

Something for everyone during Read an Ebook Week March 2 to 8

As a Smashwords author, it is my pleasure to promote Read an Ebook Week 2014.

 
Visit Smashwords.com during March 2 to 8, 2014 for a list of independent authors' books on discount or for free!  So much variety that can be packed into your eReader.

Since The Year of the Rabbit is already listed at 99 cents, it will be available as free this week.  If you don't already have a Smashwords account, you can easily join for free. 

 
Do you like trains?  There's plenty of trains in this novel about fate, family and forgiveness.  

Do you like books that explore human interest, loneliness, belief systems and dabble just a little into romance? 

You will like The Year of the Rabbit. These previous readers did.  
 
Thanks for dropping by.  I hope to hear from you soon.

T

Monkeying around

It was a golden weekend around le petit apartment.  

We got in some Olympic men's hockey cheering as Canada scored 3-0 over Sweden for the shiniest hardware of all.  

Of course it was a result of hard work by the Canadian team and nothing to do with my Saturday night lamp hunting visit to IKEA.

In addition to baking and working on her own projects, the resident artiste was busy with finishing up three more Chinese Zodiac illustrations.  I am pleased to present Monkey, Rooster and Dog. 

Lovely, yes?

Do you want to know more about The Year of the Rabbit?   

• Drop by the novel's domain;
• Read some excerpts;
• Download a few free chapters from Smashwords;
• Read comments from others;
• Like the novel on Facebook;
• Stick around for a few years as we work on the second edition.

Thanks for dropping by.

T