Although some of us just want to hibernate, we are waking up to the energy of the Year of the Fire Rooster in our snow-covered Ottawa Valley. The Rideau Canal Skateway is open and Winterlude celebrations are under way.
If you don't care for skating or skiing, you can enjoy fresh air and frosty ambience by touring the ice sculpture displays and perhaps enjoying a Beaver tail pastry and hot chocolate.
Permit yourself to travel back to a solemn winter during a time of innocence.
Imagine yourself in a small town on the shores of Georgian Bay in the
1970s. Meet a lonely yet brave 11 year-old girl - a girl on a mission to
convince Mr. Young to let his pregnant daughter come back home.
- - Begin excerpt - -
After
she finished her soup and blew her nose again, Sera sat quietly and
gazed at the rabbit painting above her booth. She took in the red, gold
and green designs, the curves and simple patterns. She felt sadness.
She felt a distant joy and contentment. She smiled. It was her first
in a long time. I miss this, she thought.
The
kitchen door swung open slowly. Carl Young emerged, wearing his
kitchen whites, as usual and holding a towel. He approached Sera's
booth with slow, even steps, wiping his hands.
Sera perked up nervously and smiled, "Hello, Mr. Young."
"Hello, stranger, " he responded.
"Would you like to join me?"
"Sure.
Sure." he smiled briefly and sat across from her, "I guess I could
take a break." He sighed and groaned as he sat down on the bench.
Within seconds, Jenny swiftly brought over a coffee cup and saucer,
filled the cup and dropped off the cream and sugar. Carl gave a curious
look, almost surprised that his wife was so quick in serving him.
Sera
bit her lip, looking down then slowly lifted her gaze to meet his tired
eyes. He appeared old and sad. She rarely saw him sitting still for
long periods.
"Happy New Year, Mr. Young."
"Happy New Year, Sera."
"Soon it will be the Year of the Rabbit, yes?"
"Yes, that's right," he responded, looking up at the painting.
Sera
leaned forward, "It's my favourite year, you know, since I was born in
it and.. that was the year you opened the restaurant."
Carl smiled slightly and nodded. "That's right. I forgot."
"I was wondering if you were going to have a celebration of any sort. You know, like an anniversary party?"
"Oh. I hadn't thought of that. I've been.... busy."
"You could invite a lot of people."
"Really?" he shifted in his seat.
"Sure. I could help with the decorations. I'm sure Dela and Gwen would like to help too."
"Sounds nice," he nodded, his eyes scanning the booths and front of the restaurant then took a sip of coffee.
"I miss Amy!" she blurted out.
Carl, closed his eyes, breathed out slowly and set down his cup.
"I miss her, Mr. Young. So do Dela and Gwen. So does.. Mrs. Young."
"Sera..."
"I
may just be a kid but I know she didn't do anything horrible. She's
pregnant and yes by my brother. Stupid teenagers," she rolled her eyes,
"Stupid. But.. but, it's not like she killed someone."
Carl looked at her sternly.
"Please,
Mr. Young," she pleaded with a soft whisper, stretching her hands
across the table, "Let her come back home. The place isn't the same
without her. I miss coming here with my family. I miss that, Mr.
Young."
"Sera..." he said in a tired manner.
"Please." Her green eyes watered and bore pitifully at him. He did not want to destroy her youthful innocence.
"Sera.
It's a matter of honour, of family pride. She shamed the family. I
gave her the best of everything and this is what happens... If this was
another place and time, a girl in her situation would be…"
"I understand, Mr. Young. Well, I don't really ... I respect your opinion."
"Thank you."
"If it's a matter of you not wanting her at home right now, can she come and stay with us?"
"Oh.. Now I see. Did your father send you here?"
"No!
I came by myself. They don't know that I'm here. It was very hard for
me to come here by myself especially seeing ..." she scowled, "seeing
HIM here." her head jerked towards the front of the room.
"I see..."
"My
friend was sent away with her mom because he hit her. I haven't seen
her for months. I've only received one letter from her. I miss her. I
also miss Amy. Dela and Gwen miss Amy. I miss coming here with my
family. Please, please, can we just put things back the way they were?"
"I don't see how we can do that, Sera. My heart is broken. My family is shamed."
More people entered the restaurant, stomping the snow off their boots, shaking their hats and heading to join their companions.
"I..
I… should let you get back to work, Mr. Young." said Sera, rising,
"Looks like the winter carnival has brought a lot of people out today."
"Yes, I should get back...."
Sera
put Aunt Georgette's money on the table and slid it under her empty
soup bowl. She grabbed her coat and got up to put it on.
Carl sat back and stared sadly at her.
"Thank you for the soup, Mr. Young. It was delicious and warm as usual."
"Thank you for dropping by, Sera."
"Happy New Year," she said as she put on her tuque, turned and walked quickly towards the front door.
- - End excerpt - -
I cried while writing that part of the story. You just may cry too. Sample more excerpts. See what others have shared after reading The Year of the Rabbit. Download the first 20% of the novel for free at Smashwords.
Thanks for dropping by. Stay warm :-)
T
As someone who doesn't appreciate cold, long winters, I am looking forward to celebrating the Lunar New Year.
I like joining in small gatherings with family and friends to eat good food and share in good spirits. I like the of ambience colourful lights but do not appreciate the noise from firecrackers or fireworks.
The resident artiste and I already attended a Year of the Rooster workshop. We received good advice on refreshing our living space and head space from our favourite Feng Shui master.
A while ago, the artiste produced a set of Chinese Zodiac illustrations for me as I was looking for ideas to enhance the second print edition of the novel. You can see some here, here, here and here.
You may want to see the artiste's comic art work on Patreon. You can support her quest to be independent and to move out from under my "motherly oppression".
Kidding aside, do you want to know more about The Year of the Rabbit?
Thanks for dropping by.
T (aka Flo)
It is Thanksgiving weekend in Canada.
The Red Hare restaurant
would have been a nice place to host a family gathering rather than toiling away in a cramped apartment kitchen.
I invite you to read an
excerpt from The Year of the Rabbit where Sera and her extended family share in a Thanksgiving
meal.
Sera soon learns news that will add to her sadness and feelings of
abandonment.
It's a good thing she had Edgar and Jenny Young to give
her some comfort.
Drop by the novel's domain for links to other blog entries, reader comments and deep dark secrets. You will have to dig a little for those...
Giving thanks every day -
beginning, middle and end.
Waking from a dreamy state
The cycle starts all over again.
T
Note: Most of the content of this blog post is a reheat, a rehash from the one in 2012.
Finally, I updated the ebook cover image.
It was after a few reminders from my publisher that the cover image was too small for e-reader criteria set by various publishers.
The new cover is a lovely sample created in 2015 by the resident artiste. I was holding off until we got a chance to publish a new print edition. After much nudging, I finally got around to uploading the new cover to Smashwords.
I wonder if it will attract eyes and increase sales? That would prove that you can judge a book by its cover.
Thanks for dropping by. Visit Flo's blog too, okay?
T
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
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
Well, it looks like we are finally getting some winter weather in the Ottawa Valley. The Rideau Canal Skateway isn't open yet but preparations are under way.
Permit me to lead you back to a solemn winter during a time of innocence. Imagine yourself in a small town on the shores of Georgian Bay in the 1970s. Meet a lonely yet brave 11 year-old girl - a girl on a mission to convince Mr. Young to let his pregnant daughter come back home.
- - Begin excerpt - -
After she finished her soup and blew her nose again, Sera sat quietly and gazed at the rabbit painting above her booth. She took in the red, gold and green designs, the curves and simple patterns. She felt sadness. She felt a distant joy and contentment. She smiled. It was her first in a long time. I miss this, she thought.
The kitchen door swung open slowly. Carl Young emerged, wearing his kitchen whites, as usual and holding a towel. He approached Sera's booth with slow, even steps, wiping his hands.
Sera perked up nervously and smiled, "Hello, Mr. Young."
"Hello, stranger, " he responded.
"Would you like to join me?"
"Sure. Sure." he smiled briefly and sat across from her, "I guess I could take a break." He sighed and groaned as he sat down on the bench. Within seconds, Jenny swiftly brought over a coffee cup and saucer, filled the cup and dropped off the cream and sugar. Carl gave a curious look, almost surprised that his wife was so quick in serving him.
Sera bit her lip, looking down then slowly lifted her gaze to meet his tired eyes. He appeared old and sad. She rarely saw him sitting still for long periods.
"Happy New Year, Mr. Young."
"Happy New Year, Sera."
"Soon it will be the Year of the Rabbit, yes?"
"Yes, that's right," he responded, looking up at the painting.
Sera leaned forward, "It's my favourite year, you know, since I was born in it and.. that was the year you opened the restaurant."
Carl smiled slightly and nodded. "That's right. I forgot."
"I was wondering if you were going to have a celebration of any sort. You know, like an anniversary party?"
"Oh. I hadn't thought of that. I've been.... busy."
"You could invite a lot of people."
"Really?" he shifted in his seat.
"Sure. I could help with the decorations. I'm sure Dela and Gwen would like to help too."
"Sounds nice," he nodded, his eyes scanning the booths and front of the restaurant then took a sip of coffee.
"I miss Amy!" she blurted out.
Carl, closed his eyes, breathed out slowly and set down his cup.
"I miss her, Mr. Young. So do Dela and Gwen. So does.. Mrs. Young."
"Sera..."
"I may just be a kid but I know she didn't do anything horrible. She's pregnant and yes by my brother. Stupid teenagers," she rolled her eyes, "Stupid. But.. but, it's not like she killed someone."
Carl looked at her sternly.
"Please, Mr. Young," she pleaded with a soft whisper, stretching her hands across the table, "Let her come back home. The place isn't the same without her. I miss coming here with my family. I miss that, Mr. Young."
"Sera..." he said in a tired manner.
"Please." Her green eyes watered and bore pitifully at him. He did not want to destroy her youthful innocence.
"Sera. It's a matter of honour, of family pride. She shamed the family. I gave her the best of everything and this is what happens... If this was another place and time, a girl in her situation would be…"
"I understand, Mr. Young. Well, I don't really ... I respect your opinion."
"Thank you."
"If it's a matter of you not wanting her at home right now, can she come and stay with us?"
"Oh.. Now I see. Did your father send you here?"
"No! I came by myself. They don't know that I'm here. It was very hard for me to come here by myself especially seeing ..." she scowled, "seeing HIM here." her head jerked towards the front of the room.
"I see..."
"My friend was sent away with her mom because he hit her. I haven't seen her for months. I've only received one letter from her. I miss her. I also miss Amy. Dela and Gwen miss Amy. I miss coming here with my family. Please, please, can we just put things back the way they were?"
"I don't see how we can do that, Sera. My heart is broken. My family is shamed."
More people entered the restaurant, stomping the snow off their boots, shaking their hats and heading to join their companions.
"I.. I… should let you get back to work, Mr. Young." said Sera, rising, "Looks like the winter carnival has brought a lot of people out today."
"Yes, I should get back...."
Sera put Aunt Georgette's money on the table and slid it under her empty soup bowl. She grabbed her coat and got up to put it on.
Carl sat back and stared sadly at her.
"Thank you for the soup, Mr. Young. It was delicious and warm as usual."
"Thank you for dropping by, Sera."
"Happy New Year," she said as she put on her tuque, turned and walked quickly towards the front door.
- - End excerpt - -
Sample more 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
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
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
It's Mother's Day 2015. I am alone.
My kids are away and have forgotten to gift me with flowers. As a consolation, they have been sending me instant messages, cute stickers and Tweets.
Welcome to the next generation, the new age of sentimental expression.
The cats seem apathetic but helped me express some former-Catholic, Motherly guilt.
That writing session took a lot out of me so I'm going to trim this bittersweet post by recycling some previous ones about Mothers Day and Motherly references in the Novel.
Thanks for dropping by.
Call your Mom.
T
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?
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)
If you're from the Ottawa or Eastern Ontario area, you will commiserate with me as we receive more snow.
My excuses for not going out today:
- I am completing support tasks for my writing group and enjoying the meticulous order of things;
- There's too much frickin' snow - especially for a short-legged bus mouse.
It would be nice to get out to the inaugural Lunar New Year celebrations in Ottawa or some kind of winter carnival activity. I would much rather attend the former because it happens indoors, celebrates the anticipation of spring and a new year coming on February 19th. There will likely be tasty treats, colourful decorations and firecrackers.
Forget the firecrackers! I'm not fond of sudden, loud noises. I understand the original intention was to scare away the nasty lion or dragon that would come down from the mountains.
I'm not all that superstitious but I like to explore and appreciate different traditions. The Chinese New Year is special to me and Sera Fletcher, a character in the novel.
In less than two weeks, we will enter The Year of the Sheep (or goat, depending on whom you consult).
The resident artiste finally finished the Sheep illustration I commissioned a while back. She has been creating Zodiac pictures in lieu of paying rent yet took a little longer than expected due to her personal projects.
Delays aside, I love her style. I like to think creativity runs in our family - or frolics and bounds as we monkey around.
I'm not sure if or how we will use all of the illustrations in the next print edition of the novel but they sure provided a nice distraction and collaboration exercise over the past couple of years. We also got to fine tune our communication skills.
You may want to see the artiste's comic art work on Patreon. You can support her quest to be independent and to move out from under my "motherly oppression".
Kidding aside, do you want to know more about The Year of the Rabbit?
Thanks for dropping by.
T (aka Flo)
