Book Release: Little Voices is Now Available

My new novel is officially out! Little Voices is available in paperback and ebook formats. Today, I’m going to tell you the story behind this story, and how it came to be.

After releasing the three books of the Felicity and Mitzi series last year, I had a period of creative dryness. There was nothing left in the well. It wasn’t alarming or even surprising. I just didn’t have any ideas to write about. That was the time to throw myself into reading.

I always have a book on the go but I devoted even more time to reading. And I mixed it up with fiction and non-fiction. I read the winner of a major Canadian literary prize and thought it was awful. When I went online to review it, I discovered thousands of people felt the same. I read little-known books I thought were terrific. And I always went back to my fave genre, biographies and autobiographies.

Then one day I had an idea for a short story and wrote it over a week or two. After that, another idea arrived. In all, I wrote four short stories that seemed complete and didn’t need any further attention. (I posted one of them for free HERE) However, one kept coming back like indigestion, only welcome, and little offshoots to the main story came to mind. When that happens, there’s nothing to do except write.

Write Like Nobody’s Watching

I don’t think about an end result. It doesn’t fuel me to think, “this has to be a novel!” Or, “I’m going to publish this one day!” I write to amuse myself and I’m definitely my harshest critic. When I began, its working title was Melanie’s Way Forward. I’m sure you’ll agree that Little Voices is much better.

The first draft was a much more flowerly version than what it became. It was an attempt to “Margaret Atwood” my writing style. My inner critic told me I was being too frugal with words and that I should plump up my sentences and descriptions. It didn’t take long to realize that I was losing my voice in this process and it wasn’t organic. During one of the many rewrites, I removed the bloat and returned to my way of storytelling, for better or for worse.

Although I like to name characters after real people, I don’t know a Melanie. And when I use the name of someone in my life, the personality I create never matches them. It’s just a way of honouring people I love.

A Little Help From My Friends

Besides my early readers, some people made standout contributions to the book. Kendra Raines designed the spectacular cover. I never would have thought to go there and I’m so glad that she did!

Erin Davis transformed the story’s ending with her feedback which is always on point. I count on her for unflinching honesty and she delivers. It’s a generous gift she gives me.

Derek read every incarnation of the entire story and there were quite a few. I’d ask whether he’d just like the new sections and he’d say, “no, I want to read the whole thing.” That, my friends, is rare indeed.

The Cat’s Getting Out of the Bag

There’s an issue with marketing this book that I’ve never had before. Explaining it thoroughly doesn’t do the story justice. (It’s not just me saying this.) So the back cover blurb is deliberately non-specific. I think it’s important that the reader discovers some things at the same time Melanie does. I know I can’t expect people to not give the secret away, but I can hope! Here’s the description:

Melanie Watson accepted that some dreams simply weren’t meant for her.

Years spent putting family first left little room for ambition, and she was convinced her opportunity for something bigger had passed. Then a chance encounter changes everything, thrusting her into a world she never imagined and opening doors she thought were permanently closed.

Now, Melanie must decide whether she’s brave enough to embrace the future she’s always wanted—or risk losing it all.

A heartwarming story about second chances, self-discovery, and the courage to pursue a dream at any age.

If you’d like to explore further, links to the paperback and ebook (Kobo and Kindle) are HERE. Once again, Lake House Books in Port Stanley will stock the paperback soon.

I can’t begin to tell you what it means to fulfill a dream I had since I was in elementary school. It was grade six when Mr. Grantham told me he thought I could be a writer. Note to teachers: making this kind of a positive statement to your students is a superpower. When you’re a kid, life seems to constantly tell you what you can’t do. Being told what you’re capable of is like lighting up a pathway that was previously invisible. We could all use more of that.

PS. The Felicity and Mitzi series, Pieces of Us, Threads of Love, and All We Are, are no longer sold on my site. They’re all still available at the regular places including libraries and Lake House Books in Port Stanley. Thanks!