Introducing Maud and Me by Marianne Jones

Imagine gardening and having your favourite author not only rise from the dead but chat with you over a cup of tea.

That is exactly what happened to protagonist Nicole LeClair in the thought-provoking novel Maud and Me by Canadian author Marianne Jones. 

Maud and Me by Marianne Jones; Crossfield Publishing 2021; ISBN 13: 978-1-9991-779-73; 280 pages  

In her narrative, the main character divulged, “Maud first appeared last spring….I was puzzled by her old-fashioned attire and the sense of déjà-vu that enveloped me.” (p. 3)

As a reader, I loved the mystic and spiritual concept of this book. As the back cover stated, “Nicole and Maud are separated by decades and death, but find companionship through their similar circumstances – as minister’s wives, as artists, as feminists constrained by propriety and expectation.”

To better appreciate these parallel lives, I wanted to pause and dig deeper into the life of this spiritual Lucy Maud Montgomery and yet I had to remind myself that this was Nicole’s and not Maud’s story. I could read Montgomery another day!

Besides, there was more to this 280-page novel than just the surreal banter between the main character and her literary apparition.

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Watch the Tears – Phyllis Humby’s New Novel Old Broad Road

Phyllis L Humby’s gritty new novel Old Broad Road (Crossfield Publishing 2020) rattled more than a few old windows in a thunderstorm. It made me cry like a sudden outburst of rain, earning a five-star rating on Goodreads for its ability to move me so unexpectedly.

How did she do it?

By slowing the pace and quietly introducing the reader to Newfoundland’s warm hospitality before unrolling the yellow caution tape and hammering the reader not once but several times towards the end of the book.

Humby’s debut novel Old Broad Road was released by Crossfield Publishing in 2020.

The novel opened innocently enough with Torontonian protagonist Sylvia Kramer seeking a fresh start in Newfoundland after divorcing her husband of several decades. The reasons for the divorce are not clear at the beginning but it was obvious Sylvia was traumatized enough to want to leave her adult children and young grandchildren behind.

Two Debut Books in 6 Months for Canadian Author Phyllis L Humby

A movement. A sound. I held my breath. There it was again. A scratching sound in the ductwork next to me.– Phyllis L Humby*

From lingerie boutique owner to Eden Mills fringe reader to First Monday columnist to published author, Lambton Shores writer Phyllis L Humby continues to forge a strong literary presence.

In April during the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, Crossfield Publishing released Hazards of the Trade. This debut memoir is being marketed as Humby’s “personal disclosure of nearly twenty-years of humorous and sad reflections from the naïve start-up of a small-town lingerie boutique to the ultimate farewell.” What a career! Bravo, I say! My review of her book appears here.

Congratulations to Lambton Shores writer and First Monday columnist Phyllis L Humby who (in April) launched her memoir Hazards of the Trade. Later this fall, her debut novel Old Broad Road will appear in bookstores across Canada.

And while some writers only dream of having their work published, Humby will see her second book, a debut novel released by Crossfield Publishing in the upcoming weeks.

Titled Old Broad Road, this is the first manuscript she wrote and shared with her Sarnia, Ontario writing critique group several years ago. Numerous drafts later, her dream to be published came unexpectedly like an avalanche with two books in two different genres released within six months of each other.

That’s amazing but her enthusiasm continues to drive her. She has already completed the draft of her sequel to Old Broad Road and is currently working at revising a psychological thriller. She is indeed multi-talented!

Earlier this month, I chatted with Phyllis (via e-mail) about her new memoir, her journey as a writer, her writing space, and her plans for the future.

A Flair for Entertaining – Hazards of the Trade by Phyllis L Humby

 “In the early 80s my persona was larger than life with a too loud laugh and too-wide smile. I dressed in outlandish styles, bright colours, and oversized jewellery.” -Phyllis L Humby*

Humour is often difficult to write but Phyllis L Humby weaves her wit seamlessly in her memoir and debut trade book Hazards of the Trade, virtually launched by Crossfield Publishing during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Bravo, I say, and not because I know and have followed the journey of this seasoned writer for a long time (which I fully disclose here), but because she has a special gift.

Gregarious with a natural flair for creating entertaining stories, this Canadian writer and columnist often lights up a room with her infectious laughter. This unique ability to razzle-dazzle and woo her customers (and readers) is evident throughout her book.

Aptly subtitled: An Intimate Reveal of the 80s and 90s Lingerie Boom, her memoir shares the inner workings of a boutique she owned and operated in a small but prosperous southwestern Ontario community.

Hazards of the Trade: An Intimate Reveal of the 80s and 90s Lingerie Boom (Crossfield Publishing 2020) by Phyllis L Humby ISBN 13:9781999177928.