Interior BC poet Jane Eamon and Toronto writer Susan Crossman will be in Revelstoke next week to promote their latest books and autograph copies for their readers.
Crossman’s novel, Shades of Teale, is a tough novel about violence against women.
” Every six days on average a woman in Canada is murdered by her intimate partner – nearly 70 such deaths a year,” she wrote in a statement issued by her publisher, Manor House Publishing.
“On any given day in Canada, more than 3,000 women (and 2,500 children) are living in emergency shelters due to domestic violence… As someone who has never been in an abusive relationship, I was intrigued by the dynamic of abuse. What would make a woman choose to involve herself with a man who appears to despise her? I began to ask such questions while working for a women’s shelter where I met some amazing women who shared their stories with me… This has been a sad but enlightening journey. But out of all of those fascinating and heart-breaking pieces of tragedy I was able to weave together the purely fictional story of Teale’s escape from abuse to freedom… It is my hope that this fictional story leads to a deeper understanding of a very real problem that causes untold pain to women every day.”
On a lighter note, Eamon’s new book of poetry and songs, Caught in Time, celebrates the frailties of human experience. Here’s an example of her work, Guitar, from the book:
Guitar
You stare at me
from across the room
cracks forming
in your belly
I’ve neglected you of late
I’m sorry
But life has a way of
creeping inside
It’s not your fault
You are only as great
as the hands that caress you
and I’ve been remiss
But I can make you sing
by rubbing your neck
to ease the tension headache
I can make you cry
by touching you
softly now
harder as we move together
I can make you
whisper
and yet growl
like an animal in heat
But one thing
I cannot do
is forget you
These two authors will be at Castle Joe Books on Wednesday, March 7, from 4 until 6 pm. And at Grizzly Books on Friday, March 9, from 3:30 until 5:30 pm
