On Saturday, January 28 (2:00–3:30 pm), I’ll be at the West Vancouver Memorial Library with author Cathalynn Labonté-Smith to discuss stories of disaster and rescue, both real and imagined. The real stories come from Cathalynn‘s new nonfiction book, Rescue Me: Behind the Scenes of Search and Rescue; the imagined come from my novel, The Broken Places.
Both books will be for sale, and we’ll be on hand afterwards to chat and sign copies.
This event is free and open to all. Just register on the library’s website, then show up ready for an afternoon of thrilling tales!
Hello! I left Twitter a while ago (in a fit of social media aversion, from which I haven’t yet recovered!), but in so doing unintentionally lost touch with you. I just finished your excellent “The Broken Places”, which I loved. Among other things, it was so evocative to read so dramatic a story against the backdrop of my hometown (I’m not sure you knew that I grew up in West Van). The funniest moment was when I got to the acknowledgments at the back of the book. Shawn Shelongosky was a high school/early undergrad friend (through mutual friends Michael Roberts and Todd & Kathy Stockner). If Travis is Shawn’s younger brother, then I remember him from a 1983 Lord of the Rings party Shawn hosted in Lion’s Bay. I haven’t seen Shawn since 1984, and he probably won’t remember me as vividly as I remember him (he was a luminous dude!), but — he might. Those friendships burn bright in my memory, but I’ve always been poor at staying in touch with people over the decades. But what a funny, small world, Frances!
Much love and congratulations on “The Broken Places”.
Deborah McIntosh xo
Thank you so much for this lovely note, Deborah. I saw that you had left Twitter, and I am delighted that you’ve popped up here. I’m beyond happy that you enjoyed The Broken Places. That close-to-home vibe must have felt particularly close for you. I didn’t know about your West Van upbringing, and I certainly didn’t know about your connection with the Shelongosky boys, one of whom (Shaun) is my brother-in-law and the other (Travis, Shaun’s older brother) is—no kidding—my husband. A funnier, smaller world than either of us could have imagined!