To write, one must read. The advice is simple, straightforward, even somewhat obvious. And undeniably true.
For a big part of my adult life, reading consisted primarily of picture books and early readers, my finger trailing words or pointing to images that engaged my three girls in the world of literature. After a while, this evolved to chapter books, and I often found myself fully immersed in fantasy worlds and fairy tales, my heart remembering the freedom of a childhood imagination. Two series that were particularly special in our house were: Fairy Realm by Emily Rodda and The Land of Stories by Chris Colfer. Although my girls are all grown now (or mostly), the years I spent reading to them and with them is treasured beyond compare.
However, what I rarely found time to do in those years was read only for myself. And despite my love of children's literature, it was not the thing that I most wanted to write. So when my reading lagged, my writing was non-existent. Gradually, as time demands slowly eased, I was able to re-immerse myself in adult literature, and as I did so, the urge to create was palpable and insistent. With time, I dipped my toe back in the creative world that began when I was a child, eventually building up the courage and dedication to write a book. (More on that below!)
The one thing that I've come to really understand over these past few years is how influential reading is to my writing process. It inspires me, it influences my voice and style, and most of all, it encourages me to keep going. Sometimes, reading another author motivates me to emulate some aspect, and other times it helps me narrow in on how my writing differs.
I'm lucky to come from a place with a rich literary history, with people who write about the places I call home. In the last two newsletters, I raised up authors connected to my home province of Manitoba - Carol Shields and Margaret Laurence. This month I want to highlight a third Manitoban author - Miriam Toews. She is particularly close to my heart because she was born and raised in a rural Mennonite community in southern Manitoba, as was I. Our lives did not fully mirror one another - we come from different small towns and I was raised religiously Lutheran (although culturally Mennonite through my father's side of the family). However, Toews's themes of exclusion, conformity, mental illness, and family dysfunction contain truths that have caught me in unsuspected recognition, characters and moments that are alive in my bloodstream, somehow already known. Whether I was touched directly, or only bore witness to these elements of small town life, I find parts of myself echoed in her writing, telling me to pay attention.
And not only that, Toews's writing is frequently laugh-out-loud funny and desperately heartbreaking in the same paragraph, or even the same turn of phrase. A master of the craft, reading Miriam Toews only makes me want to write more, and better.
This summer, I took a moment to drive into Steinbach, the town Miriam Toews comes from. (In fact, Steinbach is much bigger than it was when she was a child and is now considered a small city.) In 2024, the home where Toews spent her teenage years was acknowledged with a plaque on the front lawn, initiated by Andrew Unger of The Unger Review (a satirical publication with a focus on Mennonites).
For my 50 Books for 50 Years reading challenge, I added Toews's novel, A Complicated Kindness (winner of the 2004 Governor General Award and 2006 Canada Reads) to this month's list. It's one of those books that has stayed with me for years, yet I know I will discover so much more about sixteen-year-old Nomi Nickel and the people she loves. And I know that as with all great authors, reading Miriam Toews will only make me want to write.
Publication Updates:
This past month, my short storing RAISING was published in Creation Magazine: A Blueprint Issue! This issue focuses on the idea of "what it means to build, rebuild, or begin again."
FAULT LINES is on its way to publication! Despite being very close to a traditional publication contract this past spring (but not quite!), and despite the handful of responses I am waiting on from other submissions, I am beginning to set in motion the process to self-publish this debut novel. If all goes as planned, I anticipate a spring 2026 release!
This is both exciting and terrifying, and I deeply appreciate all the words of encouragement that you've all provided as I've traveled this winding road. Stay tuned for more information through this newsletter and social media!
50 Books for 50 Years:
I'm currently making my way through Book #39 in this reading challenge - The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. (It's a doozy at almost 550 pages!).
On my August list is also:
-The Daphne Project by Jacqui Lents (I had the pleasure of beta reading an earlier version of this!)
- Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
- A Complicated Kindness by Miriam Toews.
Check out my website, Goodreads, and social media for reviews, upcoming reads and updates to this challenge.
I hope you are all having a lovely and restful summer filled with literature that feeds your soul.
