Good Reads: Rule of Seconds
Rule of Seconds interlaces the lives and stories of four generations of one family in Sault Ste. Marie where the author, Shawna Partridge, grew up. Spanning from the 1920s to present day, the narrative depicts the extraordinary lives of the narrator-protagonist Sheila, her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Searching for the cause of her epilepsy, Sheila looks to her family history for answers; what she uncovers is years of secrets. This is Shawna’s first book and we were really excited to find out more about her novel, the publishing process and her future writing plans!
How did you come up with the ideal for Rule of Seconds?
Rule of Seconds started as my graduate thesis at the University of Windsor; however, it was my great-grandmother, Eudokia, who inspired my writing of this book. In the early 1920s, she emigrated from Ukraine to eventually settle in Sault Ste. Marie. She married my great-grandfather, a shiftworker at Algoma Steel, and ran a boarding house, which included a pool hall and illegal bar. On top of it all, she raised eight children, one of which is my feisty grandmother. Not until I started writing this book, did I realize that my great-grandmother was extraordinary. Before then, she was just my great-grandmother whose stories I grew up with.
You had a launch party on May 14th, at the Speakeasy – tell us more about the event!
Rule of Seconds was launched on May 14, at the Speakeasy in Sudbury. The Speakeasy was such a fitting venue for the launch considering the subject of the book. At the event, I was introduced by my big sister, who is a strong hard woman herself like the characters in the book. In keeping with the spirt of the night, I read the passage from the book that describes the speakeasy in the boarding house. The event was attended by many local writers and artists, and members of the community. I was extremely grateful for the support, including that from my family and friends from Sault Ste. Marie who came for the event.
Rule of Seconds was published by Latitude 46 here in Sudbury – what has it been like working with a local publishing company?
Rule of Seconds is a Northern Ontario book, written by a Northern Ontario author, so I knew I wanted to publish with Northern Ontario publishers, made sense. I have enjoyed my time working with Heather Campbell and Laura Gregorini of Latitude 46 Publishing. Some writers never meet their publishers, but I am fortunate enough to speak and work with both women on a daily basis. Rule of Seconds has a personal element to it, as with any work, so having a personal connection with Heather and Laura was conducive to a positive and rewarding creative process, which is still continuing.
Where can our readers find a copy of your book?
Readers can find copies of Rule of Seconds on Latitude 46`s website (http://latitude46publishing.com/), at Chapters/Indigo stores across Canada, the Coles outlets in Sault Ste. Marie, as well as some independent bookstores.
Do you have any future writing plans?
Scraps of paper have already begun to line my walls at home. I`ve been jotting down thoughts, words, images and taping them on my wall so I can live with the ideas before I begin to write. Rule of Seconds is a first-person narrative seen through the eyes of the narrator-protagonist Sheila. I plan on writing a series of books, each focusing on one of the main female characters in the book: the mother, grandmother, great-grandmother. In each book, readers will learn more about the characters and see stories through each of the woman`s dark eyes.
Emily Franceschini
Emily Franceschini is former full-timer and lover of all things purple. In a past life, Emily worked as a marketing manager and spent her free time searching for the perfect cup of coffee. Now all of her time is free time and she's spending it exploring the world.
Recommended Posts
CINEFEST IS BACK AT IT WITH HYBRID FESTIVAL
September 16, 2021
NLFB 49.5 TO KICK START FALL AT BELL PARK WITH DAN MANGAN, JEREMY DUTCHER, AND MORE
September 07, 2021
YES THEATRE LIGHTS UP THE GROTTO WITH LIVE CONCERT SERIES
August 30, 2021