Away From My Island ~ The True Story of Eliza Gill by Gary Collins

Eliza Wicks was one of eight children born in 1914 to Mary Jane and Joe Wicks. She dearly loved her home on Silver Fox Island but always desired more than the fishing lifestyle afforded to her large family of seven brothers and sisters. As a child, dreams of "black, shiny, patten leather shoes and a long, gold-coloured dress" were frequent but replaced instead by daily chores or working "in service" as it was called in those days.  At the tender age of eleven she accompanied her father and nine year old brother on a schooner trip to the Labrador. Working day and night to cook for the fishing crew, Eliza quickly discovered she was exhilarated by the feeling of freedom and felt as though her "spirit was let loose and being carried over the bounding ocean".  Eliza eventually met and married the love of her life, a school teacher named Jacob Gill. Again, dreams of a better life for the newlyweds and their young family consumed Eliza even if it meant having to leave the island and eventually Newfoundland.  Navigating obstacles and overcoming difficult family circumstances, debilitating illness, and ostracization by her church and community, Eliza laboured and toiled with great stoicism and bravery, never succumbing to defeat . The ultimate challenge, however, proved to be her final act of love. Away From My Island by Gary Collins is the true story of the amazing life of an outport lady turned heroine.

How does one bid farewell to the birth den, say goodbye to the soil upon which one had flourished and been nurtured? Strangely, for me it was the natural part of my island that I found the hardest to leave. The part of the island that could not bid me farewell was the island itself - the magnificence of it standing boldly above the sea, the cleansing feel, the scent, the aroma of the sea lacing the spindrift at its foundation, created anew with each flood tide. It was the bastion that had sheltered me, upon which I had found refuge, and which now, of my own choosing, I was leaving.

Away From My Island ~ The True Story of Eliza Gill is Gary Collins' sixteenth book. Known as Newfoundland and Labrador's favourite storyteller, Collins does indeed weave a captivating biographical account engaging the reader with vivid images and great prose while encapsulating Eliza's entire life in a respectful and intimate way. There is no doubt that Collins fully delivers in communicating this tragic yet touching story but is also successful in telling the story of a generation of people who were shaped by the real world events of their time. As Eliza's life unfolds, Collins steps in with historically accurate commentary on the social and political climate of the day. Readers begin to truly appreciate Eliza's life circumstances as the facts are laid bare;  fishing families left "in the red" to wealthy merchants; men leaving their community in search of Labrador fish;  the effects of The Great Depression, the war in Europe and the TB outbreak on the Newfoundland people; and the unusually hot summer of 1961 that ravaged Collins' hometown of Hare Bay, forcing the residents to seek refuge on Silver Fox Island.  As the author expertly intertwines biography and historical facts, Collins' relationship with Eliza as her son-in-law is revealed as well as a most tragic and unexpected ending that left me both shocked and deeply saddened. I applaud Mr. Collins and his courage in telling this most difficult story and hope that it brings some solace and peace.

Away From My Island ~ The True Story of Eliza Gill  is a uniquely powerful story documenting the extraordinary life of one woman and her family. This riveting tale also reveals the complexities and hardships of a whole generation of Newfoundland people. I would sure love to see Gary Collins, the infamous Story Man, narrate this tale as part of a documentary series. Away From My Island ~ The True Story of Eliza Gill is a Flanker Press publication.

Revenge Finds A Home by Bill Coultas

When almost 40-year-old Professor John Peyton is found on the East Coast Trail murdered from a bow and arrow shot through his neck, Irishman Bob Lynch knew his penchant for risky work assignments had come to fruition as the newest member of the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary. Assigned to the unusual homicide case of the deceased geologist, Inspector Lynch sets out to solve this murder mystery only to  discover that the arrowhead used by the perpetrator has strong connections to a now extinct Beothuk tribe of Newfoundland and Labrador natives.  As the investigation continues,  similar killings are discovered in Brazil, North Dakota, and British Columbia, all victims suffering the same fate; a bow and arrow through the neck using arrowheads made from the same Ramah stone. As extensive police work reveals a host of suspects and clues as well as a victim with a rather interesting personal and professional life, Detective Lynch is reminded of the memoir of his great-great-uncle Peter Lynch rescued by a native Beothuk tribe after abandoning his ship 180 years ago.  Strange connections between this modern day case and the memoir are revealed. Revenge Finds A Home by Bill Coultas is a unique blend of historical fiction and murder, following the lineage of two Irish relatives who find themselves in Newfoundland almost 200 years apart.

A slice of sunlight cut across John Peyton's eye as he slowly woke up from a contented sleep. His slowness to get up was likely due to the fact that he didn't have to be at the university teaching classes. 

He was fair itching to revisit the promising fossil find he had stumbled on just days before the fall semester. But he needed a couple of days at his country cabin to develop a game plan before heading off to the Cape Shore. He'd been combing the area all summer and now needed to focus in on a few key places before the cold weather set in. He was determined to have a good look at their unusual geological features, because he felt certain they would have great significance. Peyton imagined his findings would rival the world-renowned Mistaken Point and its well over 500-million-year-old fossils. That made them the oldest fossils in the world. Maybe his own find would even surpass those of Mistaken Point. He gloated at the thought and saw his reputation soar worldwide. Peyton slipped out of the king-sized bed, and suddenly the elevation made his head ache. He groaned, noting he had a bit of a head on. A slight hangover from the party last night. It turned out to be more fun than expected. There had been some shoptalk early on, but when two especially attractive female students arrived, things had gotten more pleasant and the drinks more frequent.

Though author Bill Coultas is no stranger to writing and producing creative works of art, Revenge Finds A Home is his first foray into the world of novel writing. Coultas captivates the reader from the very start with vivid images and continues the narrative with consistently detailed storytelling. He does a phenomenal job at incorporating the historical facts of european native relations into an authentic storyline and seamlessly melds it with a fictional modern day murder mystery. The two tales run side by side, providing a fascinating glimpse into the past that serves to enrich the present day murder investigation. Readers will feel the authenticity of the setting and the plot as they navigate police work alongside Detective Lynch and will be fascinated by the ever present complexities that propels a character's motivation to murder and drive to act. 

Revenge Finds A Home is a well-written provocative exploration of the concept of revenge and reminds us that "what goes around comes around". A copy of this crime novel can be purchased wherever Flanker Press publications are sold.