With an extraordinary gift for creating characters and story lines that brim with a distinct 'staying power', Lacombe author Fran Kimmel is set to release her latest book in April,
Cattail Lane follows a fellow by the name of Nick Ackerman who finds out he has a 14-year-old son, who also comes with a grandmother with dementia, according to a synopsis.
"Railroaded into fatherhood, Nick takes in the resentful Billy and shuffles Grandma Evie off to the nearby dementia ward at Prairie View Manor. Things get off to a rocky start: father and son are little more than strangers, and Nick struggles with his new care-taking role while Billy can’t seem to let go of his."
Ultimately, "Cattail Lane is an uplifting family drama about overcoming the past and the extraordinary power of second chances."
"I was originally inspired by an idea - I wanted to know what would happen if a reluctant father had to bring home a son that he never knew he had. I was curious about what would happen with that situation, and how they would navigate this new reality, and what barriers they would face," said Kimmel, an award-winning author of many short stories, plays for theatre and radio, and previous novels No Good Asking and The Shore Girl.
Kimmel said that her Central Alberta surroundings are woven into the narrative, although not directly. But the feeling and sensibilities of certain places are there.
"I wouldn't say the book is based on Lacombe, but it sort of has a small-town, Alberta feel to it," she said. "Gull Lake has also been so important to me and my family over decades, and so it's the setting I have for the imaginary Goose Lake (in the novel). I also spent a lot of time with my mom in the memory care unit where she lived for several years here in Lacombe. And one of the major settings in the book is in a dementia unit.
"So all of those things were part of the inspiration for this."
Much of Cattail Lane was written through the pandemic. "So it's been in the works for a number of years. I'm not a fast writer by any means." she added with a chuckle.
But what a process it is - Kimmel explained how she knew initially - via a general framework - of how the story would play out.
"I use a combination of things - I have a bit of an outline in mind, but mostly, I write by the seat of my pants! I have a general sense of where I want the characters to go emotionally, but then the story itself kind of unfolds naturally. Some of the most meaningful moments for me as a writer come as surprises along the way," she said. "They may be things I hadn't planned to write, but it just seems to come out naturally in the story."
It's a creative feat to be sure. Kimmel has written the story from three perspectives - those of Nick, Billy, and a woman by the name of Sarah who works in the dementia unit where Billy's grandmother is being cared for.
"These three characters are intertwined, and so I share the perspectives of all three."
Bolstering the sense of realism is that Kimmel takes care to flesh out her characters so well. "That is key - they have to become really 'real' to me, so that I'm close to them; I'm inside their heads and hearts, and know what they are thinking and feeling at all of the different times. I felt quite close to all three of them.
Besides her other novels, Kimmel's portfolio has also included everything from Internet writing, newspaper and magazine features, to teen magazine columns, radio dramas, educational videos and corporate writing.
After graduating from the University of Calgary with a degree in sociology, she completed a Professional Writing Certificate from Mount Royal University.”
From there, she’s held an assortment of jobs including Boys and Girls Club director, youth worker, career counsellor, proposal writer, communications coordinator, instructor, and a 10-year stint as a vice president for a national management consulting firm.
These days, her passion is of course writing, but then again it has always been. And she also loves sharing about the craft via workshops and teaching sessions.
"This book is so personal to me, and includes experiences that have been important to me. The story line itself is imagined, but a lot of me is 'built' into this book. And so when I look at it, I feel so grateful that I have had the chance to work on this, and then it's actually going out into the world."
Two book launches are planned - the first will be held at the Lacombe Performing Arts Centre on April 30 at 7 p.m. Those interested in attending are asked to RSVP by calling 403-588-4386 or emailing admin@lacombepac.com.
In Red Deer, a launch will be held at Sunworks on May 9 at 7 p.m. as well. No RSVP is required for this one.
"Everyone is welcome! It's a chance to celebrate - which is a very special part of the journey."
There will be refreshments and opportunities to chat with Kimmel at both events, plus she will read from Cattail Lane as well.
For more information, visit www.frankimmel.com.
