Celebrating the depth and diversity of BC publishing
On Thursday, July 13 at 6pm, join Massy Arts, Tidewater Press and Ronsdale Press in welcoming Jenn Ashton & Heige Boehm for “An Exploration of Reconciliation through Story.”
Local Historian and author Jenn Ashton and historical fiction author Heige Boehm delve into past global atrocities to shed light on how reconciliation can be advanced into actionable solutions. Through family accounts and storytelling, Ashton and Boehm connect cultural histories for answers.
This project has been made possible by the Government of Canada. Ce projet a été rendu possible grâce au gouvernement du Canada.
Venue & Accessibility
The event will be hosted online on zoom. Registration is free, open to all and required for entrance.
About The Authors
Jenn Ashton is a Squamish First Nations Artist, Filmmaker, Local Historian, and Author of People Like Frank and Other Stories from the Edge of Normal (Tidewater Press 2020). She studies history at Oxford University and has recently completed work for Penguin Random House USA and David Grann on the next print edition of Killers of the Flower Moon. She is a graduate of The Writers’ Studio at Simon Fraser University and is currently working on a screenplay for her anthology series White Blotter High. https://linktr.ee/jennashton
Heige Boehm is a historical fiction writer and the Author of Secrets in the Shadows (Ronsdale Press, 2020). She holds a Creative Writing Certificate from The Writers’ Studio of Simon Fraser University, Liberal Arts for 55+ Certificate from Simon Fraser University. A Certified Guided Autobiography Instructor from The Birren Center for Autobiographical Studies. Heige hosts A Writer’s Life podcast and is the founder and writing guide instructor for the Crow Story House writing workshops. She is deep into editing her second novel Black Earth. https://linktr.ee/heigeboehm
About the books (click on link to purchase)
People Like Frank and other stories from the edge of normal A young woman in a group home investigates a mysterious piece of knitting. An obsessed bag boy does grim battle with a squirrel. A woman, an asparagus bag and a garbageman have a tumultuous short-term relationship. In the tradition of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night- time, Room and If I Fall, If I Die, this uplifting collection explores the world through the eyes of protagonists whose perspectives are informed by their unique circumstances. Some are struggling with physical challenges while others seek to overcome psychological barriers. Far from being defined by their limitations, these characters revel in achievements others take for granted and find wonder in unexpected places. By celebrating the private triumphs of people who are all too often dismissed, Ashton reminds us all of our own humanity.
Secrets in the Shadows tells the story of best friends, Michael and Wolfie, who are caught up in the fanatical enthusiasm of the Third Reich’s ideology in the 1930s. Their safe world turns upside down when Michael and Wolfie accidentally kill one of their own. When Michael turns sixteen, and his father orders him to volunteer with the Waffen-SS. Wolfie joins him. Assigned to the Hitlerjugend 12th SS Panzer Division, they cope with the horrors of war, trying to keep one another alive on the battlefields. Their lives unravel, and as one secret is exposed, another is born. When the final showdown begins, not only do they find themselves in Berlin with the Russians just blocks away, but Michael and Wolfie confront the secrets that lie in the shadows of the past.