Day in the bush becomes published story
Rebecca Aylward’s short story, My Epiphany, will feature in the NorthWords anthology, called Coming Home: Stories from the Northwest Territories.
A Hay Riverite’s short story will feature alongside 16 others in a brand new NorthWords anthology, entitled Coming Home: Stories from the Northwest Territories.
Rebecca Aylward submitted her story, My Epiphany, last November and was told in April that it would feature in the anthology. A total of 94 submissions from 57 authors were received during the submission period, which was between June and Nov. 30, 2011.
Well-known author John Mutford and NorthWords board member and former journalist, Judy McLinton, judged the stories.
Aylward, who has had another short story of hers published in Many Voices, Many Journeys: An Anthology of Stories by Aboriginal Teachers, now has a success rate of 100 per cent: no rejections as of yet.
She says she discovered a passion for writing at a young age.
“I think I first knew I really enjoyed it back in Grade 11, in Social Studies class when we had to submit case studies week after week,” she said.
My Epiphany focuses on a day Aylward spent with her uncle Louis, collecting firewood in the bush. She said the story came to her quickly, especially because the experience made her reflect on so many levels.
“I learned a lesson from that day,” she said.
“I saw just how much work goes into filling a sleigh with firewood. It got me thinking about how lucky we are, and how hard it would have been for my ancestors to do the same task.”
She was inspired to write the story after attending a local writing workshop last November. The Chief Sunrise educator hopes to attend the anthology’s official launch on Nov. 16 in Yellowknife, at the Prince of Wales Heritage Centre Café.
The book will be sold at the Yellowknife Book Cellar, online via Amazon, Chapters, Great Plains Publications and at select book stores across Canada.
The other anthology authors include: Marcus M. Jackson, Richard Van Camp, Cathy Jewison, Colin Henderson, Cara Loverock, Shawn McCann, Patti True, Annelies Pool, Jordan Carpenter, Christine Raves, January Go, Jamesie Fournier, Amber-Lee Kolson, Karen McColl, Jessie MacKenzie and Brian Penney.
