About Me

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I live on the ocean, write women's fiction, love to read so much that it's an addiction rather than a hobby (I read an average of a book a day). I live on the wet west coast so it's a good thing that I like to walk in the rain.

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

Feeling Lucky Giveaway Hop



Happy St. Patrick’s Day -

My dad’s family came from Ireland to Canada (along with thousands and thousands of others) because of an Gorta Mór, the Great Hunger (also known as the potato famine). They settled, as did many, in the prairies, because land was cheap and there were government incentives to go there. It’s hard to imagine a greater shock than this move—to come from the rolling green hills and soft rain of Ireland only to arrive at the flatness and harsh winters of the prairies.

They spent many generations in the prairies, living through blizzards and droughts, through the Depression, grasshopper infestations, hail and the dust bowl. And it was only in the late 1940s that my grandparents, my father and his sisters, finally left the prairies and came west. They bought a fishing lodge in Campbell River on Vancouver Island. It’s hard to imagine a greater shock than this move—to come from the harsh prairies, made even worse by the depression, to the west coast, where the fish were plentiful, the weather was warm and wet, and there was plenty of business.
 
They quickly got used to the rain, to the mountains, to the roar of the ocean in their ears. Instead of selling feed and supplies to poverty-stricken farmers, they sold fishing trips to movie stars like Bing Crosby and John Wayne. Instead of bundling up in layers of wool, they bundled up in oil skins. Instead of worrying about grasshoppers, they enjoyed their new business and their new life and, somewhere deep inside their souls, they felt at home in the soft green and damp of the west coast.

I still live on the wet west coast and rarely, if ever, get bothered by the damp. When people ask me why the grey days don’t bother me, I tell them it’s because, no matter what the season, the grass is still green, the ocean is still lulling me to sleep, the rain is soft and sweet against my skin.
 
I guess I’m still Irish at heart.
Slán go fóill!
Kate




I am participating in the Feeling Lucky Giveaway Blog Hop hosted by http://ismellsheep.blogspot.com and http://www.fictionalcandy.com.  I am giving away a copy of  Dragonflies and Dinosaurs.  To be entered into the giveaway, please comment below with a way to contact you, also for an extra entry, like my Facebook Page.



Giveaway is open to the US & Canada. Find the other participants here:

25 comments:

Sharon Stogner said...

thanks for being part of our blog hop and the great story. I don't mind gray days either :)

debbie said...

I would love to read this book.
twoofakind12@yahoo.com

JeanMP said...

Thanks for telling us that story.
Sounds like you live in a fantastic part of the country.
Jean
skpetal at hotmail dot com

Fictional Candy said...

Thank you so much for joining the hop! Good luck everyone!

Unknown said...

I liked your FB page. Thanks for the giveaway.
Lauren Lmackesy@gmail.com

kiki w said...

Thanks for the giveway. Book looks good. Love it when I find a new author.

xzjh04(at)gmail(dot)com

Foretta said...

thanks for the giveaway

momma8385 said...

Enjoyed read your family history. Thank you for this giveaway.
:) Jeanne B. T., jeannebates_t@yahoo.com

momma8385 said...

I like you on facebook @Jeanne Bates Tennant.
:) Jeanne B. T., jeannebates_t@yahoo.com

Persephone said...

Thanks for the giveaway.

wingedpersephone at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

Thanks for the amazing giveaway!
elizabeth @ bookattict . com

Liked Facebook:
Elizabeth Kotkiewicz Hyatt

Theres just life said...

I enjoyed reading about your family and how they came to be in Canada. Our ancestors had to survive a lot of hardships to pave the way for us. Thank god they did it.
Pamela Jo
theresjustlife(at)gmail(dot)com

SiNn said...

ty for the chance what a great post ty for sharing


mortalsinn@Yahoo.com

liked facebook beverly Gordon

madnzanymomma said...

This book looks great. Thanks for the giveaway. I liked your fb page too.

s(dot)atwood77(at)yahoo(dot)com

Gwen LTP said...

Beautiful cover!
Liked the facebook :) (GR Hov.)
ghtough(at)gmail(dot)com

doxymom said...

I love the story you told. Beautiful. I know what you mean about the soft rain. I love it too.

Anna
doxisrcool at aol dot com

Candie L said...

Thank you for the contest.

candieluster(at)gmail(dot)com

comfort said...

thanks for a chance to win a book, Love the sound of the one above.

comfort at idx dot com dot au

bn100 said...

The book sounds good. Thanks for the giveaway.

bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

Kim Reid said...

The northwest area is beautiful and I enjoyed your family history!
I am following via Facebook - Kim Reid
Thanks for the wonderful giveaway :)
kimberlybreid at hotmail dot com

traveler said...

What an enjoyable and lovely family story which captivated me. Best wishes. Your book looks appealing. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

Tami Brothers said...

LOVE that cover. I am a huge cover fan and that one goes at the top of the list.

Thanks for the chance to win.

Tami

tamibrothers at yahoo dot com

Linda Kish said...

I would love to win a copy of this book.

lkish77123 at gmail dot com

Unknown said...

Wow! What a great family history. Thanks for being on the hop.
Mel
bournmelissa@hotmail.com
I follow FB as Mel Bourn.

Debbie Kennedy said...

Thanks for the giveaway.
cleaningrhouse at yahoo dot com