About Fara Spence
Family and background: Born in Newfoundland to Kenneth and Elizabeth Spence. Siblings: Robert, Peter, and Karen. Birthday: December 15th. One daughter: Krista.
Education: Mount St. Vincent University, Bachelor of Arts in English; Bachelor of Education, Halifax, NS, Canada.
About teaching high school: The nicest compliment I’ve ever received was when a student wrote, ‘You taught me to read.’ I' hope my students will remember me years from now and say that we had a few laughs.
A few Favorite Books: Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery; Old Fears by John Wooley (scariest book I’ve ever read); Misery by Stephen King; Colony of Unrequited Dreams by Wayne Johnston; Kit’s Law by Donna Morrisey, Liar by Johanna Gosse; any book on writing by authors Jack Bickham or John Gardner. Holes by Louis Sachar; The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger; The Boughwolfen by Al Pittman.
About Writing: I don’t outline, and I’m not sure where the story is going. Mort Castle told me that you write better when you don't take it all so seriously -- best advice I've ever heard. I'm a beginner in all of this writing business. A lot of what I write is drivel, but I have fun doing it, at least half the time.
About 'Black Water Born': It's set in my mother's home town of Burgoyne's Cove in Nfld. She was 'Betty Steele' back then. I started writing the book when I was leaving Canada to live in the USA. Krista and I took a train as far as Toronto, and from there, a plane. We wanted to start our big move that way, on a train. I love trains. It seemed fitting. I knew I wanted Breakwater Books to publish this book, and no other publisher would do. I believe I nagged them so much they finally gave me a shot. It's a life's dream come true. 'Black Water Born' is the book of my heart.
'Lucky Steele' (main character) is very real. It's like he crawled inside my head and said, 'Have I got a story for you.' His mother washes ashore in Burgoyne's Cove, gives birth to him and dies without anyone knowing anything about her. The village take Lucky in, but he's never fully accepted. So he causes lots of trouble for himself. He falls in love with Helen, the village poet and turns the whole place inside out.
Random notes About me: After living in Oklahoma, USA, for nearly a decade, I've moved home to Halifax, Nova Scotia to be near my family. I'm shy. I collect menus. I think my ex-husband is a really great guy. I can't stand television. I believe kindness can heal the world. I don't like presents. I don't like to wear socks. I lost my father when I was 13. I have an incredibly beautiful daughter who's the most courageous woman I know. Thanks to her, I sat on Tom Cruise's toilet aboard his private jet. I eat too much chocolate. I have an aversion to telephones. I'm amazed by spiders. I think it should be illegal to start the work day before noon. I'm working on a masters in Literacy. I have two dogs, Jack and Patsy who haven't realized that they are dogs. They sleep in my bed and eat gummy bears.
