I have been approached on several occasions to be a guest at local book clubs. I am delighted about this.

No Duppy in Our House can just be a fun and easy read but if you choose to go deeper, you will find meaningful content worth discussing.

On this note, I thought it would be useful to offer up some topics to consider. I don’t think that the comments I have left will be a spoiler for anyone who has not read the book yet.

Author’s Suggested Book Club Discussion (I have more)

1. Emma is taxed with the duty to help her friend Zander, but is this the greatest conflict she is working through? What are some of the other conflicts she is dealing with?

2. Emma’s recurring dreams depict her distaste for oppression and apathy of the masses toward slavery. In what other situations does she voice opinions that differ from the beliefs of the masses?

3. There are other characters in the novel who carry around unresolved emotions. Can you identify them? Did they eventually find closure? If so, was it of their own doing?

4. It was the author’s intention to present the book in 3 different timelines: present story setting, character memories and history. Were you able to follow the storyline, separating each from the other?

5. Choose your 3 favourite characters and briefly describe each. Here’s an example: Oscar; Henry’s bothersome cousin - a philandering husband with a raging case of syphilis.

6. As children, Emma was aware of the reason why Zander visited her without his father’s knowledge. How does Zander’s dialogue to Emma about the death of his father and her knowledge of the relationship between John and George lead to Emma’s forgiveness to her own father?

7. What are some of Emma’s actions that demonstrate her profound respect for human diversity?

8. The author based much of the story on her own life experiences. Can you personally relate to some of the experiences Emma had?

9. Do you think Emma’s dreams could be real? After reading the author’s notes about the recorded occurrence at the Alva mission school in August of 1895 did this change your mind or confirm your beliefs? Or at least arouse your curiosity?

10. Jamaica is so much more than just beaches and rum punch. Many readers have expressed to the author that the novel has led them to want to explore Jamaica further. Has this reading experience influenced your thoughts about Jamaica?

If there are any other ideas for discussion (or comments) out there please share!

I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT DAY!

But now I have met with a new challenge that I can learn and grow from – marketing my novel. Yikes!!

The past few months, since my novel was released by the publisher and celebrated at its book launch, my days spent promoting my book have been filled with highs and lows, encouragement and disappointment. It is tough getting a book title noticed.

Thankfully, the positive experiences vastly outweigh any setbacks I have had.

Last week, my tennis instructor, Greg, described the sport of tennis as a series of peaks and troughs. I couldn’t agree with him more when I reflect on my weekly tennis matches. And I can certainly apply this “peak/trough” notion to my present journey. But I hope to end with a peak rather than a trough, suggesting a more favourable outcome.

Keeping Busy…

I have spent time contacting local bookstores to consign and libraries to house my book. I am patiently waiting for responses.

I have been reaching out to family and friends to let them know of my accomplishment.

I have personally sold over 300 copies of my novel. And I have been told by my publisher that my book is available at over 40,000 online retailers worldwide. And complete strangers have bought my book!

I check my emails daily, hoping for feedback from a happy reader who will tell all their friends that they absolutely must pick up a copy of my book.

I have been receiving some excellent reviews of No Duppy in Our House, one notable and beautifully written one is on Goodreads. It has become a regular weekly occurrence to get a text or an email from a reader or two telling me how much they enjoyed reading about Emma and her duppy friend. This warms my heart.

I have been working with an agency to create an audiobook!

I even found a historical fiction writers’ group I might join once it reconvenes in the fall, for encouragement and inspiration.

This summer I look forward to the gathering of book lovers at the When Words Collide event on August 14-16, 2026 here in Calgary. I have put my name in to help at Author Alley and hopefully will get a small space to sell my book.

And…I have been invited to speak at book club gatherings! I look forward to talking about my personal experiences which led me to write No Duppy in Our House.

The Book Signing Experience

My latest undertaking was a 5 hour book signing event courtesy of the Indigo Signal Hill location here in Calgary this past weekend. Indigo is a great supporter of local authors. Thank you, Indigo!

This was a good experience for me, and although humbling, left me with some great takeaways.

Imagine yourself as an unknown author, trying to promote an unknown book, while sitting next to the bestsellers… Hey, and by the way, there is big sale on this weekend – the bestsellers are all 20% off! It is not easy to convince strangers that they should have even a remote interest in purchasing my book for $29.99 when they can buy a bestseller for the same price or less. My passion in delivering my story to potential readers was often outweighed by this unfortunate reality. I was briefly discouraged.

I managed to drum up some interesting conversations and even sold some copies of my book. I was asked by two people who purchased my signed copy if speaking at a book club event would be something I would entertain.

“Well absolutely I would love that!” was my response.

Toward the end of the day, after spending a bit of quiet time observing customers politely skirt past my table, a lovely young woman approached my table, asking me about my book. Four hours in, felt I had little emotional energy left and gave a short and awkward spiel, with much less vigor than my previous pitches. I was more than certain she was going to quietly thank me and apologetically step away. To my surprise, she gleefully announced that she was a history major and bought 2 of my books. I have to say this brightened up the latter half of my afternoon and I left that day with a spring in my step.

Oh, the life of an aspiring bookseller!

Still learning how to navigate in this new world I have discovered, and all of its peaks and troughs.

Of course, I meant to say troughs and peaks and end on a high note!

Although No Duppy in Our House was released by FriesenPress on Feb 24, I had to delay the book launch party to accommodate my busy family’s schedule as well as the delivery of the books from the publisher.

Over 100 invited guests were welcomed with rum punch while Jamaican folk songs played in the background. Eventually the music would be replaced by conversation and laughter.

After a brief discussion of the novel and my writing journey I offered up my best rendition of Patois as I read a passage from the novel. I managed to fool the locals, but the Jamaicans in the crowd were not as easily impressed (smile).

Guests were able to show off their knowledge of Jamaican Patois and history with two skill testing quizzes. Winners walked away with samples of Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee.

The event lasted almost 4 hours and a good time seemed to be had by all. I felt so fortunate to have my family there as well as a broad range of friends, some I have known since high school.

Thank you so very much to the amazing event staff at The Glencoe Club. As well, thank you to the Glencoe Club Media Department for the beautiful signage.

To my friends and family: It means so much to me that you all came together to celebrate and support my writing accomplishment!

My next event is a book signing at Calgary Signal Hill Indigo!

June 6, 2026 12-5 PM

What fun to spend time with these residents in their safe haven! The job is not glamourous; the volunteers work hard, cleaning the residents’ spaces (which means a lot of raking and shoveling poop), carrying water pails, straw and hay bails. Our hard work is rewarded by having the opportunity to spend time with the residents who seem to appreciate us and enjoy our company as well.

My personal experiences at the sanctuary have brought me to realize that farm animals are no different than dogs and cats.

All of the residents, from chickens to pigs to goats and cattle all respond well to gentle human interactions. And they all have their own unique behaviours and personalities.

The sanctuary holds tours and other public events to fundraise and raise awareness about animal agriculture. It is completely funded by public donations.

The past eleven years I have spent at the sanctuary as a volunteer, fundraiser and board member have been most rewarding. I have found the experience to be life changing and I have made many wonderful friends. I am grateful for those who have taken the time to educate themselves - and to discover and demonstrate true compassion in their lives.

Having a father who had no problem negotiating the treacherous back roads of Jamaica, I have had the opportunity to go where many tourists would not think of going. The island is full of challenging geological formations and sub-tropical forest to negotiate through and around, resulting in roadways with many twists, turns and sharp drop offs.

I should add at this time that it is my opinion that most tourists should always consider safe options and definitely not take on the back roads of Jamaica on their own. The best option is to seek out the services of a professional driver who knows the area well. For this reason, when my daughter and I decided to journey into the Dry Harbour Mountains we employed such a person, referred to me by a distant cousin.

Peter picked us up promptly at 10 AM. We settled in nicely into our air condition van. My experience driving the Jamaican back roads prompted me to note that both sideview mirrors were still intact. More about that later…

I wanted to give something back and pay homage to the area where my family (including my great-great grandparents Henry and Emma) once lived. Our plan was to make three stops on our journey - Moneague, Murray Mount and Alva.

Moneague was not originally part of our travel plans. My research had revealed that at the original site of the Murray Mount Church that great-great grandfather Henry had built was a Mustard Seed orphanage run by the Catholic Church. Before we left Canada, I had put myself in contact with the lovely Gwendolyn, who is the administrator of Widow’s Mite, an orphanage that provides a safe and enriched home for abandoned children with disabilities. She informed me that Hurricane Melissa had damaged their facility and they had to move to the Jacob’s Ladder facility located in Moneague. So we made the side trip to Moneague.

Now that is quite the road from Ocho Rios to Moneague is all I will say.

Before we arrived in Jamaica, Gwendolyn gave me an extensive list of items that would primarily serve as sensory tools for the residents: tactile mats, musical instruments, Play Doh, colouring supplies and Lego, only to name a few. I enjoyed every second gathering up these items and stuffing them into the large suitcase that we brought along.

Jacob’s Ladder was a lovely site to behold; well maintained buildings, wide open spaces, and cheerful staff. As we waited to see Gwendolyn, we were entertained by one of their sweet residents who we guessed to be about 14 years old. She had a particular interest in my daughter.

We had hoped to get a full on tour of the facility, but due to a longer than planned case meeting that Gwendolyn got caught up in, we had to leave after waiting close to an hour. We still had two more stops left and the drive to Moneague was further than we had expected. Though we found ourselves a bit disappointed, we said goodbye and hoped that our gifts would make a difference. And we carried on to our next stop.

The road form Moneague to Murray Mount is also quite the road. I would say almost more so than the one from Ocho Rios to Moneague. Peter explained that many of the secondary roadways were no longer maintained since the large and efficient Edward Seaga highway was built to link the north coast to the south.

My daughter made an observation that some oncoming vehicles were missing sideview mirrors. We could certainly see how one could easily lose a sideview mirror or two; the road was narrow and there were many tight corners. On several occasions I found myself in awe how Peter could squeeze his vehicle through tight spaces created by oncoming traffic without creating automobile carnage. And manage to keep his sideview mirrors.

Surprisingly neither of us felt particularly alarmed with the bumpy ride. Perhaps this was because we had experienced similar journeys through the Blue Mountains and to YS Falls on two previous trips. Or perhaps it was because we were taken with the beautiful scenery - Sprawling meadows dotted with shrubbery and endless subtropical greenery all around us.

We also saw tiny clusters of homes embedded in the hillsides. We drove through several small towns that sadly appeared to have seen better days.

Murray Mount Church is a beautiful structure. I am sure since 1900 when Henry designed and built it, it has had several upgrades and repairs. Unfortunately, there was nobody around to show us the grounds or inside the church. One woman who was passing by said that the only time it opens is on Sunday. We briefly went through the open gate and looked around but the doors to the church were locked.

We were disappointed about not having access to the church, but not as disappointed to see the state of the gravesites next to the church. It appears that they may not have been maintained for several years. As well, the hurricane blew down large trees that lay across some of the marble and granite gravestones and damaged beyond repair.

Some good news - I met a distant cousin while there who told me that any member of the Whorms family is allowed to be buried there.

He also told me that my grandfather Philip was buried there, but it was impossible to look around. The cemetery was overgrown with prickly brush.

It was my wish to locate Henry and Emma’s final resting spot. But on this day it was not to be. Perhaps the Church may take some initiative to clean the area up and one day I can return. Possibly I may have to initiate a clean up myself…..

Though our experience was not what we had hoped, we were pleased to have found the church. It gave me a good feeling to know that I was at a place which my great-great grandparents once cherished.

Back on the same bumpy road and onward to Alva - to the site of St. Boniface Church, featured in my novel. Henry also designed and helped to build this church sometime in the 1870s. I think I recall reading that the church suffered a major fire. I am not sure how much the appearance of the church has changed since it was first built, but I do recall reading that Henry’s alter was saved.

We were hopeful that we would be able to enter this church as a woman who worked at the school, located just beyond the church, approached us. But, alas, more disappointment as she said the holder of the key would not return until 5 PM and this would mean a significant wait. I tried to peek inside through the windows to see the alter that Henry had built but had no luck with that. I had seen photos but would like to have seen it for myself. For now, the photos will have to do.

After our experience at the last cemetery I was pleased to hear the woman we met say that they had cleaned up this one nicely. Perhaps there is hope for the Murray Mount cemetery. I imagine had we trapsed around the adjoining cemetery I would have found some distant relatives. But we decided that it would be best if we made our way back down from the hills and to our haven on the north coast before the sun decided to set on us.

We will definitely have to return again. Perhaps next time we will have better luck seeing the churches. Hopefully I can locate Henry and Emma’s final resting place at Murray Mount cemetery. And hopefully our next driver will be equally as efficient as Peter and we will return home with both sideview mirrors still attached.

The I not sure if the road from Alva back to Ocho Rios had really improved from the two previous legs of our journey, but it seemed that way. Perhaps by this time we had become immune to large potholes, sharp turns, and roads shouldered with a deathly precipice.

I don’t care what anyone says, I think Jamaica has exceptional drivers to be able to master these roadways.

Once back to our beach hut, Terra and I marvelled at the rugged beauty of the Dry Harbour Mountains.

We both agreed it was a day in paradise well spent.

My reason to visit Jamaica, first and foremost, was to see how the recovery was going after the devastation imposed this past November by Hurricane Melissa - and to support the island as it rebuilds from the horrific damage that occurred.

Secondly, I wanted to celebrate the publication of my book. I will cover this aspect in the newsletter that will follow…

We landed in Montego Bay late in the afternoon. Thank you Rupert, for picking us up at the airport!

From what I have been told, the biggest devastation that occurred from Melissa was on the south side of the island, at Black River, where the eye of the hurricane first hit the tiny island. I am sure there is still much work to be done at Black River and along the swath left by the hurricane, west of Montego Bay.

As we drove east along the north coast, Rupert told us that a lot of work had been done but noted that the roofs with blue tarps had been blown off or badly damaged and were still in need of repair. We were pleasantly surprised to see such progress with rebuilding and for the sake of the island’s economy, many new projects on the north coast, east of Montego Bay.

My daughter and I arrived in darkness (the sun sets early near the equator) to the same place we had been 2 years earlier. To celebrate my 60th birthday my husband, daughter and our soon to be son-in-law visited a unique place just a short drive east of Ocho Rios - an idyllic place called Goldeneye.

Goldeneye was once the winter home of Ian Fleming, creator of British spy James Bond 007. Mr. Fleming found his hideaway after serving in Naval Intelligence for the British government in WWII. He wrote all of his novels and short story collections at this remarkable location on the north coast of Jamaica between 1952 and 1964.

I am not sure how I first heard about Goldeneye resort. When I read about this place, developed alongside where Ian Fleming once lived, I knew I had to go there. I have been a fan of James Bond movies since I was in my teens. I’m pretty sure I have seen them all, and save for a few, I am pretty sure I can recite which Bond actor starred in each movie, describe the plots, and name the villains.

We made our way in the dark to our well-appointed beach hut. After settling in, we sat on the covered open air patio and listened to the water lapping on the shore, the chirps of crickets and watched the small bats darting about. The next morning we saw the magnificent view that we would enjoy for the next 5 days.

It is not unusual in Jamaica to have rain overnight and then wake up to a perfect and sunny day. This was the case for us. Swimming in the turquoise sea, paddle boarding and soaking up the sun were our primary activities. What a treat to occasionally take a step back from one’s everyday busy life and slow things down.

We spent five remarkable days, immersing ourselves in island life, enjoying all things Irie. Soaking up the sun. Breathing in the salt air. Sipping on rum punch and eating fabulous Jamaican food. They have an excellent vegetarian menu!

It was such a treat to be among such accommodating and friendly staff. Every aspect of Goldeneye has been met with great attention to detail. The founder and owner of Goldeneye was also visiting the resort with his family members, including grandchildren, during our stay. Other than my own daughter (smile) I don’t think I have ever seen such well-mannered and charming children.

I will never stop coming here now that I have found this place.

As I mentioned in my previous newsletter, my inspiration for my story came when I learned about my great-great grandmother, Emma. After gathering much knowledge, both on paper and in my head, I pieced together Emma’s life in the late 1800s. Then I filled in the blanks with my own narrative.

Most of my research centred around learning about family members and Jamaican history following the abolition of slavery in Jamaica. I tried to imagine what a society might be like a half a generation after Emancipation, when Emma was a young woman.

As well, during my research, I came upon the documentation of a particular occurrence which I used to create the underlying theme of my novel. I had never seen it discussed in any other literature. How often does that happen these days? I found my discovery quite exciting! I hope my readers will take the time to read the author’s notes at the end of the novel.

Writing a historical fiction has been a lot of fun. While creating a unique story I am sharing my family history as well as recounting a part of Jamaica that most people are unaware of.

My novel is just days away from being published! It will initially be available on the FriesenPress website and then only a matter of time until it becomes available at other retailers.

For me, the publication of my novel evokes both excitement and terror in my heart. It takes a lot of courage to put oneself out there at the risk of public scrutiny. I do realize that not everyone will love my novel. Some readers may not even like it. I need to remind myself how much I have enjoyed my writing journey and at the end of the day that is all that really matters.

In high school, my English teacher, Mr. Koshnysh, used to have us spend the first 15 minutes exercising our creative writing skills for at least one class per week. I found a small amount of success and personal satisfaction as he did read and commend a few of my short compositions. I often found myself planning an outline the evening before so I could write something at least partially respectable. But writing did not come naturally. As well, I have never been a constant reader. I recall as a child, my sister would often be reading two books over the same time span. I read regularly, but not passionately.

My aspirations of novel writing left me for a while, as I moved into a career in the medical laboratory. I did have many opportunities in the profession, however, to write procedure manuals which is a very good way to hone one’s attention to detail.

I always enjoyed reading stories about people’s lives, delving into their everyday routines, thoughts, dreams, and personal triumphs - both fiction and non-fiction. And I enjoy sifting through the author’s use of words just as much as following the storyline. I found myself rapt in the fine details such as the author’s word use to describe characters’ actions that were small and otherwise irrelevant to the book’s main storyline. And stories about everyday people doing remarkable things always warmed my heart.

I have always found the notion of Jamaican duppies very interesting. In the early 1980s I spent one winter with my father and his wife in St. Mary in an area called Jamaica Beach. We had a duppy living in our house! His name was Mr. Sewell and he lived in one of the bedrooms. The bedroom was filled with beautiful mahogany furniture, but the room and the sheets were always cold and damp. I slept in the room next to where the duppy lived, so I never experienced his presence. But everyone who stayed there commented that they either saw an apparition of a man sitting at the foot of the bed at night or felt that they were being watched. He never caused trouble and we were never afraid of him. I found the notion quite novel.

During my time in Jamaica, my father took me on a few road trips to meet some old uncles and friends who still lived up in the hills where he grew up. All these memories and their stories have helped me to contribute to the book. As well, all along the way that winter and during various other trips to the island, I was able to make the acquaintance of many interesting locals. I have used some of their names in the novel. I have also used several of my Canadian family and friends’ names in the novel.

I also had the privilege of knowing my Jamaican grandmother, Annie quite well as she immigrated to Canada in the 1950s. During my childhood in the 1960s and 1970s, I spent time each summer with her and her husband in Watrous, Saskatchewan.

In 2009, I was able to retire quite young, and it was at this time that I told my husband I had decided to write a novel. He said “OK, well then write it!” I had decided then that my tale would be set in Jamaica, as it was around the time that my father died unexpectedly while he was living in Trelawney. I made several small attempts and had a few stories in my head, but nothing came out of it. Again, I placed my storytelling aspirations the back burner.

Almost another decade went by. Then for Christmas 2018, I purchased Ancestry DNA kits for my mother, sister, daughter and myself. I enjoyed learning more about my family history. I was pleasantly surprised at all the information I could gather and the family contacts I had made.

In 2019 (the year that Tiger came back), my husband and two other family members went to the Masters golf tournament in Augusta. We bought a package which gave us lodging in a lovely home in Aiken, South Carolina. It happened to be the home of a budding historical fiction author named Virginia. She left a signed copy of her first novel as a gift. I read it and was impressed that someone would write a novel to pay homage to a family member. I wrote her to thank her and asked her what advice she could give to someone who wants to write. She said, “Just write.”

As I pored through marriage, birth and death certificates on several websites, I began to form pictures and stories in my head as to what life may have been like in the small colony in the 1800s. I also subscribed to The Jamaica Gleaner archives website. It is amazing how much a person can learn from reading old newspaper content. Slowly, I was acquainting myself with my Jamaican family’s past. I was particularly interested in what it may have been like after Emancipation.

When the Covid pandemic became a thing, I spent a lot of time writing short stories about various family members; what I perceived they may have been like or experienced, after reading their personal stories on ancestry. Still the stories seemed dry and to be honest, only for my own interest. Not something that non-family members would care to read.

I came to know a distant cousin named Arlean through Ancestry.ca and she provided me with research conducted by her mother, a woman named Adele Worms-Patience. She extensively researched the Worms family in Germany back to the 1400s. I was impressed; she was able to do this before the internet existed! How I wish I could have known Adele as I am sure we would have gotten along famously.

From another distant cousin (another Judy), I was able to acquire a few photos of a woman named Emma Whorms (nee Shelly). I was shocked to see how much I resembled her! My family agreed. Once I knew her name, I was able to put a piece of the puzzle together; she and her husband Henry were my great-great grandparents. I read more about them with information gathered through the Jesuit Archives and learned that they were both remarkable people. I had found a story about an everyday person doing something remarkable!

I muddled along for a few months, making an honest attempt to write daily. Again, my stories were quite unremarkable and likely not novel writing material. In 2024, met another distant cousin, George, through the Ancestry website and he and I became very well acquainted through emails and text messages. He happened to be a retired editor and had also dabbled in book writing. I believe he was the person who convinced me that I could truly write. The way he spoke made it sound easy. Suddenly I felt very empowered.

So, after all these years of reading, researching and gathering various details, a story popped into my head. I began to write my novel! I had a protagonist, an antagonist, an inciting incident, a storyline, side stories, conflict, a climax, and an epilogue. I used many of the short stories I had written over the past few years to add to my storyline.

I was pleased with my storyline but unsure of how others would receive it. I was hesitant to the beginnings of the novel with someone I knew for fear of embarrassment or disappointment. Searching online, I found a book coach named Anne who I paid to meet me on zoom for an hour. She told me that my book was unique and had much promise. Yay!!

So away I went with my writing. I started my book in August 2024 and finished it eight months later.

I employed FriesenPress to publish my book. Since my first draft I have made many changes, each time improving my story. I continued to dream about story ideas until the book’s completion and often had the book in the back of my mind when I was engaged in other tasks.

Now I am less than a month to publish date. I am so excited as I feel I have exceeded my personal expectations. On my website I state that I have found great joy during my writing journey. I hope my readers will feel the same joy as they learn about Emma and her duppy friend.

I am sure that everybody’s novel-writing path is unique. I hope other writers will share their journey with me as well.

To read more about No Duppy in Our House please visit www.judyfairbanks.com/noduppyinourhouse