Novels
Finding Home
Finding Home chronicles the lives of two young people in early Canada. Sarah Phillips, a servant orphaned by cholera in London in 1869, crosses the ocean desperately seeking her family. Richard Breeze, the disgraced son of an Ontario sawmill owner, must redeem himself in his father’s eyes and then chart his own course. Their individual journeys are brought together by a group of Home Children: poor youth and street urchins from the slums of England sent to Canada as cheap farm labour or domestic help.
Finding Home is also the story of a lively, close-knit community in a young country. Tensions mount over an out-of-wedlock pregnancy, an accidental drowning and even murder, as the authors pull back the curtain on many issues of the time: class differences, Protestant/Catholic friction, homophobia, racism and the treatment of child immigrants.
Finding Home was co-authored with Ruth Burke Allen who shares my love of history and writing.
Meticulously researched, Finding Home is a brilliant historical novel of epic proportions. The broad cast of characters that Gordon and Allen have created chronicles the hardships of the 1870s with authenticity and insight. The many plot twists of this complex narrative make this a book you just can’t put down.
Bought a copy for my mother… mom is 96 years old and she is recalling the home children that lived on her mother’s farm around the Peterborough area.
I’m halfway through this book. So well researched, so well written! Bravo, Laurie!
I became interested in the home children many years ago after reading The Tin-Lined Trunk by Mary Hamilton. We also saw a play about two home children at the Blyth Festival Theatre. A man I know through our church was a home child – who fortunately had very positive memories to share. He and his family visited his “Canadian parents” regularly.
There is a detailed display about the home children in the local museum in Lac Brome (Knowlton) Quebec. Thank you for helping to keep these stories alive.
The Medal
Buy The Medal
The Medal is available from Books on Main or at Novel Idea Bookstore in Kingston, Canada.
Chronology of the Novel
- Apr. 23, 2015 Book Launch – Victoria, British Columbia
- Nov. 22, 2014 Book Launch – Kingston, Ontario
- Oct. 31, 2014 The books arrive from the printer! Happiest Halloween ever!
- Oct. 26, 2014 The cover design is sent to the printer
- Oct. 19, 2014 The designer is working on the book cover
- Oct. 9, 2104 The corrected pages are sent to the printer.
- Oct. 8, 2014 Final corrections to page proofs are complete
- Oct. 4, 2014 Corrections to the page proofs sent to the typesetter and editor
- Oct. 1, 2014 Page proofs arrive from the typesetter
- Sept. 25, 2014 Final manuscript sent to typesetter
- Sept. 24, 2014 Final revision of manuscript sent to editor
- Sept. 21, 2014 Photo shoot for the author photo by Shayne of SB Images
- Sept. 18-23 Blurb and an author bio prepared for the back cover
- Sept. 8, 2014 Manuscript corrections returned to editor
- Sept. 6, 2014 Information for Library and Archives Canada sent to book designer
- Sept. 6, 2014 Book designer sends me requirements
- Sept. 1, 2014 Editor returns manuscript with comments
- July 23, 2014 Manuscript e-mailed to the editor
- July 7-22, 2014 Manuscript revision
- July 7, 2014 Borealis Press offers me a book contract
- Feb. 28, 2014 Borealis Press receives the manuscript and marketing ideas
- Feb. 18-26, 2014 New ending and a few alterations to the manuscript
- Feb. 18, 2014 Borealis Press requests the manuscript
- Feb. 2, 2014 Submission sent to Borealis Press
- June 2012-December 2013 Four publishers reject the manuscript
- Sept. 2012-February 2014 Manuscript revisions
- September 2012-June 2014 Chapter-by-chapter feedback from my Writers’ Group
- June 8, 2012 Completion of first draft
- Aug. 2010-June 2012 Research and writing continue
- Aug 26, 2010 Novel writing begins
- July 2006-August 2010 Exploration of ideas for a contemporary coming-of-age story