This section lists historical fiction novels and other writings by Ruth Rodgers. The books are available from the author (rodgers.ruth@gmail.com), at Talewind Books in Sechelt, British Columbia ((604) 885-2527), Earthfair Books in Madeira Park, BC, and, as of July 1, 2021, as ebooks and ‘print-on-demand’ via Amazon.ca (be sure to spell Rodgers with the ‘d’ and add the book title to your search!)
In 2019, I wrote my first historical fiction novel, based on a newspaper article from the 1970s describing an unsolved murder in my adopted home village of Halfmoon Bay, British Columbia.
Here is the back cover copy:
In the fall of 1884, Clara Thorpe, rejecting her father’s narrow vision for her life, leaves her northern English home determined to make a new life in Canada. What she finds in her new country opens her eyes and heart in unexpected ways. When Clara becomes the first white woman to settle in the tiny community of Halfmoon Bay on British Columbia’s coast, her growing empathy for its native people will test both her Anglican faith and her belief in British sovereignty. As tensions escalate, she must make difficult decisions based on her own judgement of what is right and what is wrong—despite what the law might say.
Based on true stories and historical events, this novel illuminates the conflicts and conspiracies of life in the years after Confederation through the eyes of one of the west coast’s earliest female settlers.
https://www.amazon.ca/Those-Wander-Sunshine-Coast-Book-ebook/dp/B0965ZYKQ6/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=ruth+rodgers+Those+Who+Wander&qid=1623528350&sr=8-1
Reader reviews:
“The quickest I have ever read a book. The historical aspect kept me engaged and I couldn’t wait to get to reading it again each night.” SM
“A great read! Perfect amount of adventure, romance, play, and heartbreak…I want more!” ES
“I can’t put it down! My bookclub meets this week where I will put your books forward for our reading list this year.” KM
“I too must confess my lack of knowledge, understanding and even sensitivity to the treatment of Indigenous Peoples by the early white settlers of this country. Unfortunately, as we are all now becoming increasingly aware, what happened on the west coast was common across the country. Your story has inspired me to better understand this sad part of our history and to be more open to recognizing and appreciating the role and importance of indigenous peoples in the future of our country. Thank you for writing and sharing your story.” GW
This book, published in 2020, is a sequel to Those Who Wander. Here is the back cover text:
When he joined the military to fight for Canada in WWI, Henry Joe gave up his Indian status, hoping to protect his two younger mixed-race children from the horrors of residential school. But, years later, as his daughter Grace trains to be a nurse, she discovers that there are more disturbing secrets in Canada’s relationship to its native inhabitants. As another world war threatens, Grace must choose her path amidst competing allegiances and the impulses of her own heart.
Drawn from actual events and historical characters, this sequel to Those Who Wander follows fictional character Grace Joe’s career in the Canadian health care system and the growth of British Columbia’s coastal communities through WWII.
Reader reviews:
“I believe this will not only be a book that will be enjoyed by readers everywhere, but also one that will be a valuable contribution to the ongoing and difficult Sunshine Coast conversations about cultural adjustments and social history.” BN
“What a great continuation of Those Who Wander! I experienced all the joy, anger, and heartache with the characters as if they were part of my family--but I still want more!” ES
“Just finished Those Who Stay last night, and I want to tell you how much I enjoyed both books. They have been my evening companions these past few weeks and I don’t know what I am going to do now that I have turned the last page. The story of the Indian hospitals added to the residential school forms a poignant narrative.“ JW
https://www.amazon.ca/Those-Who-Stay-Sunshine-Coast-ebook/dp/B09662549Z/ref=sr_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=ruth+rodgers+Those+Who+Wander&qid=1623529777&sr=8-2
My third book i(2021) departs from the Sunshine Coast series above. Here’s its back cover text:
African American sleeping car porter Stanley Grimes and Chinese Canadian laundry girl Su Lin Lee had nothing in common. Nevertheless, their unlikely friendship would last for decades, through persecution and promise, through hard times and success. They would learn that there are times to bow your head to the inevitable and times to stand up and fight against an unfair fate. They would learn what it was to be Canadian.
This Fair Land explores a pivotal time in Canadian history, when the country was brought together for the first time by the transcontinental railroad and yet still deeply divided by racial prejudices and ingrained attitudes of class and entitlement.
Reader reviews:
“This is a GREAT BOOK! I sincerely enjoyed the journey back in time, an authentic story about the hidden truths of our Canadian history related to racism, complete with the correct terminology and dialect. She has inspired my heart by sharing a story of friendship and resilience in a time when hope was suffocated for those who were marginalized. It is evident that Ruth was committed to the authenticity of the story. A MUST read, if you want to learn about our history through the lens of our Afro-descendants and Chinese community members.” CG
"I thoroughly enjoyed it! You captured the fears, hopes, and dreams of disadvantaged peoples in Canada in a unique way. You also captured tragedy and despair, which is part of the lived experience. I think your perspective will be welcome particularly at this time when race is being tackled head on." JV
“I had trouble putting it down at times. Historical fiction is my favourite genre; needless to say, it really piqued my interest to read about the history of the CPR through the eyes of your characters. I liked how you showed the depth of the racial divides early on across Canada.” KY
“I would like to thank you for bringing awareness to what the Chinese and Black communities had to deal with during the 1880’s - 1920’s. As a young female Vietnamese/Chinese Canadian myself, I learned a lot about what happened in the past. As much as it pains me reading the story and knowing how accurate it was for a person of colour and especially a female having limited power, it has made me realize how extremely grateful I am that we have moved past most of these limitations, even though racism still continues today.” JC
“I enjoyed your first 2 books and I am now reading and enjoying your third. I am reading it slowly as I want to make it last and this slower pace has allowed me lots of time to contemplate the themes that you explore in the novel. Of course, I had long ago accepted that much of our history is quite shameful and in light of the current events, it seems to continue to be that way. The unmarked graves, the disproportionate use of violent force against any person of colour, and the resurgence of white privilege under the guise of freedom, all point to how much more work we need to do. Your book and the author’s notes have made me realize that it’s not enough to feel sad, rather being educated about our history and finding ways to change our society for the better are more appropriate ways to confront the hard truths.
Your writing just gets better and better and I hope I can look forward to reading another thought provoking novel written by you. Thanks for all of the hard work that went in to This Fair Land. (I loved the nod to Lightfoot’s song.)” KB
From a review in The Coast Reporter, July 15, 2021, by Rik Jespersen:
Ruth Rodgers’ third historical novel is a departure from her previous two, Those Who Wander, and Those Who Stay, both of which were set on the Sunshine Coast in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The new book, This Fair Land, is told in the same period but takes us to Vancouver, the B.C. Interior, and much of the way back east.
A Halfmoon Bay author, painter, and former teacher, Rodgers “explores a pivotal time in Canadian history, when the country was brought together for the first time by the transcontinental railroad and yet still deeply divided by racial prejudices and ingrained attitudes of class and entitlement,” as she wrote in a release announcing her July 6 online book launch.
The novel’s chapters alternate with the stories of Stanley, a Black porter on the Canadian Pacific Railway’s sleeper-cars, and Su Lin, the daughter of Chinese immigrants who, through her own wit and pluck, also wins a job working on the newly minted passenger trains.
As we are reminded to this day, most colonizers and settlers of this country treated the non-white inhabitants abominably, far into the 20th century. This Fair Land, which takes us to 1924 in freewheeling Montreal, tells of the Black and Chinese experiences through Stanley and Su Lin, who respond to their cruelly difficult and sometimes perilous circumstances with quiet outrage and, ultimately, winning determination.
“Canadian history fascinates me because even though I was raised and schooled in Canada, I have discovered that there are all kinds of stories about Canada that I knew nothing about,” Rodgers said at the book launch. “What keeps me interested in writing is ferreting out these sorts of hidden stories about Canadian history, that show us to be maybe a little bit different than we thought we were.”
Rodgers’ unearthed nuggets of our documented past are often not pretty, but weaving them into the narrative brings both the unvarnished reality and the fiction to life.
https://www.amazon.ca/This-Fair-Land-Ruth-Rodgers-ebook/dp/B0965Z183S/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=ruth+rodgers+This+Fair+Land&qid=1623529430&sr=8-1
New this October (2021), a children’s book: Dalton and the Teddy Bear Repair, about a little boy who overcomes his fear of clowns by taking his raggedy teddy to the teddy bear repair clinic, where clown-faced Dr. Cavalcade helps him address his anxiety. Written by Deborah Greaves and illustrated by me, the book is being sold in aid of the Sechelt Hospital Foundation. Contact me (rodgers.ruth@gmail.com) to find out where to buy it ($20).
A third installment in the Sunshine Coast series, Those Who Return, will launch May 13th, 2022. It focuses on the same time frame and theme as the first two books in the series, but is a stand-alone novel following four generations of a Japanese-Canadian family as they struggle against prejudice and outright racism to succeed in their new land. Available from me, at Talewind Books in Sechelt, Earthfair in Madeira Park, and on Amazon.ca.
From reviewers of Those Who Return:
“What a wonderful book! Through your thorough research and the characters you have created, you have explained the struggles of Japanese Canadians’ integration into Canada and the devastating impact of the war. I had so many feelings as I read: nostalgia, sadness, happiness, anger, hopelessness, and optimism. I feel that your book will help readers to a greater understanding of the diverse cultures in our world.” Doreen Campbell (WWII internee)
“Reading Those Who Return felt like a journey back to my grandmother. As I read, I remembered many stories that she shared about her life including her time at Hastings Park and then the New Denver Japanese Internment Camp. Despite hardships, racism, and rejection, she had an unwavering loyalty and gratitude to Canada and an immense pride in being a Canadian citizen. Reading this book filled with such rich characters has helped me to understand her pride. Thank you for writing this beautiful book, Ruth.“ Michelle Smart
“Anyone interested in Canadian history should read this book. It has been a real revelation to me, an immigrant, that Canada treated the Japanese immigrants, many of whom were Canadian citizens, so poorly. The author weaves the story of three generations whose strength, resilience, and resolve are confronted by true national and international events beyond their control. It is a testament to how strongly families and communities can survive, and even thrive, against almost insurmountable conditions.” Chris Fliesser
“This book was a very emotional read. My parents seldom spoke of their experiences in Haney where they bought land, cleared it, and started a successful strawberry and chicken farm. The farm and equipment were all confiscated when they were relocated to the sugar beet fields of southern Alberta. My parents never expressed bitterness. There was a common Japanese saying ‘shikata-ga-nai’ which means ‘it can’t be helped.’ A successful future can’t be forged with hate. Through hard work, ethics, integrity, generosity, perseverance, humbleness, and kindness, we try to become worthy Canadian citizens.” Ken Oka
Softcover $20. Also available as an ebook from Amazon.ca. Released August 2023.
Here’s a departure from my focus on Canadian history. This book is a fictionalized biography of my mother’s war years in Cambridge, England. It’s a bit memoir, a bit history—hope you enjoy it! Available at all my usual outlets and on Amazon too.
Softcover $25 Also available as an ebook on Amazon Released October 2023
And here’s another new book for 2023! This one is Canadian history, but the adventures of these four intrepid female journalists from the late 1800s-early 1900s range far and wide. Founding members of the Canadian Women’s Press Club, Robertine Barry, Kit Cameron, Kate Simpson Hayes, and Agnes Deans Cameron exemplify the keen intelligence and fighting spirit that made them role models for all the women who have fought down through the decades to be taken as serious newspaperwomen and journalists.
From the back cover/ reviews:
Through storytelling, dialogue, adventures and mishaps, Ruth’s four main characters come alive. This is a memorable tale that disturbs, entertains, and underlines facts that now won’t be easily forgotten by this old girl who came out of a Canadian University journalism graduate school and was assigned to the Women’s Page beat in a big city daily in 1970. I wish I’d read Ruth’s story about these courageous few who challenged the norms of their time to pave the road for me before I struggled to earn my first byline.
Sue Carruthers, ICD.D, FAHP
What remarkable women Agnes, Robertine, Kit, and Kate were! Their stories - heartbreaking, adventurous, courageous, painfully bound by convention - are enthralling. The quotes from their own work make one want to read more.
Rose Norton
Between the Lines is a vital piece of Canadian history, offering captivating insights into the lives of four Canadian visionaries. It serves as a powerful reminder that defying societal norms is often the key to progress. Ruth has brought us a story to be cherished and remembered!
Rosanna Elves, B.A.
Energizing...puts flesh onto the bones of four trailblazing women and captures our hearts with their joys and sorrows as they navigate great societal change.
C.R. Brin, M.Arch, Architect AIBC
For me, the book is an inspirational read precisely because of the characters’ real-life complexity, and its symphonic structure (sonata, scherzo, finale). I greatly admire how you wove such a compelling narrative out of sometimes sinuous threads.
Michael Gurney, Arts Reporter