BOOKS BY AUDREY AUSTIN: The theme of this blog is creative writing. I've written many poems, short stories, novellas, novels, and more. I've recently entered the exciting world of books for children. I hope you will want to get to know me and, of course, I hope you will want to buy a book or two.
Friends gifted me with the title of 'folk artist'. I accepted. All I know is that I love colour, and I love to paint. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10214522015343529&type=3
Check out my Folk Art FB Page. If something catches your eye, please message me.
THROUGH A DAUGHTER’S EYES
Today’s date is August 9, 2026. If my mother were alive today, she would be
120 years old. My mother is not alive
today on this planet, but she is alive and well in my memories, in my thoughts,
and always in my heart.
I never called her mother. When I was a little child, she was
Mommy. As I matured, she became Mom, and
Mom was always my best friend. She was
always there for me, always. Throughout my life I could depend on her being
there for me, whether I needed her to be or not.
Mom was born in the tiny Village of Tryon,
which is in Prince County, Prince Edward Island, Canada, August 9, 1906. She was baptised Eva Ruby McNeil, but from
her earliest years everyone called her Ruby.
Curiosity led me to discover what was
happening in Canada in 1906. What kind
of a world was my mother born into.
In 1906 Canada’s first movie theatre
opened. It was in Montreal and called
Ouimetoscope. The SS Valencia struck a
reef off Vancouver Island, killing 136 people in the ensuing disaster. Ontario Hydro was created. The Ottawa Public Library opened. Regina was
decreed the capital of Alberta.
King Edward V11 was Canada’s Monarch.
During the day women wore tailored
button-down blouses with high collars, often featuring lace or embroidery. They
wore long, trumpet-shaped skirts that fit smoothly over the hips and flared at
the floor. They wore tailored suits of
wool, linen, or cotton for walking or working.
Women wore their hair swept up and puffed
out widely around the face. The
hairstyle was called the Gibson Girl pompadour.
Those with means wore evening or formal
wear including tea gowns that were soft and flowing. Low-cut evening dresses decorated with
chiffon, silk, satin or lace were worn with long elbow-length white gloves.
The average hourly wage for unskilled
workers was 15 to 20 cents per hour which was roughly nine to ten dollars for a
60-hour work week while the skilled trades people earned between 25 and 60
cents per hour. Women and children
earned significantly less than adult men, frequently half or less for the same
hours.
A typical suburban house cost roughly
$1,500 to $3,000 Canadian. A rural home
was less expensive. The average yearly
income of a Canadian worker was between $500 and $700.
These things I learned through Dr. Google.
My mother’s father in 1906 owned his own
business. He was a blacksmith and his
business premises were on the same property as their large country home. Tryon sits
near the south shore of P.E.I., roughly 15 minutes from today’s Confederation
Bridge and 5 minutes from Victoria-by-the-Sea.
I don’t know my grandfather’s income, but
I have been told they owned a comfortable home with two staircases, several
bedrooms, a living-room and a dining-room.
I was told they ate their meals together as a family at the kitchen
table. I believe they were possibly an
average working-class family in 1906.
This is the home and the lifestyle that
Mom was born into.
When my grandfather lost his business because
of a fire, this family’s life changed. Mom was still a very young girl
when she moved with her family from this familiar, quiet rural life to a busier
one in the City of Summerside.
The loss of his business sent her father
south to Maine, U.S.A, in search of employment. He did return but not until many years later
when Mom was already a young wife and mother.
During these early years in Summerside,
Mom lived with her sisters and brother in the house which, in the absence of a
father’s income, became a boarding house run by her mother. Life was not so
easy.
But Mom was intelligent. She was smart but practical. After high school Mom attended a business college, learned new skills, and soon began working as a legal secretary. The lawyer’s office was on Queen Street in
downtown Summerside. This is where Mom
was working when she met Dad.
When she was 21 years old, Mom married
Dad. This was in the year 1927. Soon their son was born, and a year later,
their first daughter. But in 1929 the
economic crash, the Great Depression was devastating. Mom’s husband, during depression years, was
forced to move to Toronto to find employment.
Poor Mom, feeling abandoned, broke out in
hives and suffered from nervous exhaustion.
But the day arrived when Mom received the
letter from Dad. He had found a job, and
all was well. Mom was soon on the train with
her two children.
Life was not easy for Mom in Toronto. They needed to rent a house, and the house
was small. In no way did it compare to
the house she had grown up in and become used to. Life was tough, but somehow, they
managed. They faced and overcame many
challenges.
Mom lived in Toronto with her husband and
two children. Soon there were three,
four, five, and then six children. Eight
people now lived in the little house; twice as many and there was little room
for privacy for family members.
And this was Mom’s life for several
years. Unfortunately, her husband, my
father, passed away when I was 13 years old.
Dad’s passing left her a single Mom with three dependent children.
Often physically weak, she was always
spiritually strong and, on her own, she raised the three children, me being one
of them, as a single mother. From 1956
she lived alone with her children who grew up quickly. Soon all children had
left home, and Mom lived alone in her little house in Toronto.
I didn’t enter Mom’s world until 1942 when
she was thirty-six years old. Dad died
when both he and Mom were 49 years old.
This means that for thirteen years since my birth I lived with both
parents. When I was 13 Mom became a
single Mom raising me and my little brother and sister who were, at that time, 10
and 11 years old.
From my earliest days, always, I loved my
mother. As a little girl, I had curly,
auburn hair and she loved to form my curls into little ringlets which, I guess,
were popular in those long-ago days. Mom
loved my hair. She loved to brush and
train my hair. I did not like ringlets
and could hardly wait until I was old enough to have my hair cut short.
No matter how tired she might be, Mom
always kept our home clean and, even with six children, organized.
She was always home for us – for me.
She cooked and served all our meals.
She washed our clothes in the wringer machine in the cellar, and in all
kinds of weather, she hung the clothes on the backyard clothesline. She kept us all well-dressed and sent us to
school and, with nickel in our hand for collection, to Sunday School in the
Salvation Army church every Sunday afternoon.
She was a devoted, caring mother.
Dad was only 49 years old when he passed
away. Mom became a single mom with three
of her children, including me, in her care.
But eventually, one by one, all the children grew up, married, and left
home leaving Mom to live alone in her house.
Living alone, she loved to write poetry,
to do crossword puzzles, to embroider runners and doilies. She watched T.V., attended church on Sundays,
home-league through the week, and walked up the road to Eglinton with her
bundle buggy to do her shopping. She kept busy but often felt lonely.
Living apart from Mom, I called her several
times in a week and usually visited at least once a week. She was always there to listen.
When, with my own family, we moved away
from Toronto, my visits were less frequent, but the phone calls were not;
always we were in touch. Whenever I
needed her, no matter how old I became, no matter how busy I was, no matter
what was happening in my life, Mom was always there for me.
My adult years were not always smooth
years. Whenever I needed a place to be,
her door and her heart were open to me. Even
when I lived on another continent, she and I stayed in touch by recording and sharing
cassette tapes and writing letters.
She was a wonderful, giving, caring mother
to me. Throughout her many years of
raising six children, she always put her needs and wants on the back burner,
making sure we all had what we needed.
Hers was not an easy life, but she did all that was within her power to
give her children a good life.
All my mother’s children grew up, held good positions, and had stable, lasting
marriages. I was the only exception; the
only child of my mother challenged by serious relationship issues.
Yet, during those most difficult times of
my life, it was Mom who was my best friend, my greatest support.
And now I am 84 years old. I am thinking of my mother on her birthday,
August 9th, remembering that Mom was 84 years old when she passed
away.
Mom passed away when I was 49 years old, thirty-five
years ago. Thirty-five years! Yet
throughout all these years, although I miss being able to visit or to call her
up, I feel that she is still near. I
don’t feel that she has left me, because whenever I feel troubled or challenged
in any way, somehow, she is still there for me.
I can still hear her saying, “Don’t worry,
it will all come out in the wash.”
She is, and always will be, my best
friend.
Happy birthday in heaven, Mom. xoxoxox
This summer of twenty-six, I will celebrate my 19th creative writing anniversary. During all these years I've been privileged to write and publish many books which are all available exclusively on all Amazon sites. Let me tell you about some of my publications.
The genre of my most recent publication is memoir, appropriately titled, "Almost Time to Leave". I began writing this manuscript in early 2024. The writing has been slow-going because I find memoir writing very challenging. I approached the project with much procrastination. I am feeling gratitude that I had the opportunity to finish my story.
Completing the writing of "Almost Time to Leave" was most important to this author. All my publications have been important to me, but this one especially so. This writing was of benefit to me. I hope the reading will be of benefit to another.
Very recently, in 2024, I was blessed to enjoy my entrance into the world of books for children.
"One Day With Misty" .... My newest venture into the world of books for children! From the moment she awakens, Misty shares her story. It's not easy to be sent to a shelter in your old age. She's happy to share the experience with Orange Cat, but feels lonely when he is soon adopted. Finally, she finds her forever home. Oh, the trials of trying to train a new owner! But Misty prevails and this story book for young readers has a very happy ending. "One Day With Misty" is for the young and for the young at heart.
Very young readers will love "Elephant and the Bumbly Bee" and also "The Last Drop". For readers 10 years of age to adult, you will love "Beyond the Blue".
"Shhh! We Don't Talk About That" is comprised of metaphysical, spiritual, and paranormal memories that I am pleased to share with my readers.
"POartRY and Prose" is the first book in a series. Just as its title suggests this publication is comprised of several of my many paintings displayed with my poetry and prose. "More POartRY and Prose" has been recently released and it is the second book in this series. I am currently working on the third in this series and it will be titled "POartRY and Prose the Third".
"STRUGGLE - To Reach the Bridge of Light" is a science-fiction novel. Mother Earth can take no more. It's a sad day when a mother must give up on her children. Like the phoenix, the spirit and the environment of earth rise leaving behind destruction and devastation. The chosen seven are truly amazed when they discover why they have been rescued.
I wrote two novels during the isolation caused by the covid pandemic. One was "STRUGGLE - To Reach the Bridge of Light" The other was titled "The Observer - His Eye Is on the Sparrow".
"The Observer - His Eye Is On The Sparrow" is a story of three generations of women, yet the story of two souls. Karina, Anna, and Karen, three very different personalities yet each, while dealing with her own struggles, continues to repeat family patterns. This story, begun in a NaNoWriMo adventure will touch your emotions and leave you with a smile. The settings of Bangalore, India and Elliot Lake, Ontario, Canada share little in common; each offering its own colour and character. This is my first novel to focus on religion; in this instance the religions of Christianity and Hinduism.
"No Place to Lay Her Head ... a handful of moments" is available in paperback and Kindle editions on Amazon. In this book I share my journey through grief since the death of my partner, Brian. This book is cathartic but I hope of benefit to anyone who is grieving the loss of a loved one.
Short story titled "The Man On The Bench" is a metaphysical delight. It is one of many short stories that dare to stand alone in the Kindle site.
You will also want to check out "DRAMA - a Novel Idea" which is a boxed set of my most popular novels: "Moose Road - a Canadian Tragedy"; "Ellen and The Hummingtree"; and "Sara, a Canadian Saga". While individual novels are available in both paperback & Kindle formats; DRAMA is available in Kindle format only.
"Simply BE" is a collection of inspirational thoughts, quotations, and sayings, that I hope will offer the reader inspiration and guidance. This book is currently used as an aid in meditation and healing circles and will, I hope, inspire you to be who you really are.
My first book of poems is titled "Poetry From A to Z" is followed by "POartRY and PROSE" & "MORE POartRY & PROSE".
"Dinner At Seven" is, I'm excited to announce, my fifteenth book but also my very first romance novel.
Crabapple Court is a mystery story in novella format. Susie Donnelly is missing. Has she run away? Is it a kidnapping? A murder?
"Beyond The Blue" is a coming-of-age novella in which a child finds a magical, mystical way to deal with bullying. This novella is also in both Paperback and Kindle format. More recently this book has been published in audio book format narrated by Earl Sewell and available on Amazon, Itunes, and Audibles.
"When God Gives Us Spring" is a story of love, hate & revenge that takes place pre and during civil war in the U.S. This novella is available in paperback, kindle, and audio book format.
"Recompense" is a recent novella that explores "older" people in the "new world" of chat room dating. A bit of a farce this one provides some enjoyable reading.
Prior to these publications I was kept busy with the creation, compilation and publication of a trilogy of anthologies containing short stories which keep the focus on social issues.
The books are titled "SOCIAL STUDIES - Book One - Dying To Be Popular"; "Book Two - Shattered and Broken"; "Book Three - Weaving Alice". These thirty-six stories will make you laugh; make you cry; and certainly make you simply wonder at the human condition as it is experienced by many in our modern contemporary world.
"Keeping It Simple", the trinity of meditation, the seven major chakras and psychospiritual therapy, is available in both Kindle and Paperback Format on all Amazon sites. It is my hope that one day I will have learned enough to narrate this book and transform it into an audio book.
My first novel, "Sara, a Canadian Saga", is available in paperback and kindle formats. It has been released as my first audio book; written by yours truly; narrated by Falon Echo; and the cover design by Susan RK of Yuneekpix dot com. This audio book is available on Amazon; Audibles; and ITunes.
I'm thrilled to announce that "When God Gives Us Spring" is my second book to be released as an audio book. This audio book is written by yours truly; narrated by Earl Sewell; and the beautiful cover design is by Susan RK of Yuneekpix dot com It is available on Amazon; Audibles; and ITunes.
Currently five of my many books are available in audiobook format. These five are "Sara, a Canadian Saga", When God Gives Us Spring", "Reawakening", "Moose Road, a Canadian Tragedy", and "Beyond the Blue".
Whether you choose my poetry; an anthology; one of my novels, a novella, or a short story I hope you enjoy your reading experience.
Thank you to my readers. I much appreciate your encouragement and your support. I hope you know that your positive reviews are much needed and very welcome.
Some reviews of "Almost Time to Leave" - Memoir.
Some reviews of When God Gives Us Spring.
Here are some reviews of Sara, a Canadian Saga. I will never forget the joy and excitement I experienced with the publication by Wynterblue Publishing of my very first novel. Thirteen years and thirty plus books have passed since, but the first really is the best. Though much time has passed, Sara is still enjoying sales through Amazon. If you haven't read this book, please check it out. Economic challenges today are not too different from those experienced by Sara and Roy. https://www.amazon.ca/Sara.../dp/1492848697/ref=sr_1_6...
https://www.amazon.ca/KEEPING.../dp/0978023838/ref=sr_1_4...
Check out my folk art at the link below. Please message me on Facebook if something catches your eye and you are interested in purchasing.
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Also some of my books on amazon (https://amazon.com/author/audreyaustin) present my folk art on their covers. I'll post a couple of pics below.
When God Gives Us Spring: a novella
