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Springside has a new author in town.

Pattie Janzen, who has recently returned as a columnist in The Marketplace is set to release her first book.

The book, titled The Goodness is planned to hit the shelves this April, and is the first step in what Janzen sees as a series 'Someone of Substance'.

The book is "a story of a family and their intertwined relationships with family members and others," explained Janzen who grew up in Saskatoon, moving to Springside in 1994.  

"If I have to choose one genre it would be a romance, of sorts, with elements of mystery and intrigue."

The book setting is "mostly set in 2014 - 2015 with some flashbacks to 1980s," said the 56-year-old Janzen. "It's set in a large city but the smaller town the main character is from is also a setting within the book."

The book draws at least in-part on Janzen's own background as she graduated as a registered nurse in 1984 and worked in Saskatoon, in Labor and Delivery, for 10-years until moving to Yorkton where she started on Obstetrics at the Yorkton Regional Health Centre in 1994.

The book "is the story of a Labor and Delivery Nurse who cares for a couple having a baby one night, when tragedy strikes," explains Janzen. "There are so many dynamics but the general theme, no matter what hardships happen --and there are quite a few involving the main characters and others -- is one of seeing the goodness of God, no matter what happens."

Janzen said having the main character a nurse was simply logical.

"It is my first published book. They say 'write what you know' so the nurse theme started there," she said.

But, why did Janzen think the book was worth writing? 

"I feel that we live in an often hurting world and people seem more angry and stressed than ever before," she said. "My hope is that, through the hardships, difficult relationships, suspense and surprises my characters experience and live through, that people who read this book will be able to relate to something in it.

"I hope that it causes people to talk about what they’re going through and that almost everyone will be able to relate with at least one of the characters and it will get conversations going.

"I feel this would be a great 'book club' book."

Janzen comes at writing out of love rather than from formal training.

"I’ve always loved to write - even as a child making up stories and penning them," she told Yorkton This Week. "I had a column called 'Laugh at Life' years ago (in 2001) while raising small children. I am thrilled to have the privilege of 'revisiting' the column 'Laugh at Life' starting this past December.

"I took an online writing course involving learning how to write a novel, years ago as well. I have written many many screenplays for church Christmas concerts and other events for over 25-years. I’ve enjoyed directing numerous plays involving children and adults, as well (usually the plays I’ve written)."

All the little steps as a writer finally led Janzen to penning a book she felt worthy of publishing.

"I began writing my first novel in August 2020 and soon it became two," she said. "I am currently working on the third.

"The saga will end with the finishing of the third novel."

The writing process for Janzen was not exactly as a textbook might have suggested.

"At first I read about making a plan and I did try one of those," she said. "Another book was started then but I got frustrated and couldn’t continue.

"It may sound strange but, after I frustratingly gave that tedious journey up, I finally 'listened' more than forced myself to conform to plans and such.  

"It was like God said, 'just sit, shut up and type' and I finally listened and did it. That may sound crazy but this book developed quickly after that -- the rough copy anyway -- and it was done in a month.  

"Then I couldn’t stop and in another month the second book was done. I definitely plan to get that one published as well because the first book is somewhat left hanging and my hope is the reader will want to continue the story as much as I did."

There were of course challenges beyond finding the best way to get the story flowing to the page.

"Definitely the biggest challenge was finding time to write," said Janzen. "This working for a living sucks sometimes and has infringed on this wonderful endeavour, to a point.  

"Thankfully, however, a pandemic is happening and all I do is go to work and then come home. Since there’s nowhere to go I escape all the stress of the world around me, at least to some extent, in the words I get to write.

"I feel less stressed, also, while living through the exciting lives of my characters. The imagination is a powerful thing! If there’s anything that’s possibly good about this COVID-19 time I must be thankful for feeling reignited by the writing bug."

With the first book complete Janzen said she likes the characters populating her story.

"Definitely the characters and how they relate to one another," she said when asked what she thought was best about the book. "I hope the reader will find their intertwined and sometimes challenging lives intriguing."

And the story, while continuing into future books, is also one Janzen likes now that it is on the page.

"I am (satisfied), although I’m sure there’s always room for improvement and growth -- I’m not a very experienced writer -- but, I think it’s a valid story.  

"My good friend read the original copy and I knew she would tell me the truth. She and my daughter both came back with 'you must get this published' and 'this would be a beautiful movie too'. So… I’m plunging in!"

Janzen said the book is likely to appeal to adult women.

"There are many male characters as well but if I’d target an audience I’d say adult women of all ages," she said.

In April the book will be available from Janzen directly, at Amazon.com and she hopes book stores and on-line.