聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 聽 Historical fiction author Corinne (H.C.) Hewitt's second novel in her 鈥淎bbington鈥� series -聽 'Jacob's Place' - will be released in November and although Hewitt is now in her forties, she says writing and history have been a part of her life since childhood.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淪ince I was 12, I've wanted to write a book,鈥� says Hewitt, who grew up on a farm near Manor. 鈥淢y grandmother (Carol Thomas) worked at Cannington Manor in the 1970s through to the 1990s, so I spent a lot of time there.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 love history,鈥� she says. 鈥淎nd with my first book, I tried to write a fact-based book about聽 Cannington Manor. But I realized I really needed to create my own character, so that's when Jacob was born.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Hewitt penned her first novel in the Abbington series in 2015. 'Jacob of Abbington Pickets' is the story of Jacob Hudson, whose story takes place in a Victorian village in Canada, much like Cannington Manor.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t's a fictional series,鈥� says Hewitt. 鈥淏ut Abbington Pickets is inspired by Cannington Manor and the Beckton Ranch inspired Goldenrod Ranch in the books. And Rosemount - the Ed McCullogh place - provided the inspiration for Crocus Flats, where Jacob grew up.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淢y mom's grandparents Bert and Alice Hibbert came from England and worked at Beckton Ranch. So my books are fiction, but there are some true-life tidbits tucked in the stories, too.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 In the latest Abbington book, Jacob is about to marry the love of his life (and best friend), Abigail Rodgers. In 1911, King George V was ruler of the British Empire, Sir Robert Laird Borden was Canada's Prime Minister and Jacob Hudson's life was seemingly going well, even though rural life in early 20th-century Saskatchewan wasn't easy.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Jacob and Abigail's happiness is challenged by a series of obstacles - an abrupt illness, extreme weather and unexpected debt - resulting in a test of Jacob's faith.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t's really a story about honesty, integrity and hard work - which aren't so easy to find anymore,鈥� says Hewitt. 鈥淚 created a strong character and a character who is respectful of women. In the first book Jacob's story starts when he's eight-years-old and ends when he's 20. And in the new book, he's 21.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 found it easy to write from a man's perspective,鈥� she adds. 鈥淎nd this book is suitable for everybody from age 12 and up. One grade 10 student - a girl - did a book report on 'Jacob of Abbington Pickets' for school and I think it's certainly one way to get a picture of the history during that era, especially in rural Saskatchewan.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 did a lot of research.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Hewitt says the process of writing the books was fuelled by her passion for reading, writing and local history.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淔or years, I was a stay-at-home mom,鈥� says the author, who now lives on an acreage near Hanna, Alberta, where she owns a quilt shop - H. Corrine Hewitt Quilt Patterns & Fabrics. 鈥淏ut I always pursued creative things like sewing, crocheting, music and of course, quilting and designing quilt patterns.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淲hen I first moved here to Hanna, I was a seamstress and then I moved into quilts and designing patterns. I've done 44 patterns so far and eventually, I opened a quilt shop in 2009. In six weeks, my husband, Kenny and our kids and I painted and worked on the store.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎nd as much as I love the quilt shop, I always thought about writing a book before I ever thought of opening a store. But I just thought it would never happen.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淗owever, every year at the quilt shop, I take time off between Christmas and New Years. It really rejuventates me,鈥� says Hewitt. 鈥淎nd finally, in 2015, I said, 'This is the year I write a book.'鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 聽鈥淚 had already written a few chapters a couple of years before, but this time, I set myself a goal to complete it between January and April. I finished it and I even took the photos the publisher used on the cover art.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淢y editor said it's 'clean fiction,'鈥� explains Hewitt. 鈥淎nd it's a Christian story, but it's not a book reserved exclusively for Christian readers.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚 love writing and I love the subject, so in that sense, it wasn't hard to write,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 wrote most of it after supper - between supper and bedtime. We have a nice, comfy chair - I call it Grandad's Chair - and I sat there with my laptop and wrote anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours every weeknight.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淎nd I gave my husband free rein of the TV,鈥� laughs Hewitt.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淏ut seriously, my husband, Kenny, my daughters and my sons and my entire family supported me big-time and I'd really like to thank them for all of their support.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Hewitt aims to continue writing the Abbington series and says that in addition to quilts, apron and other patterns which tie-in with the series, she is working on a book of recipes inspired by the story.
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 鈥淚t's been a wonderful so far and I will continue to tell the story of Abbington,鈥� says Hewitt. 鈥淚f I could talk to my 12-year-old self, I'd say: 'Wow, you did it. And you didn't think you could do it, but you did.鈥�
聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽聽 Hewitt's books are available in both print ($20) and electronic formats. Print editions can be purchased at Kal-Tire in Carlyle. For more information, contact: [email protected].
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