Marie Donais Calder is on a roll.
The Estevan author only released the first book in her historical fiction series this past July and it's already going to its second print.
"Since it was only born in July, and this is now October, I am amazed," said Donais Calder, as her eyes lit up. "I think that's why Frank [my publisher] calls me the 'Magic Lady,' because without bookstores, I'm selling them. It's pretty exciting and I really do feel like these are my babies and I'm having several at once. But once they are written it's the promotion that takes all the energy and time."
It's the promotion of her books - she released the second in her nine book series in August - that brought her to Carlyle Public Library Oct. 15. She talked about the books and the stories they tell and she enlightened those in attendance with a reading.
To her surprise, the event provided her with opportunity, in addition to promoting her books, as one of the women in attendance knew her parents. This is a rare occurrence for, even though her dad was from Alida and her family grew up in Tilston, Man. and Redvers. Since her family experienced a tragedy when she was still quite young, whenever she meets someone who knew her parents, it means a lot.
"For me it's beautiful because she knows my dad died quite young," explained Donais Calder. "But we don't tell our readers that because they will be devastated. They've already told me, don't tell me. I have mentioned I wasn't very old [when he died] and the readers, they love my dad already and they just don't want to deal with it. But in the ninth book they're going to have to."
Other people came out to the event just to buy her books, as they heard about them and could not wait to read them.
"I heard it on the radio a couple times, then I saw it in the paper, and my sister-in-law was saying she wanted to get the book," said Michelle Arndt, as she bought the first two books. "So I said if she got the first one, I would get the second one and we'd share."
Prior to reading in the library, Donais Calder spoke at G.F. Kells high school and Carlyle Elementary School. She views her books as highly educational and therefore gets a lot of joy out of the school events. In fact, she hopes to see her books used as a teaching tool in the future.
"It's about rebuilding lives," said Donais Calder, of the meaning behind the books in her 'The Other Side' series. "That is what it is about. So it should fit anywhere."
Donais Calder read to a group of students from grades five to seven at a school in Regina recently, and was surprised to learn they had already read the book in anticipation of her arrival.
"The teachers read the book to the students and then I went," she explained. "And that is what we feel should happen at that grade level."
But the school system isn't the only place where she feels her books belong. Her books are for anyone of any age, though they do carry a special meaning for the older generations which experienced war on some level.
"In Saskatoon, I'm going to senior citizen homes because I feel that this is the generation, my parents generation, and I want to share it with them."
Donais Calder will continue touring around with her first two books, "The Other Side of War" and "The Other Side of Fear" for the next few weeks until she releases her third book, "The Other Side of Pain" in November. She'll tour around with all three until the end of the year and then she'd heading south to her writing sanctuary where she will focus on the next books in the series.
"The Other Side" series is based on the experiences of Donais Calder's dad as he served as a peacekeeper in post-war Germany. They are available by contacting her through her website, www.mariedonaiscalder.com, or her Facebook page, The Other Side Series.
