“Deer Island is a real place! Though fictionalized, the characters portray life in the lower Atchafalaya Basin (specific to Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana) and its tributaries from 1840 – 1921.” “The Addison family legacy is expressed in the meticulously kept diaries of three generations of the family’s matriarchs.” “Each of the two volumes can stand on its own merits, but the story invites the reader to experience both.” “Deer Island is a place where the fabric of life is tightly woven; mutual interests are cultivated. Each shared expression of some heartfelt emotion, each account of some uncommon event, each expounded detail of some ideal or conviction, each celebration of life and living communicated unashamedly and in a forthright manner, produces a colored fiber. The hues of these threads may be brilliant and appealing, or they may be dim and dismal, but each is applied to the pattern of the weave for all to witness.”

Just hours after the shot heard round the world marked the start of the American Revolution, the news from Lexington set alarm bells ringing in Framingham. Minutemen from the town rushed along the road to Concord to help cut off the retreat of British troops. In Salem, where dozens of women were accused of witchcraft, Framinghams founder, Thomas Danforth, helped to end the hysteria and afterward provided sanctuary in Framingham for the families of the wrongfully accused. Staring down the barrels of British guns in Boston, Framingham native Crispus Attucks was one of the first to die for American independence. Though rarely in the foreground of history, Framingham pops up again and again as a backdrop to our nations great historic episodes. With tales of pirate gold, hypnotized evangelists, blundering spies and bravery in battle, this captivating collection of historical episodes sets Framingham squarely in the spotlight.

In the 1950s, just a few years after Newfoundland entered Confederation, the first official provincial resettlement program saw thousands of islanders leave their coastal out-port communities to resettle on the mainland. The plan was that families would have better access to schools, medical care, community infrastructure such as roads and electricity, and employment. For many, this included putting their houses on barges and floating them to their new location. Blue Moon on Water is the story of the fictional Moore family, their salt cod and lobster fishing community of Deer Island, and their ultimate decision to resettle. Told through the eyes of Hannah Marie, an inquisitive teenager, we follow the day-to-day lives of the people in her community and learn of their hopes, dreams, loves, celebrations, fishing, and food. Told with love, humour, and pride, these are the stories of people who have shaped the resilient culture of Newfoundland and the ever-indomitable spirit of its people.