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VALERIE WISEMAN

It seems as if I had always loved to write. I recall reading one of my poems aloud in class when I was about ten years old. It was entitled ‘The Old Oak Tree’. Always feeling composed in front of people, I never felt nervous reading, not even at that young age. Later, in my teens, I would love to write skits too and perform them for classmates. Drama or comedy; I loved it all. Throughout the years, whatever group or organization I was a part of, it seems that I was always writing something and performing it for special occasions.

Creativity has always been a part of me. Those of you who write can understand just how that feels—to see something come to life before your eyes that had started as a seed in your psyche; a notion turned into fulfilment, approval, and applause. Whether it is poetry, a stage play, a song or a book, your emotions have brought about emotion in others. How astonishing that is!

Biography

I was born and raised in Botwood, Newfoundland & Labrador. I worked for the Department of Forestry for almost twenty years. Even during that time, I did as much creatively as my circumstances allowed.

For example, I spent a season with the Northcliff Drama Club in Grand Falls, Newfoundland & Labrador where I played the part of Catherine in the play ‘A Book of Murder’, performed at The Arts and Culture Centre.

Through the years, I have created several characters, write my own stand-up routines for them, and perform at local events.

My stage play, ‘A Friend’s Lament’ was performed at the 2013 public festival in my home town of Fortune Harbour, Newfoundland & Labrador and played to sold out audiences.

In 2010 Flanker Press, published my first novel ‘Harbour of my Tomorrows’. The novel tells the story of John Gavin (the great grandfather of my husband, Joe) from the age of seventeen in Ireland, to eighty-five, the day he died in Newfoundland.

I have two sons. Jude lives in Calgary and Lloyd resides in Nova Scotia. I also have a step-daughter, Maria, living in St. John’s, Newfoundland & Labrador.

My husband Joe and I have lived in Fortune Harbour for the past twenty-two years - Joe’s home town.

Harbour of My Tomorrows

I always knew there was a book inside me. There were times I came close to a story, but all the ingredients didn’t mix together quite right.
Then I saw the old picture of John Gavin, my husband’s great grandfather. When I looked into those eyes I knew there was, not only a story, but a story that had already captured me and I knew until his life’s journey was written those remarkable eyes would hold me captive.
It’s been an intense journey, bringing a man back to life. But before long he was laughing, crying, playing music and falling in love.
In writing my first novel, HARBOUR OF MY TOMORROWS it has touched me deeply. When I wanted to describe the harbour, I had only to look out my window. When I needed to describe the house John lived in, in the nineteenth century, I had only to take a picture off my wall and place it next to my computer.
His years in Ireland required a lot of research because I had never been there and I am not a traveler. But I swore that until I could feel Ireland’s breezes on my face, I wouldn’t write a word.
After a couple of years reading everything I could find on Ireland in the middle 1850’s, the breezes not only blew across my face, soon I was swept away.

Against all odds, John’s eyes opened and the stark reality progressively took over his mind. As fragments of recent events returned, he knew that he was on the ocean; rocking, swaying and sick to his stomach. He had become accustomed to nightmares in his young life, but he knew this moment was real. He felt it in the sharp pains that flooded his back, inflicted upon him when he was dragged over the uneven ground. He felt it in his two wrists, which even in the darkness, he sensed were blackened by the roughness of his aggressors.
And he knew the terror that seized each and every muscle in his painful body was as real as the aching and longing gripping fiercely at his heart.
With each rolling wave, he moved further away from Ireland; from the soil of his ancestors, from his new and wonderful family, from his friend Jim, and from Maggie. But the name that he struggled to utter through his misery was that of his brother, “Please God, let me some day, see Luke again,” he prayed, as he drifted back into unconsciousness”.
It is my hope that anyone who reads this novel will be touched by the story of a young Irish lad who was forced to leave behind his two greatest loves… his younger brother, Luke…..and his Ireland.

ORDER THIS BOOK HERE

The Lodger ... and Other Short Stories

In the summer of 2013, I was researching to write my second novel - another work of historical fiction. After I finished writing the first chapter, I felt compelled to put the project on hold for a while.

My reason for putting it aside until a later date, was that short stories started coming to me. Often throughout the day, before I went to sleep at night, and when I awoke in the morning all these new and intriguing characters would invade my thinking. I soon found myself giving them personality dimensions: faces, feelings, doubts, actions, and regrets. I knew I had to switch gears, and quickly. That’s when I gave myself permission to start writing until ten short stories were completed. ‘The Lodger … and other ShortStories’ is now completed and ready for sale (check my ‘Ordering’ page or click the link below).

Synopsis:
The Lodger is set in modern day. This story tells the tale of a Newfoundland lady, in her forties, who has inherited her grandmother’s old lodging house and a considerable amount of money. The intrigue begins with her first lodger.

The Bully has a message for teens, telling them that they can be the ones to speak up and distance themselves from the bullies.

A Grand Game is a tale centered on two old friends in rural Newfoundland during the sixties who become obsessed with finishing their ‘grand card game’.

The Widow’s Watch tells the tale of a ninety-six year old woman who has a last wish granted to her.

I Call Her Annie is a story about a young girl, sixteen years old, who disgraces her father by getting pregnant.

The Blood Red Window a good old fashion police story.
The Jilted and the Loved is about a young man who has come home from the mainland to get married. Trouble is, his fiancé, Ashley, had never been to a Newfoundland outport.

An Evening with Gordon Pinsent. Sixty-eight year old Aggie Delaney has won an evening with Gordon Pinsent. She is almost out of her mind because he is her favourite actor of all times. Yes, Gordon Pinsent has read it and given his seal of approval!

A Plea for Forgiveness is about a teen-age son who has to grow up in a hurry after his father’s death. When his mentally-challenged brother, Louie, disappears because of Harry’s carelessness, their mother will not forgive Harry no matter his pleas.

Home to Stay tells the story of Uncle Eldon who has decided to come back home to Newfoundland to live. If only Eldon Hicks had taken his friend’s advice and told his nephew everything from the start.

ORDER THIS BOOK HERE

Jumpers Bluff

Hogan’s Harbour was black as death, except for an occasional little glimmer from homes where the owners had been prepared for the storm. Barry’s truck was the only thing moving on the road. It was tricky to maneuver and stay on course with the rain whipping across the windshield so rapidly that the location of the actual road was mostly left to guess work. A flash of lightening suddenly struck the truck. They all flinched, but it was short-lived. Barry slowed down, for even without good vision he was familiar enough with the area, to know where they were. They didn’t need to travel any further; they had finally come to their destination. They were now parked on the other side of the bluff. A short walk would take them to the rocky beach that had been gazing up at Jumpers Bluff for centuries. Now that they were closer to the ocean, they could smell it and hear the rough waves angrily crashing upon the rocks. But for their alternate blinking flashlights, all was black. It had become impossible to battle the ominous feelings welling up inside them. The grassy path had come to an end. Their boots had hit the beach; uneven slippery rocks and slimy seaweed, slowing their pace. They stayed together and shone their lights out in all directions, the wind and rain pounding at them without mercy. Barry looked up into the rain and held his flashlight steadily toward Jumpers Bluff. Slowly, he moved the light directly down until the beach underneath was glowing, in spite of the darkness. His heart almost stopped when he caught sight of something lying on the shoreline. He took a moment to gather his thoughts and try to find his voice to get the others’ attention.
“Guys,” he said weakly, “I found something.”

ORDER THIS BOOK HERE

Works in Progress

Another Historical Novel

I have the first chapter written for another historical novel. It will revolve around a fictional family in Botwood during WWII during the time of the flying boats and Canadian servicemen.

Stage Play: “A Brother’s War”
In my latest play, "A Brother’s War", I placed a fictional Dawson family, in Botwood, Newfoundland during WWII. The Dawson brothers both have young sons who join the war effort and are sent to Europe. Dissention, born from years of resentment and jealously mixed with misunderstanding and rage erupt between the brothers and it seems their blood bond is broken forever; or is it?
Perhaps something as horrific as losing loved ones will play a strange role in mending their broken hearts.

The play was to be performed in Botwood, NL on July 15th and 16th, 2020 but COVID-19 restrictions in place at the time did not allow it. We are hoping for a future date.