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The Art World of my novel-in-progress, "Forty Mermaids."

  My new novel, Forty Mermaids , to be published in 2026, is about a fictional Montreal artist’s development as a painter during the first half of the 20th century. My central character, Merle, faces obstacles to her work. Like many “women artists,” she struggles to carve out time from homemaking to pursue her painting. Her work is misinterpreted by art critics. Friends advise her to concentrate on domestic life. Like many innovators, she runs into conventional notions about what art is. As well, the Great Depression of the 1930s was not a good time for those in the arts.          While the administration of U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt  provided opportunities and funding for American artists through the Works Progress Administration, Canada had no such program. During World War II, however, the Canadian  government funded artists to work on pictures about the  war effort.           I have always li...
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"Fun Times in English Class" by Valerie Limmer

 A couple of years ago, a neighbour introduces us to Valerie and Peter Limmer, who are missionaries in Japan with MissionGo Canada, and send out a bi-monthly newsletter, “Land of the Risen Son.”  In Issue 92, June 2025, Valerie wrote an article, “Fun Times in English Class” which I like very much. She has given me permission to publish an excerpt from it: We’ve been having some exciting conversations in English class! It all started last month when one of our older students, a grandmother whom I’ll call ‘Zephyr,’came up to me. “Is Trump a Christian?” She peered into my face anxiously. Hmm. It might be best to give her more information and let her draw her own conclusions “Christians are people who love and follow Jesus.  In time, we naturally become more like him. Jesus is someone who is loving.  During His time on earth, HE stood up for the helpless and oppressed. He got angry at people who took advantage of foreigners; He pointed to a poor widow as having more gene...
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The Uses and Abuses of History

 This oldie but goodie is my review of The Uses and Abuses of History, b y Margaret (MacMillan Viking, 2008), which appeared in Briarpatch in 2009. I thought about it recently while researching the historical background for my new novel-to-be, Forty Mermaids , and thought I would share the review with you. The Uses and Abuses of History,b y Margaret (MacMillan Viking, 2008),  in   Briarpatch, May June  2009, reviewed by Ruth Latta What does “history” mean to you? A list of names and dates? Great deeds of long ago? “History,” says historian Margaret MacMillan, is something we all do.” Formerly at the University of Toronto, now at Oxford, Professor MacMillan is well-known for her Governor General’s Award-winning book, Paris 1919 , and, more recently, for Nixon in China . These thoroughly researched, academically respected books are entertaining reads. Similarly reader-friendly is her latest book, The Uses and Abuses of History. MacMillan finds it natural that we...
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