Page 12 - Giv'er Miramichi Magazine - Summer Giver 2024

Writing Through Life’s Challenges:

Chantal MacDonald's

Inspirational Author Journey

Interview by Stacy Underhill

Chantal MacDonald
Chantal MacDonald is an author, extreme devastation at only nine years
and a teacher by trade with a Master of old. Now on the cusp of her high school
Arts in English Literature from the graduation, Sadie is more than ready for
University of Ottawa. In early 2020 she a future that will take her away from the
was a stay-at-home mom to three young small town of Lunenburg, Nova Scotia.
children under four years old, and she As the year is wrapping up, she
decided to write a novel. catches the attention of a cute lobster
As we all know, the year 2020 came fisherman who works down at the local
with a special set of restrictions and docks. Tom Carter is everything Sadie
obstacles, and as Chantal said in her would want—he’s charming, honest,
blog, it is a miracle she accomplished and hardworking, but will he ever be
anything at all, let alone write her first able to accept her distrust of God?
novel. But she did. And this spring she When a stranger from her mother’s
published her third book in the series. past reaches out, Sadie finds herself
I am so inspired by her journey and poised to experience the culture and
how she found time to “write in the adventure she’s always dreamed of, but
margins” of her days, and I know our she also is on the brink of emotional
Giv’er readers will be too. Chantal is a breakdown.
Miramichier who grew up in Sunny I hope that as readers follow Sadie
Corner and now lives in Moncton with through her struggles and triumphs
her husband and children. (whether one book or them all) that they upbringing); and there needed to be
will be encouraged in their own themes of hope while facing some of
Q: Tell us about the books you’ve journeys. There is hope and peace to be the harsh realities of life.
written. found, even in the hard seasons of life. From there I just began to write.

I have written three novels: Hope at Q: How did you come to the story idea There are two kinds of writers—
the Ocean’s Edge (2022), A Harbour and characters in Hope at the Ocean's planners and pantsers (those who write
for Broken Hearts (2023), and Peace on Edge, and did you know it would be a by the seat of their pants). I am the
a New Horizon (spring 2024). I have series when you began? latter. I knew where I wanted to start
also written two children’s picture and I knew where I wanted to end, the
books: Lester the Lobster and the Great When I first began writing I knew in-between was a bit of a mystery at
Escape and Lorraine the Lobster Feels that I wanted this story to be a series— times. The characters and circumstances
Blue. Both children’s books have been there was so much story to share! unfolded as I wrote, several of them
translated into French. Although I was doubtful if I would be surprising even me.
Hope at the Ocean’s Edge is the able to successfully write one book let
first book in the Sadie Jones series. The alone several. Q: Did you encounter any obstacles
genre is Young Adult Christian fiction, When I began compiling my ideas, when writing the book and how did you
and I wrote these novels with the hope there were a few important details that overcome them?
that it would provide young women I knew I wanted to include: the main I’m a mom of three young children
with a wholesome, yet engaging option character needed to be entering life and I began writing this book when my
for literary entertainment. outside of high school; the setting youngest was three months old. The
The first book follows the main needed to be an Atlantic Canadian biggest obstacle in the beginning was
character Sadie Jones who experienced fishing town (a nod to my Miramichi time. I can remember rocking my baby

12 www.GiverMiramichi.com Summer 2024