This is her introduction to the story:
This story takes me back to farm days in the ‘70s every time I read it. Our children did not sense how tough life was because our little family was filled with love. I’ve written several stories already about our life on that farm and one day of course I suppose I will turn it into a small book but for now, this is one that I have told our grandchildren as a bedtime story many times. Recently I found the picture of Bruce with a ladder!
You can read Carolyn's story Family Love by clicking here.
NAME:
Carolyn (Muir) Helfenstein
St. John’s, Newfoundland 1937 Scottish Descent
MARRIED:
61 years. Children: Twins: one son, one daughter; and - one more son
and 7 grandchildren.
EDUCATION:
1955: Toronto Teachers’ College: highest academic standing-600 students.
1980: On-line lessons: Lawrence Hill (later author of Book of Negroes).
An eight-week French immersion program through Western Ontario University held in Quebec. Total immersion in French for 8 weeks.
2010-13: University of Waterloo. I graduated with a “Bachelor of Independent Studies.”
CAREERS:
1955-59;
Teaching in a one room rural school, 5 grades: I was 17 the first year.
Also four years teaching in larger schools, including teaching one year helping “forgotten” children (a story in itself).
Most recently in my seventies I turned to serious writing.
1986-1998:
After dairy farming, we had turned to a new career, the opportunity to buy the local community newspaper: I had been their freelance writer.
I received several top awards Ontario-wide over the 10 years owning the paper.
Like many small Canadian newspapers, we were forced to close our paper due to lack of advertising. Our town lost most of its stores.
TWO BOOKS PUBLISHED:
WHY NOT?
It was published in 2018. Even today readers enjoy reading Why Not? Some call it a love story.
ROCK SOLID
This saga came out my trying to find my Newfoundland identity that I lost when we left Newfoundland—I was 6-7 at the time and my dad died age 46 two years later. We were living so far away from Newfoundland near Toronto. I needed to find out what was a Newfoundlander? And how do I regain a sense of being a Newfoundlander? I was a lonely child, I think.
Writing Rock Solid in my seventies and researching through U. of Waterloo I received a degree, my saga continued to grow in degrees and has now been published. I am exploring having it published in England and as well if possible as a TV series. With writing Newfoundland characters into my saga, along with actual historical events, Rock Solid becomes a unique book, a one of a kind.
You can find out more on Carolyn's website, hosted by her writing club in Canada:
https://spiritofthehills.org/project/carolyn-muir-helfenstein/