The Bookshelf Cafe interviews Marie Beswick Arthur, author of Listen for Water, published by Ingenium Books

…because we are story—living, breathing narratives bumping into each other on the shelves of a life-library. By virtue of being story, story will last as long as we do and then beyond in whatever comes after, despite digital ways of delivering it.

And on that dizzying platform maybe we can bring the questions to an “okay, now we know stories ‘r us, let’s talk about the writing and reading of them.”

I have been reading since I was four years old, and writing all my life too—professionally for over twenty-five years…  I call myself a literary concierge since I kind of sit behind this huge desk—and I do have a huge desk—and help others find where they are going (including myself). I started with a ton of rejections and a sprinkling of articles between more rejections. And then moved on to ghostwriting and teaching. All the while, I worked in the background (fifteen years) on the next great Canadian novel.

Fifty-five books collaborated and ghostwritten later (and a number of awards), my own solo-written novel, Listen For Water came out in June 2022. Published with a traditional offer by a hybrid publishing house. It is contemporary fiction for adults, yet children have read it too.

It’s been well received and has won an American award; it’s in the submitted piles of books for other awards too.

Q. If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?