Bernice Phillips invited me to read at the opening of her and her colleagues’ art showing at the Gwen Fox Gallery in Selkirk. The event was exceptional; elegant space, beautiful art, and interested and interesting people.
I was surprised by the number of young children gathering around for my reading, and had to do a quick rethink. What part of my book is suitable for children? Children, at least children who live in Canada, can identify with being cold. So I read about the children going out in the bitter cold with nothing but their sweaters to gather wood.
Later at home I thought more about it. My grandpa and his little bothers suffered from the bitter cold, very hard work, and were often hungry. A picture taken decades later of the 
two surviving Vanes, Harry and Cecil, and three Criddles, Stuart, Beatrice and Evelyn indicates the difference in height between the two families. The Vanes, with the taller mother, are several inches shorter (Cecil never made it to five feet), provide evidence of the Vane’s lack of nutrition during their childhood. Their hardships are perhaps overlooked in the main stream of the story. I’ll need to do some planning to include children in the future.
I purchased this lovely card with Bernice’s painting. This and many more are at the Gwen Fox Gallery for purchase.