Kawartha Lakes author challenges creativity with her first novel

Sometimes the idea floating around in your brain can rekindle a long-held passion when put into words.

Just ask Lori Jean Rowsell whose response to these little mental tickles gave rise to her debut novel, No Other Love.

“From a young age, I loved to write,” said Rowsell, who took articles from his father’s National Geographic magazine, especially those about whales, and turned them into short stories. “It’s only been a few years since I returned to this passion. . . I had so many ideas swirling around in my head, I just had to put them on the page.

Rowsell, who is a member of the Canadian Science Fiction and Fantasy Association, has marked this by writing short stories, many of which have appeared in various anthologies.

She also joined the Kawartha Lakes writing group, The Outliers.

“About the time I thought I was writing seriously, I came across an article about a writer-in-residence at the Lindsay Library. The Outliers ultimately grew out of this group which led to an environment that expanded my songwriting skills and helped all of us take risks with our creativity,” Rowsell said. “Sometimes it’s good to dabble in other fields to test your skills and interests. Sometimes all it takes is trying something different to get out of a slump in your chosen genre.

One of these “breaks” became No Other Love; a young adult, modern love story with a twist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-1V9D3BGZs“In a way, it kind of reflects what everyone’s been through for the past two years – life isn’t what you expect it to be, no matter what you plan for. “, Rowsell said.

The novel centers on Peppermint “Pep” Taylor whose life is practically perfect until she and her boyfriend, Justin are in a tragic accident. One night in the hospital, Pep hears his favorite sound in the world – Justin’s heartbeat – but it comes from a complete stranger.

“One of the aspects that isn’t explicitly mentioned in the novel is organ donation,” said Rowsell, who drew on her frontline healthcare experience to inform the story. “I’ve taken a few liberties with the details, but I hope that message still gets through.”

Encouraged by the response to her first young adult novel, Rowsell began work on another, although this one had a historical bent.

No Other Love is currently only available in digital format via www.champagnebooks.com/store but Rowsell plans to release a print edition in the fall.

For more information, visit www.lorijeanrowsell.com.

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