Kalynn Sawyer Helmer
Record Staff
MOREWOOD – Chesterville native and long-time writer for the Chesterville Record, Carol Goddard has announced that on June 21 she will be celebrating the launch of her latest project, a historical fiction children’s picture book.
The book is a tribute to the Morewood Memorial and the stories people have told her about the Memorial itself. Goddard explained the story follows a girl and her grandfather who attend the Remembrance Day ceremony together. The grandfather teaches his granddaughter about the First World War and the Memorial’s story.
Goddard, a former reservist with the Governor General’s Foot Guards and long-time volunteer with the SDG Highlanders explained, “I have always had a deep appreciation for the service of our men and women, a deep respect and appreciation for the war memorial in Morewood.”
Goddard’s connection to Morewood extends even further than an appreciation of the Cenotaph. She was born and lived for two years in Gordonville, just north of Morewood, giving the area a special place in her heart. “With the centennial of its dedication coming up I wanted to do something to help raise funds for any commemorations which will be undertaken by the Morewood Cenotaph Committee,” Goddard said.
This is the first professionally published work by Goddard, but her experience writing includes a self-published history of Holy Trinity Anglican Church, a self published history of the Chesterville Fair, a historical calendar of SDG published by the Standard Freeholder and a historical calendar of Canada. While Goddard has plenty of experience writing historical works, this is her first fiction children’s story. “I am doing it now because I feel the time is right to continue developing my writing skills and I work in school libraries. I am hoping readers will get an appreciation for how the people who stayed at home during the war felt and why we should remember the service of our men and women in uniform,” she said.
Goddard has been working on the project since September 2017, which has required a lot of research and support from friends, colleagues and her publisher. “I know a lot of the stories about the Cenotaph, have excellent research skills, am interested in local history, am interested in military history, and want people to learn a bit about that wonderful Cenotaph in Morewood,” Goddard said. “Perhaps give them an idea of why it is was built and appreciate its history. I grew up in Chesterville and love this part of our beautiful country.”
The publisher is Chickadilly Studio outside of Dunbar; Goddard said she worked with Rosemary Rutley from Ingleside on the story, took feedback from friends and worked with Carrie Keller from Winchester who produced the illustrations. “She is absolutely fantastic and very intuitive and easy to work with. [Carrie] recommended Chickadilly Studio and I spoke with Stephanie Berry and decided Chickadilly was who I wanted to do the work,” Goddard said.
The book launch will be on June 21 at 7 p.m. at McCloskey’s Hotel in Chesterville. The book will sell for $15 and can be pre-ordered from Goddard herself by emailing carol.goddard@sympatico.ca. There are currently 100 copies with the potential for more if there is a demand. Once Goddard’s costs are covered she said she will be donating the profits to the Morewood Cenotaph Committee. “It is a small book, but with a big message to people,” said Goddard.
