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. WAmmm-Wednudly. November 27,20l3- I! 1011. 11]. lg the writer S Cll‘C. le , I - I ' Waterloo author 3 first novel, Baygzrl, tells about ltfe on cram coast ofIhe Rock BYBOIVIIANAC tocopewhenliving with-rialooholic. Oimn'iclcStaJ ”I had a friend who would count the number of drinks her dad would have at eather Smith always considered dinner time," said Smith about the day«to- H herself a writer. she was just looking day experience that made living with and for the right story to tell. And it alcoholic such an emotional roller coaster. finally came out in the pages of her debut “She would gradually turn her chair away novel, Baygirl. from him the more he drank.” When the east-coast transplant. who That heart-breaking reality ended up moved to Waterloo 14 years ago to raise her infusing her character of Kit. who turns family. looks back on it now there were clues away from her father after she could no to her pursuing the writer's craft. She had longer deal with the uncertainty of what his notes she wrote growing up with funny drinking will bring. She is admonished by anecdotes she said she‘s too embarrassed to Mr. Adams for her poor sitting posture, but . show now, Smith said it becomes one of the most “I was always writing notes to my family poignant moments in the story about how and classmates." said Smith. capturing 3 Kit has come to deal with her father’s unpre- ’5 funny episode or a quirky connection. “l dictability. ‘ wanted to put it on paper so they wouldn't Because of all of that primary research at i " If forget it.” one of her friends down home has been rib» "‘ " .7: It developed some of that downreast hing her that sheowes him royalties for get- “*5“ ,7 ‘~ 3." 3. humour that is apparent in the book that ting the dialect. expressions and inflection of EMS” '_i‘::" ‘ - . tells a serious tale of a 167 how things are said on the _ 4 year-old girl named Kit Ryan ”Id tell people I’m bayjust right. ~ ’ rowrn u in a home with ~ But Smith said she owes ,A ‘ En alcoiollic father without a “ll-”.9" and the her greatest debt to her own slipping into the maudlin. first flung theyask family. especially her life With an alcoholic has its - d ha teenaged children Duncan , /« ups and downs for her is oyou U90 andRosie,whoshesaidwere “ RAY 5+ , . 'fl teenaged heroine and if '5 bOOk. Now [can the first editors of her work 1 ‘. fl ' only made tolerable by those n “They would tell me that a ' . , 5 small moments of sanity or tell them [(10 teenager would never say ". I ‘ 4"? inaiiity between Kit and Hamsmim something like that after ; "' characters like Mr Adams. a Holmiooaulhoron herfirt! reading something about ,‘ transplanted Yorkshire man. now! i tilled Baygirl Kit“ said Smith. In fact it was Mr Adams Her husband, a trans . who was the main character of a short story planted ~Scotsman named Robin. also served she was writing when she decided to flesh as an Important source in nailing down the ' out the fictional world she was creating and mannerism and sayings of Mr. Adams that explore what life was like livtng on the bay in add so much colour to the story. He also ' Newfoundland. As a self described “'lownie" encouraged her to treat it as a job with reguA herselffrom St lohn‘s she had a lot of friends lat hours and deadlines to adhere to during who grew tip in the bay before moving to the day ‘lle told me to treat it like l was town to go to school working at an office." said Smith. ”I guess it is a little bit about writing what She said she would have consulted With ' yoir know," said Smith. who tried her hand daughter April. eight. but the dialogue and _ at picture books _, the ’l'wmer of children‘s themes were Just a little two mature for her 3.. literature 7 before moving on to more sensibilities She did offer some major moral ‘ " 11,. _. young adult fiction writing “There rust support when Smith held her official hook ;_ *1", weren't enouidi words to tell the story ' launch at Words Worth Books in September 5“"- ‘ihe also had a lot of friends where alto with the release of Baygirl published byfhca _ j" hol was central to the family story. and the Book Publishers 2 -.' -‘ social niceties didn't allow them to talk Since the book‘s release. Baygirl has "I :1, ' about it or offer the type of support that was received some strong reviews, including a ' probably needed starred review in prestigious Quill 6i Quire "I had a friend whose father was a very magazine. It was on the same page as well Heavier Smith's first ml. W, Mhfllflovyof Kl! Ryan. oteenage girl growmg up in the loud and very ohvrotis alcoholic.w said knowauthor KathyStinson.whohas provid bayarea of Newfwndwmtkdealhgwithdetmysofarillcoholk father Smrthshowsoff Smith 'lt’s something that a lot of us knew ed a lot of support into the writer's world for an Eye '0' down-home 521353 and "'2 hum ”‘31 “€93 bid situattons bearable but didn't want to talk about ' Smith ” W ”‘0'” By setting the scene for her debut novel The is my mentor. and it meant a lot to thing they ask is do you have a book?" said said the first time she saw the rover she and rer onnectrng wrth old friends. it opened he starred on the same page.” said Smith Smith. 'Now I can tell them I do.” could only say one thing ~It's perfect " up those emotional fissures that give her It's also given the full time writer a better So what was her first reaction after she For more about Baygitl visit book its weight II ”N hides ll small admit» response to the question of what do you do sent off the manuscript like a lonesome wwworcabook corn It‘s also being tamed fy won by a friend that made it irito her story fora living7 ihild with no say on the cover an or how it local book storm lll( hiding Words Worth Its one of those subtle things that people do “I‘d tell people I'm a writer and the first would be marketed and prt‘sented7 fimith Rooks