A book waiting its turn – #LiteraryFiction #Inspiration #Giveaway

 

By Marc Macdonald (Guest Blogger)

Lisabet: Tell us about the genesis of this novel? Where did the story come from and how did you bring it to life?

There are bits of lived experience in Between Two Seasons, but they’re only a starting point. The story quickly grew into something bigger, something that belonged to the characters themselves. Truth is, this book had been sitting in my head for close to a decade, waiting its turn.

What kept circling in my mind were the themes—being stuck in the past, learning to forgive ourselves and others, and figuring out how to move forward. Those ideas weighed on me in real life, so it felt natural to explore them on the page.

I finally sat down to write in 2020, when the world shut down. Suddenly, there were no excuses left. I realized if I didn’t write the book then, when everything else had paused, I might never do it.

To keep myself honest, I gave the project a deadline: one season. From September 21 to December 21, I would get a first draft written. Three months, start to finish. I chose fall deliberately, because that’s the season the novel takes place in. I wanted to live alongside the story—watch the leaves turn, feel the air shift, and let that atmosphere bleed onto the page.

That mix of long-brewing ideas, lived experience, and the strange stillness of the pandemic is where Between Two Seasons came from. It wasn’t about writing the book I thought people wanted. It was about finally writing the story that had been living inside me for years, and trusting it was time to let it out.

Blurb

Haunted by regret and stalled by guilt, Alex Chambers arrives at Silver Springs Health and Rehabilitation Centre searching for redemption. What he finds instead is Mae Seasons—a sharp-tongued, fiercely independent resident with no interest in being anyone’s project.

Alex came hoping to make amends for the mistakes of his youth, especially to the woman he once hurt. But when that hope slips away, he’s drawn into an unexpected role: caregiver and reluctant confidant to Mae, whose irreverence hides a lifetime of buried truths.

As days at Silver Springs unfold in their strange, often absurd rhythm, Alex is forced to confront the tangled grief of his past. Through awkward silences, reluctant confessions, and moments of startling vulnerability, he and Mae forge an unlikely friendship—one stitched together by shared loneliness, reluctant compassion, and the possibility of healing.

At once poignant and quietly humorous, Between Two Seasons is a story about the lives we try to outrun, the people who challenge us to face ourselves, and the surprising ways connection takes root.

Excerpt

I exited the food line like a camper in the mess hall, tray in hand and desperately seeking a friend or two to sit with. I, however, scanned the room for the opposite: an empty table. I didn’t have any friends here and wasn’t intent on making any. I wanted to eat and get back to my room. A budding headache and body ache were on the precipice of significantly derailing my first hours at Silver Springs. And these were crucial hours. I was banking on a good night’s rest to alleviate these symptoms but feared the anxious excitement of finally arriving here would preclude any such endeavour.

“Hey, new guy, over here,” came a voice and welcoming wave from the person sitting at a table to my left.

Shit. There goes anonymity.

I had a split decision to make: be polite and kindly dismiss the invitation or accept and possibly be pulled into the labyrinth of Silver Springs politicking. My therapist would not be pleased with this thought. I was creating an outcome, a negative outcome, to a situation I had not yet experienced. But still, I mean, how was this place unlike high school? I’d already relived several moments from my burgeoning youth, and I’d only been on the premises a very short time.

About the Author

Marc MacDonald is an author who believes every great story starts with a spark—whether it’s a single sentence, an unforgettable character, or an idea that won’t let go. As the writer behind Between Two Seasons, a novel that celebrates the beauty of human connection, Marc weaves heartfelt narratives that linger long after the last page is turned.

When he’s not crafting compelling fiction, Marc applies his storytelling skills as a seasoned communications professional, proving that every message—whether in a book or a press release—deserves to be engaging. He’s also a fierce defender of the Oxford comma, an unapologetic pun enthusiast, and someone who firmly believes that coffee is the most essential writing tool.

Find him deep in his next manuscript, chasing inspiration, or justifying “research” as an excuse to buy more books. Catch up with Marc on his personal website: https://marcmacdonald.ca/ or @MarcMacWrites on Instagram.

Marc Macdonald will be awarding a $20 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

 

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