About Through The Dust

Through The Dust is a Depression-era novel about a woman trapped in a mental hospital while her wayward husband fights for his right to work, and their children wait for their parents' return. Exploring the dark history of one of Saskatchewan’s notorious mental asylums, the On-To-Ottawa Trek, and the Regina Riot, it’s a story about love, loss, betrayal and forgiveness.

The Story Behind The Story

Since childhood, I have been intrigued by the mystery surrounding my maternal grandparents. All I knew for certain was that my grandfather had disappeared after leaving home to search for work in the 1930s, and a few years later, my grandmother was committed to the notorious Weyburn Mental Hospital in Weyburn, SK.

After I retired from my career in special and academic libraries, I began researching the possibilities of what could have been my grandparents’ stories. The result is my debut novel, Through the Dust.