Long Journey Home – A Prague Love Story by Helen Notzl, reviewed by Karen Alison

390 pages, available as eBook ($13.99), paperback ($20.99) or hardcover ($28.99) here.

At age four, Helen Notzl made a daring escape with her mother and brother from the Communist regime in Czechoslovakia. But that was only the beginning of Notzl’s adventures recounted in this passionate, forthright and harrowing memoir.

This is a book about the search for home, family, belonging, and the quest to love and be loved. In many ways, it’s a quintessentially Canadian story – the author grew up in a safe environment where she was educated and had the physical needs of life satisfied, yet she longed for the people, places and language of the country she was forced to leave behind. She needed food for her soul.

In adulthood, Helen set out to reconnect with that world, and returned to Prague. In those days, visiting the historic city was not a simple matter of booking a ticket and finding a hotel. Notzl wanted to live in Prague and was soon forced to confront the bizarre capriciousness of the communist officials – a terrifying cat-and-mouse game in which she was expected to become a spy in exchange for a permit to stay in the country.

After the freedom of life in Canada, Prague was a shock, full of unexpected restrictions and dangers. Notzl was almost arrested by two plainclothes policemen for singing “Summertime” while she walked down the street. Being Canadian, she was released, but for Czech citizens the repercussions were severe for equally innocent activities.

Notzl pulls no punches in this beautifully written book. She unflinchingly details many harsh realities of the regime that almost destroyed her country of birth, and the cruelty and nepotism that turned the thriving Czech culture and economy into a shambles of apathy, suspicion, and neglect.

Despite the obstacles, Helen was able to make a life for herself in Prague and find her extended family. Their warm and loving response was a testament to the fact that even the worst regime cannot completely destroy the bonds of blood.

Helen Notzl

And she discovered friends in Prague who refused to submit to the Communist ideology: artists, writers and others who looked for ways to express their creativity, find joy in life, and keep their spirits alive under soul-deadening conditions – the true Bohemians. She fell in love and began a relationship with Karel, an artist, who might have become her husband.

But the political regime had other ideas and, for the terrible crime of loving a Czech citizen, Helen was given one day to put her affairs in order before choosing between the equally unattractive options of being thrown out of the country or going to jail for an unspecified length of time. (There’s more to that story, but you’ll have to read the book to learn about it.)

This bitter separation created havoc in the lives of both Helen and Karel, with painful consequences that played out over years. Karel was ultimately betrayed not only by his country but by his own family in the worst possible ways.

Helen, returning to Canada, was more fortunate. After a period of devastation, she created a loving marriage with Walter Keyser, a Canadian businessman, whom she met while they worked on her project to found the Pauline McGibbon Cultural Centre. Never one to be idle, Notzl developed a successful international career as a coach while raising a son with Walter. Even so, she was continually haunted by her love for Karel, Prague, and the homeland that had been stolen from her not just in childhood, but again, in adulthood.

Notzl is a keen observer, particularly of emotional realities. Her memoir is filled with rich detail and reads like a novel – a tense thriller that had me anxiously turning pages to find out what would happen next.

This is not a memoir for the faint-of-heart. Long Journey Home is both a frank love story and a searing indictment of oppression and bullying in all their forms – political, sexual, social, and relational. It is a celebration of independence of thought and life choices – and a call to risk the heart to live life to its fullest.

* **

Note:  Quick Brown Fox welcomes your book reviews – or any kind of review of anything, anywhere or anybody. If you want to review your favourite coffee shops or libraries, babysitters or lovers (no real names please), go for it. See examples of book reviews here (and scroll down); other reviews here (and scroll down).

QBF also welcomes essays about a favourite book or about your experience of reading or writing – and other essays, too. Read a few essays on the blog to get a taste of what other writers have done (see here and scroll down).

Submit to: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Include a short bio at the end of your piece and attach a photo of yourself if you have one that’s okay.

Karen Alison is the author of two natural health websites and three novels you've never heard of. She spends her time with dogs, trees, and a lot of homemade kombucha tea. She actually likes broccoli and is the only person on the planet who doesn't own a cell phone.

See Brian’s schedule here, including Saturday writing workshops, weekly writing classes, and weekend retreats in Algonquin Park, Alliston, Bolton, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Collingwood, Georgetown, Georgina, Guelph, Hamilton, Jackson’s Point, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Midland, Mississauga, New Tecumseth, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Sudbury, Toronto, Windsor, Woodstock, Halton, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York Region, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Last call for Writing Personal Stories and Writing Kid Lit courses

Note: for information on creative writing courses starting this winter, see here.

Writing Personal Stories

8 weeks of sharing and writing

Thursday evenings, 7 – 9 p.m.

October 4 – November 29, 2018

Appleby United Church, 4407 Spruce Ave, Burlington, Ontario (Map here.)

If you've ever considered writing your personal stories, this course is for you. We’ll look at memoirs, travel writing, personal essays, family history ~ personal stories of all kinds. Plus, of course, we’ll work on creativity and writing technique and have fun doing it. 

Whether you want to write a book or just get your thoughts down on paper, this weekly course will get you going. We'll reveal the tricks and conventions of telling true stories, and we’ll show you how to use the techniques of the novel to recount actual events. Weekly writing exercises and friendly feedback from the instructor will help you move forward on this writing adventure. Whether you want to write for your family and friends or for a wider public, don't miss this course.

Fee:  $167.26 plus 13% hst = $189      

To reserve your spot, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Author Jennifer Mook-Sang, signing bookmarks

Writing Kid Lit

 ~ Picture Books to Young Adult

Friday afternoons, October 5 – December 7, 2018 (No class Nov 2)

1:15 – 3:15 p.m.

Glenview Church, Bethlehem Room, 1 Glenview Ave, Toronto, Ontario (Map here.)

Note: This weekly Writing Kid Lit course is also offered in Oakville on Thursday evenings, starting in January (see here), and a one-day Writing for Children and for Young Adults workshop is offered Saturday, Oct 13, in Sudbury (see here).

From picture books to young adult novels, this weekly course is accessible for beginners and meaty enough for advanced writers. Through lectures, in-class assignments, homework, and feedback on your writing, we’ll give you ins and outs of writing for younger readers and set you on course toward writing your own books.
We’ll have two published children’s authors as guest speakers:

Jennifer Mook-Sang grew up in Guyana and moved to Canada when she was fourteen. While reading bedtime stories to her two sons, she fell in love with picture books and decided to write one of her own. In one of Brian Henry's classes she found the beginnings of a story. That story grew into the humorous middle-grade novel Speechless, published by Scholastic in 2015. 

Speechless won the Surrey Schools Book of the Year Award, was shortlisted for many others, and was recommended by the Ontario Library Association, the Canadian Childrens’ Book Centre, the CBC, and the TD Summer Reading Club. 

Then in October 2017, Jennifer published her first picture book Captain Monty Takes the Plunge with Kids Can Press. Captain Monty is the boldest, stinkiest pirate to sail the six or seven seas; in fact, he’s never had a bath. Naturally, the Junior Library Guild immediately selected him for its fall list of recommended books. Captain Monty has also been nominated for the Rainforest of Reading Award and Jennifer will be travelling to St. Lucia for that Festival in March.

Jennifer lives in Burlington, Ontario. You can find out more about her here. 

Speechless is available online here. And Captain Monty Takes the Plunge is available here.

Author Kira Vermond

Kira Vermond is an award-winning writer with over 1,500 articles to her name. She has been a frequent contributor to the Globe and Mail, Chatelaine, CBC and Today's Parent.

Kira is the author of four nonfiction books for young readers: Half-Truths and Brazen Lies, (read more about Half-Truths here); Why We Live Where We Live (more here);   Growing Up: Inside and Out, (nominated for on Ontario Library Association Forest of Reading Award) and The Secret Life of Money: A Kid's Guide to Cash (which was my son’s and daughter’s favourite book  the year it came out, although my kids are four years apart).

Kira lives in Guelph, Ontario. 

Course fee:  $176.11 plus 13% hst = 199

To reserve your spot, email: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Instructor Brian Henry has been a book editor and creative writing instructor for more than 25 years. He publishes Quick Brown Fox, Canada's most popular blog for writers, teaches creative writing at Ryerson University and has led workshops everywhere from Boston to Buffalo and from Sarnia to Saint John. Brian is the author of a children’s version of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (Tribute Publishing). But his proudest boast is that he’s has helped many of his students get published. 

Read a review of Brian's various courses and workshops here (and scroll down).

See Brian’s complete current schedule here, including writing workshops, weekly writing classes, and weekend retreats in Algonquin Park, Bolton, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Collingwood, Cambridge, Georgetown, Guelph, Hamilton, Kingston, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Midland, Mississauga, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Saint John, NB, Sudbury, Toronto, Windsor, Woodstock, Halton, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York Region, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

“Flight” by Dave Moores

When you move to the tenth floor of a Condo with picture windows, the perspective changes.

Children in bright winter clothes play in the snow-covered schoolyard like a picture by Norman Rockwell, prompting thoughts of the kinder world he wanted us to see. In summer, the sports field next to the school is rarely empty. Youngsters play football, soccer and rugby. From up here you can soon tell a team that has a strategy from those who simply chase around in a pack after the ball.

But these ground level distractions don’t match the daily wintertime show up in the air.

Today the sky is clear as could be, a cold blue. It’s around 4 pm, their usual time, and sure enough, above the tree line miles to the North, here they come. They’re barely discernible at first, like threads of long dark hair borne on the breeze.

They’re champion flyers and fast, so it’s not long before each thread resolves into an undulating skein of  specks, flights of Canada Geese heading down from the cornfields to roost overnight by the lake. They fly in echelon formation, and so disciplined, each bird keeping station to the side and aft of the one ahead.

More lines, and still more, show themselves, at least thirty geese in every one, and that one over there, it’s huge!

As a child reared in the nineteen-forties on stories of recent war, for a moment I’m picturing wave upon wave of enemy planes boring in from the English Channel, but there’s no threat here, far from it. 

Yet there is a sense of purpose. These graceful birds are headed our way with resolve, heads thrust forward, their course unwavering.

Here comes the first flight, sailing overhead with strong, steady wing beats. Now here’s another, lower this time, sweeping right by at our eye-level, granting us a front row seat at the airshow.

For minutes we watch, my wife and I, captivated by the sight as line upon line, hundreds of birds, materialize in the distance, approach and pass out of our sight. What is it about this that lifts our hearts? It’s a spectacle of course, but there is also a sense that we are witnessing something more. While it’s a daily routine to the geese, uncomplicated beings as they may be, these birds are following a ritual that their ancestors must have performed for untold years.

It’s not all grace and dignity, though. Another day we get a smile from the geese. The baseball diamond is a favourite spot for goose daytime parking. They avoid the Astroturf on the football field and favour the real grass on the diamond. It gets crowded, and today it’s really tight. Here comes a gaggle of ten or so, circling uncertainly. Is there space or not? They circle again. Maybe they have a rookie flight leader, this year’s newbie? They disappear behind our building but now they’re back again. Two peel off and head east towards the lakeside park, they’ve had enough of this nonsense.

The rest try another pass above the diamond and the leader decides to go for it. Down they drop and, with a lot of flapping to lose speed, make undignified landings among the unwelcoming crowd who got here first. There are spats of neck-lowering and pecking, but eventually things quiet down and the flight settles in among their compadres.

Flight, a word that tugs at many of us, each in different ways with a diversity of memories and images.

Flight. My first time at the controls of a glider. No sensation of speed. Rather, a peaceful panorama through the windshield, fields and hedgerows pivoting below. Quiet elation as the air under our wings, so insubstantial to a hand’s gesture, assumes the buoyancy and heft of a surfer’s wave. As I gently ease the control stick sideways, the instructor exclaims, “By Jove, I like the way you turn!” And that was because of another memory, a memory of high, windswept places.

Flight. When you launch a radio-controlled model glider off the crest of a ridge into the wind - rudder control only, anything more costs too much on a schoolboy’s pocket money - you commit to facing the elements. It’s a dialogue between you and the boisterous air climbing the hillside. Turn now, quick, or your precious plane will be swept back over your head and be lost. Turn the other way and it comes whistling by, only feet away, to whoops from enthusiastic spectators.

And that’s where I learned how to turn a glider.

The Condo balcony is another high, windy place, too cold in winter though, and we’ll observe the geese from the kinder temperatures indoors. It’s morning, and in groups of half a dozen at first, but then forming those mesmerizing lines, they get organized and head north, back to the cornfields. We’ll watch for them again tonight.

***

Note:  Quick Brown Fox always welcomes essays about a favourite book or about your experience of reading or writing – and other essays, too. Read a few essays on the blog to get a taste of what other writers have done (see here and scroll down).

QBF also welcomes your book reviews – or any kind of review of anything, anywhere or anybody. If you want to review your favourite coffee shops or libraries, babysitters or lovers (no real names please), go for it. See examples of book reviews here (and scroll down); other reviews here (and scroll down).

Submit to: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Include a short bio at the end of your piece and attach a photo of yourself if you have one that’s okay.

Dave Moores started writing fiction “to see if I could” following a decision to finally retire from the workforce at age 71. Writing in turn is becoming a full-time job and Dave has his first novel, Windward Legs, set in the sailing community in Ontario’s Golden Horseshoe Region where he races his own sailboat and lives with his wife Chris. 

See Brian’s schedule here, including Saturday writing workshops, weekly writing classes, and weekend retreats in Algonquin Park, Alliston, Bolton, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Collingwood, Georgetown, Georgina, Guelph, Hamilton, Jackson’s Point, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Midland, Mississauga, New Tecumseth, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Sudbury, Toronto, Windsor, Woodstock, Halton, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York Region, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

11 literary agents at Dunow, Carlson & Lerner looking for authors

A Girl Like That by Tanaz Bhathena,
represented by DCL Literary

Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency

27 W. 20th St.

Suite 1107
New York, NY 10011

https://www.dclagency.com/

Note: Don't ever miss a post on Quick Brown Fox. Add your email to the Follow Brian by Email box to the right under my bio, and get each post delivered to your Inbox.

If you’re not yet on my newsletter list, send me an email, including your locale to brianhenry@sympatico.ca ~Brian

Henry Dunow, Jennifer Carlson, and Betsy Lerner formed Dunow, Carlson & Lerner Literary Agency in 2005. The agency represents literary and commercial fiction, a wide range of nonfiction, and children's literature for all ages. The agency works with established networks of co-agents to represent translation rights in all foreign territories in addition to film, television, and audio rights.

There are twelve agents working with the agency and eleven of them are open to queries, but if you’re a new author the following five may be your best bets:

Eleanor Jackson has been agenting since 2002. Previously, she was an agent at Markson Thoma and at InkWell Management. She is a graduate of Colby College and the Columbia Publishing course. She lives in Brooklyn New York.

Her list includes authors of fiction {including our friend Tanaz Bhathena} and nonfiction in a wide range of categories, including literary, commercial, memoir, art, food, science, and history. 

She looks for books with deeply imagined worlds, and for writers who take risks. “I believe a good book should wake you up by taking you out of your life and immersing you in someone else’s,” says Eleanor. “So I want to read books with deeply imagined worlds, by writers who are not afraid to take risks with their work.”

Query to Eleanor's attention at: mail@dclagency.com

Please paste the first ten pages of your manuscript into your query. No attachments.

Arielle Datz started as an intern at Dunow, Carlson, & Lerner in 2011. She then worked in the foreign rights department at William Morris Endeavor, followed by two years at the Elizabeth Kaplan Literary Agency. She returned to DCL Agency in 2015.

She is looking for fiction (adult, YA, or middle-grade), both literary and commercial.

In nonfiction, she is looking for essays, unconventional memoir, pop culture, and sociology.

She’s on Twitter here.

Query to Arielle’s attention at: mail@dclagency.com

Please paste the first ten pages of your manuscript into your query. No attachments.

Rachel Vogel began her career in publishing in 2004, with stints as a production editor at Henry Holt and as a book scout at Maria B. Campbell Associates.  She went on to agent at Lipincott Massie McQuilkin, Mary Evans, Inc. (where she was also the director of foreign rights), and Waxman Leavell Literary Agency.

Rachel represents nonfiction of all kinds, including photography, humour, pop culture, memoir, investigative journalism / current events, science, and more.

On the fiction side, she seeks out novels that pay equal attention to voice and plot.  

A graduate of UMass Amherst's Commonwealth College, she lives in Brooklyn, and is on Twitter here.

Query to Rachel’s attention at: mail@dclagency.com

Please paste the first ten pages of your manuscript into your query. No attachments.

Yishai Seidman joined Dunow, Carlson, & Lerner in 2009 after stints at Artists & Artisans and Writers House. He grew up in Philadelphia and has since moved to New York City, where he earned his degree from Yeshiva University.

Yishai’s list focuses on distinctive fiction where literary and genre often intersect.

He’s also looking for creative nonfiction on history, sports, music, humor, and pop culture.

He is a sucker for unconventional narratives that aim to do something unique and inventive.

Yishai’s on twitter here.

Query to Yishai’s attention at: mail@dclagency.com

Please paste the first ten pages of your manuscript into your query. No attachments.

Edward Necarsulmer IV began his career in book publishing as an intern at Random House Books for Young Readers. He went on to assist Marilyn E. Marlow at Curtis Brown Ltd. and then joined the McIntosh & Otis agency in 2004 to oversee their children's literature business.

He is known for cultivating strong new voices in teen and middle grade as well as picture books. He represents New York Times Bestselling, Newbery, and Caldecott winning authors, illustrators, and estates. He is keen to continue to team up with authors and artists who wish to look beyond the obvious and strive for the exceptional.

Edward’s on twitter here.

Query to Edward’s attention at: mail@dclagency.com

Please paste the first ten pages of your manuscript into your query. No attachments.

If you’re interested in Writing for Children or for Young Adults, Brian Henry will lead a Writing Kid Lit weekly course on Friday afternoons, Oct 5 – Nov 30 in Toronto (see here) and a Writing for Children & for Young Adults workshop Saturday, October 13, in Sudbury (see here).

For updated listings of Writing for Children & for Young adult workshops and for weekly Kid lit classes, see here (and scroll down).

If you’re interested in getting published, soon or somewhere down the road, don’t miss the upcoming  How to Get Published workshop Saturday, Nov 17, in Mississauga with literary agent Stephanie Sinclair (see here). 

For updated listing of How to Get Published workshops see here (and scroll down).

Also coming soon: Writing and Revising, Saturday, Sept 29, in St. Catharines (see here), How to Build Your Story: Plotting novels & Writing short stories, Saturday, Oct 20, in Waterloo (see here), Saturday, Nov 24 in Alliston (see here) and Saturday, January 19 in Oakville (see here).

And don't miss How to Write a Bestseller with New York Times #1 bestselling author  Kelley Armstrong (see here). 

The Briars Resort

Two weekend writing retreats:

November at the Briars Writing Retreat, Friday, Nov 2 – Sunday, Nov 4: two nights and three precious days of writing bliss. Details here.

Algonquin Writing Retreat, Friday, May 31 – Monday, June 3, 2019: four days in the luxurious isolation of Arowhon Pines Resort to get down to some real creative growth. Details here.

In both these retreats, you’ll recharge your creative batteries and get some great writing tips – all in the supportive company of your fellow writers.

Fall courses, starting soon (details of all 6 courses here):

Welcome to Creative Writing, Thursday, afternoons, Sept 27 - Nov 9, in Oakville. See here – Space still available!

Writing Personal Stories, Thursday evenings, Oct 4 – Nov 29, in Burlington. See here – Space still available!

Writing Kid Lit, Friday afternoons, Oct 5 – Dec 6, in Toronto. See here – Space still available!

And Intensive Creative Writing, offered in three locales:

Tuesday afternoons, Sept 25 – Dec 4 (first readings emailed Sept 18), in Burlington. See here – Probably full, but email me, just in case.

Wednesday evenings Sept 26 – Dec 5 (first readings emailed Sept 19), in Georgetown. See here – Probably full, but email me, just in case.

Friday mornings Sept 28 – Dec 6 (first readings emailed Sept 21), in Toronto. See here – Probably full, but email me, just in case.

Winter courses (all have spaces):

Exploring Creative Writing, Thursday afternoons, Jan 24 – April 5 (no class March 14), in Burlington.

Writing Kid Lit, Thursday evenings, Jan 24 – March 28 (no class March 14), in Oakville.

Intensive Creative Writing, Tuesday afternoons, Jan 22 – April 2 (no class March 12); first readings emailed Jan 15, in Burlington.

Intensive Creative Writing, Wednesday evenings Jan 23 – April 3 (no class March 13); first readings emailed Jan 16, in Burlington.

Intensive Creative Writing, Friday mornings Jan 25 – April 5 / 12 (10 or 11 weeks, no class March 13); first readings emailed Jan 16, in Toronto.

These winter courses aren’t posted yet, but if you’re interested, just email Brian at: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

Read reviews of Brian’s courses, retreats, and workshops here.

See Brian’s complete current schedule here,  including Saturdaywriting workshops,  weekly writing classes, and weekend retreats in Algonquin Park, Alliston, Bolton, Barrie, Brampton, Burlington, Caledon, Collingwood, Georgetown, Georgina, Guelph, Hamilton, Jackson’s Point, Kitchener-Waterloo, London, Midland, Mississauga, New Tecumseth, Oakville, Ottawa, Peterborough, St. Catharines, Sudbury, Toronto, Windsor, Woodstock, Halton, Muskoka, Peel, Simcoe, York Region, the GTA, Ontario and beyond.

Navigation tips: Always check out the Labels underneath a post; they’ll lead you to various distinct collections of postings. If you're searching for more interviews with literary agents or a literary agent who represents a particular type of book, check out this post.