Latest book from Nova Scotia author Allison Maher is a surprising first entry into adult fiction
Nova Scotia author Allison Maher made the jump from young adult (YA) to adult fiction with her most recent novel, “The Last of the Firsts” and the response from readers has been a surprise for the writer.
“It’s not my first novel I’ve written but it’s the first time that it’s taken off with such incredible trajectory,” Maher said.
“The Last of the Firsts” launched Wednesday in retail stores, but it’s been available for purchase on Amazon.
“In the first month it’s been out, I keep getting these best-seller badges,” Maher said.
Maher was the best-selling women’s writer in Canada during the month, the best-selling YA writer in Canada and had the best-selling Canadian collections.
“That can’t be right,” Maher said in jest during an interview with CTV Morning Live.
Maher said the book is about a boy named Thor who loses his mother and has to go live with an aunt who might be crazy.
“It’s the journey through the first year of grief,” Maher said. Thor goes through a series of milestones without his mother during the year to get to “the last of the firsts.”
Maher said it is an emotional book.
“I wrote it to be a fantastic story, but, accidentally woven through it are little pearls of information that we don’t ever get to find out about in grieving because we don’t talk about it.”
Maher said she chose the subject of the book because of a friend who lost a parent and couldn’t escape their sorrow. A conversation with another friend, a psychologist, led her to explore the subject of grief.
“Nobody will talk about those things, but they’re completely natural,” Maher said. “Instead of hiding it under the bushes, I thought I should put it in this book and bring it right out so people who are going through the grieving process can say, ‘oh, well, I’m not crazy. This actually does happen to other people too.’”
Maher is also a farmer who is grateful for the break writing has given her from another kind of hard work.
“Fighting with Mother Nature is just a nightmare,” Maher said. “If you just have a little keyboard, it doesn’t need a fence. You don’t have to fence it in. You don’t have to fertilize your keyboard. You don’t have to have 12 other employees that actually show up to work today to pick your keyboard. You can just sit down. It’s great.”
“The Last of the Firsts” is available on Amazon and in stores. For those who missed the first of Maher’s book launch events earlier in the week, the last one will be from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Mic Mac Bar and Grill in Dartmouth, N.S., on Sunday.
For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canada's response to Trump deportation plan a key focus of revived cabinet committee
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's promise to launch a mass deportation of millions of undocumented people has the Canadian government looking at its own border.
Who should lead the Liberals? 'None of the above,' poll finds
As questions loom over Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s leadership, a new Nanos Research poll commissioned for CTV News says a quarter of Canadians say none of the potential candidates appeal to them.
New technology solves mystery of late First World War soldier's flower sent home to Canada
In 1916, Harold Wrong plucked a flower from the fields of Somme, France and tucked it into a letter he mailed home to Toronto. For decades, the type of flower sent remained a mystery.
U.S. election maps: How did 2024 compare to 2020 and 2016?
Though two states have yet to be officially called, the U.S. election map has mostly been settled. How does it compare with the previous two elections?
Canada rent report: What landlords are asking tenants to pay
Average asking rents declined nationally on a year-over-year basis for the first time in more than three years in October, said a report out Thursday.
N.S. school 'deeply sorry' for asking service members not to wear uniforms at Remembrance Day ceremony
An elementary school in the Halifax area has backed away from a request that service members not wear uniforms to the school's Remembrance Day ceremony.
Remembrance Day: What's open and closed in Canada?
While banks and post offices will be closed nationwide on Remembrance Day, shops and businesses could be open depending on where you live in Canada.
Judicial recount for Surrey-Guildford confirms B.C. NDP's majority
The B.C. New Democrats have a majority government of 47 seats after a judicial recount in the riding of Surrey-Guildford gave the party's candidate 22 more votes than the provincial Conservatives.
48,584 space heaters recalled in Canada after burn injury in U.S.
Health Canada has announced a recall for electric space heaters over potential fire and burn risks, a notice published Thursday reads.