Grandmother launches new career as an author of children's books

A Fall River grandmother never dreamed she'd be embarking on a second career as a newly-published author, but that's exactly what's happened.

It all began innocently enough when Susan Whalen received a package of owl figurines from an elderly aunt.

When Whalen, 60, and her then six-year-old granddaughter Victoria Oliver unpacked the 100 figurines, they began to name them and create stories associated with each owl.

"The owls sat on my aunt's hutches and her tables throughout her whole house for 69 years, but it wasn't until they came to my magical room that the owl stories through the staring eyes came out," Whalen said.

"It was Victoria and I who put the stories together and the chapters just formed. It then just took on a life of its own."

In her fantasy adventure book, entitled Rooke's Island: The Prophecy of the Staring Eyes, Whalen takes young readers on a journey to an island full of secrets, as seen through the eyes of a middle-aged school teacher.

Margery Mutters travels to Rooke's Island after receiving word of an uncle's death in a strange letter that casts a spell on her.

Once there, Margery is swept up in the magical world of wise owls that inhabit the island, and unintentionally becomes an integral part of their ancient prophecy.

Whalen said she developed a keen imagination growing up next to a large swath of woodland in Vancouver.

"Part of my storytelling comes from my days living in that park," she said.

Having lived in Sackville for 32 years before moving to Fall River a month ago, Whalen said she could never have envisioned where her imagination would ultimately take her.

"I never thought I could write a book, really," Whalen said of the four-year undertaking. "I always wanted to write a book, but I didn't think that I could do it."

But when she learned of more and more first-time writers being published, she decided to go for it. " I can do this, I thought; I'm a storyteller."

Last month, Whalen and Victoria, now 12, promoted their book at the Word on the Street fair at Halifax's Pier 23, along with some of the magical owls that inspired the story.

Rooke's Island: The Prophecy of the Staring Eyes is available at a number of online sites, including Amazon.ca, Chapters and Indigo, as well as at www.iUniverse.com by doing a search for Rooke's Island. It's also expected to be available at local Chapters stores later this year.

Whalen, who works for the provincial Transportation and Public Works Department, said she is already planning a sequel that will pick up where the first story ends.

kmoar@hfxnews.ca