Book launch sends hometown author to the stars

 

By Ryan Jones

It was a full house at Biblioasis to meet hometown author Emily Schultz last week.

Schultz’ new novel Men Walking On Water was released March 20. The novel is set in the 1920s and focuses on the rum running business between border cities Detroit and Windsor.  

The launch took place at the bookstore March 22.

Biblioasis, a local bookstore and literary press on Wyandotte Street East focuses on publishing works of poetry, fiction and nonfiction. They also sell books to satisfy the interest of any bookworm.

 

Bookstore manager, Bob Stewart, said he was pleased with the event and appreciative of donations made by Hiram Walker.

“We tried new things as far as getting Hiram Walker involved. It was a good fit for the subject matter of the book. It fit their product, so they were able to chip in with some props from their archives and also some of their product,” said Stewart. “We brought in a lot of people who had never been in the store before, which is always good to have people coming up to you and saying ‘This is the first time I’ve been here.’ We’re pleased.”

The room went silent as Schultz read a portion of her book aloud. People laughed at humorous lines and when the reading finished they lined up to get their copies signed.   

Sharing her roots, Schultz said she began her career in the 1990s at the University of Windsor as a creative writing student.

“I always wanted to be a writer,” said Schultz. “I think I was about four years old when I declared to my brother Dave that I would be a writer. I think it’s because my parents were both English majors. Stories just seemed very important.”

Schultz began writing her historical fiction piece in 2009 and said there were starts and stops in the process. She said she was not ready to write something of that era and wanted to do more research.

Finally, the book was completed.

“This was kind of based on my family history,” said Schultz. “My grandfather was a rum runner and my father was dying of lymphoma and that was his father who was a rum runner, so he was very interested in this project. After my father died I said I had to finish this.”

Schultz will continue her book tour travelling across Ontario and then to Montreal, with an appearance on Breakfast T.V.

A note to aspiring authors and writers from Schultz – listen to your own impulse and find what interests you.