Ron Thompson鈥檚 latest book is a two-fold homecoming. Narratively, it tells the story of returning to your original community and confronting the past. For Thompson, writing the novel was a chance to reflect on and celebrate his home province.
Thompson, a writer living in Toronto, grew up in Yorkton. He moved away after high school, dabbling with naval work, European backpacking, and banking. Wherever he went, his rural upbringing stayed with him.
鈥淭he Prairies can mark you for life,鈥� he said.
In 2015, Thompson published his first novel, 鈥淎 Man of Letters,鈥� a satire on the writing process. This year he鈥檚 releasing a prequel to 鈥淟etters鈥� entitled 鈥淧oplar Lake.鈥� Set in the 1990s, it details a young man鈥檚 return trip to his Prairie hometown of Poplar Lake as he introduces his girlfriend to his family. As the man revisits his old stomping grounds, he鈥檚 forced to eventually reckon with his difficult past. There are heavy and dark moments in the novel, but Thompson strove to maintain a comedic tone throughout.
鈥淚 told the story in a satiric way,鈥� he said. 鈥淭here are a lot of jokes [in it].鈥�
Thompson based the fictional town of Poplar Lake after Yorkton. He got the name when he visited the town during the 2010 flood. It seemed as though the city was under a lake.
鈥淚t鈥檚 inspired by the Yorkton experience,鈥� he said.
In the novel, Thompson presents themes of shared history and how the past can haunt us even when we try to bury it.
鈥淚 want to explore how we could be blind to the violence below the surface,鈥� he said.
Thompson was drawn to the Prairies as a setting for his novel due to its rich history. He sees the Prairies as a place with positive and negative elements constantly intermingling. Some people can drive through the Prairies and see nothing but boring flatlands while others can see acres upon acres of farmlands ready for use.
鈥淭he Prairies are interesting because people can see what they want [to see],鈥� he said. 鈥淸They] can be what you make it.鈥�
Thompson appreciates his home province for its vast open plains that contain a hidden beauty.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a subtle landscape,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t grows on you.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not boring; it鈥檚 rich.鈥�
While writing 鈥淧oplar Lake,鈥� Thompson worked with a lot of material. He had to be merciless with his own work and chop out large chunks of the novel to make it flow smoothly. As is the case with most authors, the editing process was tricky.
鈥淩eigning myself in [was the hardest part],鈥� he said. 鈥淸There were] probably 20,000 words I cut out.鈥�
In an age of entertainment overload, Thompson is thrilled to have a second novel hit the bookstore shelves.
鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to get published,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t feels good.
鈥淸鈥楶oplar Lake鈥橾 is the best little book no one鈥檚 heard of yet.鈥�
鈥淧oplar Lake鈥� will be released on Oct. 15 through Non Publishing. It will be available at the Yorkton Coles bookstore.
