Local author Marsha Olivia Meadows is back with her fourth novel, this time breaking into a new genre with an old fashioned mystery.
From the book cover; 鈥淔ar out in the Canadian prairie provinces, a young boy and his parents are ice fishing when their auger stalls in the lake鈥檚 frozen surface. They are able get clear but suddenly realize things are much more frightening than they seem under the dark, cold lake鈥�
鈥淭hey quickly discover an airplane frozen under the water. The local law enforcement gets involved, and the plane is unearthed. The family witnesses the bodies of the plane鈥檚 passengers, who had long since perished, a sight that causes young Jason to fall completely silent. Jason finds a red box in the debris from the crash and takes it home, burying it among his childhood treasures. And this is only the beginning.
鈥淎s the secrets behind the plane crash and its implications are revealed, you鈥檒l delve deeper and deeper into this dark, twisted thriller from the mind of Marsha Olivia Meadows. And as you follow Jason, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, and the military鈥檚 mysterious Shielding Humanity Against Deadly Enemies (SHADE) division, you鈥檒l begin to piece together the haunting and classified truths behind Dark Cold Ice.鈥�
The author said penning a mystery was certainly a big change from her earlier works.
鈥淢y fourth novel is a complete change in story line to be sure,鈥� said Meadows, whose first books were a trilogy. 鈥淚 felt Jessica鈥檚 trilogy had come to a most successful end and the need to write this new adventure of murder, mystery and mayhem had been pulling at my mind for a year or more.鈥�
Like many stories, 鈥楧ark Cold Ice鈥� started out as a germ of an idea provided by another.
鈥淢y son had passed the original story line to me suggesting it might be something I would be interested in,鈥� offered Meadows. 鈥淗e was so right. I enjoyed writing 鈥楧ark Cold Ice鈥�. He was most encouraging throughout the process and aided me on his knowledge of revolvers, Black OPS, as well as details I needed to acquire with certain policing processes.鈥�
Since the book was a major change in direction for the author, the writing experience was different from her previous books.
鈥溾�楧ark Cold Ice鈥� was entertaining to write,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 tried to adopt mystery, conspiracy and tossed in a dash of humour along with it.
鈥淚 had to learn a few things about the R.C.M.P. and the military. I created a Black OPS organization called SHADE, (Shielding Humanity Against Deadly Enemies), yet I knew not one iota of such things. The entire writing process became interesting learning for me.鈥�
Learning meant research was critical to creating the story.
鈥淚 did have to do a fair amount of research for this novel as I like to keep the adventure viably feasible,鈥� said Meadows. 鈥淭he war plane had to be one that could have been transformed into a passenger / cargo plane. I wanted locations my readers could relate to, thus some of the sites that were formally used in the Second World War needed to be researched in order for me to draw a clear picture with words of places, buildings and much more.
鈥淭he research was a challenge but yet a personal adventure all its own.鈥�
When it came to creating the characters, Meadows said she simply picked bits and pieces of people she has known, melding them into new individuals to populate her story.
鈥淲hen I work on any adventure my characters are often birthed from those I work with or have observed while they do their work,鈥� she said. 鈥淚n 鈥楧ark Cold Ice鈥� I have gone so far as to even draw from a few characters I have the pleasure of knowing as well.
鈥淔or some of the settings I had spent a fair few hours with a fellow author, who is knowledgeable of places, planes and P.O.W. camp sites of the Second World War, discussing the details while other settings came from places I have been.鈥�
Meadows said the work of research, creation, and writing was worth it, especially in the sense she has created a book with a largely local setting.
鈥淚 think the fact that the story takes place in and around Canadian prairie towns; such as Clear Lake, Minnedosa, Brandon and even in Yorkton, to be rather exciting and charismatic to many thus should cause the printed pages to hold the reading eye of many,鈥� she offered.
That leads to a book Meadows said she is very happy with.
鈥淵es I am quite satisfied with the book as a whole,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t has been in the public鈥檚 hands just a short while and already I have had numerous messages suggesting the reader is; once again having a difficult time putting the book down. When this happens I become most prideful in my work yet I often giggle to myself thinking; 鈥楪rab a tad of restraint and go to bed my friend. The book is in print and will be there in the morning鈥�.鈥�
While the story does have an ending, Meadows said there may be a future tale to be told.
鈥淪o far I shall say -- no 鈥楧ark Cold Ice鈥� contains an ending of closure,鈥� she said regarding another tale, then added, 鈥渂ut in truth it does also contain a portal through which another novel might be extracted, if one chose to open that door. A thought in process perhaps?鈥�
Meadows will be signing her newest book August 12 at Coles Book Store in the Parkland Mall in Yorkton from 10 am to 3 p.m.
You can check out 鈥楧ark Cold Ice鈥� and Meadows previous books at a new webpage which will be up soon; www.momeadows.com
