New Book Release: MERCY ME

Seven has always been a magical number for me. I am constantly looking for the number seven, or a combination of numbers to create seven in my daily life. When I signed up for my first cell phone I refused to take any number without three sevens. When we purchased the house we currently live in I took the seven in the street number as a good sign (which has also featured prominently in the street address of the last 4 homes we've lived in). Right now we own six cats and I'm constantly telling my husband we are lopsided because we don't have seven. So it's no surprise that I feel a special connection to my newest book, my seventh published novel.

Surprisingly it's not the 7th in the Marshall House series (that one comes out in the fall), but rather a the first book in a new series set in Canada, my home and native land. While the number seven is magical for me, my new book, MERCY ME, is pretty magical too. Mercy Marigold Eaton is a very special character, able to piece together the lives of those who have passed with a single touch.

It's a safe to say she has one special gift, but what she can't do is divine the future, or actually communicate with the dead but don't tell any of her clients that! Forced to raise her daughter alone Mercy turns her connection with the dead in a thriving livelihood and does well for herself in the bustling Victorian city of Toronto, far away from the troubles of her past.

Her world is turned upside down, however, when she is unwittingly swept up in to a double murder investigation led by the dashing, and exceedingly skeptical, Jeremiah Walker, detective with the Toronto Police. Fighting her own demons rooted in a deep distrust of the law, Mercy quickly finds herself falling for his charms until she finds out he's a married man.

MERCY ME is currently available in ebook format and will be in paperback soon!

Follow this link to start reading today... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07DM2R9TF/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1528667611&sr=8-4&keywords=Tracy+L+Ward

New Release! SHADOWS OF MADNESS

Shadows of Madness is finally out, Dear Readers. 

Here's the Kindle link: https://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Madness-Marshall-House-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B06XMQN4K6/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Paperback coming soon!

I'm so excited to share with you all the 6th book in the Marshall House Mystery series. While I've said before this is the last book in the series, I have very much decided that this is not the last we will see of Peter and Margaret. Stay tuned for more details or follow me on Facebook for all the latest news and developments. 

Summoned to Edinburgh after another inexplicable vision, Dr. Peter Ainsley and his sister, Margaret Marshall, are shocked to discover their good friend, and Margaret’s secret lover, has been arrested for murder.

Dr. Jonas Davies, a celebrated surgeon and newly appointed professor at the University of Edinburgh Medical School, was found at the grisly scene with the bloodied surgical knife at his side, but both Ainsley and Margaret know that is hardly enough evidence to convict a man.

With a police inspector determined to prove Dr. Davies’s guilt and his medical colleagues distancing themselves from the nightmare, it falls on Margaret and Ainsley to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that their friend had no motive to kill his fellow professor and didn’t perpetrate the crime.

As the investigation moves forward, however, it becomes clear it won’t be enough to convince the court Dr. Davies didn’t kill the professor. They have to find the person who did, along with enough evidence to convict him before the Scottish judicial system sentences Jonas to hang. 

Cover for upcoming Marshall House Book #6

It's finally here, the last cover for the Marshall House mystery series.

SHADOWS OF MADNESS will be ready for devouring in a few short weeks, but in the meantime you can feast away on this gorgeous cover designed by Jessica Allain at EnchatedWhispers. A fellow Canadian, Jessica is an amazingly talented digital artist who took my rambling word-image and made it into something that surpassed all my expectations. I am deeply indebted to her and her creative eye.

You really can judge a book by it's cover and this cover clearly says "This book is AMAZING!"

PRAYERS FOR THE DYING Cover

I'm so pleased to reveal the cover for my new book, PRAYERS FOR THE DYING. 

It's the fifth book in the Marshall House Mystery series, featuring Peter Ainsley and Margaret Marshall. Now available for pre-orders with Amazon for release May 31st. Tell your friends. Add it to your Goodreads. Help me celebrate an amazing milestone for what is quickly becoming a must-read series in historical mysteries.

Ending the Hangover; Loving the Process

You know the feeling... you've devoted numerous hours of your free time lost in a fascinating book, learning about new locales and befriending interesting characters. Somehow in the process you've become enraptured and begin looking for any excuse to ignore your daily life so you can crack open your new favourite book hoping to get lost in its pages. So rare is this feeling. How wonderful it feels to have found a story, an author, a protagonist that speaks to you like no one else. And then...

It's over.

If you're lucky the author will have a backlog of material to dive into while you wait, but sometimes you're not so lucky.

The book hangover is the same for authors as well. A writer like me can spend a year or more on a single book, researching, plotting, writing and revising. The book becomes my lover and nemesis. My friend and foe. I get used to the rhythmic push and pull of storytelling. One week I am on top of the world, pleased with the progression of my story, and the next I fight the urge to highlight it all and hit 'delete'. As I come closer to the end, the crescendo, the piece takes on a presence all it's own. With one final read through I can feel the pride blossoming deep within me. My imaginary friends have come through for me once again, aiding my desire to write really, really good stories. We are one, them and I. We did it. We produced another tale to enthral and entertain.

And then it's over.

 The only way I know to end the sagging feeling of the book hangover is to dive into the next one almost as soon as the draft gets to my editor's email inbox. Months later, while readers are busy devouring my new release, leaving pleasant reviews (and sometimes not so pleasant ones) I am already deep into the next project. It's a feeble attempt to revive that feeling of euphoria, the feeling of escape and acceptance granted to me by my characters.

Don't get me wrong, I love hearing from readers about their experiences with Peter and Margaret. Often those notes come to me at very serendipitous times (usually when I am pulling my hair out over a particularly tricky passage or when I'm reeling from another lack lustre review). This period of reader celebration becomes a part of the ebb and flow of novel writing as well. Their enthusiasm becomes infectious, spurring me on when I feel like giving up and sometimes bringing plot ideas to light that I hadn't thought of before. And so it goes.

In the end, it's not about book sales or Amazon rankings. Writing a book is really about the intricate relationship between author, reader and the characters they cherish.

Change it up...Introducing A Marshall House Mystery series

After much thought, I've decided to rename my mystery series. Instead of being called A Peter Ainsley Mystery, my current series will be known as A Marshall House Mystery.

Why the need for a change?

The answers are simply this.... Although a wonderful character and definitely the mainstay of the books, Peter Ainsley is just one of the ensemble that readers have come to know and love. Margaret has proven to be invaluable not only to her brother, Peter, but also me, as the writer. Her involvement in the mysteries have become more and more evident as the series progressed.

As a proud feminist, I don't think I would be true to my beliefs if I allowed this strong female character's contributions to be overshadowed by her those of her brother. I feel that calling the series, A Marshall House series, will allow recognition of both Margaret and Peter as the protagonists, able to carry a story completely on their own or merely play a supporting role.

My plan for the Marshall House Mystery series includes six books.

CHORUS OF THE DEAD
DEAD SILENT
THE DEAD AMONG US
SWEET ASYLUM
PRAYERS FOR THE DYING (spring 2016)
SHADOWS OF MADNESS (spring 2017)

Once the sixth book is concluded my plans for the these characters change. How? I'm not exactly sure. There's no point in getting ahead of ourselves, but I do know that the series as it stands now will change. Future books will take on a new perspective, new series name and perhaps new branding.

Re-naming the Peter Ainsley Mystery series is part of my overall plan to create definable groupings of stories so that no matter how Margaret, Peter, Jonas and Julia change readers will be able to follow their tales and enjoy a good mystery,

Happy Birthday Maud!

As a little girl my mother introduced me to a twelve-year-old, red headed girl named Anne. It wasn't long before I found myself immersed in the world of Avonlea, the quaint yet imaginary town on the north shore of Canada's smallest province. I would steal borrow the Anne books from my mother's precious collection and would only begrudgingly return them after countless reminders. 

Green Gables, National Historic Site, 

Cavendish, PEI (2014)

I soon started a collection of my own, which has grown to include each novel, short story collections, all L.M. Montgomery's published journals, numerous biographies and countless collectables volumes that includes recipe books, crafting books and others. (I even have a first edition Anne of Ingleside that is more precious to me than my first copy of Chorus of the Dead.)

Anne's bedroom at Green Gables complete with dress with puffed sleeves.

 Over the years I've read every book written by Anne's creator, Lucy Maud Montgomery. I've visited Prince Edward Island twice and hunted down all museums and locales related to Ms. Montgomery in my home province of Ontario. Southern Ontario especially is riddled with filming sites used by Kevin Sullivan for his mini-series and later Road to Avonlea television series. 

In short I am obsessed. 

Lover's Lane, walking trail at Green Gables

I consider it bad parenting on my part that my teenage daughter is not as enthralled with the books and stories as I am. She enjoys it, and so does my son, but they are nowhere near my obsession levels, so sometimes my giddiness is viewed as amusing instead of mutual. 

Lucy Maud Montgomery's Birthplace in Clifton (now New London), PEI. This museum houses her original wedding dress and many scrapbooks produced by the author over her lifetime. 

Today is Lucy Maud Montgomery's 141st birthday. If Maud hadn't been born on this day (November 30) in 1874 the world would not have discovered little red headed Anne, or the precocious Sara Stanley. Emily of New Moon would not have been penned and Valancy Stirling (The Blue Castle) would not have met the love of her life. Happy Birthday Maud. I hope you know how your  imaginary world has touched girls like me, and created women not afraid to daydream or see beauty in the everyday.

  Red cliffs at Cabot Beach Provincial Park on the north shore of PEI. 

SWEET ASYLUM (Book 4) and some reflection

Another book of mine, SWEET ASYLUM, my fourth, has hit the virtual shelves.

About a month ago I was fortunate enough to be part of another launch for an anthology, Fish or Cut Bait, put together by Sisters In Crime International.

In that anthology I have a short story titled "Easy Prey" which is only my second short story set in modern times. With both of these launches and the necessary work leading up to them I've hardly had much time to come up for air. Now that I am on the other side of things I have a bit of time to reflect and think about my writing career so far.

When I set out to self-publish I wrote up a business plan, which included a rough budget and necessary steps I would need to tackle. I made a commitment to self-publishing 4 full-length novels knowing that success would be achieved over a number of works, not just one. By setting a four book goal I began with a focus on a career not just a single book.

CHORUS OF THE DEAD was published in July 2012. DEAD SILENT was available May 2013. The DEAD AMONG US was ready May 2014 and now SWEET ASYLUM has gone out into the world (June 2015). For those keeping track, it took me three years since hitting 'publish' in 2012 to hitting publish on my fourth book.

In those three years I also had three short stories published in various anthologies, each one reaching a new, unique audience and hopefully beckoning new readers to my series.

So, four books in. I did what I said I was going to do, so... now what?

I keep writing. The success of Peter Ainsley has been so encouraging. I am continually amazed by the number of people who contact me saying they love my books. I am surprised that a fan base could be grown for such a small self-publisher like myself. The first year was not encouraging at all and my second book made only a small impact. It's only been in the last year that my series had gained some traction. My income is not supplementary any more. It's a bona fide income and it grows with each new addition to the series. All in all, it's been encouraging and I'm happy I took the leap into self publishing.

Lost in a Book... or Two

I'm starting a new feature. Each month I'm going to let readers know what books I have recently read and my thoughts on them. I'll also tell you what I have planned for the upcoming month. As a writer I tend to write more than I read and reading should be considered an occupational necessity, so I'm hoping this new feature will keep me reading regularly. Feel free to send a Goodreads friend request so we can talk books and see each others reviews and ratings.

In September I read a mystery...

Murder at St. Mark's Place, by Victoria Thompson. Set in New York before the turn of the 20th century, this quick read was a typical mystery with a small cast of characters and interesting insights into some of the issues of the time. At first, I found it hard to like the male protagonist, Detective Frank Malloy but he softened up over the course of the book. Because I read so many Victorian England mysteries I kept forgetting this one is set in New York, and was promptly reminded each time the characters set out for Coney Island. This book offers a simple story line that moves along at quick paced. I'd definitely recommend it for a beach or rainy day read.

And a horror book...

The Troop, by Nick Cutter is set on a small island north of Prince Edward Island. My husband recommended this book to me because it is well written and features my favourite place. The book is about a parasite outbreak that finds it's way to a scout troop isolated on an island for a weekend excursion. It's truly a unique concept... think Lord of the Flies meets a zombie flick.

Because I know the province so well I was struck by a few things in this novel. One is references to deer and wolves as part of a description of the Prince Edward Island's natural habitat. In fact deer are not found on the island. They are better situated to live in neighbouring New Brunswick and Nova Scotia than PEI. I came across this nugget of interesting things somehow and I was so intrigued by it that I never forgot. Given the absence of deer, I imagine wolves would be in short supply as well considering the primary prey are absent but I could be wrong.  Why does this bother me? I don't know. It's so trivial. Perhaps I've written a thing or two in my books that drive readers nuts.

In addition to deer and wolves, there were a lot of little details regarding PEI in general that struck me. The writer's constant references to carnivals and fairs, temporary rides and amusements seemed contrived and overdone. There were other things such as one of the troop member's father being the county coroner. I know for a fact that because of the Island's size all coroner work is done in Moncton, NB and other larger, nearby places. IF the island had a coroner, there certainly wouldn't be one in each of the four counties, that's just overkill.

My husband is also a 8-year veteran of the Canadian military so we know there could be no national research facility in Summerside, there just wouldn't be enough infrastructure to sustain such a government enterprise. I tried to image the writer meant another area because a lot of the plot just didn't make sense for PEI, population 145,000, give or take a few hundred.

I enjoyed the insight into the characters lives but sometimes it broke into the action too much. Artistic in many ways I like the writing style and didn't find it cumbersome. Only when it slowed the pace did I notice any difficulty reading it. If you like horror you will probably like this book which is unique, grotesque and full of suspense. Give it a whirl.


Next up... GIRL WITH A DRAGON TATTOO and THE HEIRESS OF LING HAGH

Peter Ainsley... in Triplicate

I hit a milestone this summer. I published my third novel, which also happens to be the third instalment of the Peter Ainsley mystery series.

THE DEAD AMONG US continues the story of Peter & Margaret who face off against a horrendous criminal who is targeting pauper children.

It's been such a wild ride writing these books, and self-publishing them has been just wild. I remember agonizing over what to do with Chorus of the Dead. I wondered at the validity of self-publishing and whether the publishing industry would look favourably at my choice. All three of my books are now ranked in Kindle's Top 100 for mystery/thrillers-historicals. They generate hundreds of downloads each each month, narrowing in on one thousand for July. This translates as a nice income for myself, compensating me nicely for the hours of dedicated work I put in to each title.

But there's still work to be done.

Mystery is a difficult genre to compete in. I still have less than 10 reviews for each of my books and often that muddies the waters regarding my success. I honestly don't know how to generate more reviews. I don't believe in hard core soliciting or creating duplicate accounts (sock-puppeting). I don't believe in spamming my twitter feed or spending hundreds of dollars on internet ads. What I do believe in is a good story and that is where I lay my focus. I want to tell the best story I possibly can.

Recently another indie pointed out to me that I am a slow writer. Each of my books have been published a year a part whereas others aim to have a new title every 3-4 months.  I may not be out-selling other indie-authors  and my sales maybe paltry compared those in erotica or fantasy but I stand by my stories. I stand by my process, slow as it may be.

I do not see self-publishing as a get rich quick scheme. I have been writing and educating myself on writing since I was in high school. I majored in Journalism in college and achieved an advanced diploma in Creative Writing shortly thereafter. The only thing I have ever wanted to be was a writer so I can safely say I am not going anywhere.

I will continue to write compelling stories with layered characters and fabulous covers (cheeky, aren't I?). I have recognized a trend with each of my books, a steady incline in readership and loyalty. This is what I will build my career upon, without chasing trends or including gratuitous sex.

I am a writer.

BOOK: Jane Austen's Guide to Thrift

This book, JANE AUSTEN'S GUIDE TO THRIFT, is on my night stand right now. I am a huge fan of the well crafted, entertaining non-fiction read and I have been delighted by this unique look into Jane Austen's famous novels.

Anyone who has read most of Austen's books (and really who hasn't) will know money plays an important role in the characters lives. Either the revenue abounds or there is a complete lack thereof. An independent female at a time in history when females were not valued or protected by law, Austen had her own small nest egg to handle and handle it she did. She did well to stay within her means and left a tidy sums for her family upon her passing.

Austen's opinions regarding prudent spending and careful penny pinching abound in her books. Men who gambled their money away were painted as rogues, the types of men who could not be trusted. The men and women who were careful with their expenses came across as wise and organized.

This book has a different take on thrift than others I have read (and believe me I have read many, many books on the subject) and that makes it entertaining, fascinating and fun. Halfway through the pages I have yet to stumble upon any nugget of information that I had not come across before but that is not where this book gets it's value. The value is in the comparison between what Austen's characters would do, how they would perceive a situation and how Austen imparted her own opinions on the subject through the deeds and misdeeds of her characters. Call it a wake up call from two centuries prior. Debt was still debt in the Regency era with the only major difference between then and now being society's willingness (dare I say eagerness) to take it out.

All in all, it's an interesting book for fans of Austen and anyone looking for a recharge to their financial health. But I would charge you not to buy it, rather check your local library first and Jane Austen would approve.

Time Stamp

Yesterday I ventured to a nearby archaeology  here in southern Ontario where historians have found evidence of a native long house village. In the 1800s the Crawfords, a pioneer family settled along the shores of a small lake in the Niagara Escarpment. Though they lived on this land for a short period, during that time they found countless artefacts linking the area to a native village that once stood on the site in the 1400s. Because of their discoveries the lake was named after them and today the land is a conservation area boasting reconstructed long houses and archaeological dig sites.

The largest artefact found on the site is a stone once used to ground dried corn. You can see in the picture how the rock had been indented and when I felt the surface it was smooth. The guide, who was a member of the First Nations, explained how the tribes people received their calcium needs from small particles of rock that would end up in the food after  grinding.

The village housed over 250 inhabitants, men, women and children of the Iroquion nation lived here for a short time but left their mark on the landscape nonetheless. Corn pollen had been found at the dig sites and carbon dating assisted in tracing the time period for when the village would have thrived.

In recent years I have developed an interest in native culture and its historical context. It was not really my intent to write a book involving this time period of North America. I doubt I could ever truly capture the essence of their belief structures or their way of life. I am however working on a fur trade mystery set in the Canadian Rockies and I am glad I will get an opportunity to look into the lives of the Native tribes from that place and time. My research continues and my knowledge grows. This book will be different from my Ainsley books and it's a prospect that excites me and scares me at the same time.



I recently read a book, People of the Long House by W. Michael Gear and Kathleen O'Neal Gear. The book is really good and I devoured it quickly. It's part of a long series that I will complete because I just need to know what happens. Suspenseful, educating and fascination, this book is great for anyone looking to escape into native culture, the good, the bad and the terrifying.

The Birth of Another Book

For writers a book is almost like a child. We spend countless hours tending to it, nourishing it, training it into the finished product we had envisioned it to be. During the weeks prior to my first book's release I was a nervous wreck. I wanted it to do well. I wanted readers to enjoy it and get lost in it. It was hard to set it free into the world without overwhelming feelings of anxiety. I dreaded a one-star review or somehow loosing respect amongst my peers should it be proven to be drivel. None of these things happened of course, but I feared it nonetheless.

In the end the process of letting the book go, of allowing it to be found and read, was quite liberating. The finished product has found finality and the only thing left for me as a writer to do was sit down and write another one.

Last week, I set another darling free. Into the world my book, DEAD SILENT, went. A sequel to my first book, this volume addresses unanswered questions left over from it's predecessor and introduces us more to Ainsley's and Margaret's character.  We meet Evelyn Weatherall, the woman engaged to Ainsley's brother, and Julia Kemp, Margaret lady's maid. And my person favourite, we are introduced to Lady Gemma Brant, a friend of Lady Charlotte Marshall and a character in her own right.

So while I work on book 3 in the series, enjoy your read through Dead Silent and don't forget to put a review up on Amazon.



From the backcover....

Peter Ainsley's mother, Lady Charlotte Marshall hasn't been seen or heard from in three days. While Inspector Simms of Scotland Yard is 'unofficially' investigating her disappearance, Ainsley and his sister, Margaret, are loathed to reveal knowledge of their mother's affair despite it being their best lead to her whereabouts.

When Insp. Simms brings a body to St. Thomas Hospital's morgue, Ainsley is forced to admit his double life as morgue surgeon and second heir to the Montcliff earldom. With a new found ally in the police force, Ainsley gains access to information about his mother's disappearance and a new mystery regarding a murdered woman with childhood ties to his future sister-in-law, Evelyn Weatherall.

Scandal threatening two sides of Ainsley's family, the young surgeon uncovers an intricately woven tapestry of deceit, lust and a crime that forces him to decide whether family loyalty supersedes the letter of the law.

3, 2, 1...LAUNCH

I attended a launch party on Thursday evening for THE WHOLE SHE-BANG, a Sisters In Crime mystery anthology.

My story, A Ring For Jenny, can be found on page 107. That page number will be forever ingrained in my memory since I completely embarrassed myself in front of all in attendance. As part of the festivities, each writer in the anthology was allotted 3 minutes to read from their submission. Everyone else seemed prepared with either a copy of the book or printed sheets of computer paper. I had none of these and was caught off guard somewhat when someone told me I was expected to read.

Luckily someone lent me a copy of the book when my name was called and I fumbled through pages trying to find my entry. Eyes stared. My cheeks burned crimson. Days seemed to pass as I struggled until someone finally said "107". Of course.

It was my first public reading and despite my nerves, I enjoyed it. Afterwards numerous people asked me to sign their copies and I was beyond thrilled. To think this is how authors start out. Writing words with the unknown reader a distant thought in their mind until one day when writer and reader meet.

I have an audience.

Of course I have an audience. Nameless, faceless buyers of books on Amazon and Kobo. The sales numbers increase and I smile, sometimes broadly. But this, meeting people face to face, being handed a pen and a copy of the story, MY STORY, with eager anticipation, is beyond description. This is amazing.

The Whole She-Bang is available on Amazon Kindle, and Smashwords for other e-reading formats. Print copies can be purchased from Lulu.

Half of all proceeds will be donated to the Children's Book Bank, a non-profit organization in Toronto that puts books in the hands of children. Stay tuned for a future post on this AMAZING charity.

The Bridge of Sighs

If you have read CHORUS OF THE DEAD, or even if you just read the preview, you probably noticed the verses I put at the beginning of each chapter. In the literary world it's called a literary device, when authors use quotes to introduce a chapter or book.

I spent a good deal of time looking for an appropriate literary device for my books. I perused anatomy books of the day (Gray's Anatomy was just published) but nothing seemed to fit. I tried to find information about a prominent surgeon who may have written about his scientific findings or other such useful pamphlet but I had little luck. Nothing was catching my fancy. I was almost resigned to not use anything at all until one week before my book was to go 'live' it hit me. Months earlier, in my research of Victorian England, morgues and the work of a surgeon, I found a poem titled "The Bridge of Sighs" by Thomas Hood. It is a remarkable poem but like most of my findings I had no immediate need of it and kept researching.

While giving the search for a literary device on last desperate try I came across "The Bridge of Sighs" yet again and realized it was perfect. With careful selection I divided the poem up into couplets and/or versus and was amazed how well they fit with my story.

I used the segments in order in the book but here's the poem in it's entirety, unbroken and smooth.




The Bridge of Sighs


One more Unfortunate,
Weary of breath,
Rashly importunate,
Gone to her death!


Take her up tenderly,
Lift her with care;
Fashion'd so slenderly
Young, and so fair!


Look at her garments
Clinging like cerements;
Whilst the wave constantly
Drips from her clothing;
Take her up instantly,
Loving, not loathing.


Touch her not scornfully;
Think of her mournfully,
Gently and humanly;
Not of the stains of her,
All that remains of her
Now is pure womanly.


Make no deep scrutiny
Into her mutiny
Rash and undutiful:
Past all dishonour,
Death has left on her
Only the beautiful.


Still, for all slips of hers,
One of Eve's family—
Wipe those poor lips of hers
Oozing so clammily.


Loop up her tresses
Escaped from the comb,
Her fair auburn tresses;
Whilst wonderment guesses
Where was her home?


Who was her father?
Who was her mother?
Had she a sister?
Had she a brother?
Or was there a dearer one
Still, and a nearer one
Yet, than all other?


Alas! for the rarity
Of Christian charity
Under the sun!
O, it was pitiful!
Near a whole city full,
Home she had none.


Sisterly, brotherly,
Fatherly, motherly
Feelings had changed:
Love, by harsh evidence,
Thrown from its eminence;
Even God's providence
Seeming estranged.


Where the lamps quiver
So far in the river,
With many a light
From window and casement,
From garret to basement,
She stood, with amazement,
Houseless by night.


The bleak wind of March
Made her tremble and shiver;
But not the dark arch,
Or the black flowing river:
Mad from life's history,
Glad to death's mystery,
Swift to be hurl'd—
Anywhere, anywhere
Out of the world!


In she plunged boldly—
No matter how coldly
The rough river ran—
Over the brink of it,
Picture it—think of it,
Dissolute Man!
Lave in it, drink of it,
Then, if you can!


Take her up tenderly,
Lift her with care;
Fashion'd so slenderly,
Young, and so fair!


Ere her limbs frigidly
Stiffen too rigidly,
Decently, kindly,
Smooth and compose them;
And her eyes, close them,
Staring so blindly!


Dreadfully staring
Thro' muddy impurity,
As when with the daring
Last look of despairing
Fix'd on futurity.


Perishing gloomily,
Spurr'd by contumely,
Cold inhumanity,
Burning insanity,
Into her rest.—
Cross her hands humbly
As if praying dumbly,
Over her breast!


Owning her weakness,
Her evil behaviour,
And leaving, with meekness,
Her sins to her Saviour!


Thomas Hood

BOOK: Stiff, the Curious Lives of Human Cadavers

I recently finished reading, Stiff: the Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach. What could have been dry reading filled with the whens, wheres and whys of human cadavers, is actually a very well written, witty account into what happens to us after we die.



Bodies donated to science are used for medical training, scientific study, crash test dummies, and more. Through the donation of others we as a society have learned a tremendous amount about how the body decomposes under various circumstances as well as how to cure the maladies of the living.

"The human head is of the same approximate size and weight as a roaster chicken. I have never before had occasion to make the comparison, for never before today have I seen a head in a roasting pan. but here are forty of them, one per pan, resting face up on what looks to be a small pet-food bowl. The heads are for plastic surgeons, two per head, to practice on."

Chapter One, Stiff

Roach offers some historical facts, which I am much obliged, and offers a respectful though humourous account of her escapades while researching this book. I zipped through it chuckling all the way and gleaning tonnes from the knowledge splashed within. No doubt this is one I will read again.