Category: News stories

I am holding Stolen Child!

I was thrilled to receive my first advance copy of Stolen Child in the mail yesterday. It was an emotional roller coaster to write this novel. It was inspired by my late mother-in-law’s WWII memories in Ukraine.

The novel will be coming out on Feb 1, 2010.

Here’s a bit more about the book:

In an effort to boost the birth rate of the master race, the Nazis instituted a frightening program called Lebensborn (the Fount of Life). SS soldiers were encouraged to breed with females deemed to be of racially valuable stock. Some were German, others were women and girls of captive nations and in 1942, an even more sinister aspect of the Lebensborn program was established. The Nazis believed that there were lost seeds of the Aryan nation amidst the Slavs. In an effort to reclaim these supposed lost Germans, children were stolen from their parents and shipped to Lebensborn homes for further testing and brainwashing.

In Stolen Child, Marsha Skrypuch imagines the story of twelve-year-old Nadia Krawchuk, who has immigrated with her parents to Canada, but her re-location triggers disturbing dreams and ultimately vivid memories of another family and a girl she recalls as Gretchen. This is a powerful, moving and disturbing tale of one of the lesser known horrors of Hitler’s racial obsession.

And an excerpt:

Dark shadows dance on the scuffed white walls. Someone else’s fingernail scratches are etched around the glass doorknob and there are tiny splinters of wood fraying from the door itself. For a few trembling moments I look out at the dirt-trampled snow far below my window. Why am I a prisoner in this house?

My throat is raw from screaming, and my fingernails are bloodied from scrabbling at the doorknob. I lie on the wooden floor and stare up at the bare lightbulb. I can hear nothing but my own gasping breaths.

Shuffling. A struggle. A child screams down the hallway. A door slams shut.

Another stolen child.

the Embassy event

Here is the Embassy of Ukraine in Canada’s write up about last Friday’s event:

On May 29, 2009 an evening with Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch, award-winning children’s author on Canadian-Ukrainian history, took place at the Embassy of Ukraine in Canada.

The Ambassador of Ukraine to Canada Ihor Ostash greeted the Canadian-Ukrainian author and congratulated her with awarding of the Order of the Pricess Olha by the President of Ukraine Viktor Yuschenko.

Marsha discussed her challenges as a Canadian Ukrainian fiction writer: the startling racism and roadblocks she has faced, as well as acceptance in unexpected circles. She also gave a brief reading from an upcoming novel.

The guests had an opportunity to ask Ms. Forchuk questions about her profession as a writer.

The talk was made possible by a grant from The Writers’ Union of Canada and the Canada Council for the Arts National Public Readings Program.

The event was sponsored by Ukrainian School of Lesia Ukrainka, Ukrainian Heritage School of Ottawa, Pokrova Ukrainian Arts Network, Ukrainian Youth Association- Оttawa Branch.

Marsha Skrypuch event at the Embassy of Ukraine in Canada, May 29

You are cordially invited to attend this event at the Embassy of Ukraine in Canada

What:
Marsha will discuss her challenges as a Canadian
Ukrainian fiction writer: the startling racism and roadblocks
she has faced, as well as acceptance in unexpected
circles. She will give a brief reading from an upcoming
novel. Q&A session.

When:
Friday, May 29, 2009
7:30—9:00 p.m.

Where:
Embassy of Ukraine in Canada
310 Somerset St. West, Ottawa, ON K2P 0J9
Tel.: (613) 230-2961 ext. 105

Sponsored by:
Ukrainian School of Lesia Ukrainka, Ukrainian Heritage School of
Ottawa, Pokrova Ukrainian Arts Network,
Ukrainian Youth Association- Ottawa Branch

Funded by:
The talk is made possible by a grant from The Writers’ Union of Canada and
the Canada Council for the Arts National Public Readings Program

The Freckled Lion’s awesome launch of Call Me Aram!

In the afternoon, Kate Murray of the Freckled Lion rented the building that had been the dorm for the Georgetown Boys. The kids arrived:

Students assembling for Aram book launch
book signing Call Me Aram

And they got their books signed:

After the student presentation, we went to the Freckled Lion. Here’s a photo of me with Philippe, who played Aram in the play,

and Kate Murray, bookseller extraordinaire:

And here’s a photo of me holding Rob Weston’s AMAZING Zorgamazoo, and Rob holding my Call Me Aram:

Note the crutches in the corner. I don’t recommend doing a book launch while on crutches, but authors will launch despite sleet and rain and snow and torn cartilage….

Ukrainian schools and Marty Chan

 

I got up this morning at 7am, washed, packed, dressed and checked out by 7:45 and went down for breakfast. I was being picked up at 8:30 but my ride came early. Fortunately, I’d had a chance to finish my breakfast.

First stop was Ridna Shkola and the young children. These are Ukrainian language Saturday students. Taras had asked me to tell them why I didn’t speak Ukrainian. It all has to do with the prejudice directed at my father when he was a boy. He was beaten every day at school for speaking Ukrainian. And his and his siblings’ names were all anglicized. He didn’t want that for my sister and I so we never took Ukrainian. I told those kids that they were very lucky to live in Canada now; a Canada that was more tolerant. I think it was the sheer exhaustion of the week, but I began to weep. I hate it when that happens. The poor kids. A teacher brought me a tissue and I took a deep breath. Then I did a storytelling session with Enough and we talked about the Holodomor.

From there, Taras drove me to St. John’s Cathedral and I did a session with the Ukrainian language high school students. I enjoyed talking to these students. Mostly I have been presenting to younger students this week so it was a good change for me.

When I was finished, Taras helped me out with my luggage and Marty Chan met me outside.

I hadn’t met Marty in person but we play wordscraper on facebook quite regularly. We had lunch at a Japanese restaurant and we had a great visit. I was enthralled with Marty’s journey to becoming a writer and playwright and broadcast journalist. There were many parallels in our early lives. He dropped me off at the airport and right now I am on the second flight. It is 9:50pm and I will be in my own bed in about three hours.

It was an amazing Book Week. I met such great kids and so many fabulous educators. I love Alberta hospitality. If I were to move out of Ontario, Alberta would be where I would want to live. I love the friendliness and the wide open spaces. I love the vast sky and the fact that people can pronounce my last name without hesitation.

An addendum. It is Monday November 24. I had my appointment with the orthopedic surgeon and the MRI showed that I do have a torn meniscus. A “serious” tear, he says, but fixable. My surgery is scheduled for just before Christmas.