FERGUS – Tucked along the lush green banks of the Grand River in Fergus, author Sonia Day lounges on her back porch quietly reflecting on not only her latest novel, but her lifelong writing career.
“I’ve been a writer all my life, and I’m quite proud of the fact that I’ve always earned a living as a writer,” said Day.
She began her career as a reporter, working for different newspapers all over the world.
However, it was her sudden passion for gardening that took her career to the next level.
“I got interested in gardening when I was middle aged simply because I bought a house,” said Day.
“I got interested in growing things.”
It was this love of gardening that led her to work as a gardening columnist for the Toronto Star, and ultimately writing her Sisters of the Soil novel series – including her latest award-winning novel The Newfoundland Lunch Party: A Sisters of the Soil novel. With recipes.
“This book really came out of my adventures working for the Toronto Star as their gardening columnist,” Day said with a smile.
The Newfoundland Lunch Party was awarded a Gold Laurel Medal from GardenComm International in July.
“I’m very flattered because it won a gold medal. There are only five recipients of gold medals,” said Day.
GardenComm Inter-national is a U.S.-based organization that showcases garden and growing enthusiasts from all around the world.
Submissions range from books and magazines, to TV shows and blogs – anything that communicates a love of gardening and growing.
“I had [originally] heard that I got a silver medal, and there were about 20 of those,” said Day excitedly.
“I was excited about that and then discovered that I was one of the people selected for gold.”
The Sisters of the Soil series follows a group of women brought together by their love of horticulture.
The group meets every few years in a new location, where friendship, horticulture and adventure take hold.
“These women, they’re all different nationalities, from different countries, and become friends and call themselves ‘the sisters of the soil,’” said Day.
The Newfoundland Lunch Party follows the group to Newfoundland, where a horticultural discovery leaves them baffled.
This discovery attracts the unwanted attention of the protagonist and plunges the women into an unexpected adventure.
Day chose Newfoundland as the setting for the book due to her immense love for the province.
“I discovered the place about 10 years ago through a friend who has a house there,” Day told the Advertiser.
“And I’ve been going there [ever] since. It’s like a world away from the rest of Canada. It really is like a different country.”
Day reflected on the reaction to her latest novel, saying the biggest compliment is that “people are willing to pay money to read it.”
Day expressed deep gratitude to her supporters and offered aspiring authors and poets a final piece of advice.
“Don’t listen too much to other people and don’t tell people what you’re working on until it’s done,” she said.
“Because people will always be saying to you, ‘Oh you should write about this, write about that.’ This is your thing. It’s not theirs.”
To learn more about Day or purchase a copy of her novels, visit soniaday.com.
