Passion is at the heart of my writing. Not so much passion for writing itself – though that helps – but passion for the characters I am portraying or the story I am telling. Most of my writing comes from an issue or experience I feel strongly about. My determination to share my outrage, joy, admiration, sense of social injustice – these are what power my writing and demand that it be done well.
Don Sawyer, is an educator and multi-genre Canadian best-selling author of fiction and non-fiction for children, youth and adults. He brings his experiences working with youth and adults in various cultures and locales to his writing.
Lyndi: You describe your most recent novel, The Burning Gem, as a story of hidden worlds beneath our own. Can you give us a glimpse into these hidden worlds?
Don: Sure. After Barbara stumbles into the Market (quite literally since she has to make a harrowing journey through the NY subway system on foot), she is introduced to a utopian community buried deep underground in a subway station that had been abandoned 150 years before. Since being rediscovered and rebuilt as a sanctuary, it has attracted “Misfits.Outsiders. Inventors. Shapeshifters. Geniuses. Seers. Gifted artisans. People who look different, are different.” Including Madame Jeanine, operator of a travel agency that “Specializes in Where No One Else Goes.”
Zoltan opened the door and held it open for Barbara. At first the office looked much like any other travel agency. A counter ran halfway across the room, and several small tables were strewn with travel magazines. Posters weretacked onto the walls. But as she studied the posters, Barbara began to feel uneasy. They were pictures of an abandoned prison, what looked like the surface of Mars, a vast cemetery, a selection of shrunken human heads, a shuttered and dusty ghost town. And the lights. She looked up at the ceiling and saw a ruby glass skylight that gave the interior a dark red tinge.
“Mr. DeAngelo,” a soft voice purred. “It is so good to see you again.”
Barbara shifted her eyes from the ceiling into the face of a tall woman in a red sheath dress that clung to her body like paint. Tattoos of fantastic flowers and foliage grew out of the high neck and climbed up her cheeks and across her forehead into a thicket of crimson hair. Her lipstick seemed too red to be real until Barbara realized that her lips had been tattooed scarlet.
“I understand you may need to travel. Quickly.”
Zoltan gave a small bow. “Madame Jeanine, my companion, Barbara.”
The tattooed leaves over the woman’s lavender eyes grew upward as Barbara watched, and yellow roses at the cornerof Madame Jeanine’s eyes crinkled as her cherry lips opened in a broad smile, showing white teeth filed to a point.She stepped forward and extended a long hand, also tattooed with vines, her two-inch fingernails painted in violet and purple blossoms. Barbara took the hand and, for a reason she didn’t understand, curtsied, pulling slightly on her Lycra tights.
The woman’s smile broadened. She held Barbara’s gaze. “Mr. DeAngelo, I am so pleased for you.” She studied Barbara, still smiling. “I just love the hair.”
Lyndi: How did you come up with the idea to have your antagonist turn souls into gemstones so they can become divine rulers?
Don: The Burning Gem is the first book in the Soul Catcher series. I have worked in Indigenous communities for many years and was aware of the resistance some aboriginal people displayed when photographers such as Edward Curtis, who was termed the “shadow catcher,” to having their photographs taken. Whether, as some claim, they feared a part of them remained in the box cameras or that they understood that the photo did indeed steal a bit of their soul and freeze it forever in that instant while their lives and the world around them went on. Their initial unease is understandable. But what if, I wondered, there was an apparatus that really did extract a portion of a person’s soul and instead of transferring it onto paper, crystalized itinto a gem? A gem that enhanced the character, strengths and values of the owner? And what if that gem was used to promote evil for the benefit of a cabal of shadowy aristoi.
In this sense, the gems are part of a larger, and very ancient, movement – from Aristotle to Nietzsche to contemporary social media moguls -- that promotes the myth that some humans are “meant” to rule and others to be slaves, passive consumers, serfs. The divine right of kings has morphed into the divine right of wealth. So yes, those behind the gem project are indeed bent on becoming – and maintaining – “divine rulers,” but as Barbara crashes into this life of solitary desolation, Zoltan is forced to look more closely at the truth and neutralize the Mester and his allies before he kills them.
Lyndi: Where the River Meets deals with racial prejudice and teen suicide in First Nations communities. Were these topics drawn from your real-life experiences or through research?
Don: After teaching in a predominantly Native high school in BC, I took away a slow-burning anger at the crushing impacts of colonialism I saw everywhere — in the school and in the community — on the young Native kids I was teaching. I wanted to show how the mismatch between the home and community of the students and the rigid, irrelevant, hierarchical structure of the school devastated kids already struggling with identity and whose families were often shattered by violence and substance abuse.
And so I wrote my first YA novel, Where the Rivers Meet, based on my experiences, the plot propelled by that anger. In the book, the ability to fight back came from the students’ traditional teachings and elders.
To ensure as much accuracy as possible in regard to cultural practices and traditions, I was honoured to work with the late Mary Thomas, Secwepemc elder, who allowed me to record four hours of interviews with her. Besides providing insight into the spirit quest and other cultural aspects of the book, Mary’s voice – the cadence and structure – was essential in creating a wise and believable character
I also used some secondary sources, such as James Teit’s 1909 anthropological account The Shuswap.
Lyndi: How is it that Where the Rivers Meets, published in 1988 and in its ninth printing, is still so relevant for readers today?
Don: Yeah, kind of sad isn’t it? I am particularly proud that the great majority of sales – there are 20,000 copies in print – were to predominantly Native classrooms. The authenticity of the story and believability of the situations and characters made – and still makes -- it accessible aboriginal young adults. Over the years I received many letters from readers. From their comments, I think it is clear that the issues and problems faced by Native communities and youth are still far from resolved. Here is a selection of comments from adult student letters:
— Doing an essay on Barry’s suicide was OK. I’ve thought about doing it at times myself. I dream about it still. Now I’m looking for the answer of why I dream about suicide, but I’m not dwelling on it.
— The rape scene brought back memories in my past. I have learned from [the book] that I wasn’t the only one in that position. The scared feelings were there again. But help was there. We worked on this part in class and the whole class was involved.
— The first part of the book that I liked is in the chapter with Grebs and his racism against natives. It’s not that I like racism. It shows that racism still pops up here and there. I still have to look at this one every day and try to treat everyone equal.
— A lot [of the book] reminded me of when I was going to school, the racism. But the only thing different from me and Nancy is that she did something and I quit. But now I’m back to school and this time I’m going to do it.
— The part about Barry committing suicide was hard on me because our class did a lot of research on why people commit suicide and how to prevent people from doing it. The reason it was hard on me is because I tried but never succeeded like Barry did. Your book was great, so have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Lyndi: Which of your stories do you see as a particular favorite or is in some way the most meaningful to you?
Don: WTRM was propelled by anger; my first book, Tomorrow Is School (and I am sick to the heart thinking about it) was motivated by love. It is a non-fiction of our first two years teaching in a remote Newfoundland outport community. Described as “the moving tale of two novice teachers who find themselves in a place like no other, facing challenges many teachers can only imagine,” the title was taken from a note left by one of our students, who took to coming up to visit many evenings. Those two years were some of the most creative and satisfying of my career.
During that time I wrote letters (yeah, real hand-written letters) to friends describing our adventures. When we left to return to grad school, a poet friend convinced me that all those letters I had sent him could be the basis of a book. Really? A book? But I knew I had a story I wanted to tell, a story that needed to be told to honour the students who had taught me how to teach. It might be worth a try.
And to my amazement, it was published by Douglas and McIntyre. And I was overwhelmed by the positive reviews it received. And then I was utterly astonished when it was used widely in student teaching programs across Canada.
Those experiences started my on a 40-year career as an educator in many different capacities, and that book began my writing career.
Lyndi: What new stories do you have brewing?
Don: Well, I’m glad you asked. The Sequel to The Burning Gem, The Tunnels of Buda, is due out in May 2025 with Castle Bridge Media. The sequel takes the characters and conflicts introduced in The Burning Gem in new directions and is filled with sorcery and terror as well as bravery and the emergence of new characters. The confrontation with the dark Company is fought out in mines and ancient tunnels deep below Buda Castle in Budapest. It is an exciting story with a kick, and I am looking forward to seeing the books read and promoted together. And, although The Tunnels of Buda comprises the first two volumes of the Soul Catcher series, the ending provides a solid foundation for more clashes between the remaining gem makers and their allies and the forces determined to implement the darkest of Nietzsche’s Weltanschauung.
Stay tuned!
Lyndi: What advice would you offer to writers who are just beginning their writing journey?
Don: Check why you want to write and what your expectations are. It’s easier than ever to get a book published today (nearly four million last year – 2/3 self-published) but harder than ever to get your books noticed and achieve significant sales. If you enjoy writing, go for it. If you don’t mind putting hours, maybe years into a book that might not be a commercial success, go for it. If you are looking to writing, especially fiction, as a career, well, go for it, but first take some writing classes and be prepared to supplement your income.
Lyndi: What marketing techniques have you found effect for promotion your writing?
Don: Further to my comment above, the publishing business has changed so much in the last few years that I hardly recognize it. Promotion wise, it’s a real jungle out there with a whole lot of people all too happy to provide promotional support of dubious value and for a (sometimes) hefty fee. I have been fortunate to have Mickey Mikkelson acting as my publicist, and he has lined me up with dozens of written and video interviews. It’s too early to determine how much these will translate into sales, but I have thoroughly enjoyed interacting with hosts like you and exploring the fascinating new world of podcasts. Regardless of sales, being able to discuss my writing, career and life experiences has made the process it all worthwhile.
An educator and writer, Don grew up in Michigan and came to Canada in the 1960s, where he more or less flunked out of a PhD program in Modern Chinese History. This turned out to be a blessing as it opened up a world of opportunity and experiences he never contemplated. From teaching in a small Newfoundland outport to training community workers in West Africa to teaching adults on a First Nations reserve in British Columbia to designing a climate change action course for Jamaican youth, he has worked with youth and adults from many cultural backgrounds and in a variety of locales.
Inevitably, these experiences have made their way into his writing. He have authored over 12 books, including two Canadian bestsellers: the YA novel Where the Rivers Meet (Pemmican) and the adult non-fiction Tomorrow Is School and I Am Sick to the Heart Thinking About It (Douglas and McIntyre). The first book in his Miss Flint series for children, The Meanest Teacher in the World (Thistledown) was translated into German by Carlsen (hardback) and Ravensburger. His articles and op-eds have appeared in many journals and most of Canada’s major dailies
He was never a very good boxer, but he continues to train in the ring and walk in the woods whenever his hips don’t hurt too much. He currently live in St. Catharines, Ontario, with Jan Henig Sawyer, his very tolerant wife of 54 years.
The Burning Gem spins from a chance meeting of a woman ready for adventure after years in a loveless marriage and a mysterious artisan who will show her another world. Barbara has always had an uncanny ability to read others, but her full empathic skills emerge only after a part of her soul is crystalized into a flaming red gem. Desperate to escape her soul crushing suburban life and to reconnect with the mysterious man who made her gem, she makes her way on foot through the terrifying NY subway tunnels to find an abandoned station.
Zoltan is a gem maker who lives an existence of opulent bitterness. Along with a network of other agents, his job is to catch souls and form them into magnificent jewels. He works with referrals only, and how his clients – rising CEOs, ambitious politicians, vainglorious religious leaders -- are selected is of no concern to him. He is 110 years old. While Zoltan’s contract with the hideous Mester – who may or may not be human – promises him wealth and extended life, it also prohibits him from touching another person, or even sharing his true name. Zoltan’s life is changed dramatically when Barbara bursts into it. She breaks the spell he has been under, and he risks everything – including his life -- to discover the true nature of the sinister cabal he has unwittingly been part of. Their base of operations is a long-forgotten 1873 subway terminal, now transformed into the Market, a hidden community of seers, shapeshifters, artisans with extraordinary skills, keepers of ancient knowledge. From here Barbara and Zoltan follow leads that take them to the ruin bars and dark alleys of Budapest in a desperate race to find the truth and neutralize the Mester before he kills them.
The Burning Gem: Sawyer, Don: 9798989593439: Books - Amazon.ca The Burning Gem: Sawyer, Don: 9798989593439: Amazon.com: Books
