Within a few days of rolling off the press, Marion McKinnon Crook’s second book about nursing in the Cariboo reached number one in B.C. on Monday, April 1.
Always on Call - Adventures in nursing, ranching and rural living is Marion’s much-anticipated sequel to Always Pack a Candle: A Nurse in the Cariboo-Chilcotin, which won the 2021 Lieutenant Governor’s Medal for Historical Writing.
In the sequel Marion focuses solely on the years 1975 to 1976 in the Cariboo, writing more about nursing, infused with stories about her family life.
The role of public health at the time is made very clear in both books, and even more in the second one.
“We used to go to everyone,” she recalled of her time as a public health nurse. “We would try to make new mothers aware of the services we offered and what they could come in to do for themselves at the health unit.”
Many young parents did not have family around in those days either, she said.
“They were young. They were working and their husbands were working in town and often they had come from Saskatchewan or some place else.”
Response to the first book was good and with the second book being printed earlier than originally anticipated, Heritage House fulfilled all the pre-orders.
Since April 1, she has heard from a few people letting her know they have a copy of the new book.
In the summer of 2023, Marion was doing some research for the new book and visited the Williams Lake Tribune to look at some of the bound volumes of newspapers from the years she was focused on.
Writing about the women she worked with at the public health unit in Williams Lake has been one of the aspects she has enjoyed the most.
“They were so intrepid. I was and still am impressed with the way they worked.”
The nurses were so competent and couple of them were real planners, she added.
“One nurse had the idea for child health care which was really something new at the time. They were stimulating to work with. They were a great group.”
Her children’s involvement with 4-H while living in Williams Lake, also looms large in the book.
Readers who may be curious to know what became of her daughter Janice, who at a young age seemed so mature and capable when it came to caring for animals.
“She is veterinarian and has her own clinic in North Vancouver,” Marion said. “It was marvellous - 4-H - I wasn’t in anything like that as a kid.”
4-H leader Verna Dennis was an amazing asset to 4-H, she recalled, noting Verna and her husband Bill had a ranch and were “so kind,”
“The adults and kids all worked together - it was such a wonderful organization.”
Janice went to boarding school eventually, but when she returned she resumed her involvement with 4-H.
Marion would take care of Janice’s animals while she was away and said she cherishes a newspaper clipping where someone interviewed Janice at her clinic and she credited 4-H and the fact they let her remain involved while she was away at school.
In her book, Marion tackles some of the racism in Williams Lake at the time and writes about nurses challenging doctors’ opinions or diagnosis.
Marion continues to hear from some of the nurses she worked with in Williams Lake, since writing the books, including one she had not seen for 50 years.
Some of the characters in the book are camouflaged and others will be recognizable.
In the first book she changed all the names, but in the second one has left many of them.
When asked if there will be a third book in the series, she said she did not think so.
On Friday, May 17 Marion will be at The Open Book in Williams Lake from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., for a book signing and reading at 4:45 p.m.
“I’m looking forward to coming to Williams Lake,” she said. “I always enjoy it and am looking forward to seeing lots of people.”
READ MORE: Marion McKinnon Crook writing second novel about nursing in Cariboo Chilcotin
READ MORE: New novel explores the life of a Cariboo public health nurse in the early 1960s
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