Lily's Journey

Lily, a beautiful five-year-old, leaned over the fire to poke at the wood. A spark flew up and landed on the collar of her high-necked velvet dress. She brushed at the spark, but it had caught the lace and was burning her neck. Another spark landed in her hair.

“Momma,” she screamed, as she frantically brushed at the flames that seemed to be crawling up her body.

An accident that changes Lily’s life.

But there are other changes affecting the family that are coming.

Lily’s uncle George has suggested to her mother Elizabeth that the family make a new start in Canada. Lily quickly finds work in their new home and starts her journey into future adventures.

The first three parts of this story are a mix of fact and fiction, based on Lily’s own story. The final part is fact, based on Lily’s own recollections, as a policeman’s wife living with constant fear for her husband’s life.

Elizabeth Carlson has a journalism background and a Fine Arts Diploma in Creative Writing. For over 20 years, she maintained a working relationship with several B.C. West Kootenay newspapers. Her freelance writing has appeared in a number of general interest magazines including publications for seniors and children. Short stories were included in three anthologies. Her most recent published novel was Anna’s Story (2021). Elizabeth lives in Chilliwack B.C., has three daughters, eight grandchildren, and five great-grandsons.Janice Lochbaum, co-author, is a retired registered nurse with a Masters in Science. While having a strong interest in writing since she was a child, most of her professional writing experience has been with health research papers, and project proposals in legal and health areas while working in senior health care positions in B.C. More recently, she has been assisting her mother, Elizabeth, with writing, fact-finding, editing, and researching/documenting of family history. Janice is married and lives in Chilliwack, B.C., and has three sons and two grandsons.