Betty Annand is one of the busiest authors in the Comox Valley, having just published her fifth book in the past six years. Imagine what her catalogue would look like had she started writing novels before her 90th birthday!
The 96-year-old Comox Valley icon has just released her fifth full-length novel - the Gooey-Duck Fountain - and she has switched genres for this particular book.
This one is a murder mystery.
The story is about Josie, a woman in her mid-80s, who offers help to a stranger in need. She travels from Kye Bay to the Caribou, in the Interior, where she helps solve a mystery that has plagued the stranger for years.
“I’ve never written anything about murder before,” said Annand. “So I am a little worried about whether it’s good enough, but it’s out, it’s printed, and I’m having a book launch, so we will see.”
The book launch is being hosted by the Evergreen Club at the Florence Filberg Centre (411 Anderton Ave., Courtenay) on May 14 from 1-3 p.m.
“I’ll do a reading and there will be refreshments,” said Annand.
The book’s name is a play on words that could serve as an education for most people.
‘Gooey-duck’ is the phonetic spelling of geoduck - a large, odd-shaped clam found along the West Coast, which shoots out fountains of water through the shoreline sands.
“We spelled it like this when we were kids,” she said. “We used to dig them up all the time at Kye Bay. You put your finger in a geoduck’s mark and it shoots way up in the air and it gets you. They would put a real fountain up; it would get you all wet.
“I wanted a note on the inside cover explaining why it was spelled that way on the cover, but they didn’t do that. It (the title) is catchy, though.”
History lesson
In 2017, Annand celebrated her 90th birthday with the launch of her first full-length novel. The Girl From Old Nichol was the first book of the Gladys Tunner trilogy.
In 2018, The Woman from Dover was published and in 2019, Annand completed that trilogy, with The Lady from New York.
In 2021, Annand published Canada, By Jove - somewhat of a historical fiction novel. It follows two brothers - Bert and Ernie White (Annand’s maiden name) - as they travel across Canada.
“It’s based on stories my father told me about coming to Canada,” said Annand. “He came with his brother, so the names Bert and Ernie are right, but of course, I have embellished all the stories, because I don’t know what happened. But most of the stories in it are based on what he said.
And now she adds the Gooey-Duck Fountain to the ever-growing collection.
In addition to novels, Annand is a well-known playwright, having penned productions for the Evergreen Club’s drama group for some 30 years.
Annand said she thinks the Gooey-Duck Fountain might be her last novel.
“I think I’m getting too old… I don’t think I have the energy it takes to commit to another novel, but you never know,” she said. “I think I’m going to start taking it easy.”
Not having the time might be more accurate.
Setting up an interview for this article was a challenge.
“Well, I have play rehearsal on Monday and Tuesday, and band practice Wednesday morning…”
At 96, she still has more energy than most.
RELATED: 94-year-old Courtenay author pens fourth novel in four years
terry.farrell@comoxvalleyrecord.com
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