Quebecker Paul Almond, Anglican lay minister and author of the proposed 10-book Alford Saga, wants to use his historical novels to help Anglican churches in Quebec and the Atlantic provinces. He also wants to make the series available through Royal Canadian Legion branches to aid military veterans in the Maritimes.
He has struck a deal with his publisher, Toronto-based McArthur & Company, to let Anglican churches sell the novels-based loosely on the history of the Anglican Almond family in francophone Gaspesie from 1800 to 2000-and take the percentage collected by bookstores. “So far, we’ve raised about $4,000 for churches on the Gaspe,” says the 80-year-old Almond, who was recently inducted into the Order of Canada.
The first novel in the series, The Deserter, appeared in 2010 and is based on Almond’s great-grandfather, a sailor on the Bellerephon, one of Lord Nelson’s ships in the Royal Navy. After fighting atTrafalgar, he jumped ship when he got to Canada and was hunted by the navy as a deserter.
The Survivor, published in June, tells of Almond’s great-grandfather’s rescue by and subsequent life among the Mi’kmaq people. Almond’s third book, The Pioneer, will appear this month.
The next four books will centre on the Anglican priests of the family. To order or to obtain more information, go to www.paulalmond.com or email [email protected]
