Sharon Berg Interviews Carolyn R. Parsons

(Flanker Press, 2019)

Carolyn R. Parsons

Sharon Berg:     You’ve experienced some very difficult times in your personal life over the few weeks leading up to this interview, Carolyn. I don’t want to invade your privacy, but I do want to say that I really appreciate you taking this time to answer my questions about your book.
 
Writing historical fiction is often difficult due to the depth of the period research that’s necessary; however, in addition to storing documents in libraries, Newfoundland is a place where folklore and family stories still retain droves of knowledge. How much of the details of life in 1930s Newfoundland that you capture in The Forbidden Dreams of Betsy Elliott came from your family stories compared to the research that you had to do through documents?
 
Carolyn R. Parsons:      Shortly after I moved back home to Newfoundland in 2012, I visited my grade four teacher, Linda Peckford, who told me how my paternal grandmother had brought water from the well in a cove far from the one she lived in. From the image of Nan, trudging that distance with buckets of water, the fictional character of Betsy developed as a woman of great intelligence, strength and fortitude who was tied down by the shackles of time and place, and the expectations set upon her. I didn’t want it to be a memoir or a family story, but the characters are reflections in some instances. For example, when you read of peripheral characters in the book—Ida Parsons, Walter John Parsons and Bessie, their serving girl—you’re reading of my great-great Aunt Ida, her brother who was my grandfather, and the maid who eventually became my grandmother. In fact, the entire story around the character of Ida is true. The dates and events surrounding her tragic death and funeral, though told through the eyes of fictional Betsy, are true life events. The house in fictional Elliott’s Cove is also drawn from my memories of the cove I grew up in, inspired by a saltbox in my memory.
 
SB:      It must give the story special meaning for you, to bring family members to life in that way. In this book, you tell a story that gives insight into the effects of extreme poverty on diet and disease and the strain that rural people faced through living with what nature provided before Newfoundland became a province of Canada. Women clearly had a different upbringing in the 1930s, with fewer options than men to fulfill their dreams. You’ve chosen to incorporate the darker side of women’s life, including the violence they endured, though most kept silent then. How do you reconcile telling secrets that Betsy Elliott likely would have kept hidden? Do you think we have, in the 2020s, come away from shaming women for what men do to them at all?
 
CP:     When I created the character of Betsy, I wanted her to be the exception. There are a multitude of stories of those who stay, of those who do the expected, of the women who live the drudgery and poverty of the time and never find an escape. In Betsy Elliott I tried to offer a choice, albeit a difficult one, to see how she would handle it. I am positive there were many women who dreamt of leaving, of doing something different, and truth is, with out-migration, a few did.  Do we still shame women for what men do to them? Yes, but not to the same degree. In Betsy’s time, an unwed pregnant girl would have been shuffled away or married off, while these days women have far more choice if faced with unexpected pregnancy and the stigma is far less; however, it’s also not where it should be. Progress is a slow-moving train, and Betsy is at the beginning of a long ride. In the sequel, currently drafted, Betsy becomes part of the Newfoundland diaspora, when she brings her unique perspective and resourcefulness into the larger world.
 
SB:      It’s good to know that we will be able to follow Betsy’s story further into her life. At the same time, there is a theme you had in mind for this novel, a problem that you wanted at least one character to find a solution for. You explore the violence perpetrated against rural women in Newfoundland, but other themes appear in the book, such as whether Newfoundland would be better off maintaining its status as its own country. Can you share any tips as to how you kept these issues alive within your novel, The Forbidden Dreams of Betsy Elliott, without losing hold of your main storyline?
 
CP:     Again, I was looking to write something that hadn’t been addressed quite so frequently. Much has been written against the backdrop of confederation with Canada, with resettlement and those kinds of events that have long-lasting impacts on regular, ordinary people. I set Betsy Elliott against a less-written backdrop of the loss of responsible government and the assignment of a commission to oversee Newfoundland. I wanted to address the loss of democracy rather than the finding of the solution, the Canada option, as so many had already done. I did that through the character of John Elliott, an ordinary fisherman, who felt the loss of his voice through the vote, immensely. And through Betsy, who had been too young to vote the first time women were able to and was robbed of the chance for nearly a decade afterwards.
 
SB:      In terms of the audience for The Forbidden Dreams of Betsy Elliott, I’m sure you’re aware there is a group who will naturally be drawn to reading it. Newfoundlanders are tremendously loyal, and they support their own artists and authors. But there is likely a group that you believe should read it. Are those two groups different? Please elaborate.
 
CP:     When writing Betsy Elliott I was always keeping in mind that this was a Newfoundland tale written for the Newfoundland audience. It was published by a Newfoundland publisher and distributed, so that goal was accomplished. It hadn’t occurred to me that tourists from all over would pick up a copy on their journey but that’s what happened. The feedback I get from readers who aren’t Newfoundlanders is very insightful and vastly different and often, surprisingly, they see parallels between our history and their own. Other Canadians seem to really want to know more about the Newfoundland experience and how we became a part of them yet remain so different culturally. I’ve also noticed that European readers often talk about the loss of democracy, especially when they come from a place that experienced it or had their own democracy threatened. Certainly, women from all over talk of the hardship of a woman’s life in their history. I think the book would be of great interest to the larger Canadian audience, and those in Europe, given that people from those places who did read it found it highly relatable.
 
SB:      Can you offer an idea of the literary surrounds for this work in your experience? What books most impressed you while you were working on it? Also, were there any live events/ live performances that you feel influenced this book?
 
CP:     In general, I read books written by Newfoundland writers. Donna Morrisey and Gary Collins write excellent Newfoundland historical fiction as does Michael Crummey. I don’t remember specific books from that time, but I did write the entire draft listening to the song Calendar, by St. John’s singer-songwriter Ian Foster. If I were struggling, I’d hit play and it not only tethered me to the narrative, so I stayed true to it, but also reminded me who Betsy was at her core.
 
The opening lyrics are “All the days they bleed together, the passing of a winter’s weather, and I still see you standing clear, strong untouched by the hands of fear.” The melody of the song is very anthem-like, and it marched me through the pages and, in fact, the open chapter refers to Betsy ever marching, going nowhere, and is directly inspired by the song.
 
SB:      Titles are often difficult to come up with though some authors seem to begin there. What was your experience in developing a title for The Forbidden Dreams of Betsy Elliott?
 
CP:     The working title of the book was “Betsy’s Walk,” which was never going to be the actual title. When Flanker Press offered to publish, a question they asked immediately was, “Are you married to the title?” I enthusiastically told them no. Thus began the challenge of finding something that was true to the story but also piqued the interest of a potential reader. I was fortunate enough that the editor assigned to work with me was Donna Morrisey and after agonizing for weeks, it was Donna who suggested The Forbidden Dreams of Betsy Elliott. We took it to Flanker, and they enthusiastically agreed with the suggestion.
 
SB:      Books can be turned into television shows, movies, or radio scripts. They’re also frequently translated into other languages. What would you say is a key point in The Forbidden Dreams of Betsy Elliott that shouldn’t be lost if it’s converted to another medium or language?
 
CP:     The two most important things would be that the essence of the Newfoundland dialect and flavour be preserved, and that in all her adventures, Betsy Elliott remains resilient and resourceful. She always finds a way to make things go her way. That’s her true center.
 
SB:      If The Forbidden Dreams of Betsy Elliott were chosen for the list in a graduate course, what discipline would it fit into? (i.e., history, politics, social change, philosophy, other) Would it be used to describe a particular taste in writing, a genre, a literary style or ___?
 
CP:     The Forbidden Dreams of Betsy Elliott is already on the high school curriculum and listed as recommended reading for grade 12 novel study in Newfoundland and Labrador. At the graduate level I think it would be a good example of history as so much of it is accurate to the time, but also for any historical fiction literature study course.
 
SB:      If you were asked to name another author’s work that you feel compares to the overall theme in this book, which author and what title would it be? How are they the same or different?
 
CP:     When I was writing the book, I was determined that Betsy would be unique. She wouldn’t be necessarily likeable, but she’d be completely understandable. I wanted her to be a bit of a handful. I wanted her to be master of her domain, even while constrained by the norms of the times and place. I wanted readers to feel that, while they weren’t sure she’d make a good friend, you would want her on your side in a scuffle. That they would “get” her motivation and root for her, even if she is manipulative and does terrible things. My drawing of her was guided by Margaret Mitchell’s Scarlett O’Hara from Gone with the Wind. We would normally not advise a woman to marry for money, but we understand completely why Scarlett does it. We also don’t like the way she treats Melanie, but we know the pangs of unrequited love and understand that to some degree. She is an anti-heroine, and remarkably unforgettable. They are alike in that, in each of their unusual and extreme circumstances, the norms and expectations are set aside to help them achieve their goals, and to survive, and perhaps even thrive.
 
SB:      Was there a collection of works, or a literary movement that inspired you to map out The
Forbidden Dreams of Betsy Elliott? What was your initial inspiration, even if it’s something that seems counter-intuitive?
 
CP:     When I set about writing the book, I wanted to write what I would call drama fiction. This isn’t, to my knowledge, an existing genre. If I were to name other books that fit drama fiction, it would be The Hunger Games, or anything by Harlan Coben, who writes page-turning mystery but not in the typical style of the mystery genre. He also writes serials. I am also a huge fan of every Shondra Rhimes television and literary project and have devoured everything she writes or talks about regarding storytelling. While it’s not a literary inspiration, I take a lot from her work.
 
I wanted the story to easily translate into imagery in the readers’ minds and the pace to be quick and engaging. I also tried to incorporate the roller coaster of emotions that we find in dramatic television, and the breathless pace of its unfolding. To make that happen I wrote short, episodic chapters that serve the purpose of propelling the story forward, taking the reader on a ride through it. And while I wouldn’t say it has the sparseness and subcontext of a screenplay it does not do more than it needs to do and is a short novel that reveals only what is essential. It also bears mentioning that, from the onset, The Forbidden Dreams of Betsy Elliott was meant to be a series. 
 
SB:      I have to say that I love your answers to these questions, Carolyn. You are truly frank and revealing in this interview, which is exactly what the readers want... a little bit extra about the book from its author. I also know that Newfoundland remains an undiscovered territory for many Canadians, and I think your book, even though it is fiction, offers some wonderful insights into both the history of the province and the character of Newfoundland’s people. Thank you, also, for introducing us to Betsy as she is marvelous. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

​Carolyn R. Parsons is a former freelance journalist with multiple published books, including The Forbidden Dreams of Betsy Elliott (Flanker Press 2019) and Desolate (Engen Books, 2021). She served as the Central/Bonavista/Burin region director at WritersNL for six years and is on the WritesNL WORD magazine’s editorial committee.  She writes a Substack newsletter called The Sass, and her books are digitally preserved in the Lunar Codex time capsule project and archived on the moon’s surface. In December of 2024 she was awarded a NL Arts Council Grant to work on her first non-fiction book, and that is her focus for the first six months of 2025.

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​Sharon Berg attended the Banff School of Fine Arts Writing Studio in 1982 and was accepted to Banff’s Leighton Artist Colony in 1987. She is also an alumni of Humber College’s Writing Program. She did her B.A. in Indigenous Studies at Laurentian U, followed by her B.Ed for Primary Education at U of T. Her M.Ed focused on First Nations Education at York U, and her D.Ed focused on Indigenous Education at UBC. She also received a Certificate in Magazine Journalism from Ryerson U. Sharon founded and operated the international literary E-Zine Big Pond Rumours (2006-2019) and its associated press, which released chapbooks of Canadian poets as prizes for the magazine’s contests. She's published five full books and three chapbooks, working in poetry, fiction, and nonfiction. Her work appears in periodicals across Canada, the USA, Mexico, the UK, the Netherlands, India, Germany, Singapore, and Australia. Her 3rd poetry collection Stars in the Junkyard (Cyberwit 2020) was a Finalist in the 2022 International Book Awards, and her narrative history The Name Unspoken: Wandering Spirit Survival School (Big Pond Rumours Press 2019) won a 2020 IPPY Award for Regional Nonfiction. When she retired from teaching, she opened Oceanview Writers Retreat in Charlottetown (Terra Nova National Park) Newfoundland.