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As a father of two and a high school teacher, it only seemed natural
that John Weber's first novel, The Point, be written for young adults,
but this is a story or intrigue and suspense that can be enjoyed at
almost any age.
Originally, from Listowell, Ontario and now living in Orillia, Weber
recently attended a 'meet The Authors' afternoon at Brucedale Press in
Port Elgin as part of his promotional tour for his new novel, The Point.
Weber spent summers growing up on Lake Huron in the Point Clark and
Kincardine area of Bruce County and there are many similarities in his
book to landmarks found along the Bruce coast. "I think anytime you
write a novel, there's something of your own life in it as you draw from
your own experiences." (next column)
13/01/2009 04:19 PM
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(continued)
For any reader who lives, or has lived, along the Lake
Huron shore, the scenes in the book come to life and it's hard to tell
where reality leaves off and fiction begins. It's obvious from his
description of places and people, the lakes with its beaches and
lighthouses, that Weber is very familiar with the region. The names may
be different but the inference is there. He has also woven the lives of
locals, city people, the First Nations and Mennonite people together, as
only someone who is familiar with them could do.
His central characters, too, are those we have all known
while growing up and Weber manages to bring out the best and the worst
in them. At the same time however, he creates in his younger characters
a poignancy of leaving childhood behind while not quite yet having
reached adulthood and all the related angst that teenagers experience.
He also brings reality to those adult characters who now live, for the
most part, through their memories.
The Point is a very good read for anyone living along the Huron coast
and for teens everywhere, who will quickly recognize the characters from
their own lives.
"Being a high school teacher," Weber explains, "I've tried to weave a
story that will interest readers of any age but, particularly, young
readers. Teens today have to read books that are current. The classics
are always good but they also have to have reading material that's
germaine to their lives today and that's what I've tried to capture."
As a first-time author, Weber has integrated several plots throughout
the book that eventually culminate in a very surprising ending, and he
already has a sequel planned.
The Point is available at the Southampton Market bookstore, Brucedale
Press in Port Elgin, the two bookstores in Kincadine or at
www.johnweberbooks.ca.
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