Every Tuesday, get to know a bit about the stories behind the books you love, and discover your next favourite novel.
Zilla: It’s dark times, and we need stories that remind us of unexpected community and the possibility of resilience. David Giuliano’s literary novel, The Upending of Wendall Forbes, does just that. David, could you introduce us to your book?
David: Set in the remote northern town of Twenty-Six Mile House, The Upending of Wendall Forbes follows Wendall and Ruby Forbes, an aging couple grappling with memory loss, isolation, loneliness and the rapid encroachment of dementia. When a fierce blizzard descends, bringing with it an extended power outage, a group of six eclectic strangers take refuge in their home.
As the storm rages outside, inside, a tender and surprising exploration of intergenerational hope, grief, and the quiet power of human connection.
The cast of strangers, and a talking lynx and a foul-mouthed raven, restore Wendall and Ruby’s hope for the future and for humanity. It’s a novel that is at once funny, wise, and full of heart.
Zilla: What inspired you to write this book?
David: Three things initially inspired The Upending of Wendall Forbes. First, I was sixty-two years old, on the cusp of the fourth quarter of life. I wondered what the next twenty years might be like if I live that long. What does it mean to be an elder?
I am riding on the tail end of the boomer generation, and I am painfully aware of how capitalism, greed and disregard for the natural world have failed the climate and our grandchildren.
Also, I was reading post-apocalyptic novels, which left me asking if the complete collapse of the world is our only hope. Is there redemption for this world possible?
I started the novel exploring those ideas and questions. Of course, it took on a life of its own as the story unfolded.
Zilla: If you weren’t a writer, what do you think you’d do instead?
David: For thirty years, I published short essays and poems. I have always been a writer, and like many writers, I did other things. I was a minister in The United Church of Canada, the Moderator (spiritual leader) of the national church, an expressive arts therapist, a spiritual director, served on the national Indigenous ministries’ council, and am an activist. My writing is inspired and informed by all those experiences. I have been a “full-time” writer for almost a decade.
Zilla: What’s the secret to editing?
David: Editing takes time. For me, for every hour of writing, there are four hours of editing. If there’s a secret, it would be taking pleasure in making what I’ve written better. The “Aha!” when I find a better word, sentence structure, or plot line that polishes what I wrote in a flow of spontaneous creative ecstasy.
Another “secret” is finding a good editor who understands what I am doing. I take their recommendations very seriously. I accept nearly all of my editor’s changes. A good editor is gold. Be grateful.
Zilla: What’s your next writing project?
David: I’m working on a third Twenty-Six Mile House novel. I’m no James Joyce, but I identify with him saying, “For myself, I always write about Dublin, because if I can get to the heart of Dublin I can get to the heart of all the cities of the world. In the particular is contained the universal.” Twenty-Six Mile House is a highly fictionalized version of the town where I have lived for forty years. By getting to the heart of it, I hope to get to the heart of universal human experiences.
Zilla: Thanks for sharing your story and your process. We’re looking forward to reading! Where can the Night Beats community find you and your book?
David: The Upending of Wendall Forbes is available at bookstores, online and from Latitude 46 Publishing. You can find me on my website, Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube.
