The Briars Between
An Emily Twillum Adventure
by Andrew Sibbald

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Thirteen-year-old Emily enjoys her life on the Briars estate in Jackson’s Point, Ontario, where, up until recently, things have been quiet and peaceful. For the past four years, Emily and her parents have lived in a wing of the manor, looking after the Briars property and the elderly Miss Bessie Sibbald, who was like a grandmother to Emily, and who has recently passed away. In the wake of her death, Emily’s world feels a little less sunny. Nonetheless, she looks forward to summer, as always, when she gets to spend time with her friends, Jewish cottagers Rachel and Benjamin, and Jimmy from the nearby Chippewa reserve. It is the year 1919—an unsettled time in Canada, post-war, the Spanish flu pandemic just starting to ease—and with change in the air, Emily’s plans for a fun summer quickly begin to unravel. The government places more impositions on the Chippewas, directly affecting Jimmy and his family. Antisemitic activity has followed Rachel and Benjamin from Toronto. Then Emily discovers that her family’s future at the Briars is at risk. Amidst concerns over her changing world and body, Emily starts to negotiate a different kind of summer; then along come the Ladies War Canoe Race. And those spirits who’ve been taking her dreamwalking—are they helping, or not? The Briars Between is the first Emily Twillum Adventures novel. Built around the author’s family history, Emily’s story is an ode to the Briars property, a coming-of-age saga, and a fictional exploration of a turbulent time in Canadian history.

andrewsibbald.ca

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Andrew Sibbald was born some four decades after Emily Twillum’s story takes place and grew up on the Briars property in Jackson’s Point, Ontario. When his family sold the property in 2017, after 140 years of their stewardship, he remained involved in the community. His planned village historical tours were quashed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It was then that Emily—Andrew’s fictional protagonist—visited him and gave him permission to tell her story. Andrew is most inspired when enjoying nature—walking, birding, paddling. He is active as an Anglican parishioner, contemplates history, reads a variety of books though mostly novels, and teaches Shotokan karate. He now resides in Halifax and Western Shore, Nova Scotia. There, they are close to their children and their families, which include two grandsons and three wonderful dogs. The Briars Between is his first publication, and he is currently hard at work on the next Emily Twillum adventure.

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Contributors

Author

Andrew Sibbald