The Boom of the Bittern
Elegy for a Wetland
by Andrew Smith

---

In the final years of the 19th century, young Daniel is arrested for a homosexual act. He narrowly escapes conviction, but is forced to say goodbye forever to the Norfolk Broads—the wetland he loves. While his rich, landowning family is willing to use their in uence to keep him out of jail, they need him out of the way to preserve their reputation and they banish him to Toronto. There he’s thrilled to discover a beautiful marshland along the shore of Lake Ontario, and in it, a handsome fisherman named Callum. But the marsh and its inhabitants are threatened by a dark shadow, the origin of which is closer to home than Daniel wants to admit. When the destruction of the marsh feels as inexorable as the tide of history, what will become of Daniel and Callum, and the sanctuary they’ve found? But one of the most wonderful things about the natural world—and the human heart—is its ability to surprise you…

www.andrewsmithwrites.com

---

When Andrew Smith’s magazine article about hiking in the Himalayas— “Landscape of the Gods”—won a Western Magazine award, he thought it might be time to start writing fiction. Since then, his short stories have appeared in several in literary magazines, have been shortlisted for the Journey Prize (Canada) and the CBC Literary Awards. His first novel, “Edith’s War,” won a Gold Medal for Fiction at the Independent Publishers’ Awards in New York. Smith finds inspiration in walking, swimming, Tai Chi, and birdwatching. He credits much of his success to creative writing courses with poet and author, Anne Michaels, at the University of Toronto. Smith lives in Toronto, Canada, and you can find him at andrewsmithwrites.com.

---

Contributors

Author

Andrew Smith

FriesenPress Editions