In Search of a Happy Ending

Six months in the life of a Vancouver writing group; each member has three stories: the one they are writing, the one they are living, and the one they are hiding. Eve tells no one that her cardiologist has indicated that she is in danger of imminent death. But if she, only 34, is running out of time, what about the others? The group leader, Hector, is 86, and his wife Golda is even older. Celebrity-seeking Chelsea's recklessness is so extreme that no one wants to ride in a car that she is driving. High school dropout Raynee thinks five huskies are all the protection she needs for solo mushing in the mountains. Perhaps Pi’s bloodthirsty stories peopled with characters who always end up dead are not fiction? Is Scott’s prostate cancer really in remission? And why is enigmatic Lisette convinced that if the family she has fled ever locates her, her life will be over? As the novel unfolds, a theme emerges from the very different pieces of writing presented for discussion. Each is a reminder of the tenuousness of life. As members of the group discover each others’ past secrets and current crises, unexpected relationships develop that may save some of them, but lead to the death of others. The stories they are writing will be altered, the ones they are hiding will be exposed, and the ones they are living will be given entirely different endings.