Christine Whelan FEO, November 24, 2022, VOL. 4 ISSUE 7
The experience of living in the Fort Erie area has inspired another resident to turn author.
Matt Boles found he had, after a lifetime of border town living, a couple of stories inside him that needed to get out in print. Boles was drawn to writing for youth as a part of his bag of tools is a passion to provide the young mind an opportunity to learn and grow.
The Author’s Background Inspired His Stories
Matt was born and raised a Fort Erie local. His mother was born in Fort Erie. Her parents came to Fort Erie, “My grandfather was an American. My grandmother was from Ottawa. My father came here from Moncton.” He added, “My grandfather is in four different Sports Hall of Fames.”
Matt spoke of his own background. “I worked for Immigration for 30 years, which is now CBSA (Canada Border Services Agency). For 27 of those years, I was a Superintendent. I ran the only refugee unit in Fort Erie for several years. I worked in Ottawa when the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act came in, in 2002. I was the Policy Advisor and I helped write manuals.” He added, “With Immigration, you’re always writing.”
He spoke about the authors who have influenced him. “I’m a big fan of Wilbur Smith, Robert Ruark, Louis L’Amour.”
There is a historical aspect to Boles’ writing. This comes, in part, from his experiences as a serving board member of Heritage Arts Legacy of Fort Erie. He has written several pieces of work including a series of historical articles about the Fort Erie arenas. They were in print two or three years ago
Boles was encouraged, after writing a short story for a friend of his, to write a book. With a grateful tone, he described his friend’s continuing help, encouragement, and feedback all along the way, assisting him to the completion of his first novel, Three Arrows In Flight.
THREE ARROWS IN FLIGHT
So far, Matt has had 100 copies published and currently has 50 copies out to friends and family for review and feedback.
The support he has received has been wonderfully surprising for the author. “One person bought a dozen copies from me. I was giving copies away but some people just gave me money. One person said, ‘Keep writing,’ and handed me $150.”
He is in the process of getting the book through final publication.
Three Arrows in Flight is written for ages 12-18 and is set in 1975. According to Boles, through reading this story about a 16-year-old boy, Dan Shrike, the reader learns how to solve problems and learn what it was like in the 1970s.
Fort Erie, In The 70s As The Setting
“I love Fort Erie. We’re so rich in history. It’s such a beautiful town and the people are so wonderful.” He then added, “I don’t think enough people know about the history. About the Fenian Raids, the NAACP, all the athletes and stars who came here.”
The author talked about the time period. “You write about what you know, right? I know through Heritage Arts about Fort Erie’s history. I picked the 1970s in Fort Erie because I thought kids would be interested in finding out about some of those ‘groovy times’.”
Symbolism and Messages
Matt shared that the storyline is woven with parallels, symbolism, and messages, all subtle.
The main character, Dan Shrike, is named after the Northern Shrike, which is a powerful little bird. Both merely want to be “free birds”.
According to the author, Dan and the Northern Shrike are both handsome, their looks are deceiving and both can be violent. The fight with the three men is meant to draw comparisons and the hit song “The Flight of the Shrike” is aptly applied to that fight. While the lyrics are not mentioned, it is that fight and the name of the song that harmonizes man and bird.
There is also the duality of our basic human nature and our animal instincts.
A lot of Fort Erie’s history is laid out for young readers. Matt hopes that this will interest a few to look further into our past.
“I’m a Christian. I added, through one of the characters, some scientific evidence about the Bible. I’m hoping somebody will latch onto it.”
It was important for the author to introduce the young reader to these facts. It is not a blatant message, rather it was introduced subtly by a down on his luck, drunken man. This man reflects on his life and he realizes that he has hit bottom and decides to make a change.
Boles says the book is wholesome, with no swearing.
There is a common, reoccurring theme throughout the book about being non-judgemental of each other regardless of skin colour, gender, or sexual orientation. Women are portrayed as being strong and equal, as we all are the same.
Matt talked about his mother, Ruby Smith, who is known in the community as the chair of the Heritage Arts Legacy of Fort Erie. “If you read the book, she’s Pearl in the book.”
Pearl Shrike is also a strong character as she is highly intelligent and fearless. She is not intimidated by the bikers. The author thinks that “a mother” is the most ferocious one in the whole animal kingdom –including humans.
Boles spoke more about equality, “In both books, the female characters are very strong. I want young girls and teenage girls to read that they are equally as strong. There are a lot of those messages about equality and loving each other in both books.”
According to Boles, the reader may pick up on other parallels in the book, such as the Old Dance Hall and the Coach. At one time they were both tall, strong, and majestic but time ravaged them equally. And time will forget them.
There is foreshadowing in 1813 when the three characters from years ago are planning the alleged theft and the three decided to come up with a song with an embedded code.
There is an interesting, unexpected twist that even the author did not plan. “You’ll find that there’s a song with a code in this book. It’s a fictitious song with clues to buried gold in Fort Erie. June Chipp from Fort Erie read the book. She read the song. She asked, ‘Where did you find that poem?’ referring to the song. I told her I made it up. She was surprised. ‘You made it up?’ Being a historian, June had a great interpretation of the clues and apparently, they are historically correct. She said it runs parallel to her notes.”
Things that make you go ‘hmmm’.
While working on the final process of this novel, Matt has another project on the go.
PUPPY ISLAND
“I am currently working on a second book which is a Christians Children’s book titled, Puppy Island. I sent it to publishers and they’re interested in it.” He explained it’s not edited or proofread yet.
“Puppy Island is a beautiful little story, written for 8-12 year olds. I really love Puppy Island.”
These 120 action-packed pages are about five children, ages 10-12, who are in a Zodiac boat but get lost at sea. They find themselves in shark-infested waters and — somehow — have to swim to the island.
Boles says he used people he knows well to create four of the five characters. The fifth is a “generic brat” without a name. He shared that this storyline also has references to Fort Erie.
One character can communicate with animals. Another character can see angels. The angels are helping the children, guiding them to different places on the island. The island has a volcano and it’s about to blow.
This book has a problem-solving component to it as well. The children learn to survive on the island, to make fire, and to figure out how to handle the fact that the water is toxic and they can’t drink it.
They battle demons that they call “wicked beasts”. And there are hummingbirds that can read minds.
The children have to get off the island, have to swim passed the sharks, while their parents are on their homeland, trying to help their children reach safety.
“To publish both books, it’s going to cost me about $15,000 to have them done properly.” However, by the end of our conversation, Boles commented that this will eventually be the plan.
Watch for Fort Erie’s history, playing out in fiction, with Matt Boles’ Three Arrows In Flight and Puppy Island to make it to publication in the future.
“I’m not doing this for money. I would like to break even. I just had these stories to tell.”
Photos by Matt Boles
