Welcome to Dépanneur Mullarkey

Black Annis Year is now pre-ordering at special pre-release pricing. Launch day is April 17th. While we’re waiting for it, I’ll be talking about different aspects of the new series. There’s a lot going on in this book—from animal rescue to dark fae. Today I want to talk about the quirky setting—the fictional town of Mullarkey Mills, and more precisely, its unique perspective as a predominantly English-speaking town in a French province.

Mullarky Mills is not a real village, but it is based on several of the small towns near me in the Pontiac Region of Quebec. I learned last year that many Francophones call this area, the lost Pontiac because no one can figure out how it managed to stay so English, despite the Quebec governments long-standing attempts to extinguish the English language within its borders. I think that’s pretty funny and let me explain why.

I grew up as an Anglophone in Quebec. I went to French Immersion school and learned to speak passable French. I married a French Canadian and was even further immersed in the Quebecois culture. But as an Anglophone, I always felt apart. I don’t think this is unusual for English speakers in Quebec. We are a minority here. For decades, the Quebec government has tried to eradicate the English language in Quebec. From laws like Bill 101 (enacted in the 1970s) that forced business owners to show French predominantly on any signage, to the more recent and rather draconian Bill 96 which tries to enforce French is the only official language of Québec. It might not sound like a bad idea when their aim is to preserve French culture, but this law means that English speakers will be forced to communicate only in French for any service that is government-run. That includes healthcare at doctors' offices and hospitals, a fact that has many people claiming the new bill is a health hazard. Which it is. It’s also almost entirely unenforceable.

So you can see why growing up English under the French yoke can create some resentment. However, I have found that Anglophones in Quebec tend to steer their resentment toward the government and not toward the people they share the province with. In fact, I have always enjoyed the French culture. You have to try very hard to eat a bad meal at a restaurant in Montreal. The government also promotes its culture through the arts and supports many festivals, museums and artistic forms. As I grow older, I find I enjoy French Canadian music too. It has a folksy beat that appeals to me. More on that in a minute.

So when I created Mullarkey Mills as the little village  for Black Annis Year I wanted to celebrate its unique status. It is an Anglophone community in rural Quebec, very much like my new home town. And while I try not to hit you over the head with the struggles of living English in Quebec, I do add many little quirks that are distinctive to this area. 

For instance, there are some French words that have become mainstays in English, but only in Quebec. Words like tuque (a winter hat, normally with a pom-pom), dossier (a file folder or a case file), or skidoo (the brand name of the first snowmobile (and like kleenex has become a default for tissue, so has skidoo replaced snowmobile). 

My favorite French word adopted for English use is dépanneur, which is a convenience store. Originally, this word meant a repair person or a mechanic, then is sort of morphed into a McGyver-like person, someone who makes do in a pinch, which is where the convenience store reference comes in. 

Dépanneur Mullarkey features prominently in Black Annis Year. It is the focal point of the town. It’s the only grocery store for miles around, and it sells Auntie Clare’s famous pies. A chip truck sits in the parking lot, doling out another uniquely Quebecois treat, the poutine (French fries, gravy and curd cheese, yum!). On warm evenings villagers gather outside the dépanneur to sip wine, eat poutine and listen to music. 

And even though the characters of Mullarkey Mills are Anglophones, like me they embrace their French heritage. I would say they are even a little proud of it. So the nights of Mullarkey are filled with Quebecois music. Many of these tunes are alluded to in the story, and I created a playlist for anyone who wants to join in the festivities at Dépanneur Mullarkey. You can find links to the playlist below. 

In coming newsletters, I’ll talk about other aspects of this new series, such as the fae element and the animal rescue element. In the mean time, enjoy the music of Mullarkey and be sure to pre-order Black Annis Year now to take advantage of the pre-launch pricing (price goes up on launch day). 

And, if you have questions about the this unique village or what it’s like living in Quebec, I’m happy to answer them. You can reply right in the comments. Until next time, salut! (That’s a Quebecois greeting that can mean hello or goodbye and the “t” is silent).
 

For the next few weeks on the Inbetween Discussion Groups, we'll be chatting about all things trope-related. Join one of the groups (Facebook or Discord) to chat with other book lovers. There are also spoiler threads, ask me anything threads and we also like to show off our critters. 
 

This week's book fairs have something for everyone. Grumpy/Sunshine refers to those romances that start of a little rocky. Find your next audiobook with the Sound of Stories and there are some terrific series to binge in the UF completed series book fair. Click on any banner to check them out!