Scarred: A Novel

Fog Lake City has a community of stray dogs called the Den. One of them is a four-year-old male named Scar, who was abandoned at a young age and prefers being alone. Roaming the streets, he discovers a young husky puppy named Comet left in a box in an alleyway. Forming an unexpected bond, Scar and Comet try to survive on the cold winter streets of Fog Lake City. After a sudden encounter with his former owner, Scar feels trapped in between two worlds. Is he a lonely stray or a lovable pet? He now has to decide where he truly belongs and what it means to be a family.

Description written by Catherine Khaperska

Can be bought directly from publisher or from retailers!

Inside: Thoughts From A Pandemic

2020’s quarantine was a rough time for many. Stress and boredom were building up. Me and my friend (whose name will remain anonymous) decided to write a novel together about a community of stray dogs. The first chapter of this novel, Scarred, is published in Inside.

Published in June 2022, Inside is a collection of 28 stories, poems and other works on the theme of isolation, submitted by Nova Scotian authors, and is published by Nevermore Press. All proceeds fund the South Shore Public Libraries Bookmobile, which is essentially a library on wheels supporting rural communities around Lunenburg.

The coalition for digital narratives

“Perspectives” was inspired by the theme of the coalition’s Issue 7 (April 30th, 2024), which was “how to care/for each other/should nothing matter”. On the theme of “should nothing matter”, “Perspectives” was brought to life. It’s not only published digitally on their site, but there is also an audio recording there as well.

This poem is about taking life and shifting your perspectives to realize what really matters.

CRIAW/ICREF F-Word Feminist Magazine

Letter to Women was written in the spur of the moment on International Women’s day 2022 as an inspirational message for women and girls everywhere to follow their dreams and be strong, confident individuals.

The 10th edition of the Canadian Research Institute for the Advancement of Women (or, CRIAW)’s F-Word Feminist Magazine was published in the summer of 2022, and features “the voices of young women and feminists across Canada” (quote from the CRIAW website itself).

The Light Goes On At Night

The Light Goes On At Night was written in 2021 for the Helen Creighton Folklore Society Ghost Story Contest, in partnership with the Halifax Public Libraries. It tells the story of Matthew Osborne, an old man living alone and working at a lighthouse. When he dies unexpectedly and becomes a ghost, he realizes that there are so many experiences that he missed out on because of his life at the lighthouse, and proceeds to have exciting, exhilarating adventures in his seaside hometown. The Light Goes On At Night is about living life while you still can, and savouring the moments that life gives you.

In The Woods

In The Woods was written in 2018 and has won the Helen Creighton Folklore Society (HCFS) Ghost Story Contest. It is about a dog that goes hunting with his owner and ends up getting killed as he defends his master against wolves in the woods. He is reincarnated as a ghost and sees his owner sadly processing and coming to terms with his pet’s death. In The Woods is a story about how death affects those who have been left behind. While I am proud of this story, it’s very obvious that this was written by eleven-year-old Catherine!