Edmonton author Lorna Schultz Nicholson releases her 45th book

Lorna Schultz Nicholson is known for her hockey and children's books, but her latest fictional novel is centered around a sport near and dear to her heart: rowing.

Lorna Schultz Nicholson is known for her hockey and children’s books, but her latest fictional novel is centered around a sport near and dear to her heart, rowing.Nicholson, who’s married to Bob Nicholson of the Oilers Foundation, now calls Edmonton home. She spoke to Global Edmonton about her latest book this week.She said When You Least Expect It is her most personal novel out of her 45 publications. The story line is based around an Olympic rower, a sport Nicholson is very familiar with. Nicholson started her rowing career in high school, which lead her to coaching the sport at the University of Victoria.

“It was very exciting to write it,” said Lorna with a smile. “I really like writing the rowing scenes. Like when she is in the boat and she’s rowing. And I really like the relationship between her and my main character, Holly and the gentleman that coaches her.”

Being out of the sport for almost 30 years, this novel was an outlet for Nicholson to hide behind. The main character — and she — relived some of the highlights and some of the painful memories of her career.

“I had my crews on the water — and then this sudden storm came up and two of the boys actually passed away,” she said.

“Over the years, I have thought so long and hard of the parents of those boys and the grief they must have gone through at that time. At the time I didn’t have any children and once I had my children it really made a difference to me.”

With the help of a wonderful editor, Lorna was challenged to dig deep into places she was afraid to go to. After questions were asked, Lorna said,

“OK, I think I can go deeper here, I think I can do this. It had to come in layers because it was difficult to do.”

If anything, she said this novel has been a way of healing from such a tragic event.