Going Forward and Looking Back

Susan Carnes has returned to San Juan Island for the summer and will read from her two novels on Wednesday, August 23, 7:00 pm at the Library.

The Way Back: A Soldier’s Journey is a novel chronicling the struggles of a World War 1 veteran dealing with PTSD. Susan’s father and several of the men he hired to run his dairy were veterans of the “War To End All Wars.” Because of her experiences growing up with them and later counseling with veterans in treatment centers, she felt compelled to write their story, wanting to provide hope, and to honor those who fight our wars. The story begins as the old dairy barn on Susan’s home-place is being demolished; it ends with personal insight giving meaning to a saying Susan had used playfully: “My barn burned down and now I see the moon.”

Epiphany: Starting Over in Oregon is the story of a woman wrestling personal demons while seeking romance and a meaningful life. Set in Oregon’s wild places, she collaborates with extraordinary characters to enrich the lives of school children, and to discover herself.

About the Author

Susan Carnes

Susan Carnes grew up on a Wisconsin dairy farm on the south shore of Lake Superior. She graduated from Iowa State University. She married, taught school and earned two Master’s Degrees while farming and raising three sons. She has counseled in addiction programs, practiced art therapy and biofeedback in chronic pain centers, and later became a school counselor in Oregon. She coordinated 4-H programs on 5 islands in Washington before retiring.

While spending winters in Mexico, Susan joined the Mazatlan Writers Group and wrote her first book, My Champion. She has written two novels since then: The Way Back and Epiphany.

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