Catherine Walker on how feminism, history, and hope shape writing

Catherine Walker is a retired nurse, educator, and lifelong feminist activist. Drawing from her own experience as a Florence Nightingale theory instructor at Toronto Metropolitan University, Catherine brings vivid authenticity to the character of Beth in her novel A Watch of Nightingales.

Catherine Walker, author of A Watch of Nightingales

Catherine has fought for equal pay for public health nurses, helped organize Toronto’s International Women’s Day marches, and continues to fundraise for African grandmothers supporting AIDS-orphaned children through the Stephen Lewis Foundation. Born in Scotland and now living in Claremont, Ontario, Catherine is proud to call Canada home. In this interview, Catherine shares how she began writing in retirement, reading about World War 1, her favourite authors, and how feminism, history, and hope shape her writing.

Re-imagining the life of Canadian painter Emily Carr

A Watch of Nightingales is an historical mystery novel that re-imagines a little-known time in the life of famous Canadian painter Emily Carr. When Emily leaves her restrictive home in Canada to study art in London, England, she longs to prove herself as an artist, trying to carve a path for herself towards financial security. But her dreams don’t receive a warm welcome, as her disapproving English relatives believe that the only respectable path for a woman is marriage.

Before Emily can prove the worth of her artistic career, she falls ill and finds herself trapped in a sanatorium, forming an unlikely friendship with Beth, a Florence Nightingale nurse assigned to her care. As a web of intrigue and poisonings tightens around them, Beth and Emily find themselves in a race against time to prevent an attempted murder.

Feminism, history, and hope shape writing

OCW: What life experiences have shaped your writing style?

CW: My life experiences have influenced my writing, and one has a lot of experiences by eighty years. I started writing ten years into my retirement from Toronto Metropolitan University. I retired at sixty-five from a job I loved due to ill health.

Feminism is a theme in my writing – a thread of feminist principles affects my characters and the story. I have been a feminist all my adult life influenced by my relationships and experiences. A difficult divorce and being a single mother expanded my understanding of the many challenges women face. I had a privileged childhood with loving parents. Finding the strength to withstand the difficulties inherent in single motherhood was difficult for me but gave me new strengths.

I also found a loving relationship with a partner who values feminism. The memories of and the contrast to aids my writing in a sensitive way about women and relationships.

A Watch of Nightingales by Catherine Walker

I am a humanist. Reading philosophy facilitated the examination of my beliefs. I think that people are inherently good and motivated to work at improving themselves through introspection and observation. By examining conscious experiences, a person can work toward achieving full potential and positive self-concept. Free will to make choices intersects with feminist principles. Free will, a holistic view, empowers a person toward spiritual growth and an ability to contribute to society. This theory very much is a perspective supporting nursing practice. It influences my character development.

World War I and experience inform Catherine Walker's writing

I also love history and most lately I have examined WW1, the war that changed the world. A cruel war when man discovered brutal ways of maiming and killing. a war that ripped a hole in humanity’s soul. I write about heroism, hope, and the search for humane behaviour, not battles.

My common themes are a belief in the essential goodness of people, of hope during adversity, and strong women who strive for free will and self-actualization.

OCW: Has your writing evolved over the years? If so, how has this happened? Through writing experience? By reading a lot? From writing courses, writing communities, or something else?

CW: I haven’t been writing for many years. The more I learn about the world, its good and bad I am driven to hope that more humane decisions and behaviors will eventually prevail. I am more pessimistic and have experienced a whittling away of my hope for humanity. The current wars, the starvation of a population, the greed, climate change become more of an influence on my writing, no longer being a Pollyana but a hopeful optimist. These world issues are finding a way into my narratives.

OCW: Which authors and/or types of books do you like to read?

CW: I read an eclectic selection of books. I read mysteries, both cozy and thrilling. I do have a preference for historical fiction which I write. I enjoyed the Jane Austen mysteries by Stephanie Barron. I also like more challenging mysteries like those written by Kate Atkinson and her Jackson Brodie books.

 I do have a preference for historical fiction which I write. I enjoyed The Summer Before the War  by Helen Simonson who also wrote one of my favorites, Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand.

I read all Virginia Woolf, particularly Mrs. Dalloway, which I read five times. I was very moved by A.S. Byatt’s The Children’s Book and Possession. My interest in WW1 led me to read Pat Barker.

Finding the right publisher: From independent presses to feminist publishing

OCW: If you’ve been published, how did you find your first publisher?

CW: I looked first for independent publishers then narrowed it down to feminist presses. Inanna was my first submission attempt and luckily my first publisher.