The Briars Bemused

The Emily Twillum Adventures: Book 1

Published Copy

Genres

Women's Adventure, Fantasy Adventure, Canadian Fiction, Coming of Age, Magical Realism, Novels, Middle Grade, Historical, and Young Adult

Type of Ending

Series

The Emily Twillum Adventures — Book 1

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Publication Date

Mar 31, 2026

Page Length

278 pages

Available Formats

ePub and PDF

The Briars Bemused

The Emily Twillum Adventures: Book 1

Published Copy

Blurb

“We won’t be here. We won’t be anywhere. It will be as if we’ve never existed.”

Trapped in the Royal Ontario Museum's American Indian Gallery, three terrified spirits wait anxiously, fearing they'll go poof!

Up north, still gripped by the terrors of her nightmare where she's ensnared moments before the Halifax Explosion, Emily scurries to the trolley for Toronto.

A twelve-year-old on her own must keep her wits.

Men are trailing her. The Grim wants to fetch the truancy officer. And every time she dozes off, the nightmare deepens.

And if she doesn't get where the magic is drawing her…

Travel to Toronto in 1919, home to the most astonishing people:

A “looter” of ancient Egyptian crypts; the women who are modernizing fledgling Canada; a woman travelling alone to deep China.

And a sickly young nurse, Miss Amelia Earhart, who falls into Emily's arms and dreams of flying.

Mystery, magic, suffrage, post-war anxiety and promise, and a plucky protagonist make this book a pleasurable read for a cozy corner or a magic-filled classroom.

"The Briars Bemused" is the first in the Emily Twillum Adventure series, a prequel to The Briars Between.

Details

Genres

Women's Adventure, Fantasy Adventure, Canadian Fiction, Coming of Age, Magical Realism, Novels, Middle Grade, Historical, and Young Adult

Type of Ending

Series

The Emily Twillum Adventures — Book 1

Author Prefers A Review On

Goodreads, Amazon, BookBub, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Google Play, or Apple Books

Reader Spots Remaining

Number of days to read

Publication Date

Mar 31, 2026

Page Length

278 pages

Available Formats

ePub and PDF

Author

What do you do when a thirteen-year-old girl pokes you and says, “Write my story”? Hey, you know thirteen-year-old girls—determined.

What I liked was that she was living in my family’s old homestead on Lake Simcoe, Ontario. My parents turned it into a resort when I was a teenager.

The first owner named the property ‘The Briars’ back in 1840. That’s where I lived and worked until I retired, so I know it well. The house, the parish, and the community have so many stories to tell.

What I didn’t know was that her summer of 1919 was so busy. To get it down, I’m writing multiple books. I’ve published the first, with more to come.

Young Emily and I are piecing them together from Canada’s Maritimes. Fortunately, fictional characters travel well. She isn’t fond of the airplanes, though. They weren’t that safe when she was around.

So, we’re getting there. I sometimes get distracted by the trails, the water, the wildlife, our grandchildren, and teaching—my karate students require some of my time.

I’m looking forward to entertaining you.