Since my previous blog, I have gained a new perspective on my book, Biography of a Friendship, published in March 2024, which was based on my notes from the 2025 Vancouver International Publishing Conference. They confirmed what I had already experienced and what I have experienced since then.

As per the ‘trends and themes’ discussed at that conference, narrative nonfiction such as memoirs, “remain difficult to get traditionally published and to reach an audience.”

As I reflect on this hurdle, and as an author who is not a public figure, I am grateful that my memoir was traditionally published and hopeful that it will reach a wider audience. I see my glass half full.

Thank you for contacting me here.

My book,

There was a reason for that choice. Writing a novel would give me more freedom. I could use my true story and weave in fictional elements. I could invent people and places and add suspense with fictional scenes and dialogues. What’s more, it wouldn’t be deemed a ‘personal story.’ 

But I couldn’t start writing at first; I had just lost my friend, and it was too hard. Then, eight months later, I stumbled on the NaNoWriMo challenge and dived in. The result was a very disjointed draft. I felt so lost that I put the manuscript away. 

Then a coincidence led me to a memoirist. I told her about my ‘biographical novel’ and how nothing about it felt right. She convinced me it was NOT a biographical novel because it was MY story. I finally understood why it didn’t feel right; I was letting someone else speak for me.  

The story needed to be told in the first person. 

Now I had to face all the reasons I didn’t want a memoir in the first place! 

(1) It would be difficult to get it published. Except for travel memoirs, it seems only public figure’s memoirs end up in bookstores. Publishers like them because they already have a great platform. Since I wasn’t a public figure, I didn’t have such a platform.

(2) I knew that the word ‘cancer’ in a submission would raise a red flag. Two agents had taken my story under consideration, and even though the illness is only a part of the story, they both said it would take time to sell. Sadly, there are too many memoirs about cancer.

(3) Finally, writing a memoir was daunting because it must be truthful and accurate. Yet memories can only be as honest as one can remember them. And, accuracy requires a lot of fact-checking, which I spent an insane lot of time on. 

However, even though I had to adjust to my new perspective, the writing process was easier than I thought. Everything fell into place naturally because I was writing ‘I’ instead of ‘she.’ I wasn’t pretending to be a fictional character anymore. 

In the end, I am so grateful that my story found its genre because it gave it a credible mission. 

The friendship angle would help other women, and the illness angle would help anyone who lost or is losing a loved one, especially from pancreatic cancer. More than that, Biography of a Friendship is now my friend’s legacy. 

About the Author.

Marie-Claude Arnott is thrilled to have joined the Tule Publishing Group as the first author of its new nonfiction imprint. Her memoir Biography of a Friendship was released in March 2024.

She lives in Vancouver with her husband and regularly visits her family in France and California. As a fourteen-year-old writing expressive letters to her best friend’s father in a long-term facility, she was told she should be a writer. Instead, she studied foreign languages early on, then got a BA in International Studies and a diploma for a two-year distance learning course from the London School of Journalism, later. She wrote for a citizen journalism site, SEO-based content, travel stories for an award-winning digital magazine, and a column for a newspaper. A collection of nonfiction stories and a novel inspired by a true story are in the works. She is a member of the Federation of British Columbia Writers, the North Shore Writers’ Association, and the International Women’s Writing Guild.

Golf, gardening, the sunsets of the Northwest, the fun of fashion, and French pastries are a few of her favorite things.

This is it… My first book, Biography of a Friendship, is about to take flight after safely landing at Tule’s nonfiction imprint, and next to its amazingly imaginative fiction authors. It took ten years to complete, including much time spent in the doldrums for me, and in a drawer for my manuscript. 

When I promised to my dying friend that I’d write a book about all of this, I meant us; as decades-long friends shattered by her stage IV pancreatic cancer diagnosis. I also meant her; as my ever-matter-of-fact friend with a colorful life. It would be a biographical novel. 

But, emotionally paralyzed by my loss, I couldn’t bring myself to start writing until I stumbled upon NaNoWriMo, and I dived in. Without an outline, my first draft was very disjointed, and it left me cold. But thanks to happenstance, I met a memoirist. She said I wouldn’t find my voice unless I spoke for myself.  I had to rewrite this novel as a memoir. And so, MC became I.

I wrote Biography of a Friendship to help other women, two friends like us perhaps. Two friends contemplating their new life because one is dying. Although Juliette asked me to accompany her to the end of her final journey, it wasn’t the story I wanted to write. There was much more to my friend’s life and our friendship than her illness. There would also be much more to the story than I could have imagined. 

There was no balking when a thought emerged from my unconscious mind. This part of my creative nonfiction journey wouldn’t leave me alone until perspective completed its arc. Until all was clear. Only introspection would give me that perspective. It was difficult and time-consuming. 

In this story of a friendship, my friend’s illness became the vehicle that took me back to my memories of us and made me ponder our then-present and its unknown. When it stopped, my journey continued. Until it unexpectedly led me to flick the light on the shadows of my life.  

In the end, that journey became more of a crusade, but it brought me peace. I hope it will help other women find theirs.

About the Author.

Marie-Claude Arnott is thrilled to join the Tule Publishing Group as the first author of its new nonfiction imprint. Her memoir Biography of a Friendship will be released in March 2024.

She lives in Vancouver with her husband and regularly visits her family in France and California. She studied foreign languages early on and received a BA in International Studies later. After a two-year distance learning course from the London School of Journalism, she wrote for a citizen journalism site, SEO-based content, travel stories for an award-winning digital magazine, and a column for a newspaper. A collection of nonfiction stories and a novel are in the works. She loves to write, read, golf, garden, the sunsets of the Northwest, French pastries, and the fun of fashion. She is a member of the International Women’s Writing Guild, Federation of British Columbia Writers, and North Shore Writers’ Association.

Read more about our new releases for March!

GIVEAWAY: We will pick ONE winner to receive a digital book of their choice from the March releases. Comment down below saying which book you’re looking most forward to reading! Giveaway is open INTERNATIONALLY. The winner will be randomly selected at the end of the month.

Marrying the Nanny by Dani Collins
Release Date: March 5, 2024

When infant Storm is orphaned, nanny Emma Wright, on a work visa and still reeling from a painful divorce, yearns to adopt her but must relinquish Storm to her three adult half-brothers. They remind her of a pack of wolves—protective, but not prepared to care for a baby.  Alpha male Reid is especially aloof and intimidating.

Like his younger brothers, Reid Fraser left the Westcoast village of Raven’s Cove at eighteen and never looked back. Now a successful corporate consultant who rescues failing businesses—which is what this fly-in fishing resort has become, Reid must rally his brothers to save Storm’s inheritance, but he and his estranged brothers barely get along. They can’t deal with an infant, too. They need the nanny.

As Emma coaches Reid through midnight feedings and teething, they try to ignore the sexual pull between them. Then they learn Storm may have family who could take her from them. Reid proposes a marriage of convenience, but will it be enough to keep this fractured family together?

Sunset at Embthwaite Farm by Kate Hewitt
Release Date: March 7, 2024

When Anna Mowbray receives a curt message from one of her estranged daughters that her ex-husband–a silent and surly Yorkshire farmer –is dying, she realizes it’s time to return home. Twelve years ago when her daughters were mostly grown, Anna walked away from Embthwaite Farm with no plan except to preserve her sanity and to find a ray of light to cling to.

But going home is harder than even Anna imagines. Her daughters are miles away from forgiveness and rebuff her every overture of help and communication, and her ex, who knows why she left, doesn’t even want to speak to her. But Anna’s determined to face her demons, make amends, and reconnect with her family.

What she doesn’t expect is kindness from her neighbors and understanding and warmth from the handsome widower James Adams, as well as his warm and welcoming daughter Jane. As Anna grieves her old life and tries to come to terms with the mistakes and hurts from the past, can she create a future where there’s room for a family around her… and the possibility of love?

Sworn to Lead by Charlee James
Release Date: March 12, 2024

She’s everything he never knew he needed – but off limits in every way.

Being a Navy SEAL gives Neo “Ransom” Godfrey purpose and escape from his cold, elitist upbringing. But when he learns his estranged mother’s dead, orphaning a medically fragile half-sibling he’s never met, Ransom rushes home. He’s committed to his brother, his team, and his career, but can he juggle everything? When he meets his brother’s protective, blue-eyed nurse with an Irish lilt, his solution is simple—she should move into his Virginia Beach home where they can care for Jacob together—strictly business.

Brynn Yarrow has been Jacob’s nurse for five years. She’s unimpressed and on-guard, when six-foot-six of solid muscle and bright green eyes swaggers in full of promises. Brynn’s slow to trust, and his proposal that she move halfway across the country sounds crazy, but impossible to refuse. She loves Jacob and could never abandon him, or hurt him, like her family did to her.

Ransom has never had anyone test his self-control like Brynn. She deserves his protection, but he longs to give her so much more.

Biography of a Friendship by Marie-Claude Arnott
Release Date: March 14, 2024

Their friendship was a defining constant in their lives…

When Marie-Claude (MC) met Juliette in an office in Switzerland, she was starting a new job. Juliette was already established, sophisticated, and refreshingly blunt. The younger MC was drawn to Juliette’s wit and zest for life, and they quickly became friends. Even when careers, marriages, motherhood, moves, and tragedy separated them across decades and continents, their friendship thrived.

Then came the day MC saw a shocking photo of Juliette looking exhausted and aged. She pleaded for her friend to visit a doctor, but neither was prepared for the devastating diagnosis: pancreatic cancer. Both women were crushed but determined to make the most of their remaining months together. MC visited Juliette in France and later Switzerland, where MC agreed to accompany Juliette on her final journey. As the two friends discussed their friendship, lives, and views on death, MC was consumed by doubt. Could she be the friend Juliette needed?

“Be a part of Juliette’s conversation” was her answer, and her final gift to Juliette is this beautiful story of their friendship.

My Favorite Mistake by Stella Holt
Release Date: March 19, 2024

Fake dating her client’s gorgeous son was a mistake—enjoying his touch will be her ruin.

Bad boy Ian Maguire is a lawyer with an image problem. But he doesn’t care if the media is obsessed with him or deemed him the most wanted bachelor. He’s also not interested in relationships, until he meets his dad’s political strategist. With her cool confidence, dark features, and quiet beauty, she is tempting enough to get him to pretend to settle down. And he can promise they will both enjoy it.

Simone Jax is trained in managing a crisis, and she has the perfect plan for Ian’s playboy status. He just needs to agree to only be seen with one woman until his father’s gubernatorial election is over, even if it’s fake. But when the press captures a picture of them kissing and blasts it everywhere, she has no choice but to play the part of girlfriend.

Just when their fake relationship starts to feel genuine, Simone discovers she’s pregnant. Is this a secret baby or the start of a real romance?

The Dating Contract by Stacey Agdern
Release Date: March 21, 2024

Sofer and Comic Letterer Samuel Levine is at a professional crossroads when he runs into what he believes is a fated second chance. He hasn’t seen Leah in ages, but the guilt over how they broke up still eats at him. When Leah proposes a fake ‘dating contract’ to help her make partner at her agency, and thwart her sister’s matchmaking,  Samuel agrees. His goal is forgiveness, after all.

But the more time they spend together as ‘plus ones,’ the more like fate the dates feel. Leah is convinced love and ambition can’t co-exist and Samuel’s convinced he’s losing her. Will they let their dating contract expire or give love another chance?

Second Chance at the Crossing by Fiona Marsden
Release Date: March 28, 2024

They never dreamed of forever until their lives began falling apart.

Connor O’Brien knew he didn’t deserve happiness. He had cost his family too much. When he fell into a relationship with Daisy Litton, he gave as much as he dared. Every day she was with him was a win, and as long as they had the same vision of the future, he believed he could hold on to her.

And then it all changed.

Daisy Litton fell for Connor the first time they met. He was everything she didn’t deserve, everything she needed. So long as she didn’t need too much. Starting a family was the last thing on her mind.

Until everything changed and she knew she had to leave.

Five years later, Connor still feels responsible for all they lost, so if he can help make Daisy’s return to The Crossing easier, he will. When they recklessly revisit how good they are together, the consequences could ruin everything they are building. Or will it give them a reason to put their hearts on the line, this time forever?