Kim Fahner
Writer • Editor • Teacher
Debut Novel
The Donoghue Girl
by Kim Fahner
Published September 2024 by Latitude 46 Publishing
The Donoghue Girl is the story of Lizzie Donoghue, the spirited daughter of Irish immigrants who desperately wants to not only escape Creighton—the Northern Ontario mining town where her family runs a general store—but also the oppressive confines of twentieth century patriarchy. She believes her escape can be found in Michael Power, the handsome young mine manager recently arrived in Creighton from the Ottawa Valley.
Caught up in a complex familial love triangle, Michael first courts Lizzie’s older sister, Ann, but then finds himself more and more drawn to Lizzie. Their lives twist and turn as they are all forced to face the harsh reality of the broken expectations of marriage and family just before the onset of WWII in Europe.
This is Lizzie’s story, from beginning to end, and readers will fall in love with her bright spirit as she comes to realize her true strength.
Available in print and eBook format
"Truly resonant literature takes you to a time and place and makes you feel at home, and The Donoghue Girl does exactly that. Kim Fahner has finely crafted an enchanting novel that intimately explores a community and way of life often overlooked in Canadian history and letters. The authenticity and tenderness at the core of these characters will pull you in and enrich your perspective. As someone who now calls Sudbury home, I’m proud and thrilled to see this novel represent a part of this community’s story."
— Waubgeshig Rice, author of Moon of the Turning Leaves
“The Donoghue Girl transports readers to a Northern Ontario mining town in the late 1930s. Cinematic in scope, as well as emotionally intimate, Fahner’s debut novel is a moving portrayal of the Donoghues, an Irish Catholic family, with special focus on middle sister Lizzie, the “feisty” one. This passionate and beautifully written story explores the challenges that arise in family dynamics, often blurring the line between actions unbidden and by choice. Filled with cutting insights and astute observations, this is a gorgeous read.”
— Catherine Graham, author of Quarry and
The Most Cunning Heart
"I loved spending time in Kim Fahner's northeastern Ontario of the 1920s and 30s, brought vividly to life with her poet's pen in her debut novel The Donoghue Girl. Following the tumultuous relationship between feisty Lizzie Donoghue and troubled miner Michael Power, this story is an ode to place and a smart consideration of the limitations of choice in a time ruled by dangerous work, impending war, and binding gender roles. It left me thinking, longing for that Ontario landscape, and holding Lizzie in my heart... "
— Lauren Carter, author of Places Like These
Book Launch Livestream Recording
The Donoghue Girl by Kim Fahner was launched on Thursday, September 19th, 2024 at Knox Hall in Sudbury. Kim is joined by musicians Pat, Dan and Karly, and shares more about the making of her debut novel with Judi Straughan.
The Donoghue Girl:
A not-so-long playlist
Describe your image
Emptying the Ocean
Published Autumn 2022 by Frontenac House
Emptying the Ocean is a poetic journey based on the ancient Irish immram tales—the soul voyages taken by a woman who moves mystically through the four elements and the spirited Otherworld. Water, earth, air, and fire are woven through with imagination, inspiration, and spirit.
The voice of the selkie bookends the collection, and the character of the sailor finds himself caught up in her wake. Rooted firmly in Irish myth and lore, with references to strong female figures who shapeshift and move between dimensions, there are Atlantic echoes of both Ireland and Newfoundland at work in these poems.
Signed copies of Emptying the Ocean are available in Sudbury at:
The Art Gallery of Sudbury (215 John Street)
Seasons Pharmacy and Culinaria (815 Lorne Street)
Bay Used Books (124 Elm Street)
Books and Beans (158 Elgin Street)
Chapters (1425 The Kingsway)
Emptying the Ocean:
A long playlist
