#HCCfrenzyPresents: Meet Brian Francis

Photo credit: Girl Well Read and HarperCollins Canada. Do not use without written permission.

The HCC Frenzy team hosted an event to celebrate the release of Brian Francis' new book, Break in Case of Emergency. We indulged in amazing fare and atmosphere at WVRST in beautiful downtown Toronto.

Brian was engaging, warm, and funny—he spoke at each table and readers were given an opportunity to hear about the book and ask questions.

This book is a bit of a departure for Francis in that it marks his YA debut. Although it didn't start out that way. He was originally writing an adult contemporary novel, about a female impersonator, but Francis realized that it wasn't working. He then brought in the character of the daughter, and framed the story as a dual narrative. However, after reading Medicine Walk by Richard Wagamese, he was inspired to write a story about reconciliation, and then Toby took over the story as the narrator.

With Francis' signature wit, Break in Case of Emergency is a vulnerable story about a non-traditional father and daughter relationship, and a young girl reconciling with herself.

Break in Case of Emergency

Life hasn't always been easy for 15-year-old Toby. Her mother died by suicide five years ago, and her father is not in the picture having abandoned her mother when she was pregnant.

When the book opens, Toby is living on a dairy farm with her grandparents. Struggling to find any light in her world, she’s making plans to follow a similar route as her mother. But her plans are suddenly interrupted when she’s told that her estranged father is returning home. Oh, and that he’s gay, and a famous female impersonator.

BRIAN FRANCIS is the author of three novels: Fruit, Brian's first novel, was a 2009 Canada Reads finalist and is an Amazon and 49th Shelf “100 Canadian Books to Read in a Lifetime” title, Natural Order was a Best Book 2011 selection by the Toronto Star, Kobo, and Georgia Straight, and Break In Case of Emergency is his newest book and YA debut. Brian is also writer and columnist for The Next Chapter on CBC Radio.

Francis lives in Toronto.