How do you assess the life of individuals? They build great things; perform heroic acts; create beauty; or they influence the lives of others in small, everyday ways. This novella, After Clouds, Sunshine, highlights the latter. It weaves through the life of one such person, Grace Evelyn Loucks. A descendant of United Empire Loyalists-Grace comes from hardy stock, and lives in the quiet village of Aultsville. When life dishes up a series of disruptions, it forces her into a radically different existence.

After Clouds, Sunshine captures the life lessons of this courageous woman. She builds resilience to absorb the challenges set on her path. How can we compare her journey, to one set in modern times, where individuals, severed from the depth of human connections so necessary for prior generations, struggle with different obstacles: those of loneliness, searching for purpose, and feelings of inadequacy?

Based on true events, the author imagines one version of how their lives unfolded, weaving in elements of social history to bring the story to life.

Cynthia lives in a rural area of Canada, Caledon, Ontario. She writes Creative Non-Fiction stories to share journeys of courage and resilience, blending records and keepsakes with social history to tell one version of her characters' lives. Inspired by the fortitude of past generations; Cynthia brings their history to life. She dedicates her writing to her children and grandchildren to awaken a connection to their roots. She enjoys the challenge of bringing native plants back into her garden. She published her first book in 2020 and plans to release her fourth novel this year.