Children in their formative years often learned secrets and gained an understanding of a wider world through the hole in the ceiling. Now as adults, they share for the first time their cherished memories of overheard conversations that have shaped their lives—stories of humour, heartache, and joy—from friends, relatives, and visitors to their childhood homes.?xml:namespace prefix="o" ns="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

The character of Newfoundland and Labrador comes shining through in this treasury of shared experiences collected by retired teacher Anne Galway, who has seen the value of the unique and fascinating education that can be gained through the hole in the ceiling.

Anne Galway grew up in North River, Conception Bay. Since retiring from the education profession, she has been a writer and visual artist focusing on the landscape and culture of Newfoundland and Labrador.Her memoir articles have appeared in periodicals such as Downhome magazine. She also writes poetry and is a member of the Writer’s Guild of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Writers’ Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador.Her visual art appears in local art venues and churches, as well as in private collections across Canada. Her well-known painting Balcony View was used as the basis of the cover of this story collection.Anne’s experience as a teacher and guidance counsellor spans thirty years in many Newfoundland communities, including St. John’s, Gander, Corner Brook, and Codroy Valley. However, her most treasured educational experiences relate back to the hole in the kitchen ceiling. She can still hear her mother admonishing her: “Anne, get away from the hole and into bed,” which sometimes (but not often) deterred her from this pastime. Aware she had not been the only one receiving the benefit of this education, she encouraged over one hundred contributors to record their experiences in Stories from the Hole in the Ceiling.Her next book will be about a young girl’s adventure when she visited Labrador as a member of a Newfoundland fishing family in the early 1930s.Anne lives in St, John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, with her husband, John. Stories from the Hole in the Ceiling is her first book.

Anne Galway's profile page

Janice Udell's profile page