Just Because We Can

If you love the earth and a compelling read, this book is for you.

Dale became an environmental scientist to help save the earth, but at 36, she is jaded with the reality of her job. Meanwhile, just as she struggles to connect with her glamourous mother and navigate her siblings' complex problems, she and her husband embark on another round of IVF.

But just as the suffocating pressures of everyday life threaten to overwhelm Dale, she leaves on a work trip to Thailand. Working on a landfill site halfway around the world, she unexpectedly becomes captivated by a neighbouring village and its inhabitants. She readily adopts their deep, spiritual connection to the earth. Amidst the tranquility, she finally finds a place where she belongs. A place that feels like home. With her panic attacks replaced by transcendent experiences, how can Dale return to Calgary, knowing that everything will be the same? Could she actually discard her marriage, her career, and her family? Can she figure out what's best for her and what's best for the earth?

In a culture trumpeting individual abundance and unlimited growth potential, this novel asks: what is truly important in a world where time is running out, where resources are limited? Should Dale, should any of us, keep treating the world as our personal oyster… just because we can?

Just Because We Can is a 2018 Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist.