Book Release March 2025

Collected Novellas is published by Unsolicited Press isbn 978-1-963115-98-7

From story-telling author and poet, S.B. Borgersen, come three novellas in one volume. Three stories. With diverse characters, strong and unique even in their flaws. With settings that’ll make you want to visit Dorset England in Victorian times, or Cyprus under threat in the seventies, or a small coastal community today in Nova Scotia.

But that is where the differences end. All these stories embrace the human spirit in all its forms, the fight for equality, fall-outs from unwanted pregnancies, overcoming hurdles, the need to belong, and understanding that everyone has a secret. Stories that discover love, bonds of friendship, strength of community, and standing up for what is right.

Fishermen’s Fingers, Eva Matson, and Passport to Perdita will take you on those journeys.

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Early Reviews:

Susan Borgersen's Collected Novellas offers readers a trio of beautifully crafted stories. Borgersen is a gifted storyteller; each of her characters is relatable and developed fully by the end of each novella, so you feel you've spent time with a friend by the time you finish their story. One of the things I particularly enjoyed in each novella was the evocative settings Borgersen chose as her settings; from the foggy shores of Nova Scotia through the English countryside to the lush jungles of Chile, every setting works well to ground the narrative in a time and place. While the three novellas are distinct in plot and themes, they are united by Borgersen's deft approach to narrative and her exploration of the complexities of human nature.

Borgersen's writing is precise, lyrical, and highly evocative. Her thoughtful and snappy dialogue is natural and gives the reader a fully padded-out character that a reader can relate to.

In each novella, Borgersen lets her character's voices resonate. Hence, we feel we are standing next to Gordon as he opens his father's suitcase to discover long-hidden secrets, or we sit alongside Eva as she drives a car for the first time.

Fisherman's Fingers The narrative is grounded in a bleak, isolated coastal community. Borgersen's vivid language depicts the harshness of the environment and uses this to mirror Lenny's inner struggles. Lenny is not a likable character, but you still find yourself rooting for him almost against your will because of Borgersen's skill in painting a picture of the brutality he survived. The use of local color and the subtlety with which Borgersen reveals Lenny's complexities and dark secret make this a well-crafted meditation on regret, growth, and redemption. And the twist at the end is very unexpected.

Eva Matson The structure takes a more historical approach, set against the backdrop of 1900s Victorian England. Borgersen dives into the social expectations of women during that period and how Eve rebels against these norms that seek to confine women in predestined roles. Borgersen weaves historical detail with intimate character exploration, all created from an old photo the author happened upon. I loved the character of 'Grandma Matson' based on the author's own grandmother. She is a woman of verve and strength, which she passes on to Eva.

Passport to Perdita In this novella, we are taken on a more contemporary adventure, accompanying Gordon Drummond as he embarks on a journey to uncover the secrets of his family's past. Borgersen carefully layers mystery, travel, friendship, and secret revelations in a story of self-discovery for the protagonist. The novella's pacing is brisk, and the unexpected twists in the narrative keep the reader engaged throughout. I loved the descriptions of Chile, the lush descriptions of the coast, the food, and the drink.

While each novella stands independently, certain themes and narrative techniques tie them together, not least of which are secrets, who keeps them, how that affects them, and how they come to light. First, the notion of personal struggle and the search for meaning is a constant in all three stories. Whether it's Lenny grappling with his past in Fisherman's Fingers, Eva navigating societal pressures in Eva Matson, or Gordon unraveling the hidden truths of his family in Passport to Perdita, each character is on a quest—whether internal or external—to understand themselves better.

Second, Borgersen's use of the setting as a character in itself is evident in all three novellas. The coastal village in Fisherman's Fingers and the Victorian English countryside in Eva Matson are both settings that profoundly influence the protagonists. Similarly, in Passport to Perdita, the changing landscapes—from Nova Scotia to Chile—reflect the characters' internal journeys, reinforcing how place shape identity and experience.

Lastly, the characters are flawed; in all three novellas, there is a sense of the past shaping the present. Each story explores how individuals come to terms with their history, whether confronting regrets, uncovering hidden truths, or battling societal expectations.

In conclusion, Susan Borgersen's Collected Novellas showcases her remarkable ability to craft vivid, thought-provoking stories. Each novella presents a distinct world and narrative but is united by her attention to character, setting, personal struggle, and transformation themes. The wonderful writing makes this collection a must-read for anyone who enjoys character-driven plots, a veil of mystery, atmospheric settings, and stories that deliver an emotional punch. I guarantee you will be revisited by Borgersen's characters long after you've turned the final page

S.B. Borgersen’s Collected Novellas provides an intriguing look at family dynamics. What makes a family? And how does one’s upbringing influence the adult they become? These are questions that Borgersen lovingly explores in her three novellas: “Passport to Perdita,” “Eva Matson,” and “Fisherman’s Fingers.”

In “Passport to Perdita” we meet Gordon Drummond who is an older middle-aged man who has recently buried his father. He grew up in Nova Scotia where he was raised by his mother. His father was absent most of his childhood, living in South America where his wife and son believed he was employed. He returned on the eve of his wife’s death and Gordon, now a grown man, transitioned from living with his mother to residing with his father. Upon his father’s death, Gordon makes a startling discovery about his father’s business which prompts him to leave Canada for the first time in his life.

“Eva Matson” begins, “Eva came to me in a brown paper parcel,” which immediately draws the reader in. The story is based on a picture the author finds, an old newspaper clipping, compelling enough that the author desires to create a story that matches the photo. The story carries the reader through Eva’s life where we become well acquainted with her family, a family comprised of loving parents but a controlling grandmother. Raised as a daughter, but with many of the freedoms associated with boys, Eva grows up to be fiercely independent, with no qualms about exercising her own will.

The novella, Fishermen’s Fingers, explores a mother’s guilt after having abandoned her child, Lenny, following his birth. The reader meets Lenny in his adulthood and learns about his troubled life, a childhood in the system followed by a life of questionable morals.

Adele Evershed, author of The History of Hand Thrown Walls

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These stories take the reader on a fascinating journey through time and across the world to three continents. Borgersen indulges the reader with seaside towns, vivid in description, that transport the reader. Her characters are personal, walking off the pages so that we feel as if we are acquainted with them on a personal level. Each story is well developed, the depth of the problems well explored. I was particularly drawn to Eva Matson and Borgersen’s masterful play with gender roles and expectations. Eva Matson came of age in the early 1900, at a time when women had few freedoms. However, she was an only child, and as a result, her father raised her with the sensibilities of a boy. This permitted her to grow up to be self assured and confident, allowing her to have the life that she wished instead of one that might otherwise have been foisted on her.

I highly recommend this collection, especially for readers who enjoy historical fiction.

Elizabeth Jaeger, author of Stolen

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In S.B. Borgersen's Collected Novellas, characters do the unexpected, and that's why I love them. A man who's never left his hometown sets out on an international quest to meet the sibling he didn't know he had. A young woman spurns her suitor's advances to pursue her own dreams. A vulnerable young girl reveals her inner strength and a mother who abandoned her child seeks him out sixty years later. Borgersen's compassion and insight into the human condition are evident throughout, giving us just enough of a glimpse into the character's lives to leave us wanting more. An exquisite gift.

Liz Kellebrew, author of The River People

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Other published works by S.B. Borgersen from your favourite book seller