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Marcy Lane
ALLi Author Member
Location: Canada
Genres: General Nonfiction, Literary Fiction, Mystery, Womens Fiction
Skills: Reading/Literary Event, Self-publishing Workshop/Training, Speaking Engagement/Lecture, Writing Workshop
Marcy Lane draws inspiration from the rich tapestry of human behavior, crafting stories that spotlight ordinary Canadian women navigating life's most challenging situations. Her debut novel, A Mercy of Widows, published in August 2023, explores themes of grief and resilience, influenced by her own experiences of losing two life partners to cancer.
Born to parents with itchy feet, Marcy draws on her upbringing as an army brat living across Canada, the UK, and Germany to infuse her story settings with authenticity. Her background includes three degrees in fields that required extensive writing, though not specifically in literature. She also managed a medium-sized charity, where she amassed significant non-fiction writing experience, far exceeding Malcolm Gladwell’s ten thousand hours expertise threshold.
Transitioning to fiction, Marcy embraced a beginner’s mindset, actively engaging in workshops, retreats, and classes since 2017. She is a proud member of the Writers Union of Canada, the Women’s Fiction Writers Association (WFWA), and the Alliance of Independent Authors (ALLi), and benefits greatly from a supportive critique group.
Apart from writing, Marcy has a passion for art, experimenting with mediums like pour painting and alcohol ink, which reflect her chaotic (experimental?) creative spirit.
Marcy lives in a small cottage in southwestern Ontario with her opinionated dogs, Bug and Lucy. She is currently working on two novels: one set on Haida Gwaii about estranged friends attempting to reconcile and save cultural artifacts; and a cozy mystery set in a fictitious town along the Canadian shoreline of Lake Erie.
Marcy Lane's books
A Mercy of Widows
*Finalist, 2023 Wishing Shelf Book Awards*
Her heartbreak is real but lack of a wedding ring has left her defenseless. Will grappling with MAID legislation destroy her or bring her peace?
Heddie Wright worries she’s failing her beloved. Struggling to resurface from grief after caring for her boyfriend as cancer tore him apart, the forty-something almost-widow is discovering how hard it is to fulfill her promise to move on. And her tentative steps toward healing become entwined with a tense mercy-killing trial when she’s assigned to the jury that must judge another heartsick woman.
Locked out of her sweetheart’s funeral and final will, Heddie wrestles with thoughts that he was merely using her as a convenient deathbed nurse. But a biting awareness of how far she is from coming to grips with her own choices leaves her reluctant to dole out blame as secrets, fears, and anguish spill across the courtroom.
Will wrestling with unbearable decisions help her complete a crucial journey of self-discovery?
Tackling heavy subjects with deftly balanced perspectives and a leavening of wit, Marcy Lane weaves a poignant picture of the human elements involved in the birth of Canada’s Medical Assistance in Dying laws. Filled with flawed but loyal heroines, dynamic dialogue, and endearing pets, her candidly compassionate words will leave readers pondering anger, grace, and the impossibility of unanswered questions.
A Mercy of Widows is an emotionally charged work of women’s fiction. If you like character-driven stories, seriousness tempered with humor, and realistic legal drama, then you’ll adore Marcy Lane’s tale of redemption.