Jan Keating

A Normal Boy Jan Keating

Donald is a "normal boy", living with his family on a prairie farm near Weyburn, Saskatchewan during the "Dirty Thirties". When his father is tragically killed, Donald's mother decides to marry the hired hand, Frank, in order to save her farm. Frank hates children and gives Donald's mother an ultimatum that he will only agree to marry her if she gets rid of her four children. This ultimatum leads to Donald being placed in the Mental Hospital at age 9 where he struggles for many years dealing with horrific trauma, loneliness, abandonment and abuse. Normal children living in this asylum were a well-kept secret. This is the story of one such boy. This compelling novel is a human-interest fiction inspired by true events. It is a story about courage, love and forgiveness.