Completing what he calls “The Incredible Poop Trilogy,” Sudbury author Jeremy John recently put out his latest book, an anthology of summer-themed short stories called “The Death Swing at Falcon Lake, and S’more Summer Stories to Make You Poop Your Pants.”
Stories focus on everything from building the perfect tree fort, to a first kiss at summer camp and fishing with grandpa.
Steeped in nostalgia for the time when kids had true freedom in the summertime, it’s the perfect book of stories to bring to camp and read around the campfire or in a hammock.
“So a lot of it is nostalgia, and at the same time, you know, me being me and writing stories with poop in the title, hopefully I've mixed in some good laughs there as well,” said John, who works in sales but writes for fun.
“It’s been lots of fun to write, and people are starting to read it, and they seem to be enjoying it so far.”
All three of John’s books have “poop” in the title.
His previous two books are an anthology of spooky stories called “The Strange Grave of Mikey Dunbar: And Other Stories to Make You Poop Your Pants” (2022) and another of Christmas stories called “Robert’s Hill: (Or the Time I Pooped My Snowsuit) and Other Christmas Stories” (2021).
His publisher, Dundurn Press, decided to highlight the “pooped my snowsuit” story in the title in his first book, and has decided to keep the “poop” naming convention.
“With the ‘Death Swing at Falcon Lake,’ I didn't even bother asking,” he said. “I just knew that the title was going to be ridiculous and have that word in it.”
Asked if there’s going to be a fourth “poop” book, John said he’d be “delighted” if there were, and there are some conversations with his publisher about what the next book would be.
“I never thought the first one would be made, let alone the second one,” he said. “The third one is absolute gravy. I'm delighted to be able to have this many opportunities to share my stories.”
He first got into short story writing through a Christmas tradition, writing a story and sharing with his family on Boxing Day. Those stories were turned into his first book.
Asked where he gets his ideas, John said some are based on his own real-life experiences, while others are suggestions that come through brainstorming with author pals.
Often visiting classrooms to share his stories, John said he’s honed his storytelling skills in this way, as kids are brutally honest about what they think.
John said he decided to focus on the summertime this time because when he was sharing the drafts of a few stories to his publisher, they all happened to be set in that season. He also added a few spooky stories he wasn’t able to fit in his last book.
The idea for the book’s title story, “The Death Swing at Falcon Lake,” came about after a friend told the author about a rope swing called the “death swing” at Falcon Lake in Manitoba.
“That's pretty much where the similarities stop,” John said. “Mine is much more epic in its scope, and in scale than this particular rope swing, but it turns into a fun tale. It's about a young person who gathered the courage to go on the death swing for the very first time.”
John recently held a launch for his latest book at 46 North Brewing in Sudbury, but he said he will also be signing copies of the book and giving away free activity books at Sudbury’s Chapters from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, June 2.
He’s also collaborated with Muskoka Brewery, which has included the story “The Death Swing at Falcon Lake” and four activity pages in its Summer Story Sampler beer packs.
The author will take part in a couple of events in the Orillia area in June, including readings at both Muskoka Brewery in Bracebridge from 2-4 p.m. June 8 and at the Leacock Museum National Historic Site in Orillia from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. June 9, as part of the pop-up farmers' market there that day.
If you can’t make it out to any of these book signings, John’s books are available through major online booksellers.
