Full Review of "So Much Potential" in The Kingsville Reporter

   Author's tale centres on local fishing industry


   Author of the novel, "So Much Potential", Margaret J. McMaster says that, "The best compliment a reader can give me is: 'I couldn't put the book down', because delivering a compelling story is my primary aim. If the reader gets something deeper from it, I think that's wonderful."
   Her latest book is compelling - the reader is gripped by the story, enthralled by the characters, and gratified by the way the story curls itself into a satisfying tale. And it is a tale of the sea, or more accurately our local fresh waters of Lake Erie. 
   Her idea for the book was fostered by a course she attended that was taught by Don Rutgers about Lake Erie Fisheries. She said she was "hooked (pun intended) in the first ten seconds" of the course. She took it a second time, this time on his tug the William TR in the Kingsville harbour, "and as he was talking, a story started forming in my head." She asked him many a question and even had him read her manuscript to make sure she was accurate in her descriptions of the fishing industry. 
   The story centres on a young man just graduating from high school faced with the momentous decision of what to do with the rest of his life. His idea and that of his father's diverge, but the story is more than that. It is an adventure-mystery with a little romance thrown into the journey of a boy's passage into young adulthood.
   He has chosen the life of a fisherman, and is being squired through the process by the captain who inspired him to work on the lake. But his story is not a simple one. He must navigate through troubled waters at home, then at his job when a mystery threatens to derail his career choice. Suspenseful to the end, the tale is riveting.
   Though aimed at a 12+ audience, the story is sprinkled with enough local lore to keep adult readers interested. According to Margaret, "There are essentially two types of novels: plot-driven and character-driven. Mine are plot-driven, regardless of what age group I'm writing for."
   In her Acknowledgments Margaret notes that, "I consider myself fortunate to live in a fishing port on the shores of Lake Erie. Up until March 2012 my exposure to the fishing industry was limited ... That changed when I met Don Rutgers, captain of the fishing tug, 'William TR'. He introduced me to his fascinating world and generously provided the knowledge and technical expertise that formed the backdrop of this book." She also thanked Tim Tiessen of La Nassa Foods for his tours of the assessment and processing plants and overview of the "scaling, filleting, and packaging of the fish brought in by the tugs." Her book is available at the La Nassa Retail Store at the dock.  L. G. Karry, The Kingsville Reporter, October 22, 2013


Author Margaret McMaster is seen with copies of her latest book "So Much Potential"
alongside project consultants, Don Rutgers and Tim Tiessen.