"The Art of Floating," the title of Sudburian Melanie Marttila’s debut poetry collection, is a tribute to her late father, David.
Released recently by Sudbury publishing house Latitude 46, the book’s title is taken from one of the poems in the collection, which speaks about her father’s remarkable ability to float.
“He would literally lay back in the water, and put his hands behind his head,” Marttila recalls. “He could sleep like that. He could read like that, because he was just unsinkable.”
While the poem refers to his literal ability to float, it also speaks to how he dealt with some major challenges in his life. David was not a well man, mentally or physically, for most of his life. Melanie has also had her own struggles with mental health.
“He sort of showed me how to stay afloat in terms of mental health,” Marttila said.
When her dad died in 2011, she read the poem "The Art of Floating" at his funeral. “I could imagine him floating off in the afterlife, just like that,” she said.
Press materials for "The Art of Floating" say that Marttila “captures the solace and healing she has found in the terrestrial landscapes, flora, and fauna of northeastern and southwestern Ontario while balancing the ebbs and flows of her mental health.
“There is similar reprieve in looking skyward as she shares in beautifully crafted poems the reflections of celestial patterns on moods, perceptions and relationships. Through the often insignificant and mildly miniscule moments in life, Marttila demonstrates the truth and hope that lie within each, whether connecting with land or sky.”
Marttila grew up in Sudbury, and still lives in the house where she was raised and where three generations of her family have lived, on the street that bears her surname.
As a child, she was inspired to start writing because she wanted to make people feel the way she did when she was reading something she loved.
She started having some of her short stories published, even winning a few local contests. Finishing her up degree at Laurentian University in the 1990s, she was a member of the English Literature Society, which held poetry readings at the first iteration of the local cafe Books and Beans, and she started writing poetry.
Following her Laurentian graduation, Marttila earned her Master’s in English Literature and Creative Writing at the University of Windsor.
Settling down in the working world as a public servant, Marttila’s poetry has been published over the years, including by Scrivener Press, a Sudbury publishing company that was a predecessor to Latitude 46, although this is her first collection.
“I've basically been slowly and steadily writing all my life,” she said. “It wasn't until more recently that I actually started sort of really kind of buckling down and saying, like, you know, yes, I will write for the rest of my life, regardless of whether we get published or not. But I would really like to see something.”
When Latitude 46 started up operations in the mid-2010s, Marttila asked Heather Campbell, the company’s owner, if she could submit a poetry manuscript.
But it wasn’t until 2019 that Marttila started gathering 30 years of her work for publication. Her old friend, former Greater Sudbury poet laureate, Kim Fahner, was helpful in organizing the work for publication, which she submitted in 2021.
Once Latitude 46 gave her the green light in 2022, Marttila’s book underwent editing by Wilfred Laurier professor Tannis MacDonald, which she said was a great experience. So too was working with Latitude 46.
“Heather’s been amazing,” said Marttila, adding that she shepherded her through the publishing process, answering questions whenever she was feeling uncertain.
A launch for the book, dedicated to Marttila’s later father and featuring cover art from her cousin, Sudbury artist Gillian Schultze, was held April 6 at Place des Arts. “It’s just been an amazing experience,” she said. “So proud to have my little book out.”
You can order "The Art of Floating" through Latitude 46’s website.
Heidi Ulrichsen is Sudbury.com’s assistant editor. She also covers education and the arts scene.
