Doyle Dalton, the "Peculiar" Boy

Author and Creator Ellen E. Sutherland beside the Bluenose II

To this point in the series, Doyle Dalton has been a one-dimensional character because he has never spoken for himself. A lot has been said about him, mostly by his descendants. They know him as a liar and a braggart. They cannot believe anything he says in his diary because his tales of traveling around the world in a stolen ship are preposterous and exaggerated. Later, he fought in World War I and is allegedly a decorated hero. His family cannot feel pride in him because they do not believe that he deserved the award. They believe these war stories are equally lies and exaggerations.

This week, I have featured quick descriptions of his parents in Dalton's own words. Dalton will emerge a more three-dimensional character if you give him a chance to speak. If he can tell the truth...

That's always been the question, can he tell the truth? If he can, why has he hidden the truth until now?

Let's meet his parents:

Of his mother, he says:  I’ve tried to do her memory justice, but I cannot make sweet what still echoes in my ears and in unfavorable dreams.

Of his father he says: Father did not have it in him to be a family man. He was distant. This left me vulnerable when Mother had one of her episodes...Suffice it to say, my parents had no idea the chain of events they activated when they ill-treated me, but how could they have known? How many can say they’ve seen the future? Under their tutelage I became an angry young man bent on proving them wrong.

Of himself he says: I was born a peculiar bairn. At least that was the word used to describe me. Peculiar. When spoken it was drawn out as if the speaker was sampling a new food of which they were hesitant. Pe-cu-li-ar…Sometimes Mother said worse things than peculiar. Horrid things.

As a boy, Dalton admits his best friends were books. He would slip into a story to find solace, because his was a lonely existence and, if you were reading carefully, he experienced abuse at his mother's hand.

Several characters in the Jamie Poole Books series have had family challenges. Jamie was estranged from her dad who vanished when she was six months old. Lenore's mother is diagnosed with a mental health issue. When I created each character, I did not want perfect people. I wanted real people. The fact is there is no "perfect" person, and there are no perfect families. Every family is diverse. I want readers to be able to identify with characters as they struggle with real-life challenges. This might be a time travel series and there might be a psychopath out there manipulating Time, but the best fiction pulls from reality. There are side-stories which enhance that main arc of stopping the psychopath time traveler. This is driven by the creation of authentic, relatable characters who reflect real-life experiences—both good and bad. These characters are imperfect, capable of making mistakes, yet find redemption and triumph by solving real-world challenges. Jamie did reconcile with her dad after all. And Lenore struggles to find a meaningful relationship with her mother.

Dalton is the first character to mention child abuse. More adults have experienced abuse as children than we may realize. The Dalton who writes this second diary, which has been hidden behind a cryptic code, is an adult who has had to pull himself from a dark place. Is this this the root of what created the Dalton his decedents know? To this point, his second diary has never been read. Does he remain the liar and the braggart? Is this why he stole a ship and went adventuring? It is entirely possible! Dalton is one of the more complex characters in the series. It is why he was allowed a full book to tell his story. And, his story will drive how this series will continue.

Adults who have experienced child abuse are often resilient. (Therapy, support groups, or a trusted friend all provide tools to achieve this resilience.) These adults have faced a storm that could have broken them, yet they’ve chosen to navigate through it, even if it’s taken time. Their journey speaks to a deep strength—one that’s not about being unshaken, but about finding a way to stand again after being knocked down. It’s a testament to their courage and determination to reclaim their sense of self, even when the odds were stacked against them. That kind of growth, though slow, is profound.

Is it possible that Dalton stole a ship to find himself? Is this what we will discover as a truth about Doyle Dalton? Get the book and find out!

Doyle Dalton's Diary will be available internationally April 25 on Amazon. If you're in Canada, email the author at JamiePooleBooks@gmail.com if you're interested in buying autographed books. You will be responsible for shipping costs. This book will be the translation of the second diary. Jamie cracks the code.