Before Thirty

Writer Reveal - My Canada

In many ways, the places Gwen and Blake visit in this book are very close to my heart. The whale watching tour they go on along the west coast is something I did with my parents and brother as a teenager. We ventured to Western Canada every other summer when I was young because my dad's sister lived out there. 

Then I was considering going to the University of Victoria for their creative writing program. Life (and my desire to not go *quite* so far away from home) took me in a different direction. But I have fond memories of that trip.

The hike Blake and Gwen take where they see not one but two grizzlies—that happened to me, my husband, and my uncle when we decided to go to a remote trail near the 'top of the world' when we were visiting my aunt and uncle out west one August.

At the trailhead was a warning that bears had been spotted in the area in recent weeks. My uncle, who is from Calgary and hikes all the time, wasn't concerned about the posting. But I had a weird feeling and almost opted not to go. We'd already seen grizzlies on the side of the road earlier that day in a different part of the park we were in. As someone who doesn't encounter bears regularly, I was a bit freaked out by the bear activity we'd already witnessed.

This was about twelve years ago. Recently, we were back in that area, and the signs that warn of bears also indicate that hiking parties should be four or more in areas where bears have been spotted. I suspect we were very lucky to walk away unscathed from our bear encounter. 

They spotted us or perhaps heard or smelled us—I'm not sure. But they both rose onto their back legs out of the foliage, not too far ahead of us. Close enough that I could easily gauge their size (and they were big but not so close that I thought we were definitely in big trouble), and they sniffed the air. They weren't aggressive, more curious, I think. But they definitely were not scared or intimidated by us, despite our group of three plus a decent sized dog.

We backed out of there until my uncle said we were good to turn our backs and hot foot it out of the trail and back to civilization. It's a cool story because it worked out fine, but that moment of sheer panic when we saw the bears rise will live with me forever.

It was a very good lesson in being prepared. My uncle had bear spray on his belt, and he'd told us that continuous talking was a must to warn anything ahead of us that we were coming. Although we were surprised by the bears, I didn't get the sense they were surprised by us.

In a similar vein, driving from Calgary toward Banff and Lake Louise offers some stunning views. As you drive, The Rocky Mountains appear on the horizon, and they're huge. Majestic. The sort of view that would never be anything other than awe inspiring. 

Much of Western Canada is truly spectacular in terms of scenery, hiking opportunities, and just the sense of people experiencing the great outdoors. Many of the cities and communities have made good use of their space, and they've planned for pathways or protected spaces that allow people to bike, run, or walk so many places.

While writing the chapter about the powwow, I had recently attended one not far from where I live. It was an incredible opportunity to experience Indigenous culture, and it feels like there's been a renewed interest in learning and understanding about the First Nations, Métis, and Inuit communities in Canada. 

Our Truth and Reconciliation Commission that highlighted 94 calls to action has certainly helped to move along peoples' interests. As a teacher, I play a key role in trying to bring some of those educational experiences into the classroom.

Having Gwen and Blake discuss the missing and murdered Indigenous women on the Highway of Tears, having them eat Bannock and elk stew at a café, and having them attend the powwow were all opportunities for me to acknowledge the joys of the Indigenous culture while also highlighting some of the serious mistakes Canada has made in our relationship with Indigenous communities. Quite often their pleas for help have been ignored and people have died as a result.

Manitoulin Island, where Blake and Gwen attend the powwow, is somewhere I vacationed with my parents and brother as a kid. The Chi Cheemaun Ferry across Georgian Bay to Manitoulin Island was always a source of fear and excitement for me. It took me someplace that I loved to go, a place where adventure and freedom lived, but it was also two hours of torture as someone who had a good case of motion sickness as a kid. Kneeling beside the toilet seat is my greatest memory from our first trip across. Sea legs? What are those? 

As the summers wore on, I became slightly better at managing the sickness. But when we went back a few years ago with our own kids, I kept expecting to feel ill. The smell of the boat was enough to take me back to my childhood uncertainty. Luckily for me, staying outside and looking at the horizon tends to help me.

Niagara Falls, where Gwen and Blake separate and reunite, is a place I've visited many times. Since I live in Ontario, it's somewhere that anyone who visits from out of country must go. As a Canadian, I'm biased in my belief that the Canadian horseshoe shaped falls are far superior to what the United States offers. The great news is that you can see both the American and Canadian falls from our side, so you can decide for yourself.

On the Canadian side, we've also got the market cornered on gaudy and extravagant tourist traps. For whatever reason, Niagara Falls has, what feels like to me, about ten different haunted houses or horror themed houses along the main strip. Like Gwen, I find it hard to believe so many people enjoy being scared.

Niagara Fall has been a great place to take my kids over the last few years. We've done the water parks (there are several), the arcades, the Rainforest Café, and the mock London Eye. We've wandered Clifton Hill and taken photos up and down the path that overlooks both the American and Canadian falls.

As a kid, I did the trip under the falls (spoiler alert: it's just a wall of loud water), and we also did the boat trip "into" the falls which is mostly just wet. The boat tends to be popular, though. Considering how strong the currents are around there, the fact that the boat can get that close is impressive. In the last few years, they've also installed a zipline next to the falls which looks fun (and fast).

There's a long history of daredevils taking the plunge over the falls and either surviving or plunging to their death. The ingenuity (and stupidity) is astounding as you read the various ways and attempts people have made. The first (recorded) successful trip over the falls took place in an oak barrel in 1901. If you ever have a chance to stand beside the falls and experience the sheer force of the water going over, you'll wonder how an oak barrel could have possibly been enough.

From Niagara Falls, I fast forward Blake and Gwen's adventures through some places that I've traveled along a corridor of Canada that I drove many times. Since I went to university in Ottawa, and I'd grown up south west of there, I'm pretty familiar with Toronto, Belleville, Kingston, the Thousand Islands area, Ottawa, and Montreal. Journeying along those roads was a regular occurrence for five years of my life.

Gwen and Blake end up meeting up with Izzy and Jeremy in Quebec City, which I've been to a few times. I love the old world feel of the city. It's one of the few places I have been in Canada that truly reminds me of Europe. Experiencing Old Quebec City is like stepping back in time. I've only ever visited in the summer, and it was lovely. It's also where my parents went on their honeymoon after they were married.

The foursome travels along the St. Lawrence River to their rented cottage. One of the coolest places I've been along the St. Lawrence is a place called Tadoussac. It's a little village where lots of whale watching tours depart from. The amount of marine wildlife in the St. Lawrence corridor is pretty astounding. 

While I had gone whale watching in British Columbia, my favourite experiences have taken place in Tadoussac. There is no shortage of things to see and each time I've been, I've never had to wonder if I'll spot something. Sitting on the edge of the river, you can watch the wildlife teeming. One of my favourite sightings involved Beluga whales. They were stunning to watch.

Looking ahead, the places on Newfoundland I've already mentioned are known to me through my husband's family and one of my good friends grew up there. Since I haven't been there myself, I've had to rely on expertise outside myself. 

As someone who likes to write based on my own experiences when I can, it can be daunting to try to recreate places I haven't been to or experiences I haven't had. Sometimes that's half the fun of writing, though. When I can truly step outside myself and into someone else's shoes, it can feel rewarding (and sometimes emotionally draining).

Do you have any questions for me about places mentioned in the novel or situations Blake and Gwen have experienced?