Hello, Readers...
In 2017, my family ended our stewardship of The Briars property after 140 years, our home and base for a farm, community centre, golf course, live summer theatre, and year-round resort. There are so many stories to tell, about the property, the family and their visitors, Jackson's Point, Lake Simcoe and the points around it, that can be midwifed into great tales. Despite their abundance, I had not planned on writing a novel, let alone a series. But when my plans for running historical tours in the village and local church were quashed by the COVID-19 pandemic, young Emily—my fictional protagonist—visited me and gave me permission to tell her story.
The current series is written to be enjoyable for middle school children, but adults who enjoy Anne of Green Gables will find Emily is much a kindred spirit from a later time period, when Ontario was not as rush-rush as it is today.
I'm looking forward to publishing The Briars Between this fall. In the meantime, I am working on the next Emily Twillum adventure, where I introduce my grandfather, but more importantly, my late cousin, young Jackie.
A little more
about me
Though I grew up in Jackson's Point, my summers were focussed on our family's resort, The Briars. Swimming in Lake Simcoe was a primary summer pasttime, with the constant hope in winter that the lake would also provide excellent skating. More recently, my focus has been paddling on the Black River, a near wilderness paradise adjacent to the Briars property. It provided me the opportunity to refine the skills I needed to teach canoeing and to watch a plethora of birds. Likewise, in the winter, the golf course was a lovely place to maintain my nordic skiing skills. These I used in teaching at the resort.
Since selling the resort property, I have had the opportunity to explore my childhood interest in nature. I took courses through the TRCA, where I developed that keen interest in birds. Birding is a marvellous way to enhance walks, hikes, and paddling excursions. These outdoors interests are revealed in my books.
Having dragged my wife from Nova Scotia to Upper Canada (Ontario), we have after twenty-five years returned to her roots. Two of our children and our grandchildren live nearby. Besides enjoying this new environs, and working away at becoming "Andrew Sibbald, Author", I teach Shotokan karate in Halifax.