Former journalist and freelance writer Heather Ramsay has traded in the news for her first work of fiction, and will be promoting her new novel A Room in the Forest at Volume One Books in Duncan on Oct. 18 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
"Volume One has given me the chance to connect with people I know in the Cowichan Valley area, many who once lived on Haida Gwaii as well as the chance to meet some new people too," said Ramsay.
Ramsay, who grew up in Calgary and moved to Vancouver at the age of 18 to attend Simon Fraser University, now lives part time in the Highlands near Langford, and part-time in Chilliwack.
While this is her debut novel she has co-written three other books, two of which were published by the Haida Gwaii Museum Press, and the other a history of her father’s suicide prevention training program, LivingWorks which she co-wrote with him.
Ramsay, who is a former Black Press employee, wrote for the Interior News in Smithers from 2003 to 2004 before writing for the Haida Gwaii Observer from 2004 to 2010, which was purchased by Black Press in 2014.
She found her time writing for the small town newspapers in Smithers and Haida Gwaii some her most rewarding to date.
The former reporter, who has always been heavily influenced by place, is making her fiction debut with a coming-of-age novel about challenging old beliefs and finding one’s place in the world, which happens to be set on Haida Gwaii. But Ramsay said the clashing cultures amidst ancient forests will be familiar to many coastal readers.
A Room in the Forest opens with 19-year-old Lily, who was offered a job in the ancient forests of Haida Gwaii and must leave the dead end in her father’s small-town Alberta furniture store behind. Her search for a sense of place becomes more complicated when a band of tree planters she meets on the road question her assumptions about whose land she is moving towards. Once at the logging camp, the rugged work and her rough co-workers make her even more uncertain about where she fits in.
When Lily sees a mysterious figure who had disappeared into the forest years before there are many opinions whether he is man or myth. With a logging protest looming, Lily’s journey has her meeting locals who help her learn more about the community, which includes surprising secrets about her estranged mother’s time in the area. It has her reevaluating her own connection to it. As more and more questions rise to the surface, Lily plunges deeper into the forest to find answers.
When asked what inspired Ramsay to write this book, her answer was simple: her time living on Haida Gwaii.
"My husband, who loves to read, worked in forestry before he retired and at some point he wondered aloud why there were no novels written about foresters," said Ramsay. "I sort of rolled my eyes, probably adding something like 'boring.' One night we were chatting with a young female colleague who talked of her experiences out in the bush and at a logging camp; all of a sudden, the idea of the main character Lily took hold. and in some ways, she is me; a young woman who never thought about whose land she was on."
First Nation Liaison Officer Huux̱ Percy Crosby of the Haida Gwaii Natural Resource District said Ramsay's fiction debut invites readers on a profound journey of self-discovery set against the breathtaking backdrop of Haida Gwaii ancient landscapes.
"Ramsay weaves a compelling narrative that explores themes of identity, belonging, and the complex relationship between nature and humanity," said Crosby. "As Lily navigates the challenges of her new path in forestry, the novel deftly examines the often-overlooked intersections of environmental stewardship and personal growth. While her evocative prose captures the essence of the wild, immersing readers in the lush imagery of towering trees and the vibrant pulse of the forest; prepare to be captivated by a tale that is as much about finding one’s place in the world as it is about the transformative power of the wilderness.”
"I’m not sure I wrote the book my husband was intending, but this is what came out," said Ramsay.
