The Fantastic Grown-Up Book Fair

I did my first real author reading at a conference on Saturday - the Fantastic Grown-up Book Fair happened to be located about a half hour drive from my house. I decided to sign up to do an author reading - figuring I might as well try jumping into the community of local authors.

There were a lot of self-published local authors at the fair. Most of the books in trade paperback form were selling for $20 or $25. The price point highlights that I’m undervaluing the print edition of my current book.

This is the first time I’ve done a reading on the Going East Canada book.

Here is what I read, I’d love to hear what you think of it. Please leave a comment.

Excerpt from: Going East Across Canada: An Epic Cycling Journey by Rebecca J. Hogue

Target publication for this book is Summer 2027.

This story takes place on the ancestral and treaty territories of the Anishinaabe peoples, specifically, it is within Treaty 3 territory. It is home to the Agency One First Nations—Couchiching, Mitaanjigamiing, Naicatchewenin, and Nigigoonsiminikaaning.

Treaty 3 concluded in 1873 between the Anishinaabe Nation and the Crown. Treaty 3 remains a living framework shaping jurisdictions and cooperation between nations.

The Axe Murderers

It’s 4 pm on a Friday as we leave Fort Frances Ontario — a four-hour drive or four-day bike ride — west of Thunder Bay on highway 11.

After two hours of riding, I know we aren’t going to make it to the campground before dark and I’m hungry. Given we are still in bear territory, we don’t want to be making dinner at the same place we are camping. Plus, if we stop for dinner by a lakeside or creek, we won’t need access to water when we camp.

After a small bridge over a creek, we pull off and park our bikes on the shoulder of the road. I pull the kitchen bag off my bike and bring it down to a landing a few feet below the road. On a rock shelf that is the perfect height, I setup our camp stove and start preparing food. Scott pulls out the water pump and heads down to the creek to purify water.

As I’m cooking, a car pulls up beside our bikes. I’m nervous as Scott isn’t aware of the vehicle. A man opens his window and calls out to me “are you planning on camping there tonight?”. Part of me is thinking, uh no, our tent wouldn’t fit, while another part of me is concerned, is this someone that doesn’t like cyclists? I politely explain that we are not sure yet where we will camp, but that we will likely try to find a place ten or so kilometres up the road.

The man asks us about our bikes and our trip, which normally I would enjoy; however, our dinner is starting to burn. I need to shift my attention away from the car and towards dinner preparations. Scott is still down at the creek, blissfully unaware of the conversation.

Seeing that I am distracted, the man bids me farewell and the car drives off.

Just as we are sitting down to eat dinner, the car re-appears. The window opens; it is a woman this time. She tells us “we have a cottage with a spare room, just up the road a few kilometres. You are welcome to join us this evening”.

I don’t even have to look at Scott before accepting the offer. This is exactly the type of serendipitous invitation that we cherish.

To find out why this is called the Axe Murderers - you’ll need to buy the book.