Scholastic Canada: I Am Canada

A Note from Maxine Trottier
author of I Am Canada: Storm the Fortress

Some years ago, I wrote a Dear Canada novel that dealt with the siege of Quebec from the viewpoint of a young girl inside the city. So, it seemed logical to let readers see the siege from the opposite point of view: that of a young man on a British ship of war.

The eighteenth century has always been close to my heart. For years I was part of Le Détachement, a re-enacting group that portrayed Canadian militia. We volunteered at many historic sites, from Fortress Louisbourg in Nova Scotia, to Fort Necessity in Pennsylvania, USA. Sometimes at Fort Niagara in New York state, it was almost like travelling back in time.

The research for Storm the Fortress revealed new details of The Conquest to me. I had no idea how closely involved the sailors were in the pivotal Battle of the Plains of Abraham. Their bravery, like so many that day, was remarkable. Without them and the naval blockade of Quebec City, the whole course of Canadian history might have been very different.

Writing historical fiction is a unique project. You want to tell an interesting and exciting story, but it must be a true one. There is the challenge. Although you write the book in the quiet of your office or studio, the process is not a solitary one in the end. There are editors, fact checkers and historians to help make certain all is correct, so the reader will get a clear look into the past. I hope Storm the Fortress does that for you.

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