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MEET
SHANNON
FaeryFlower Press is the publishing house of indie-author Shannon L. Robertson. Campfire Stories from Northwestern Ontario (2012), and More Campfire Stories from Northern Ontario (2018) are original tales, first told by Shannon around her family’s campfires, and imaginatively illustrated by her son, Eric Bowen as a pre-teen, and then teenager.
“Welcome to FaeryFlower Press & Campfire Stories! I began to tell campfire stories when my son, Eric, was little, and they’ve become a tradition for our family. We usually camp at Ontario Provincial Parks, so the stories weave together landmarks, legends, and lore from our favourite parks, including Sleeping Giant, Neys, and Lake Superior. The characters include some we learn about at the parks, some from our own family, and of course, some who are completely imaginary! Over time, I’ve noticed that the central characters, usually youths, are often a bit like me: quiet, introspective, and unsure of their confidence and abilities. They wonder whether they are brave enough to face new challenges & terrifying adventures. Yet when life – or unknown forces – put them to the test, they learn they DO have what they need to make it through!” – Shannon
A writer since childhood, Shannon has always loved the beauty and mystery of natural spaces, especially forests. Raised in Winnipeg, she fell in love with northern Ontario’s rock-and-tree landscapes on family road trips to Kenora and around Lake Superior. Although a penchant for words, stories and books led her to begin university in the languages, majoring in French (B.A), she then decided to become an ecologist (B.Sc.), studying wild plants & animals. Eventually, the forest called, and Shannon made her way to Thunder Bay to study forest ecology and silvicuture (M.Sc.F).
And then life happened! Following her heart, she moved to Kapuskasing and Hearst to be with her university sweetheart, and to begin an interesting & varied career, first as a Demonstration Forest Coordinator, then a Parks Planner in Thunder Bay, and eventually a Boreal Mixedwood Silvicultural Guide & Literature Review author and editor.
“While working at Ontario Parks & the Ministry of Natural Resources, I took several fiction writing courses to explore my creativity and my dream of becoming an author. I delighted in expanding my repertoire of writing, moving from the academic forms of my workplace toward more shareable styles. Joining some local writers to form The Pulp Fiction Writers, we created and published our short stories in a set of folios. When Eric was born, my writing was temporarily put on hold. Yet I still longed to write more imaginative, longer yarns, and accomplish my dream of completing my own book. When Eric was a child, I began to tell him stories at our campfires, partly as entertainment, partly for practice in developing plots. A lull in ecology work gave me time to start putting those tales to paper, & thus, Campfire Stories were born!”
In addition to writing and publishing the Campfire Stories Books, Shannon has shared them with people young, old and in-between, via readings at Provincial Parks, and at public venues in Thunder Bay.
“I’m very happy to share these stories with you, and hope they encourage you to tell – and maybe record – your own campfire tales!” –Shannon
Shannon is currently completing a novel, Silver, Tale of a Wolf, which began as one of her campfire stories! An intense adventure tale about a young wolf growing up and learning about the world and his place in it, the novel takes place on and around the Sibley Peninsula of Lake Superior, where the Sleeping Giant lies!
