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Lyla Clarke
An unfinished, abandoned hydro project was the intended destination of a late summer hike down into the river valley close to my home. The adventure had been suggested by my brother-in- law from On...view moreAn unfinished, abandoned hydro project was the intended destination of a late summer hike down into the river valley close to my home. The adventure had been suggested by my brother-in- law from Ontario who had read up on the La Colle Falls project and thought it might be interesting to check it out. The juices of my overactive imagination instantly started flowing when we stumbled across the unexpected. Pools of stagnant water, rotting vegetation, weathered graffiti, and an eerily silent breeze created an atmosphere that was obviously the perfect backdrop for a murder mystery. I had planned on using a minor character from my first book to be the main character in my second book. The fact that Dabria’s profession was law and that I have two close friends that are lawyers was not simply a happy coincidence. Having access to professionals in the field provided me with some accurate information regarding Canadian legal proceedings, private practice law offices, and Legal Aid offices. Although I tried to adhere to proper legal protocol and have the characters remain true to their oaths, for the sake of the story, I used poetic license in many instances. Since lawyers and murderers often appear on the same stage, this book seemed to be a natural amalgamation of my musings.
The setting of my little ditty is an area I am very familiar with and have loved for many years. We purchased an old log trapper’s cabin on one of the nearby lakes a couple of years after my husband and I married. It was overrun with varmints and Virginia creeper. With lots of elbow grease and tender loving care, we restored and renovated it to showcase its former glory. Although we sold it when we moved to Alberta, my love of these lakes and log houses never died. Circumstances allowed us to return to the region a decade and a half later. Our latest adventure has us living in a log house on acreage in an area known as Lakeland. We live in a forest that is the entrance to northern Saskatchewan. Our life here allows us to skidoo from our property to trails that wind around and across the nearby lakes. In winter, we also snowshoe, ice fish, and skate on our frozen ponds. Dog sledding is one of the main events of our winter festival.
I studied English at the University of Saskatchewan after graduating from high school, and I’ve been reading romantic suspense most of my life. Therefore, I consider myself well-versed in what is necessary for this genre—a little murder, a lot of love, some spicy scenes, and an intriguing mystery. I hope I have provided all those elements for you.
L. E. Clarkeview less