The School of the Haunted River by the late Colleen Gerwing is a moving novel set in northern-Saskatchewan.
The School of the Haunted River by the late Colleen Gerwing is a luminous andmoving semi-autobigraphical novel set in northern-Saskatchewan wilderness she loved.
In The School of the Haunted River, thelate Saskatoon author and outdoorswoman Colleen Gerwing drew on her deep knowledgeand love of the outdoors to craft the semi-autobiographical tale of a an auntand her niece, Jay and Dilly, on a mid-winter snowshoe trek in northernSaskatchewan. During the trip, Jay recounts her experiences in an outdooreducation school and her own epic solo canoe trip across the north many yearspreviously. As Jay and Dilly grow closer, the older woman gains newunderstanding into her own life.
Gerwing died in 2021,never seeing her work through to publication. Her final editor was notedSaskatchewan writer dee Hobsbawn-Smith, who as writer-in-residence at theSaskatoon public library worked extensively with Gerwing her original draft.
“In her earlymanuscript, Colleen had drawn on her life’s experiences . . . a lifetime ofcanoeing, hiking, camping, backpacking, and outdoor adventure,” notesHobsbawn-Smith in her introduction to the book. “In 2021, the draft Colleenpresented me with for editing had, in the intervening years and work with otherwriters, undergone the same type of pressure that coal undergoes intransforming into gemstone. That is to say, Colleen found her story and how shewanted to tell it and set about polishing the rough edges until the clear and shiningstory that was her novel emerged . . . Here is her story, distilled from herown life and her own lived experience, recast as a novel, The School of theHaunted River. She left the world a better place.”
Publication of thebook was initiated and overseen by Gerwing’s partner, MaryAnne Roettger, whoalso contributed the preface. The cover art is a painting by Gerwing, who wasalso a talented artist.
“I was thrilled to be asked to bring this wonderfulbook to publication,” says Edward Willett, editor and publisher of Endless SkyBooks. “I never met Colleen Gerwing in real life, but I feel I’ve gotten toknow her through reading her novel—and gotten to know and understand our ownprovince’s north in a way I never have before. I can’t wait for readers toexperience The School of the Haunted River.”
The School of theHaunted River can be orderedthrough most bookstores, online and off . It can also be purchased directlyfrom Endless Sky Books at www.endless-sky-books.com.
More about the book
We are all bornof a river, and that in itself should be enough.
On a two-week outdoorwinter snowshoeing trip in northern Saskatchewan with her niece Dilly, outdoor adventurerJay tells stories as they hike and camp. Some are true – her outdoor trainingin Wyoming, her early life on the farm – and some are stories within storieswithin stories. A faux diamond necklace that mysteriously appears anddisappears, Jay’s youthful encounters with the mysterious Cowboy, an inspiringseries of books that she read on her long-ago canoe trip alone – all areunderscored by Jay’s love and respect for the wild.
In The School of the Haunted River, the late Colleen Gerwing fashioned anovel based on her own life as an outdoorswoman, a novel about the naturalworld that will haunt and enchant even as it educates you.
About the Author
Colleen Gerwing grewup on the family farm near Lake Lenore, Saskatchewan, a creative and adventurouschild with a wonderful imagination. Her first job at Waskesiu began a life-longlove of Prince Albert National Park. She studied recreation technology atKelsey Institute of Technology in Saskatoon and worked in Rosetown and Haffordand then at the Saskatoon Boys and Girls Club for some years.
In 1977, she attendedthe National Outdoor Leadership School in Wyoming. She worked as a guide atAlgonquin Park, and in the 1970s, she had a small company called WildernessTrips for Women. Canoeing, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, wintercamping—she loved being out in the natural world, often by herself.
Colleen began her workwith Parks Canada at Fort Walsh near Cypress Hills and at Riding MountainNational Park in Manitoba, but mostly worked at her favourite place, PrinceAlbert National Park. Grey Owl, the naturalist, was one of her heroes for allhis flaws, and she became friends with his wife, Anahareo, and their daughter,Dawn. In winter, Colleen studied French in Quebec or German in Germany and Creein Saskatoon. She was a wonderful painter and favoured painting paddles androcks as well as canvases. Although Colleen survived her first bout withcancer, it came roaring back and took her quickly. She died peacefully at homeon April 20, 2021, at the age of 58.
Praise for TheSchool of the Haunted River and Colleen Gerwing
“With tender care anddeep empirical knowledge gained over many years, Colleen Gerwing invitesreaders into the landscape she loves best: northern Saskatchewan. This autobiographicalnovel’s language, imagery, narrative flow, and characters all bring her storyto vibrant and compelling life. Gerwing offers wise, helpful, and illuminatinginsight into the nature of life and death, into that fine line between ‘now’and ‘then,’ and the enduring and essential connections between us and thenatural world.”—J. Jill Robinson, award-winning author of More in Anger
“Colleen Gerwing was a marvellousnaturalist. Whenever I went into the boreal forest with Colleen, I was preparedto learn something new, and often surprising, about the forest and itsinhabitants. Colleen loved spending time in the forest in every season of theyear. Each animal she saw and bird she heard added to her deep appreciation ofthe boreal environment, and she was always ready to share her insights withothers.” —J. David Henry, author of Canada’s Boreal Forest
“Colleen spent decades of her life on theland. She always sought to connect or reconnect others with nature. Herthoughtful words continue to impact all those who knew her or read her writing.”—Lauren Markewicz,Interpretation Officer, Prince Albert National Park
About the Publisher
Endless Sky Books is abook-publishing company founded by award-winning author and editor EdwardWillett in 2023. For more information, contact publisher@endless-sky-books.comor visit www.endless-sky-books.com.
Editor dee Hobsbawn-Smith is available for interviews, mediaappearances, and speaking engagements. Please contact mickey.creativeedge@gmail.com by email or by phone at 403.464.6925
