11/01/2018

Jacqui Nelson’s North of the Border with guest Marjorie Lindsey



Who's next on my North of the Border guest blog series? Today we have Marjorie Lindsey, author of The Falcon Chronicles series!

Where does Marjorie get her inspiration? How is Canada part of her inspiration? Read on and see...

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Thank you, Jacqui. I’m delighted to be a North of the Border blog guest. 

I write teenage/young adult futuristic fantasy novels. How has living north of the border inspired my stories? It puzzled me too until I realized—it’s about my love for my environment.


I was a city kid. Apart from Sunday drives into the country and a two-week camping trip each summer, I spent most of my childhood in Toronto. We had a small backyard, but during daylight hours I roamed away from the house. There were lots of kids in my neighbourhood. Our playground was the tarmac in front of our houses and the mysterious back laneways lined with old garages. Don't get me wrong. Toronto has lots of green spaces, but like most kids, my cruising neighbourhood was restricted to within calling distance of my parent’s bedtime hail.

When I was eight, my father bought a run-down 100-acre farm, two hours North of Toronto. The farmhouse lacked the usual amenities, but the colony of mice that lived there didn’t seem to mind. The property boasted a newer barn. Alongside it was the rickety shell of an old cowshed—much more fun for climbing. Last but not least was the leaning tower of Pisa also known as the outdoor toilet. The gaps between the boards offered little privacy and attracted large garden spiders and other buggy wildlife. But my brothers and I didn’t care about the facilities. We were kids with a new world to explore.

The farm was pie-shaped. From the narrow point, the land widened and rose gently to a crest before descending to a river. Old logging trails snaked across the slope. Among sparse trees, we found the remains of wooden wagons, sleigh bells, and a scatter of rusted wheels. Most of the farm had been cleared for crops. The overgrown fields were grassy homes for gophers and rabbits. I loved to walk through the pastures letting my hands drift among wheat stalks, enjoying the silence and the sunshine.  My favourite place was a small orchard. It’s where I had my first apple picked straight from the tree. I don’t remember what kind it was, but I recall (with a wince) that it wasn’t ripe.
I love the country, and Ontario has some beautiful spots, but it was during a vacation that I lost my heart. 

In my early twenties, work necessitated living in downtown Toronto amid the noisy trappings of city life. When my best friend was transferred to Vancouver, I visited her and fell in love with the mountains, the ocean and the sky-scraping trees. The images of that visit never left me.  Years later, when my husband and I had the opportunity to choose where we would like to live, I remembered the west coast and its glorious beauty.  In 2008, we packed a van and drove west.


To Canadians it’s beautiful British Columbia. Our American friends call it the Pacific North West. No matter the name, it’s a glorious landscape that must be treasured and maintained. My infatuation with this part of the country is why I included it in the setting of my novels. 

I’ve described my heroine’s home as an island much like those off the west coast, but hers is a remnant of a larger property, owned by her family, that has been swamped by rising oceans. The Falcon Chronicles take place in the future after climate change has significantly impacted our world. Glaciers have melted. The seas have risen. Storms rage across the oceans. Millions have died, swept away by tsunamis or crushed by earthquakes. Only small pockets of humanity survive on small islands or mountain tops.


The scenario I describe in my books is unnerving. While scientists and politicians continue to wrangle about the details of climate change, reports of increasingly violent storms and frequent heatwaves are a constant reminder that our environment isn’t static.  
While I don’t have my heroine’s abilities to protect our planet, I continue to be grateful for its magnificence.
The Falcon Chronicles
Are you grateful for something in the natural environment where you live?

Comment below for a chance to win an ebook copy of The Last Singerbook 1 in The Falcon Chronicles
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My novels are futuristic, adventure fantasies geared to teenagers and young adults. The Falcon Chronicles series has two current themes. One is climate change, the other is coming-of-age, focusing on young women.

A love of reading is mandatory for a writer. For me the writing part came later. I completed my first unpublished romance novel in 2010, then took a break. A few years on, influenced by the themes in series such as The Hunger Games and Divergent, I revisited writing. My desire was to create a strong relatable heroine and follow her journey into the responsibilities of adulthood in a futuristic, dystopian world. What followed was the adventurous story of Brynna Bokk and her friends.

My education definitely influences my stories. I have a degree in psychology and women’s studies, and a diploma in fine arts—all things I love to weave into my books.  In the past, I worked in finance, was an art entrepreneur, and a full-time caregiver.

I reside with my husband on the beautiful west coast of Canada.

Facebook Author/Like Page: www.facebook.com/marjorielindseyauthor 

~ All pictures (except for the 1st) are supplied by today’s guest with their assurance of usage rights

24 comments:

  1. Welcome to the Get Lost in a Story blog, Marjorie! Thank you for sharing your North of the Border inspiration with us.

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  2. Oh these books sound fascinating! I live in Australia and I'm afraid our government seems to have lost the plot re climate change, but I have high hopes that a rebellion is on the horizon. I suppose what I'm grateful for is our next generation of switched on voters!

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    1. Hi Avril,
      Government policies in most countries certainly need 'editing' :). Let's hope that the wakeup call comes soon!
      Have a good one!

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  3. It's always fascinating to me to see what inspires an authors storytelling! Love this segment that Jacqui is doing. North of the Border is one of the most beautiful spots in the world , IMO. And hey, it brought us Ryan Reynolds, that puts Canada on a pedestal in my book Dystopian novels seemed to have created a whole new generation of avid readers! Thank you for being a part of that! Great to have you visit!

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    1. Thanks, Amanda. It's lovely to be part of 'Get Lost in a Story'. Unfortunately, Ryan Reynolds isn't part of my circle of friends, otherwise I'd introduce you. We can only admire him over popcorn!

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  4. Wow, the books sound fascinating. And terrifyingly real!

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    1. Hi E.E.
      Let's hope the terror will always be restricted to fiction! Thanks for dropping by!

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  5. I loved hearing your Canadian story complete with a drafty Ontario outhouse and a love for B.C. s islands. What a journey.
    I live on Vancouver Island. Today I'm most grateful for George, a local heron, who fishes in the river below us. I love watching him fly.
    Your books sound fantastic.Thanks for sharing.
    Jo-Ann

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    1. Hi Jo-Ann,
      Isn't it lovely to have a 'George' to brighten your day!
      Thanks for stopping by.

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  6. Like you, Marjorie, I grew up in Ontario. On a recent trip there I felt my spirit rejoice in the familiar landscape of the Canadian Shield, scarlet maple trees and many, many lakes. Now I live in Beautiful British Columbia with a view or the ocean through my study window, yet the heart pulls for home. When I flew back to B.C. over the ice-capped Rockies and took the ferry through Active Pass, my heart swelled at the grandeur and beauty of the place. I count myself blessed to have an inland landscape and an ocean one to sing in my soul.

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    1. Hi Alice,
      I always sense your love for Canada and the landscape when I read your novels.
      My heart swells too or I get a little teary when I see the offshore islands!
      There's something about this beautiful planet that never ceases to stir feelings of hope and gratitude.
      Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

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  7. Welcome, Marjorie! I'm so happy you're here with us today. Not quite a year ago, we moved from Florida to northeast Tennessee. I'm in love with the mountains and the milder weather.

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    1. Sorry, Nancy, I sent Alice's reply incorrectly. This is my first guest blog and I'm still getting used to the tech.
      I certainly understand your love of the mountains. I can't imagine living anywhere without them now. The milder weather is a bonus!
      I haven't been to Tennessee, but I'd love to see your mountains someday.
      Thanks for your welcome to 'Get Lost in a Story'.

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  8. Hi Alice,
    I always sense your love for Canada and the landscape when I read your novels.
    My heart swells too or I get a little teary when I see the offshore islands!
    There's something about this beautiful planet that never ceases to stir feelings of hope and gratitude.
    Thanks for sharing your thoughts.






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  9. Fascinating. I love discovering back stories of authors and how their past has informed them and made an impact on their future. Such a varied background with a commendable focus on the arts.
    Even though I was born on the island, it took me a lifetime to return. And for all of the reasons you mentioned, I'm so glad that I did. Bravo on creating your trilogy!

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  10. Hi Jodie,
    Living on the west coast, I feel like I won the lottery! I know that you also have a fascinating story to tell about this country and its varied landscape, and I look forward to hearing it.
    Thanks for your comments and for stopping by!

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  11. nice pics; like the birds

    bn100candg at hotmail dot com

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  12. Hi everyone,
    I let my hubby draw the name of The Last Singer ebook winner. It's Jo-Ann!
    Thank you all for participating. Have a good weekend and happy writing!

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    1. Congrats, Jo-Ann! And thank you, Marjorie, for being my guest and thank you, everyone, for joining us and commenting!

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  13. What a wonderful and varied life you’ve led. And I can’t help but agree with you that the west coast is a wonderful place to live. Your covers are very attractive and suggest a vivid fantasy world. Thank you for the invitation to see a possibility of the future.

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