Proud to be a Canadian Author telling Canadian stories! |
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Gabriele Wills enjoying Muskoka - copyright Melanie Wills
Online interviews with Gabriele can be found on these sites: Unique Muskoka Magazine, June, 2025 In Conversation with Bee Lindy J.A. Beard's Unnecessary Musings |
Gabriele is a dreamer, a romantic, a history buff, and a lover of lakes. What better career than writing novels where she can indulge herself and find joy in every day spent with fictional friends who surprise and delight her with their stories?
Her passion is to recreate an era in which she can immerse herself (and readers), by weaving compelling stories around meticulously researched facts. Her first novel, A Place to Call Home, was inspired by the rich but neglected social history of her hometown, and pays homage to the indomitable pioneers who carved thriving communities out of the inhospitable backwoods of early Canada. Her epic “Muskoka Novels” series sprang from her love for that magical land of granite, pine, and water, which speaks to her soul. She’s also fascinated by the era, and the contrasts between the genteel, pre-war years and some of the most turbulent decades in the 20th century. Her latest novel, Once Upon a Summer, was a fun, escapist COVID project – a love story with a ghostly twist. But it also celebrates the many Muskoka resorts that evolved from hardscrabble farms, and a summer vacation ethos which has all but vanished. So it’s a love story in several ways, including as her tribute to Muskoka past and present. The eldest child of “Displaced Persons” in the aftermath of WW2, Gabriele was born in former army barracks in Germany. Her family emigrated to Canada when she was three, and she grew up in the small town of Lindsay, Ontario, where her brother was born. Read a more detailed description on her blog. After graduating from the University of Toronto with an Honours B.Sc. in Psychology and Sociology, and a B. Ed., she had a varied career as an educator, literacy coordinator, and website designer. She’s been an active community volunteer, particularly in heritage preservation and the arts. In some of those roles, she wrote numerous newspaper articles detailing historic buildings and local history. She also produced an award-nominated feature on CBC Radio. But writing fiction has always been her passion. Her first short story appeared in the Canadian Authors Association Winners' Circle 5 Anthology. Gabriele is married to her university sweetheart, and has a talented daughter who is a scientist and award-winning author and photographer. Gabriele and her daughter have co-authored an historical Middle Grade novel, which is seeking a publisher. Gabriele is always delighted to hear from readers. Contact her via Email: [email protected] |