Peter Kingsmill is contributing to the local literary scene with his second instalment in the Awan Lake series, Nobody Drowned.
Kingsmill is former mayor of Hafford who鈥檚 written two books in the mystery genre, the first one being Sunset at 20:47.
Like Sunset at 20:47, Nobody Drownedcontinues the story of Frank Anderson, who was introduced in the first novel. Kingsmill鈥檚 novels are part of the Awan Lake series, set in the fictitious community of Spirit River.
The premise of the new novel, according to Kingsmill, is that a large company is thinking of making a major expansion involving a mine and smelter facility. The lake鈥檚 water quality is one of residents鈥� concerns. At the same time, the company generates jobs, and there are mixed feelings in the community.
Kingsmill said two stories take place within the novel: one following environmental impact, and another in which people in the company and others 鈥済et into mischief,鈥� including drug smuggling and using the company鈥檚 network to bring drugs into Canada.
When asked if the fictional company, Robertson Group International, is based on a real one, Kingsmill said it wasn鈥檛, however, real world events inspired the novel, including a recent disaster in Brazil in which a tailings dam, used by mining companies, leaked and caused mudslides. The incident destroyed part of a village and killed 19 people.
The second book in the series, Kingsmill said, 鈥渟tands alone as a story, so you don鈥檛 need to read the first one in order to read the second one.鈥�
Kingsmill said the book took about four months to write.
鈥淭he first month and a half or so is slow starts as you鈥檙e trying to make your way through it a little bit,鈥� Kingsmill said, adding the writing 鈥渕oved along鈥� a quarter or a third of way through.
Kingsmill founded the Redberry Lake Biosphere Reserve near Saskatoon, and received a Governor General鈥檚 Award for his conservation work at Redberry Lake.
Conservation is a theme of the new novel, Kingsmill said, and the story draws upon previous experiences. Kingsmill said he鈥檚 been to Washington D.C. and met with lobbyists.
The story 鈥渃omes out of something that鈥檚 very real to me even though I鈥檓 setting it outside of me,鈥� Kingsmill said.
The new novel is available now on paperback through Amazon, and as an ebook through Kindle, Kobo and Apple Books.
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