My Great-Aunt Frankie turned 90 years old in 1986 and we threw a party. She stood up and spoke about her memories of her life and her many siblings. It was mesmerizing. Even for me - the youngest in the room.

With encouragement, Aunt Frankie wrote down everything she could remember. When her Parkinson’s became too severe, she recited it into a tape recorder and hired someone to type it. With their savings, Aunt Frankie and Uncle Bob published A History of The Ford Family. Each family member received a bound copy.

I had read the book when I was younger, but happened to pick it up in about 2015 to keep me company for a bit on my commute to Toronto on the GO train. It was then that I read the chapter of WWI where Aunt Frankie described the munitions factory in which she and her sister worked. It was at the corner of King and Dufferin Streets, a stone’s throw from my office at Music Canada.

It was a profound moment. This is what inspired me to write my first novel.