A Passion in Winter

About the Book

A Passion in Winter is a historical novel that evokes a pivotal year in Canada's history (1759) that forever changed the city of Quebec and its people. During the Seven Years War (1756 - 1763) the scales tipped between the two empires, France and England. British balance-of-power was to keep France from controlling Europe. North America became the chief concern of these two great powers.

In the battle for Canada, France lost. After the Battle of the Plains of Abraham, the British army occupied the City of Quebec. General James Murray with some of his officers, the Fraser Highlanders, took over a wing of the Ursuline Convent for his headquarters. Conquerors and the conquered had to survive that bitter winter of 1759-1760. A tender love story develops between a novice nun and a Fraser Highlander.

A Passion in Winter mourns loss of country, as well as political and private loves in life's brevity, but it also celebrates determination of a people to survive.

About the Author

Irene Landry Kelso, of Acadian heritage, is originally from Moncton, New Brunswick. In her early years she emigrated with her family to the United States and was educated in bilingual schools in New England. A former Rhode Islander, she was a newspaper reporter for The Pawtucket Times. She later combined fiction writing with historical research and travelled to Canada, France, England, and Spain compiling data for two novels.

She has a degree from the Henry Jackson School of International Studies - Canadian Studies, University of Washington.

She lives in Seattle, Washington. You may e-mail the author at irenelkelso@gateway.net