The House at the End of the Lane

About the Book

This is a story about a small village and its people nestled in a valley near the Monashee Mountains in the province of British Columbia. It tells about the growth of this place, I have chosen to call Carebrook, from a tiny village to a thriving city over a period of about eighty years. In the pages of this book the author has attempted to portray the many complexities of every day life. It borders on fiction and reality in an attempt to reveal everything from romance to tragedy, poverty to riches, and many other aspects of human endurance. It could be called a history book or even a study in sociology. The characters in the story, of course, are fictitious and are in no way a reflection upon anyone I know.

Older readers will recognize the events in these pages similar to events and circumstances in their own lives. Younger readers will get a glimpse of days gone by and perhaps gain a little more knowledge of our heritage and what it is to be Canadian.

At the age of 82 I have enjoyed putting this story to print and hope that my readers will feel the same. I think it is a good read!

About the Author

Hugh was born on 9/11/1924 in Viking, a small Alberta town, and grew up on a nearby farm. He attended Rodino School, [one room] to grade 9. He learned to operate all the farm machinery and went on to attend Viking High School. In 1942 he moved to Vancouver, B.C. and worked at the Vancouver airport for 1 year

Hugh joined the Army in November, 1943, went overseas, and served as a front-line soldier with the Algonquin Regiment. On his return to Canada he took up his old job at the airport for a short time.

In 1948 Hugh moved to Edmonton, Alberta and was employed by the T.Eaton Co. as an appliance technician. He met and married Elsie Lyons. They had six children and are pleased to see them all in professional positions.

At age 40 Hugh attended the University of Alberta and graduated with a bachelor's degree in education. He retired at age 63 and moved to Vernon, B.C. where he became active in volunteer work with The Royal Canadian Legion of which he is a life member. He was awarded the Veterans Affairs Commendation Award and continues to work with cadets.

In his retirement Hugh took up writing. His first attempt, The House, was self-published in 1997, selling 200 copies. His second book, Camp Vernon, A Century, Of Canadian Military History co-authored with N. P. Sherlock was a huge success. Published by Kettle Valley Publishing to date sold over 1,000 copies and may be found in many Canadian libraries.

This book is his first attempt at fiction. It covers the same time period as the Camp Vernon book so that may also be called a history book.