Ontario,canada Cross-Country Skiing, Snowshoeing and Hiking Expert, Tracey Arial, Is Interviewed.

Tracey is the author of Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing in Ontario, Hiking in Ontario, and I Volunteered: Canadian Vietnam Vets Remember.

In addition, Tracey has contributed many articles to several French and English publications in the USA and Canada.

Norm:

When did your passion for writing begin? What kept you going?

Tracey:

My passion for writing began as soon as I learned to read. I can remember creating books for my family and for school projects in grade two. Of course, I didn't realize that an independent writing career would be in my future at that time, but I've always understood the strong connection between literacy and communication. Every story contains possible growth for readers, writers and communities.

Non-fiction writing intrigues me because the world seems so full of important ideas, events and places that it seems a waste of time making stuff up. I want to share untold and forgotten stories that give people hope, insight and enthusiasm.

Norm:

What exactly do you mean when you state on your website that as a journalist you strive to write articles to inspire people to act for private and public good?

Tracey

The best stories are those that don't just entertain, but motivate some sort of action on the part of the reader. By considering what these actions might be before submitting a piece, I can add extra detail that would otherwise be missing. Travel and outdoor stories implicitly suggest duplicating the experiences of an author, so it's obviously important to include cautions, extra information or limits, if there are any. Also, since my stories concern real people and communities, it's particularly important to take care that no one is portrayed as a monster or one-dimensional.

Also, as a freelance writer, I'm on a permanent job search. An overarching goal helps me stay motivated during dry spells and get through challenging projects. It encourages me to find stories about important issues, such as the environment, political involvement, ethical behaviour, historical understanding, healthy lifestyles and community values. (Perhaps you noticed that both of my guidebooks encourage active, non-motorized sports and my first book describes an unknown facet of Canadian history?)

Norm:

You have written two books pertaining to outdoor activities in Ontario, one on cross-country skiing and snowshoeing and the other on hiking. What made you want to write these books? How do you come up with ideas for what you write? What methods do you use to flesh out your idea to determine if it's salable?

Tracey:

Actually, the hiking book came about eight years after I initially pitched it. I contacted Ulysses as soon as I moved to Montreal from Toronto because of their reputation for excellence in the French-language guidebook market and their burgeoning interest in the English market. I suggested an outdoors book about my former province, but it didn't work for them at the time. Once I handled the hiking guide, a cross-country skiing and snowshoeing book was a natural follow-up, although the publisher took a risk because there are few other guidebooks on this topic. I'm happy it's starting to pay off.

All my ideas come from personal experience and a desire to learn more about something specific. I have two children and a husband, so they're always exposing me to new ideas as well. When something looks possible, I look at the other published material in the same field and determine whether I can say something new and whether there might be a group of people interested in the topic. If a publisher agrees, then we go ahead with the project, but neither of us knows how well a magazine, newspaper or book will sell until it's out there.

Norm:

Besides writing for magazines, newspapers, and authoring travel books, what other writing gigs have you found profitable or rewarding?

Tracey:

When I first started in this field, I wrote technical instructions and software manuals. I've also written press releases, training scripts and internal newsletters. Some of my most enjoyable projects include biotechnology briefs, technical and agricultural profiles. video scripts and speeches. My favorite speech so far was one that the CEO of the Quebec branch of St. John Ambulance gave to the Police Chief Association because it gave me the opportunity to think about the world from two perspectives I'd never held that of a non-profit association director and of her audience, the police chiefs.

Norm:

What challenges or obstacles did you encounter while writing your books? How did you overcome these challenges?

Tracey:

The biggest challenge in doing books is the long lead time between the research and their initial publishing. With the two books I've published so far, it was only a matter of months, but I've also written two other manuscripts and the beginnings of a third for the Trans Canada Trail Association. Those will be published next year. The only way to handle such long lead times is to attempt to stay in constant contact with as many people on the ground as possible. I really can't imagine how authors did this prior to the Internet.

Another challenge is the shear volume of information one has to learn before writing and the attempt to communicate lots of ideas in as entertaining a way as possible, given the format of whatever project is underway. I've spent the last several years hiking, cross-country skiing and biking through Ontario and I really feel as though I've learned more about the province since moving away then in almost 30 years living there. Mind you, my projects have given me an opportunity to spend the last two summers biking thousands of kilometers with my kids, something I wouldn't give up for the world.

Norm:

Would you recommend cross-country skiing or snowshoeing to couples who are looking for a romantic getaway? As a follow up, if you were to choose 6 of the most romantic cross-country or hiking venues in Ontario, which ones would you choose and why? Are any of these suitable as wedding destinations?

Tracey:

I can't imagine anything more romantic than spending several days outdoors alone with my husband whether hiking or cross-country skiing.

It's hard to stick with only six locations for romance I've focused on locations with lots of facilities for pampering although I've made one exception for adventure's sake.

***The obvious choice begins with Niagara Falls, a place where thousands of couples marry every day. Skip the wax museums and heart-shaped beds though, and stay in Niagara-on-the-Lake instead. Spend a few days hiking along the Niagara Parkway, at the Niagara Glen and at Dufferin Islands, with perhaps a day trip to the Royal Botanical Gardens in Hamilton. Stunning gardens, awe-inspiring waterfalls, rock-hanging cliffs and diverse bird species abound. I visit Niagara Falls almost every year, and it never fails to surprise me. Perhaps it's the positive ions in the air.

***Another obvious honeymoon spot is Ottawa, Canada's Capital. The greenbelt around the city makes for fabulous day hikes, including the best in all of Ontario, a deck through a protected sphagnum peat bog known as the Mer Bleue because it looks like a giant blue sea when the berries are ripening.

***My all-time favourite adventure and something I dream of doing with my husband at some point is the one-week walk around the giant at Sleeping Giant Provincial Park near Thunder Bay. This requires partners who are keen on backpacking, camping, bay vistas and lots of rocks and trees. You might see a few people when you climb the giant, but the rest of the time, you're alone. The sauna at the tip of the peninsula is a must!

***Haliburton Nordic Trails and specifically the Delta Pinestone Resort, with its two-bedroom villas (for romance within families like mine), fireplaces and indoor pool make the best romantic cross-country ski vacation. Take a short ski before breakfast and then spend the rest of the day exploring 80km (50mi) of contiguous trails.

***The Horseshoe Resort, north of Barrie, would be a cool place to spend a romantic weekend for skiing, particularly if it happened to be a full moon that Saturday. The Cross-Country Ski Centre holds moonlit skis six or seven times a winter, but you have to phone ahead to find out exactly when. Two of the province's best ski centres, Hardwood Hills and Highlands Nordic, are close too, as is Wasaga Nordic Trails.

I also recommend the Collingwood area for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. All the facilities mentioned above are within a one-hour drive of the town, which contains Scenic Caves Nordic Centre. The new facility offers 16km (10mi) of cross-country ski trails and lots of snowshoeing, including along the province's longest suspension bridge. They also have moonlit snowshoe hikes. Stay almost anywhere the facilities are marvelous.

Norm:

As there does not seem to be any authoritative standards that exist for guidebook authors or publishers, how do you know that a guidebook is up to par? How do you check out the authorial competence?

Tracey:

Trying to use a guidebook tends to be the best test of one, although those savvy in the field can read through it and sense whether it fits the bill or not. Many get reputations among users pretty quickly, especially if they're particularly good or bad. I like the ones that give me a sense of place that I wouldn't otherwise get. That's what I try to do with mine.

Norm:

How have you used the Internet to boost your writing career?

Tracey:

I have a web page and it has attracted business, but the real advantage to the Internet is its ability to generate community and keep me in contact with many people around the globe. I love email.

Norm:

What is the biggest reward of life as a travel writer?

Tracey:

My greatest reward has been the opportunity to travel with my kids over the last two summers and get paid for the research.

Norm:

Many writers want to be published, but not everyone is cut out for a writer's life. What are some signs that perhaps someone is not cut out to be a writer and should try to do something else for a living?

Tracey:

There are times when I think that I'm not cut out for the writers life. Pay scales have remained stagnant for 20 years now and most people think they can do my job better than I can. The only way to tell if you can do it is to keep doing it. Persistence, a consistent Pollyanna attitude and an increasing--though still wildly-fluctuating income throughout the years tell me that I'm on the right track.

Norm:

Where do you see yourself (with regards to writing) in the next five years?

Tracey:

The series of family adventures I'm working on now should be finished and sold in that time. That will, hopefully, increase my reputation among outdoor-interested readers. I also plan to find an agent. And as always, I'll continue learning how to tell compelling stories well.

Norm:

Is there anything else you wish to add?

Tracey:

No. Thanks for the opportunity.

Norm

Thanks once again and good luck with all of your future endeavours.

Tracey

You too.

To read Norm's Review of Cross-Country Skiing and Snowshoeing in Ontario CLICK HERE