Dec 08, 2011


Riemke Bles at her Crow Lake home with a copy of her first book

Not everyone can claim to be living their dream but that is the case for first-time children's book author Riemke Bles. I visited Riemke at her recently built hill top home, which offers a spectacular view of Crow Lake that never fails to inspire her. When she is not writing or baking she can easily tend to her eight cats, all strays that she has acquired over the years.

Riemke hails from Langweer, Friesland in Holland and moved to Canada as a toddler. For her, life is all about taking risks and doing what you love. “I always try to dream big and I think that there is no limit to things. I know a lot of people who live their lives by default, who are not really living and who are too afraid to try new things. I believe that if you do not take risks that you are not really living.”

This is said by someone who has experienced hardships and tragedy in her life. In 2007, Riemke's daughter, Roxanne Lalonde, died at Burritt's Rapids in a heroic but ultimately unsuccessful effort to save a young boy from drowning at the Andrewville Lock near Merrickville. Roxanne was a Master Seaman with the Canadian Navy and was trained in search and rescue. She was honored posthumously for her courage. Soon after the tragedy, Riemke and her husband, Jack, closed the Dutch goods store, De Winkel, which she had owned and operated in Merrickville for 19 years, and moved to Crow Lake.

It was Riemke's emails to friends and family that got her thinking about writing books. “Friends and family were always telling me how much they loved my emails and how I should give writing a go. I thought I could start with children's books because they are short and don't take years to write.” Her first book titled, “Beene and What He learned About the Atlantic Ocean”, tells the story of a young Dutch boy, enthralled with a celebrated Dutch fable of a boy who saved an entire village by plugging a dyke with his thumb. Beene and his family take a trip to the ocean where Beene eventually learns about the tides, bringing to an end his fearful imaginings of having to save his small village in a manner similar to the fabled boy.

“The moral of the story is that no matter how small you are, you can still help out,” Riemke said. Encouraged by the positive response to her first effort, Riemke is already working on a second book titled “Nelltje's Garden”, with the main character named after Riemke's sister and grandmother. Riemke was recently in Sharbot Lake for a book signing on December 3. For those who missed it, she has copies of her book for sale for $10 and can be contacted at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by calling 613-279-2310. The book is also available at the Doctor's House Gift Shop in Sharbot Lake and at the Tip Top Dollar Store. It can also be purchased online at Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

 

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