An Orillia author will take readers on a trip back in time with her new book, Crossing Time.
Orillia District Collegiate and Vocational Institute graduate Alice de Munnik says her new novel moves back and forth between 1980 Toronto and 1880 London, England. The book is about a criminal lawyer who is searching for his missing wife.
“This is the one I was all set to launch before the pandemic came along,” de Munnik explained. “For many years I’ve wanted to write a book that is set partially in London, England and partially in Canada.”
In university, de Munnik earned a degree in English literature, giving her confidence to write about life across the pond. de Munnik herself has experienced life on a different continent; she was born in the Netherlands and immigrated to Canada in 1952 with her parents and seven brothers and sisters.
Despite having a lot of background knowledge related to life in Europe, the 78-year-old put in about a year’s worth of research into Crossing Time.
“I wanted to make sure I had the time period in Toronto and London, England correct,” said de Munnik who had multiple careers in her life, working as a legal secretary, an administrative assistant, a college teacher and a life issues therapist. “There are certain ways of speaking and certain things that happened in those two periods.”
de Munnik says her new novel has been given a stamp of approval by the friends and family members who were the first to read it.
“They think it’s a great book and well written,” she said. “I’m not bragging, but one of my friends thinks there should be a copy of my book in every bookstore in Canada.”
de Munnik says her cousins in Holland have also read the book and are quite excited about de Munnik becoming a published author in Canada. Unfortunately, de Munnik doesn’t feel the same support at home in Orillia.
“In Canada, and especially in Orillia, it’s not as encouraging or as supporting as I may have thought,” she said. “A lot of people don’t read books. They are really more into instant stuff like music. I think it’s because they don’t have to work as hard to understand.”
de Munnik encourages Orillians to give her a chance by reading Crossing Time.
“You will enjoy the whole concept of time travel,” she said. “There is mystery and suspense that takes you back to another time, society and physical location as well as the culture and the social norms during the old days in England.”
Crossing Time is available in downtown Orillia at Manticore Books for $20.
