What started as a topic raised in a family discussion has led to the publication of a Desbarats woman’s first novel.
Carey Smith self-published Operation Highway 129 – which she describes as a crime thriller.
“Back in the early 2000s, my husband and I and my two kids went to a hockey tournament in Timmins," Smith said.
"We were travelling on Highway 129 to Chapleau on the way there and anyone who has been on that highway knows it's very remote. You have about 30 km of twists and turns. The car radio was out of range of any radio station so all we could do was talk a lot.”
That family conversation led to some interesting ‘what-ifs’ being raised.
“We started talking about how remote the road was and all the crazy things that could happen on that highway. I came up with ‘you could rob a Brink's truck up here and get away with it because it's in the middle of nowhere,’” Smith said.
That thought remained in her imagination.
“It stayed in my mind for years and I thought, ‘I’m going to write a novel about it,’” Smith said.
Operation Highway 129 introduces readers to the fictional main character of Tess, a bank manager, and includes many communities familiar to Sault and Algoma readers.
“Tess lives in Little Rapids near Thessalon. She's tasked with opening a bank branch in Chapleau. The local gold mine up there needs to funnel their gold from there to Sault Falls, which is Sault Ste. Marie.
"I wanted to entice local readers. I included places like Iron Bridge and the Mackinac Bridge as well,” Smith said.
Tess discovers her husband is having an affair with another woman.
“I like a little spice in books,” Smith said.
Tess then starts an affair of her own with a man named Jake. As their relationship grows, they begin planning a gold heist and end up fighting for their survival.
“Tess does a lot of things that I would never do,” Smith said.
She began writing the book in 2022 in her spare time and it was eventually self-published last October.
“I just liked the challenge of writing a book. That's why I did it. When I finished it I felt good about it. I was proud of my work,” Smith said.
The author said the reaction to the book has been positive.
“My book isn't for everybody, but it’s an easy read and I've received good feedback from both men and women.
"I thought maybe it was more of a woman’s book but men seem to like it just as well. It's light. You could take it to the beach. You could carry it in your pocket," she said.
"We were in Aruba this spring on vacation and I gave a copy to a lady that I met at the airport. She read it on the plane, a four-hour flight, and she told me that she loved it. It’s nice to get that encouragement from strangers,” Smith said.
Without divulging any further details, Smith said the possibility of a sequel to Operation Highway 129 is definitely there.
“I think I will write another novel after I retire one day,” said Smith, who commutes daily from her home in Desbarats to her job as a human resources professional in the Sault.
Operation Highway 129 is available for purchase through Amazon as well as Stone's Office Supply in the Sault, Main Street Pharmacy in Thessalon and Copper Country Studio in Bruce Mines.