Owen Sound Author Gwen Lamont Brings Memoir to Vancouver Island
Lamont spoke to 160 people across four Vancouver Island events in April, the latest stops on a tour of her memoir 'The View From Coffin Ridge: A Childhood Exhumed.'
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Ruth lives in Owen Sound. Her sister Eleanor lives in Nanaimo. Ruth sent Eleanor the words on the jacket liner of The View From Coffin Ridge: A Childhood Exhumed, Gwen Lamont’s memoir. Eleanor recognized something different in those words that fuelled a huge desire to get her hands on the book.
She visited her local library, successfully lobbied for the book to be brought in, read it and embarked on a one woman mission to share its impact. And she sent a message to Gwen Lamont including a suggestion that she might want to come to Vancouver Island.
Seemed like an idea to explore. People were contacted. Intel was gathered. Logistics were considered. Communities were identified.
Then a VI team was formed with a point person in each location that included 2 former Owen Sound residents, Hazel Smith (Victoria) and Shannon Moise (Courtenay). Criminology Professor Joanne Falvai (Qualicum Beach) and community activist Eleanor Joy (Nanaimo) rounded out the planning team.
Fast forward to April 2026 when 160 people on VI, flocked to four author events. Twenty-two of them were invited community guests representing municipal government, women’s shelters, youth support organizations, police and bookstores.
Conversations ignited by Gwen telling her story, continue long after these events. These are not “one off” presentations. The message stays with community leaders and members as a shared experience that provides a common point of reference. And Gwen makes donations to organizations providing services to women, youth and families to support their work.
At the end of the final VI event, Scott Mercer, RCMP Officer Comox Valley, asked to speak. In front of a full house of members of his community he said:
…From a lengthy policing career, I have seen firsthand the failures of a Justice system. The police are not perfect. We have made mistakes… some of them tragic. Some of them unforgivable.
We should not have these stories… We (police) are receiving the training. We are getting better. But to drive it home we need context.
As the Commander of the Comox Valley RCMP, I will be purchasing Gwen’s book to have at our Detachment and give our Officers an opportunity to have this context…
Thank you, Gwen. Thank you for surviving. Thank you for finding your voice and sharing your story. Keep doing this work, it’s important.
We’ve got your back.
Gwen has now shared her story with 1300 people at 28 launches/author events where 108 community leaders have been in attendance. At every event, individuals share stories and community leaders strengthen connections.
This shared experience enables individuals and communities to have important conversations that are crucial to be had.
Submitted by Mary Anne Alton, publicist for Gwen Lamont
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