The power of nature—particularly its ability to heal and bring joy—is at the heart of local author Alyssa Delle Palme’s debut young adult novel Summer at Pine Lake.
Delle Palme is the director of the Ottawa-based Wild Roots Nature and Forest School, and her touching story is immersed in a beautiful wilderness setting, which will be instantly recognizable to anyone who has fallen in love with the woods.
“When I’m in nature, it sparks my creativity,” Delle Palme says in an email interview, when asked how her work at the Forest School impacts her writing. “I get a lot of my ideas when I’m hiking through the forest.”
The beauty of nature shines in her novel, which tells the tale of Sarah Williams, an 18-year-old aspiring writer who spends the summer at her late grandmother’s cottage.
Still grieving for her grandmother, Sarah is also coping with a secret crush for her lifelong friend and cottage neighbour, Scott Roberts. Believing her love to be unrequited, she instead pursues a Swiss exchange student who is staying with the Roberts family for the summer. Amid this complicated romantic picture, Sarah must also navigate a difficult work environment.
“As a child, I went to my grandmother’s cottage every summer,” says Delle Palme, who published a children’s short story in 2022. “My grandmother and I were very close. I was devastated when she passed away, and I miss her very much. When I sat down to write the book, I knew I was going to write about our special relationship. I also wanted to write the book that I would’ve loved to read as a teenager.”
As an adult who enjoyed reading this well-written story, I can safely say that not only teenagers would appreciate this enjoyable tale.
When readers discover—alongside Sarah—an awful family secret, they will understand why her life has been turned upside down, as well as feel empathy for her after she is overcome with a wave of guilt. Readers also have to ponder questions about forgiveness, and whether they could show the same level of compassion in their own lives as some of the characters in the book.
Delle Palme has worked in radio in Ottawa, Moncton, and Smithers, B.C. and says writing fiction has allowed her to experiment with different literary techniques.
“Writing for radio is very different from writing a magazine article or a book,” she says. “When I worked in radio, I had to read a newspaper article and summarize it in just four sentences. I think it taught me to say what I mean and delete any unnecessary words.”
Her debut novel is a culmination of many years of work.
“When I left my job as a broadcast journalist, I became a freelance writer and wrote for Ottawa Family Living Magazine for six years,” says Delle Palme, who has also been published in the Ottawa Citizen and Fifty-Five Plus Magazine. “Throughout the years, I’ve also taken creative writing classes at community colleges and online workshops.”
Author Alyssa Delle Palme with her new book Summer at Pine Lake. Photo: alyssadellepalme.com.
For her, writing has become a passion.
“I write because it brings me joy!” she says. “I wake up at 4:30am every day to write because I’m passionate about it, and it’s the best way to start my day. As a child, I was an avid reader and my favourite subject in school was creative writing. I’ve always loved to create.”
Delle Palme is currently editing her second novel, which she is hoping to query in 2024. In the meantime, she is working on creating an audio book for Summer at Pine Lake.
Readers who are interested in following Delle Palme’s work can sign up for her newsletter at www.alyssadellepalme.com or follow her on Instagram at @starring_alyssa_as_herself.
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