Any errors in representation of the Force are entirely my own, and I sincerely hope they are forgiven in comparison to my obvious love and enthusiasm for our great Canadian icons. Benny’s dedication to the Force and his conscience and devotion to duty, as well as Jonathan’s ultimate sacrifice, were written as an homage to Constable Johnny Baldwinson, who was killed in the line of duty in Surrey, B.C., October 28, 1975.
The Emma Goldman rally is also entirely fictional, though Goldman did spend time in Toronto beginning with a visit in 1906. While “the most dangerous woman in America” considered the Canadian city “deadly dull,” she benefited from its proximity to the U.S.—especially when in hot water with American authorities. Buried in Chicago, Emma Goldman died in Toronto in 1940.
My poor editor had her hands full with my first draft and its long rambles about Theodore Roosevelt—everything I read about him was so interesting! While I consulted several biographies and historical sources (nodding to you, Ken Burns), Doris Kearns Goodwin’s The Bully Pulpit was by far the most interesting. Of course, everything that happens with David Ross at the Coliseum is complete fiction. I was inspired by how closely Roosevelt’s Progressive Party Platform mirrored what Jem, Merinda, Jasper, and Ray are fighting for in Toronto. Roosevelt’s speech in its entirety as well as a transcribed record of the entire proceedings of the Convention can be found online at www.theodorerooseveltcenter.org. The best fictional experiences encourage me to read more about a time and place that pops out at me, and I hope readers will take time to learn more about this amazing man and his truly exemplary platform. Much of what Roosevelt lobbied during the August 1912 Convention is as relevant to Canadians and Americans as they were a hundred years ago.
Readers of the first book (The Bachelor Girl’s Guide to Murder) will know that I take numerous historical liberties in the creation of Jem and Merinda’s Toronto—particularly in the creation of its political spectrum. The corrupt Chief Henry Tipton, Mayor Tertius Montague, and Thaddeus Spenser are all figments of my imagination and in no way reflect any historical personage. The trolley bombings, too, are completely fictional. So are the trolley lines (call it the wishful thinking of a modern-day Torontonian!), though the city did actually enjoy thriving streetcar routes in 1912. The Toronto papers mentioned are accurate in name alone. The Hogtown Herald is complete fiction, as are M.C. Wheaton and Dorothea Fairfax. That said, I do try to capture the essence of a city on the brink, alive with immigration and social reform, a challenge for women and the working class.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Rachel McMillan is a keen history enthusiast and a lifelong bibliophile. When not writing or reading, she can most often be found drinking tea and watching British miniseries. Rachel lives in bustling Toronto, where she works in educational publishing and pursues her passion for art, literature, music, and theater.