Marie Gage

Marie Gage’s life is a testament to creative reinvention. From her beginnings as a therapist in London, Ontario, to becoming a celebrated author in the Haliburton Highlands, Marie’s journey is filled with unexpected turns and inspiring discoveries. Her late-in-life passion for novel writing was sparked by a family heirloom—a 1914 journal—that led her on a years-long quest to uncover her grandfather’s past and, ultimately, her own voice as a writer.

From Therapist to Resort Owner

Marie’s career began in therapy, helping others navigate life’s challenges. In 1996, she and her family moved to the scenic Haliburton Highlands, where she became co-owner and operator of a self-catering lakeside retreat. Balancing her work as a therapist with the demands of running a resort, Marie deepened her connection to the local community and gathered experiences that would later inspire her creative pursuits.

Inspiration from Family History

A lifelong reader of historical and women’s fiction, Marie always dreamed of writing a novel. That dream became reality when she discovered her grandfather’s journal while packing to move after selling the resort.

Using modern technology to trace his journey along a former fur-trading route from Hudson Bay to Winnipeg, Marie embarked on a years-long research project that revealed his entire story from footman to logger to railcar builder: confirming that career reinvention runs in her family!

She also discovered that her grandfather was quite the poet—perhaps creative writing is also genetic? The result was her debut novel, A Ring of Promises, blending fact and fiction to illuminate the struggles of immigrants in the early 1900s.

Celebrating the Stories of Ordinary People

Marie’s passion for storytelling quickly evolved into a prolific writing career. Drawing inspiration from her own experiences, genealogical research, and the people she’s met, she crafts novels for adults and, with the help of her sister Audrey Ramsay, picture books for children.

Her works—including A Ring of Promises, Promise of the Bluebell Woods, and A Touch of Promise—explore themes of resilience, connection, and personal growth. Many are rooted in Canadian history, featuring stories inspired by war brides, field hospital staff during WWII, and veterans with what today we call post traumatic stress disorder.

The three novels are now being marketed as “The Promise Series,” which presents stand-alone stories about the resilience and remarkable lives of ordinary people, with some repeat characters in the novels.

Lifelong Learning and Inspiration

Marie Gage continues to inspire through her writing and advocacy for telling the stories of everyday people. Her journey from therapist to resort owner to author is a testament to lifelong learning, creativity, and the power of personal connection.

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And now from the author herself:

Whenever I write, I sit at my desk overlooking the wetland across the road from the entrance to our property. When I want a change of scenery, I swivel my chair 180 degrees and voila, there’s a lake, somewhat hidden by the forested lakefront we keep because we know it protects the lake and all its inhabitants and microorganisms. We live on an island you see, with water all around but for the causeway we use to drive home. I am blessed to be surrounded by nature. It wraps around me and helps to keep my imagination active and focused on my current project.

I am officially retired but don’t seem to know it. I work longer hours now than I ever did before, both with my writing, marketing (oh, what a job that is) and community involvement. It’s good to get up in the morning and not wonder what I’ll do today but sometimes it’s a stress knowing I will never finish my to do list! One day I will set it all aside and put my feet up, just to see what it’s like to do nothing. But I don’t think I’ll like it.

My current project has been inspired by finding out my mother was adopted. I didn’t know this until after she died so I couldn’t ask her whether she knew. I suspect she did, but it just wasn’t talked about in her time. It was something to be embarrassed about—I cannot fathom why. How can being raised by loving people who chose you to love be a bad thing?

My sister, Jackie, was curious enough to acquire the non-identifying-information documents from the agency that handled Mom’s adoption. They are more interesting to read than you might think.

The story is somewhat mind boggling and proves that I come from a line of determined women who don’t just do what they’re told. My husband will attest to that. I won’t say more than that for fear of ruining parts of the story when it is complete.

I hope you are intrigued enough to follow the link below to my website and sign up for my newsletter … as a thank you I’ll send you a short story that is based on my biological mother’s heart-wrenching story. (The send process is not quite automated so be patient awaiting the story’s arrival.) It’s called Betrayal.

Discover more about Marie Gage’s books and upcoming events by visiting her website or following her on social media. Let her stories inspire your own journey of creativity and connection in the telling of your own family stories.