• Age: 15
• Grade: 10

Bestselling author Chris Czajkowski returns with more revelations of life in the far reaches of the Chilcotin.

After nearly three decades of wilderness dwelling far from neighbours and roads, with the nearest community accessible only via float plane or days of hiking, Czajkowski purchases a derelict homestead with rough road access at Ginty Creek, an hour's drive south of Anahim Lake. Although the property is mostly swamp and the packrat-infested buildings are uninhabitable, the location affords beautiful views and abundant wildlife--and the asking price is within her budget.

Ginty Creek was named for Ginty Paul, the eccentric recluse who had previously owned the property. Some locals remember Ginty affectionately, while others feared her volatile temper or refused to step into her house for fear of being served "chicken poop tea." She had an open-door policy to all of her animals--the chickens would sleep with her and the bedroom doubled as a maternity ward for dogs, cats, goats and sheep. Intrigued by the stories,
Czajkowski tracks down a pile of Ginty's letters and documents. These, combined with many fond, bitter and bizarre anecdotes gleaned from interviews with area residents, are all woven into the account.

As Czajkowski chronicles the many challenges of settling into her new home, it becomes clear that she and Ginty have more than just a piece of land in common. They also share a spirit of independence and resourcefulness, as well as an unwavering desire for a solitary life immersed in the spectacular landscapes of British Columbia.

Chris Czajkowski was born and raised in the north of England. She lived and worked in Uganda, New Zealand, the South Pacific and South America before settling in the remote reaches of British Columbia's Coast Range mountains, 480 kilometres north of Vancouver, where she created the Nuk Tessli Alpine Experience, an ecotourism business catering to hikers and naturalists. She has written ten books about her nearly thirty years of wilderness living, including Snowshoes and Spotted Dick: Letters from a Wilderness Dweller, A Mountain Year: Nature Diary of a Wilderness Dweller, A Wilderness Dweller's Cookbook: The Best Bread in the World and Other Recipes and most recently, Ginty's Ghost: A Wilderness Dweller's Dream.

Chris Czajkowski's profile page

Ginty's Ghost: A Wilderness Dweller's Dream

This tenth book by the author covers a period of four years spent building her home in the Chilcotins. After 30 years of remote living, Czajkowski decides to move closer to civilization, halfway between Williams Lake and Bella Coola, to an undeveloped property she names Ginty Creek after its original owner. This book is a double narrative about how Czajkowski built her home and the story of Ginty Paul, who settled in the area in the 1960s. Ginty’s eccentric personality emerges through interviews and letters and complements Czjakowski’s own curious lifestyle. Readers learn about the realities of living in the bush. The ravages of packrats, absolute reliance on volunteers and driving three hours to the nearest pay phone. Czjakowski also supplies details about home construction such as extracting materials from the bush and harnessing solar power.