B.C. author to donate portion of proceeds from book to wildfire recovery

B.C. author Bruce Fraser sets his latest novel in the heart of the Chilcotin a region ravaged by wildfires last summer to tell the story of a convergence between American politics and First Nations land rights.

Fraser lives inLacLa Hache in the Cariboo region in the B.C. Interior. He was forced to evacuate when a wildfire threatened the area lastJuly and August.

"I had to go because my power was cut off, and had no water and was running out of food," he said.

Fraser has committed to donating 10 per cent of the proceeds from his latest book to helping the community rebuild after itexperienced the worst fire season on record in B.C.

Fiction parallels reality

Fraser'slatest book, Noah's Raven, isthe final installment of his passion project theNoahHanlonseries.It'sset in B.C.'s Interior nearTatlayokoLake.

A former lawyer,Fraserwritesfrom experience; his fiction centres aroundlegal trials.

Noah's Raven looks at how the land and the history of the region influence the main character as he navigates a muddy situation when the story's antagonist finds natural gas deposits in the Chilcotin area and, of course, wants to access them.

Hanlonmust fight to preserve the ancient land.

Antagonist Billy Joe Northrop the Third is a billionaire who made his money in oil and gas. He's also a presidential hopeful with "plans to take the White House through deceit and backroom deals." Fraser drew inspiration for the character from the current U.S. president.

"I knew I was going to get somebody from the United States to be the antagonist," Fraser said, noting that previously his antagonists have all been Canadian.

"All of the sudden [President Donald] Trump came along. He's almost like a fictional character."

Thus, Billy Joe Northrop the Third was born.

"This is fiction," Fraser said. "Keep in mind fiction parallels real life and my books tend to do that."

With files from Radio West