In her most recent endeavor, Read More About Amherst – the follow up to her Read About Amherst – Clare Christie has brought her thoughts and musings on a variety of topics together as an editorial panelist for the Amherst News. Every few weeks Christie offers her perspective while reflecting how the topic relates to the community.
All things, Christie says, are very relatable to the border community she calls home.
“I try to be a little all over the map. I try, deliberately, to keep it varied,” Christie says. “There’s definitely a bent for the historical, there’s no doubt about that, but it is all over the map… there is some relation to Amherst. Whether it’s kind of me and my family, or some other person, or our buildings that witnessed Confederation, local edibles.”
In her first collection, Christie reprinted 30 of her first 31 columns. Now Read More offers an additional 40 columns.
Each column, Christie says, begins with an idea she allows to mature for several weeks before committing pen to paper. As one of five community editorial panelists, Christie says she has the time to let the idea unfurl.
“We only write every five weeks, so if I have an idea a couple of week’s ahead then I can let it swim around for a little while and go through two or three drafts before I send it in,” Christie said.
Being a columnist allows Christie’s curiosity to be satisfied, she says. Should something strike her interest, she’s free to explore the topic.
“I love it if I can give a fresh look at some historical aspect. I’m an active member of the Heritage Trust and I’m eager to promote people’s appreciation of our historical significance, which I think is really major, but I don’t want to be in that ballpark all the time so I make a point of writing different things than that.”
Inspiration can come from family, friends and the community at large. One column on pets evolved from a conversation during a pedicure. Profiles on significant or memorable Amherstonians frequently make the pages.
“It’s always a pleasure to talk to them,” Christie says. “It’s more about their lifespan than just last week, so I really enjoy that.”
Read More About Amherst is available at Maritime Mosaic inside Dayle’s Grand Market, the Artisans Gallery, The Cumberland YMCA, with plans to add locations in the coming weeks.
