Irene Ternier Gordon
Irene has had a passion for history since the age of ten or twelve when she read several children's books by a Manitoba author Olive Knox. She was fascinated by these novels that were based on Western Canadian history. In fact, Mrs. Knox was an inspiration in Irene's decision to major in Canadian history at university.
With equal enthusiasm for books and history, it was a choice between becoming a teacher of history or English, or becoming a teacher-librarian. She chose the latter and spent fifteen years working in a junior high school library before deciding to become a freelance writer in 1997.
Since 2003, Irene has had three books published. The first two were biographies: Marie Anne Lagimodiere: The Incredible Story of Louis Riel's Grandmother (2003), and Grey Owl: The Curious Life of Archie Belaney (2004). The third is a history called The Battle of Seven Oaks: And the Violent Birth of the Red River Settlement (2005).
Irene and her husband Don have lived along the historic Assiniboine River just outside of Winnipeg, Manitoba, since 1989. They have two children and three little grandsons. In addition to spending time with family and traveling, they enjoy a variety of outdoor activities such as skiing, sailing, canoeing, and hiking.
