Author uses his lifetime of camping experience to pen camping how-to
Manitoulin-based author Ed Horner has released ‘Family Camping Guide,’ a comprehensive handbook for families, available now at The Expositor Book Shop in Little Current.
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Author uses his lifetime of camping experience to pen campin
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MANITOULIN—Author Ed Horner describes himself as a lifelong camper and outdoor enthusiast. An author of some 12 books, his latest offering, ‘Family Camping Guide: Simple Advice for Comfortable, Confident Camping,’ combines two of his greatest passions.
Mr. Horner is the founder and publisher of Canadian Outdoor Press, an independent publishing house based on Manitoulin Island. As lifelong camper, paddler, cyclist, skier and photographer, he has spent more than 50 years exploring the lakes, forests and backroads of Ontario and Alberta.
His books reflect his lifelong interest in careful observation; practical wisdom and the ways nature invites us to slow down and pay attention. Before founding Canadian Outdoor Press, Mr. Horner represented Fitzhenry & Whiteside, Lone Pine Publishing and Breakwater Books in southwestern Ontario. He has been a practising Buddhist in the Theravada tradition since 2003.
“Having been a camper almost my full life, I think back to the problems, not problems, but all the challenges, difficulties, my family had taking us camping,” he said. “Certain things weren’t prepared properly. Food was haphazard, to say the least, but it was all fine. But that kind of got me thinking: if I was a parent, here are the things I would do.”
Included in his new book are tips for selecting tents, cooking, getting the kids to bed, treating common camp injuries, entertaining the gang, building a fire, securing drinkable water, camp lighting, winter fun, keeping warm, staying dry, food storage, checklists, crosswords, quizzes and a whole lot more.
It is his hope that “would make it easier for people who maybe haven’t camped before. You know how to pick a tent or to even have to have a tent,” he said.
Basically, the book is a how-to guide for family camping.
“This is appropriate all across Canada,” he said. “Basically, here’s how you can make your camping trip more enjoyable anywhere in the world.”
Mr. Horner now lives on Manitoulin with his wife, a retired psychotherapist who now works on her art.
He said that it is important for people to support literature, especially in these days of AI generated material. “I think it’s important for the industry to have what I refer to as literary citizenship,” said Mr. Horner. “Where you support other authors. You might not always be able to buy their book, but maybe you can give them a book review. Tell some friends about the book. Put the book on your website or on your Facebook page. This might be one, two or three small things, it doesn’t have to be a lot.”
Mr. Horner’s book can be purchased at The Expositor Book Shop in Little Current.
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