Local author’s fantasy novel earns CanReads Spotlight recognition

By Ian MacKay

Many mothers read stories to their children before bedtime. Lisa Adair made them up.

What began as bedtime storytelling for her son eventually grew into a writing career that has now produced six books, including a young readers’ novel recently recognized in the CanReads book awards.

Adair’s book Blaze Peppergrove and the Web of Lies, her fourth written for younger audiences, has been named one of the Spotlight recipients in the 2026 CanReads awards program.

“I was pretty excited about it,” Adair said in an interview at the Centennial Library. She moved to Rosetown about four years ago.

Judges select the top three finalists in about 15 categories before the winners are announced during a ceremony in Toronto on May 28.

As one of 27 Spotlight recipients, Adair receives an editorial book review, a promotional tool she said would normally cost about $500.

“When my son was young, I couldn’t get him to read books — he wasn’t really interested in reading — so I started by telling him stories,” she said. “I didn’t want him to feel like there was anything he couldn’t do and I wanted inspirational stories about friendships, going on adventures and finding your way in the world.”

The book’s central character, Blaze Peppergrove, is a male fairy with green skin who has the disability of having no wings.

“He definitely has traits of being neuro-divergent, but he goes on these epic adventures meeting other fairy friends,” Adair said.

In the story, Blaze and a friend accept what appears to be an ordinary job but soon discover they have been drawn into a dangerous scheme involving a gang of other fairies.

“There’s a lot of action that will definitely keep young readers’ attention,” she said. Judges told her they enjoyed both the action and how it was described.

Adair created a fantasy world where fairies live among humans and have different skin colours and wing types that reflect distinct cultures.

“His friend in the story, Wolf Turtlewing, has dragonfly wings and blue skin,” she said. “In a way, the book kind of represents multiculturalism.”

Although she first began writing adult fiction, the shift toward younger readers came after her son suggested it.

“He asked if I was going to write stories for kids,” she recalled. “I had not thought about doing this before.”

Writing has become a family effort. Her daughter designs the covers for the books.

“In a way, I’ve been inspired by both of my kids, who are now young adults, to explore the world of Blaze Peppergrove,” she said.

Her nephew Chase is also closely involved in the process.

“He gets to read all of my stories before I publish them and always gives me great feedback,” Adair said. After reading her earlier work, he encouraged her to add more action and make the stories longer.

Adair said one of her main goals is encouraging young people to read.

“I believe they spend too much time staring into screens,” she said, adding it can be difficult for some children to find stories that truly capture their interest.

She sells her books through online retailers, local markets, bookstores and her website, booksbylisaadair.com, and also works to ensure they are available in libraries.

“It’s always fun at the end of the month to see where my royalties are coming in from my online sales, because they do show up from all over the world,” she said. “It’s exciting to see that happen.”

Adair is also preparing to release the third volume in her Glenmere Mystery Box series this summer.

Set in small-town Saskatchewan during the 1980s, the series follows a young adult named Amy Young who stumbles upon a crime scene and begins some amateur sleuthing. A detective must later determine whether she helped solve the case or interfered with the investigation.

Adair began writing novels after planning her retirement from a 26-year career as a dental hygienist. Encouraged by her husband to find something new to pursue, she turned to writing, drawing on an English degree, an idea and an unpublished short story.

She incorporated that short story into The Puzzle Box, the first Glenmere Mystery Box novel.

“I was partway through writing it when COVID shut the dental offices down,” she said. With unexpected time on her hands, she focused on finishing the book.

“By the time everyone was back to work, all I could think about was finishing the novel and retiring.”

By the time she and her husband moved to Rosetown, where he had been transferred for work, she was already in the publishing phase of the novel. It was released in 2023.

Since then, Adair said writing has kept her busier than she expected. She has joined the board of the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild and hopes to help other writers develop their craft.

“I’m hoping with that to help other writers find their way,” she said.