Our Story
Point Anne is where our roots, memories, and identities were formed. The land, water, and community shaped our families, our friendship, and our writing. This page shares why Point Anne continues to guide our stories today.
Gail and Dianne,
From Point Anne
For us, Point Anne has always been more than a place; it’s the shoreline, the trees, the laughter, and the lives that shaped who we are. It is where our families rooted themselves, where community meant caring for one another, and where memories continue to echo across the bay. Growing up between land and water, our identities were formed by the rhythms of village life: the hickory trees, the limestone rock, the toboggan runs, the gatherings, and the everyday moments that still live within us.
As writers, Point Anne continues to call us back. Its stories, its people, and its enduring sense of connection guide the way we write together: balancing our perspectives, blending our voices, and honouring the resilience and humour of the generations before us. This is the place that made us, and the place we return to in our work.
Below, we share, in our own words, why Point Anne matters, and how its spirit continues to shape our stories
Looking to learn more about Point Anne? Read our new book on its oral history.
What does Point Anne mean to you personally, and why does it keep finding its way into your writing?
You write what you know, we are from Point Anne. It is who we are, where we come from, and our identity. We felt compelled to write this in order to honour our families and the memories of the village.
When you look across the bay from the boathouses in Point Anne you can see Beach Road in Tyendinaga. The two communities are connected by water, land, and family. When we go to visit, it is the shore line of the bay that draws us in. Stepping out of the car, breathing in the scent of the bay, all the memories come flooding back. The connection to water is so powerful. People from the village have a deep connection to the land including the trees, particularly hickory nut and scrub cedars, orchards, wild flowers, wild berries and grapes, and the limestone rock.
As a result of the interviews, research and photos we gathered we have developed a deeper, richer understanding of the village and our families including the hardships they faced, their ability to overcome adversity with a sense of humour and resiliency and their strength - ‘Pick yourself up, shake yourself off and move on’.
What moments, memories, or qualities of Point Anne most shape your stories and the way you write together as co-authors?
Over the generations our families have been connected and these connections have endured. We are good friends and at this point we can almost finish each other’s thoughts.
It is easy to make connections in our writing because of the shared experiences we have. These include experiences of tobogganing on the Big Hill, fishing, the beach, biking at the Flat Rock, Christmas concerts at the school, Plant Christmas parties, and how special community celebrations and events were.
Our perspectives are different but similar values and upbringing makes it easy for us to blend our writing styles together. We balance each other, because together we bring our hearts and minds into our writing. Drawing upon our collective strengths when writing we know we will be happy with the end result.
In difficult times people from the village were there for each other and they continue to be there for one another. You know you belong to a supportive, caring community. We are ‘Point Anners’. Even today when you run into another Point Anner you immediately feel at home, and connected to one another and our families.
What do you hope readers understand or feel about Point Anne after reading your books?
We were very lucky to grow up in the village of Point Anne. Point Anne was more than just a small village; it was the people, the lives they lived and the memories that still echo today.
We also want them to understand how important stories are, including their own. Stories of everyday life need to be captured or they will be lost forever. We encourage people to sit down with the important people in their lives and say, “tell me about…”.
Explore the history further in our new book, Tales and Tastes from the Village of Point Anne.