Kootenay author, Keith G. Powell, has released his second historical novel called, Raising Kain, the adventurous life of Conrad Kain – Canada’s greatest mountaineer.

“My new book will be officially released in early 2012 and will be available in bookstores throughout western Canada,” said Keith G. Powell, Kootenay author. “Conrad Kain lived in Wilmer (just north of Invermere) for almost 20 years and he died in Cranbrook’s St. Eugene Hospital in 1934.  He one of the most famous people buried in Cranbrook cementery – so there is strong Kootenay connection to this story.”

In 1909, twenty-five year-old Conrad Kain, from the tiny Austrian village of Nasswald, located in the heart of the Rax Mountains, boarded the CPR ship the Empress of Britain, en route to the Canadian Rockies.  Never did he imagine the adventurous life that lay before him, as the first official mountain guide of the newly formed Alpine Club of Canada (ACC). This historical novel tells the story of Conrad Kain’s 25 years in Canada in a manner, which reflects the overall spirit and experience of the early days of alpine adventure in the Canadian Rockies – from his arrival as a young man to his later years in and around Wilmer in the Columbia Valley.

With almost 70 first ascents or new routes on peaks throughout the Canadian Rockies and 59 ascents (29 first ascents) in New Zealand, Conrad Kain, was recognized as “the prince of Canadian mountain guides” – in what can only be called the Golden Age of mountaineering in Canada.

Conrad Kain has an enduring legacy in the Canadian Rockies and he is still fondly remembered for his mountaineering skills and colourful sense of humour.

“It is my hope that this book, Raising Kain, the adventurous life of ConradKain –captures the rich heritage and legacy that Conrad Kain left behind in his relatively short but extraordinary life in the Canadian Rockies,” said Keith G. Powell, author and publisher.

Keith G. Powell, is a life-long resident of the Kootenays and is the publisher at Koocanusa Publications Inc., in Cranbrook.  He has a keen interest in local history and the lives of the many colorful characters who at one time or another called the Canadian Rockies home. Published through his own publishing company, Wild Horse Creek Press, this is his second historical novel.  He is also author of the Kootenay bestseller, Living in the Shadow of Fisher Peak, which was recently short listed as one of nominees for the One Book, One Kootenay award.

Cutline: Author Keith G. Powell at the Conrad Kain hut in the Bugaboos with his new book Raising Kain, the adventurous life of Conrad Kain, Canada’s greatest mountaineer.  The Bugaboos were one of ConradKain’s favourite climbing areas.

The popular "I Love Creston" magazine is a favourite in the orchard valley of Creston.  People love it for it's local information and focus on people and their stories.

This month's edition (August 2010) features a question and answer session on my historical novel, LIVING IN THE SHADOW OF FISHER PEAK.

The questions include, Why do you call it the forgotten goldrush?  What is the connection to Creston?  Why would people enjoy reading the book?   To read the entire Q & A interview click on this link...http://www.ilovecreston.com/page/magazine/current%20articles/135

Jack Fisher, a prospector with a Canadian mountain peak and a Libby area river named for him, lies in an unmarked grave at Conrad Memorial Cemetery.

Thanks to Cranbrook, British Columbia, author Keith Powell, Fisher’s adventures — from discovering gold on Wild Horse Creek to making a second haul in the Libby gold rush — come to life again in his historical novel called “Living in the Shadow of Fisher Peak.”

That how the front page article reads...to read the whole article click below…

http://www.dailyinterlake.com/news/featured_story/article_b6899cb6-3ba0-11df-962d-001cc4c03286.html

“I recently heard that if a book sells 5,000 copies in Canada or 1,000 in British Columbia it is considered a bestseller,” said author Keith Powell.  “So I guess that must, at least, make my new book a “Kootenay” bestseller, with over 600 copies sold in its first two months.  The reaction to my new historical novel about the Wild Horse Creek gold rush has been overwhelmingly positive.”

The new historical novel explores the Kootenay gold rush of 1864 which opened the Kootenays to modern day development.  This spurred the extension of the Dewdney Trail beyond Hope through the West Kootenay to Wild Horse Creek near Fort Steele.  Jack Fisher was one of the Kootenay’s most colourful (and long forgotten) characters. His story of his adventurous life is captured and brought alive in this historical novel.  The book is 176 pages and contains over twenty historical photos.

 Here is s what one reviewer recently wrote about the book Living in the Shadow of Fisher Peak…

“This engaging historical novel was written by local publisher and author Keith Powell. It tells a story of the riveting adventures had by Jack Fisher, the prospector for whom Fisher Peak was named. In his quest for gold, 16-year-old Fisher (originally from Philadelphia) set off across the Midwest to improve his quality of life and find wealth in California. His tireless drive to emerge from a life of poverty led him eventually to Wild Horse Creek in Kootenay country, attesting to the motivation and courage of this young man. Readers will empathize with the ups and downs endured throughout Fisher’s extensive trek, where his triumphant success later took a tragic turn for the worse. In reading a novel such as this, one gets a sense of the hardships endured in the 1800s by those who were struck with “gold fever,” and refused to give up on their dreams. It is a truly inspiring read, and it's clear that there was significant historical research put into its creation. The tale is woven in an entertaining manner, one which any reader can relate to and enjoy.”

 Through his own publishing company called Wild Horse Creek Press this new Kootenay historical novel is now available in at local bookstore throughout the Kootenaysfor $21.95.

Other Kootenay bestsellers at local bookstores this year include Janice Strong’s Mountain Footsteps; Angie Abdou’s The Bone Cage; Keith Liggett’s Island Lake Lodge: The Cookbook; Dave Cassidy's My Hope Butch and of course Nelson’s Shelley Adam’s Whitewater Cooks at Home, which is the #3 on B.C. best sellers list.

It was a incredibly warm, sunny day with a clear blue sky that just kept getting clearer and clearer the higher we climbed enroute to the summit of Mount Fisher. The last 1,000 feet was slow going as we picked our way up and over the jumble of boulders that make up Fisher’s Peak. The 360 degree panorama vista from atop of Mount Fisher was breathtaking!

Mount Fisher was officially named such in 1915 in recognition of John S.(Jack)Fisher, who lead one of two parties of prospectors to the mouth of Wild Horse Creek. This rushing mountain stream proved to be one of the West’s richest single gold-bearing streams.

Since I had spend much of the last year researching and writing the historical novel about Jack Fisher I called Living in the Shadow of Fisher Peak, I felt it only right that I once again tackle the trek to the top of Mount Fisher.

Just after 1:00 p.m. in the afternoon on Saturday, August 29th, 2009; I made the last few steps onto the top of Fisher’s Peak. I reached into my backpack and pulled out the prototype of my new historical novel and posed for the accompanying photo.

For a few hours my new book was definately the highest read book in the Kootenay