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Ours is a wise, weird, wonderful country. Let’s celebrate that fact!

The story of how my book came to be begins ten years ago, when I won the Stanley Cup. No, really. I won a CBC competition and, as the winner, NHL champion Mark Messier brought me the coveted trophy at a party, where I was also awarded $25,000 in prizes, including enough “Hockey Night in Canada” paraphernalia to fill a house.

And fill a house it did. We had Hockey Night recliners, tables, stools, clocks, rugs, games, shirts, hats and framed jerseys signed by Ron and Don. In fact, we had a larger-than-life-size cardboard cut- out of Ron and Don. Our house looked like a hockey shrine built by absolutely crazed fans.

I like hockey, particularly the playoffs, and I love rooting for my team, especially in the Battle of Ontario matchups. But I was not the absolutely crazed fan my house made me out to be. I decided to mute the impact of the hockey decor by incorporating some Canadiana elements: a vintage wall map, kitschy old pennants from Canadian towns I’d visited, and for just a taste of absurd whimsy, a framed portrait of Jean Chrétien and his family in the ’90s.

A year later, I began working as an editor at Canadian Living magazine, and my focus on our country and its stories and symbols intensified. But before long, it was time for me to welcome a new little Canadian of my own. During maternity leave, I did what many moms set out to do: I wrote the “Great Canadian Novel.” I also started blogging about Canadian pop culture, diving into the stories of our pop stars, politicians, poets and more.

As someone who had studied journalism and music at Carleton University, the pop star stories were of particular interest to me. I loved writing about the Junos, Justin Bieber’s latest antics and

the rise of Drake. I parlayed this work into a role at ET Canada, where I write about music and entertainment right from my home in Hamilton. Meanwhile, the manuscript for my novel had caught the attention of a literary agent who suggested I work on a nonfiction book.

The theme for such a book was obvious to me: I would pitch a book about Canada. But about what, exactly? I thought of our national symbols, things like canoes, toques, poutine and inukshuk. For all my immersion in Canadian culture, none of these really resonated with me. I mean, what have we here? A boat, a hat, a snack for after last call and a pile of rocks. I know symbols like these are a shorthand for Canada, but they don’t always neatly define Canada to me.

I began wondering what did feel like Canada to me, to us, here, now. I jotted down dozens of ideas for chapters on topics from Bonhomme to Stephen Harper to Hinterland’s “Who’s Who.” I organized the strongest ideas under the headings Beavers, Hobos, Hip Hop, Mascots and Weirdos (that last section is reserved for our prime ministers, naturally).

Before long, I had compiled a proposal for a kooky nonfiction book that explored a new set of Canadian symbols. My agent pitched it to publishers and before long I had a book deal with Dundurn Press—and a book to write, quick! After signing the paperwork at the end of May 2016, I had just ten weeks to write the book in order for it to be released in the spring of 2017, in time for Canada’s 150th birthday. I wrote from nine to five each day and after my little one was tucked into bed I’d write from eight to 11 each night—sometimes later!

I was responsible for pulling together images and pictures for the book, too. Many that I found online were protected by expensive copyright. Sometimes I saved up and bought the copyright; other times I found I could use less expensive or even free images that were much smaller and of lower resolution. But what could I do with all these tiny images in a book? I decided to group them together into collages. Each chapter has a collage and each collage takes the shape of a traditional Canadian symbol, but is filled with images of an alternate, new idea of Canadianism.

By 5 p.m. on August 8, I had written 20 chapters and pulled together 75 images. I was nervous turning my work over to my publisher. This was my first book and I had no idea how many changes they would request and how long each change would take. Maybe they’d want the whole book rewritten from a different angle or with a different

voice or tone. I did not know what to expect.

I needn’t have worried, because the edits were few and the process was smooth and professional. At times, I couldn’t believe how many goofy parts of the book would make it to print. For example, if you turn to the book’s appendix, you’re greeted with the lyrics to rapper Snow’s 1992 hit, “Informer.”

It was exciting to see my book take shape over the fall and winter. It grew from an increasingly polished manuscript into a fully laid-out PDF with all the images in place, all set for the printer. Then, it was time to let everyone know the book was coming out and to plan a book launch. It was exciting to see my book hit the number one spot on Kobo as friends, family and my first few fans preordered the book. I hope my book, Is Canada Even Real? How a Nation Built on Hobos, Beavers, Hip Hop and Weirdos Convinced the World to Beliebe, helps Canadians learn more about their home, their neighbours and themselves through funny longreads about Canada’s social history. I hope you’ll read it and love it and think of me here in my Canadian living room, dreaming up more ways to explain our country to ourselves in the most fun way possible. It’s a big country and a big task, but I’ve already won the Stanley Cup, so I know that in Canada, big dreams can come true.

For more details, and lots of smiles and chuckles, visit www.villamere.com and follow J.C. Villamere on social media.