Lampman author launches third book in Winds of Change series

ESTEVAN — Lampman-based author Maureen Ulrich celebrated the release of The Outlaw Gabrielle, the third and second-last book in her Winds of Change historical fantasy series, with a reading at the Estevan Public Library on Feb. 13.

Ulrich, who has written across genres including historical fiction and sports-themed young adult novels, engaged with attendees about the craft of writing and the journey behind her latest book.

"It was very good," Ulrich said of the event. "Probably about half the audience was my writers' group. So a lot of the questions were about the craft of writing and about the process, and the rewards, and the challenges."

The Outlaw Gabrielle follows a fast-paced adventure filled with pirates, assassins and highwaymen. Released as an e-book at the end of last year and a paperback early this year, the novel continues the saga of Winds of Change, which will conclude with a fourth book at the end of this year.

The Outlaw Gabrielle is the third, and second-last book, in the Winds of Change Series by Lampman's Maureen Ulrich. Photo courtesy of Maureen Ulrich

"This is the third installment of four. There will be one more this year," Ulrich said. "I released it as an e-book in December, and then as a paperback in January. And I do that just to give myself a little bit of wiggle room for picking up on any typos that might still be lingering."

Ulrich, who has transitioned from a "pantser" – writing without a structured plan – to a more methodical approach, completed The Outlaw Gabrielle in just a year.

"I started outlining in January of 2024," she explained. "I outlined every chapter, and then I started to write, and it only took me about four months to write the first draft. And then it's going back through that draft and honing, and crafting, and adding characters, eliminating characters, moving events from one place to another."

Ulrich is now preparing for the series' final installment.

"Here we are the 14th of February, and I have an outline made, but I'm not totally happy with it," she said. "So I'll spend another two weeks tinkering with that, and then start writing. And hope to have that final book out for December 26."

Interest in the series has grown as more readers discover the books.

"The interest has been great. The reviews have been very good. And people seem to read the books very quickly because they are fast-paced," Ulrich said.

The book is available on Amazon in both Kindle and paperback formats. It will also be stocked at Henders Drugs in Estevan starting Feb. 19, through Ulrich and through SaskBooks, which is a provincial creative industry association for book publishers in Regina.

Ulrich expressed gratitude to those who helped bring the book launch to life.

"I'm really grateful to the Estevan Library for hosting this event. And the Saskatchewan Writers Guild paid a stipend for me to read and present. So I really appreciate the support of Saskatchewan organizations. It's marvellous for writers."

Her next reading is set for Feb. 20 at the Lampman Public Library, where she hopes to reach a younger audience. The event will also be live-streamed on her Facebook page.