Michael Christie's first novel 'love poem' to Thunder Bay

Superior Morning5:05"If I Fall, If I Die" Michael Christie

Michael Christie is a professional skateboarder, turned award-winning author from Thunder Bay. His brand new book hits shelves today.

Michael Christie, the professional skateboarder-turned-author, burst onto the Canadian literary scene in 2011 with his award winning book of short stories, The Beggar's Garden, set in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

His follow-up, and first novel,is an inventivecoming of age story firmly rooted in northwestern Ontario.

If I Fall, If I Die, tells the story of Will, an eleven-year-old boy who's entire world is the home he shares with his agoraphobicmother.

"He's sheltered in the most extreme sense," said Christie, from his current home on GalianoIsland.

That is until one day Will steps outside, discovers Christie's grittyversion of Thunder Bay, and becomes embroiled in a mystery that draws him to the city's icy harbour, and iconic decaying grain elevators.

Christie, who lived in Thunder Bay while writing the book, said he wanted to capture his hometown.

"I grew up in Thunder Bay, so it's a huge part of my imagination," he said.

"It's a dark book, but it's also a love poem to the city, I think. It's a city I love very much."

If I Fall, If I Die, hits the shelveson January 20th.