Nora Hickson Kelly grew up in North battleford, Saskatchewan, where she first learned about the Mounties. After teaching in elementary schools for nine years she wrote for children: songs, plays, stories in school readers, school concert material and school work books. After marrying a Mounted Policeman she studied the history of the Force. Then she wrote, first, articles for children, then books on Mounted Police history. While living in Ottawa she saw Burmese perform as leading file in the RCMP Musical Ride.