Sunday, March 25, 2018

Other People's Memories (short story) by Leanne Dyck

I never knew my paternal grandpa--he died 8 years and 10 days before I was born. But I was told stories about him by lots of people--including strangers like...


photo ldyck

Other People's Memories


One of my summer jobs during High School was as a tour guide at the Eriksdale Museum. I enjoyed losing myself in other people's memories.

Maybe locals came in but I don't remember them. Tourists were the ones who stood out. They wanted to learn about us and the museum was their introduction. Most traveled from other parts of Manitoba or Canada or even from the United States. A man came from England. He impressed me by using four place names in his address. And I remember a woman. I'll always remember her.

I greeted her with a smile. "Hello, I'm Leanne Willetts."

And she said, "Willetts? Your grandfather, Mr. J.H. Willetts, owned a Red and White store. He sold groceries, dry goods, and cattle feed.

"The depression was hard on farmers like my dad. He needed feed for our cows, but he didn't have any money. Those cows were the only things keeping the wolf from our door. So, he swallowed his pride and asked your grandfather to loan him the feed.

"Mr. Willetts was a businessman. He needed to make money--his family needed to eat. But you know what your grandfather did?" Her eyes were wet with tears as she told me, "He gave my dad the feed--gave it to him."

Yes, I'll always remember her.

When I worked as a tour guide, the museum was housed in the old Anglican church.

I was hired to fill the position of tour guide by Lucy Lindell--she had worked for my grandfather in his store. 


photo ldyck


More...


I love museums. Some of my favourites are...




the Vikings in Newfoundland




Toronto's Castle

I visited L'Anse aux Meadows and Casa Loma in the 1980s when I was a Katimavik volunteer.





in Winnipeg

I volunteered at the Manitoba Museum in the 1990s--before moving to BC.


in Hofsos, Iceland

While visiting relatives in Iceland, I toured The Icelandic Emigration Centre--and lived close by, heaven.

Castle in Victoria, BC

Even though Craigdarroch Castle is just a ferry ride away I don't manage to get there as much as I would like. 

photo ldyck

Next post:  A poem to celebrate April Fool's Day.
Published on Sunday, April 1st at 5 PM PT
(this is not an April Fool's joke)

"the tail end of the month" photo ldyck

Sharing my author journey...

This March I...

Sunday, March 18, 2018

Book review: Precious Cargo (memoir) by Craig Davidson

Abled -- Disabled
I'm interested in the weight these words carry. And so is author Craig Davidson.
Early in his career Davidson accomplish the kind of success we authors dream of (with a short story collection) but then his next book (a novel) bombed. Unable to write, he searched for a means to feed himself. He was so desperate that he took a job as a school bus driver. But not just any school bus--the short bus. Davidson explains that in school bus driver circles driving that bus made him the poor cousin. He took the job and drove his special needs passengers to and from school five days a week, four hours a day. Driver, passengers:  they became more than simply friends. In Precious Cargo, Davidson recounts his year as a driver. He shares the laughter; he shares the tears. He explores what it means to be disabled in Canada. Driving a bus was just a job but it changed Davidson's life forever. 




Publisher:  Alfred A Knopf Canada
Published in 2016

Will this be the book all Canadians should read? Only time will tell. 
Click this link to learn more about Canada Reads 2018.

calendar from my grandfather's store
(accompanying smaller photo:  my grandfather in front of his store with a friend)

Next post:  Other People's Memories--a short story based on my days as a tour guide in rural Manitoba.


Sharing my author journey...

Last week, an earworm (The Monks' I've Got Drugs In My Pocket)

Sunday, March 4, 2018

The author-reader contract by Leanne Dyck

The author of the novel promises to entertain. If the author upholds this side of the contract the reader promises to keep reading.

"on a clear day" ldyck


You, as the author, stated your intention on the back of the book. In short, you promised to entertain me. Bookstores and libraries are full of books. Congratulations on getting your book into my hands. I flipped open the book and I read... 
I am doomed to remember a boy with a wrecked voice--not because of his voice, or because he was the instrument of my mother's death, but because he is the reason I believe in God; I am a Christian because of Owen Meany. John Irving, A Prayer for Owen Meany

This opening sentence not only introduces me to the topic of the book--Owen Meany--but also briefly underlines why he is so special--he caused a mother's death and lead the narrator to God. After reading that sentence, I have to read on. 

'A good hook will not only create interest, but also set the mood, tone, atmosphere, and create expectations for the reader.' Read the entire article

'Strong characters draw readers into your plot. This dynamic is called the bond.' James Scott Bell, Plot & Structure


'[M]ake the hook and text integral to each other...I'm not advocating bland hooks; the challenge is to have the provocative hook but at the same time not have the discrepancy.' Noah Lukeman, The First Five Pages:  A Writer's Guide to Staying Out of the Rejection Pile

More examples of good first lines and why they work.

And wow. After writing and re-reading this article, I, as a writer, feel the pressure to carefully craft my opening sentence, paragraph, chapter, book. Of course, we can't all write like John Irving--but we must be entertaining, we owe it to our readers.

Reading this article will help you write your hook 
Writing a Hook First Line 

My dad and me visiting BC

Next post:  Sunday, March 11 (at approximately 5:00 PM PST)
27 years I was considering a career change; 27 years ago my dad (AJ Willetts) sent me the letter I'm going to share with you. 


"Abby inspiring story" ldyck

Sharing my author journey...