Magazine Launch (short story) 7/7 by Leanne Dyck

In 2009, my husband and I left Mayne Island to attend a magazine launch in Victoria so that I, as one of the contributing authors, could read Because She Believed In Me. 

Installment 6

Magazine Launch

“And, now, I’m pleased to welcome to the stage, Leanne Dyck. Leanne will read from her creative non-fiction story Because She Believed In Me. Leanne Dyck.”

            Applause. Byron squeezed my hand. I pushed my way out of the audience and onto the stage. My face cracked into a nervous smile. There are too many people here—and I don’t know any one. But… I located Byron  in the audience. He looks so nervous. I can do this. I can do this. I fumbled with the zipper, opened my purse and withdrew my index cards. “To set the scene:  I am about seven years old and we are in my grade two classroom.

            “ ‘Leanne, read the next passage,’ the teacher says, throwing me to the jackals.

            “My hands begin to shake. My forehead tightens.

            “ ‘Oh, no, not her. We’ll be here all day,’ sneers a fellow student.

            “I peer at the page, attempting to find sense in the swirl of words that confront me. The letters leap, spin and twist—refusing to be captured. I focus all my effort on one word, the first word. I wrestle with it, attempting to contain it.

            “The first letter is an ‘s’, I tell myself. It makes the sound of a snake.

            “I smile contently. I have begun.

            “Next letter, I look at it.

            “That’s a ‘p’, I think.

            “I look again and in front of my eyes, the letter has undergone a magical transformation. It has become a ‘t’.

            “Panic grips me.

            “This is taking way too long.

            “I feel eyes drilling holes in my flesh. A clock ticks loudly. The sweet aroma of the teacher’s perfume engulfs my nostrils. Outside a bird calls. My senses are assaulted. I can’t shut anything out. I can’t focus.

            “I just want this to end. Please, please I don’t want to be here any more, I pray.’ I pause. “Flash forward…wow…a lot of years and I’ve grown from an elementary school student struggling with dyslexia to a mystery author gifted with dyslexia. What happened to cause this change? Would you like to solve that mystery? Well, what you do is this…get your hands on the Island Writer magazine…flip to my story Because She Believed In Me—all will be revealed. Thank you for listening. Happy Holidays.”

            Applause. Sweet applause. I left the stage and joined the audience. They showered me with praise. “You should be an actress,” they told me. “You did a very good job.”

            Two women approached me.

“I’m Samantha Robins,” one of the woman said. “And this is” I recognize the name. She’s…she’s…a prolific author. I resisted the impulse to hug her.

“I really enjoyed your story."

I blushed.

"In fact," she continued. "I’d like to encourage you to write more about your experiences as a dyslexic.” The Author told me.

Her words stayed with me.

            In the car, I told Byron, “I want to do more readings.”

            He kissed me. “You’re amazing,” he said.

            Know what? I think he’s right.

           

           

Magazine Launch (short story) 6/7 by Leanne Dyck

 In 2009, my husband and I left Mayne Island to attend a magazine launch in Victoria so that I, as one of the contributing authors, could read Because She Believed In Me. This is my short story about that adventure. 


Installment 5

Magazine Launch (installment 6)

We walked into the hall; into a sea of people.

            It’s not my first reading, I thought as we hunted for seats. It’s not even the first time I’ve read off-island. Byron found two chairs but rows separated them. I shook my head and mouthed, “no.” But it is the first time I’ve read to this many writers. We claimed two chairs—they were in the middle of the second row. And they’ll all judging me. I grabbed Byron’s hand and held on tight. I’m not nervous. I’m not nervous. I’ll be fine. I’ll be fine.

            One of the women I had talked to earlier spoke into the microphone. “On behalf of the Victoria Writers Society, I’d like to welcome everyone here tonight. And I’m sure all of the writers, who will soon be readers, are glad you came as well. Just a reminder, each reader has five minutes. Five minutes. Please respect the audience and your fellow writers and keep to this time limit. Now without further delay I’d like to invite…” Reader after reader took the stage. I  can’t even hear him. She should look up more. I can do much better than that. When will it be my turn? We’re only supposed to read for five minutes. She’s talking much longer. Someone should say something. I envisioned a large hook and chuckled to myself. It wasn’t nice—and I was a little ashamed of myself, but… I need to read. I n-e-e-d to r-e-a-d.

Mayne Island Fall Fair Parade 2013...

Magazine Launch (short story) 5/7 by Leanne Dyck

In 2009, my husband I left Mayne Island to attend a magazine launch in Victoria so that I, as a contributing author, could read 'Because She Believed In Me'. This is the short story I wrote about that adventure. 

Installment 4

Magazine Launch (installment 5)

            It was chilly night yet the sidewalks were full of people.

            “Why are there so many people out walking?” I asked Byron.

            “How should I know?” He shrugged. “Maybe that’s just what they do here.”

            “This neighbourhood reminds me of Osborne Village,” I said. Winnipeg’s riverside neighbourhood had been the first place we’d lived as a couple. We shared a smile and continued exploring.

            “You going to watch the parade?” one neighbour asked another.

            Byron leaned in close to me. “Parade,” we shared the word, savoured it. And we didn’t have long to wait. Trucks, service vehicles, even two city buses—all decked out in lights. Some even provided Christmas carols. When the last Christmas tree on wheels drove past Byron said, “We should start our way back.”

            My reading. I can’t be late. Which way is back?

            I started down one street but it led us to unfamiliar sights.

            “I don’t think this is the right way,” Byron said.

            “We’re lost. What if they call, ‘Leanne Dyck’—and I’m not there.”

            “Won’t happen,” Byron said.

            Sure he can say that. It’s not his thing. He doesn’t really care. Well, he may not. But I do. And I’m going to find that hall; I’m not going to be late; I’m not going to miss this opportunity. I stormed down one street after another—possessed by my mission.

            I was so relieved when Byron said, “There it is. See we found it. But we better hurry—only five minutes to show time.”

Installment 6

My mother-in-law prepares her entry for 

Mayne Island's fall fair

Saturday, August 17th

Magazine Launch (short story) 4/7 by Leanne Dyck

In 2009, my husband and I left Mayne Island to attend a magazine launch in Victoria so that I could read 'Because She Believed In Me'. This is a short story about that adventure.

Installment 3

Magazine Launch (installment 4)

I read the clock on the dashboard. 7:30. “We’re too early.”

            “Wow. I wonder how that happened?”

            I knew he was mocking me—and I wasn’t amused, but I didn’t want to start a fight. “Maybe we should turn around and—”

            “No, I don’t think so.” I followed him into the building. Plank floor. Pump organ. Stripped banners. The place looked like a Second World War dance-hall  Two twenty-something women stood in the corner by the organ talking. Their clothes had a funky style with accents of vintage. Byron nudged me toward them. They stopped talking; one of them smiled at me.

            “Hello, I’m Leanne Dyck.” I waited for them to recognize my name. When they didn’t, I explained, “I’m one of the authors who’ll be reading their stories tonight.”

            “Oh, it doesn’t start until 8 o’clock.”

            “Yes, I know. Do you mind if we wait here?”

            They shared a look. “No, we don’t mind. But you’d probably be more comfortable waiting at one of the local pubs.” They aimed us in the right direction; and we left.

            We stood on the sidewalk, looked across the street at a pub. It was the first one we’d found. A long line of people blocked the door.

            “Let’s try somewhere else,” Byron said.

            Pub after pub, it was the same story—door blocked by too many waiting people.

            “We could just push our way in,” I said.

            Byron looked at me like I’d suddenly grown two heads. “Let’s check out the shops,” he said and led me into a music store. Black walls. Red lights. Devil heads. Everyone dressed in leather. Byron was drawn to crates of L.P.s in the middle of the store. In a corner, I found a small display of clothing. Hey, those look like the black leather high tops I used to own. I wonder how much they—I knelt to inspect them more closely. Someone touched me. I jumped, turned—Byron.

            “It’s all heavy metal,” he whispered. We left.

            We couldn’t drink; we could shop; we were running out of options.

            “Let’s check out the neighbourhood,” Byron said.

Installment 5

This Summer my husband and I are transforming our front and back yard from an abandoned jungle to...a...well...I'll show you instead of tell you. Today here's my back yard.

I spent three days weeding this section of my back yard.

Then my husband, Byron, used a tapper to level out the yard. 

When we're done, I'll use this section of the back yard to do Tai Chi. After several years I'm still very much a beginner. But I really enjoy this mindful exercise. (And for a dyslexic, the sequencing is especially challenging.) In the meantime, in between time, we continue to work...

Magazine Launch (short story) 1/7 by Leanne Dyck

My creative non-fiction story 'Because She Believed In Me' was published in the Island Writer Magazine:  The literary journal of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands in Winter 2009. 

Magazine Launch

It was an ordinary day. Then I turned on my computer. Then I read an email from the Victoria Writers Society. My short story will be published in the Island Writer, I thought and my head exploded. Along with the acceptance letter was an invitation to the magazine launch. Would I attend? I didn’t have to think about that question for long. Of course I would.

            “My story’s been accepted,” I told my husband. “And we’re going to the magazine launch.”

            “Have you checked the ferry schedule?”

            I hadn't. I just thought things would work out.

            He followed the maze of numbers. “The last ferry leaves Vancouver Island for Mayne Island at 8:30 p.m.”

            I glanced at the invitation. “The event starts at 8:00 p.m.” What did that mean? Did that mean—No, we have to. “Maybe the launch won’t take that long?”

            “Come on, Leanne. Think. We can’t even drive from the ferry to Victoria and back in half an hour.”

            “But I have to go. I have to. It’s my story… I’ve been chosen.”

            He heaved a heavy sigh. “We’ll find accommodations.”

            I wrapped my arms around my hero. I knew Byron would have a solution. He’s so smart. What will I wear? I had an outfit to plan, a reading to practice and mere weeks to get it all done. I have to start today.

            “You’ll have to find us a place to stay,” Byron said.

            Me? But I have so much to do… Still by the way he was looking at me I knew booking accommodations had just become my responsibility. I studied the invitation. “Out of city guests may enjoy staying at the Rosewood Inn.” Inn? Sounds expensive. “You’ll have to check—”

            “No, you’ll have to,” he told me. “This is your thing. I’m going with you.”

            Oh, Byron, you always make things much harder than they have to be.

            Weeks passed; the day arrived. Byron and I sailed from Mayne Island headed for Vancouver Island. I flipped open my paperback; starred out to sea; read a few paragraphs; stared out to sea; read a sentence; stared out to sea.

            “Byron?”

            “Yes?” He looked up from his book.

            “What time is it?”

            “Five minutes after the last time you asked.”

            Byron drove the truck out of the ferry terminal. “How do we get to the Rosewood Inn?”

            Honestly, do I have to everything? I opened the file folder that held my author reading, the reservations for our accommodations and… “I printed off a map.”

            “You did?” He sounded surprised.

            I read the street names; Byron followed my directions and I got us all the way there.

Magazine Launch 2/7

My husband snapped this photo of me while we were at the Church fair this past weekend. 

I may look a little lost but there are books in my arms so you know I'm happy. : )

#writing: awards, conference, contest

First a red faced apology, I think I told you that I was going to be attending the Arthur Ellis award night. Yes, well, I didn’t. The Arthur Ellis award night will take place in June, in Toronto. I won’t be there—although, I do hope to attend this event in the future. What I attended last week was the Arthur Ellis shortlist evening. In fact, during this event, I sat my second panel as a published author.

 I won’t talk to you about my butterflies. What I will do is give you a brief review of the event that was held at the Vancouver Public Library. During our panel discussion, we explored many topics such as our writing life, the state of reading and social media. I came down heavily in favour of social networking. Even though I had to admit that it can be a time suck. However, I’ve recently become involved with Google+—and I’m in love. As I live on a remote island, networking with fellow authors as well as others in the publishing industry is a challenge. Google+ enables this connecting. After our brief panel discussion, we read the names of the authors and publishers on the shortlist. If I were worth my salt as a reporter, I would have collected these names and shared them with you. Unfortunately, I’m a fiction author and not a journalist and so the most I can do is provide a link (http://crimewriterscanada.com/). Oh, yes, and I would like to introduce you to the other authors that were involved in this event.

Debra Purdy Kong (http://crimewriterscanada.com/kong-debra-purdy)

David Russell (http://crimewriterscanada.com/russell-david )

Roberta Rich

Stephen LeGault

Colleen Cross (http://crimewriterscanada.com/bios/members-lists/653-cross-c )

Photos by Byron Dyck

And in other news…

Pulled from my email inbox…

Awards

Dear Leanne,

The final tally is done and the winners for the year 2011 have been announced. I managed to get 2nd prize (for poetry) and 3rd Prize (short story) at the Interartia literary competition sponsored by the Inetrnational Art Academy and the Foundoulis Observatory in Athens Greece.

It makes this man's day.

Cheers to all,

Manolis

One-day writers’ conference

Write on the Beach

Sunday June 10

9:15 AM to 5 PM

Beecher Place, 12160 Beecher Street

Crescent Beach, Surrey

Keynote:  Transformation in the Book Industry

By Margaret Reynolds, Association of Book Publishers of BC

Presentations:

The Power of Story in Fiction & Non fiction by Lois Peterson

Poetry in Prose by Loreena Lee

Writing for Magazine by Ursula Maxwell-Lexis

Inspired to Write by Don Hunter

$60 Federation of BC members; $76 non-members (before May 10, 2012)

$75 Federation of BC members; $90 non-members (after May 10)

Students—half price

Registration:  Loreena@dragonwing.bc.ca/General enquiries:  Ben 604-535-2977

Contest

The Victoria Writers’ Society 11^th Annual Writing Competition

Categories:  fiction, creative non-fiction and poetry

Entry fee:  $15 members, $20 non-members

Deadline:  May 1^st

Details:  www.victoriawriters.ca

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Next post:  reading:  Sleeping Tigers by Holly Robinson