CBC radio and me (short story) (2 of 2) by Leanne Dyck

Did you miss the first part of CBC radio and me? Would you like to read it again? Here's the link... CBC radio and me (1 of 2)

Continuing the story...

(click on the image to embolden) ldyck

I still have the acceptance letter. Along with acceptance, I was sent an invitation to the book launch. It would be in a swanky hotel and recorded live for radio. Attending required an overnighter in Vancouver. The bed was comfortable; the room quiet. But I barely slept. I was way too excited.

In the morning, my husband helped me navigate the streets and we arrived earlier than many. Under crystal chandeliers, the tables had been removed to make room for rows and rows of chairs. At the front of the room, two round tables held microphones and other recording stuff. CBC radio magic would happen in this room, in front of my eyes.

As a way of saying thanks, I'd brought a gift for radio personality and host of the book launch, Rick Cluff. But how would I get it to him? The thought of meeting him made me way too nervous.

I noticed a tall woman opening boxes and organizing stuff. 

"I'm an avid fan," I told her and handing her the parcel, added, "This is for Mr. Cluff. It's a toque I knit."

"I'll make sure he gets it," she told me as she pulled a copy of the cookbook out of a box. "And this is for you."

Buy this book

"Thank you, um...er?"

"My name is Shelia Peacock."

What? I'd just meant the co-creator of the cookbook and the show's producer. And I'd asked her to run an errand for me. Red-faced I returned to my husband.

"This is it. This is the cookbook. Isn't it beautiful?" I breathed in that new book smell. A bookmark shaped like a chef hat marked page 130. Mom's recipe sat beside my story. My words were in a book. It blew my mind.

More contributing authors arrived and we all buzzed with excitement at being in that room,  about having that book. 

"I'm on page 10," someone told me.

 "I'm on page 96," someone else said.

The entire room cheered when Mr. Cluff arrived. "Good morning," he said and we were on the air.

During the first break, a man with a microphone wound through the crowd and, to my surprise, came over to me. "I'd like to interview you."

I gulped. "Me?" I whispered. Me on CBC radio?

"Go for it," my husband encouraged. "But remember to speak loudly."

"Yes, speak loudly into the microphone," the man said, and before I knew it, "We're on the air."

He spoke into the microphone, "I'm standing here with..."

I leaned in and said, loudly, "Leanne Dyck."

I must have been too loud because he quickly pulled the microphone away. A moment of dead air. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Leanne. Do you have a recipe in the cookbook?"

I nodded. Then remembered that I was on the radio. "Yes. I submitted my mom's recipe for Vinaterta. Vinaterta is an Icelandic-Canadian prune cake." I was about to tell him that she made it every Christmas, that she was a talented cook, a skilled baker, that she... But I needed to wait for him to ask the questions. So I took a breathe and waited. 

"Your mother's recipe?"

"Yes." Short and sweat.

"When was the first time you made... You used the recipe?"

"Um...er...well, that is to say...um... I never really used the recipe."

"Pardon me."

"I don't cook," I confessed, but quickly added, "But my mom was a good cook. Knowing my skills in the kitchen, or lack of any, she wrote the instructions so that it would be easy for me to follow. She made Vinaterta all the time. Every Christmas. That's how I know it's good."

"Oh, I see." He laughed.

Later, he interviewed Shelia Peacock and her co-creator Joan Cross and they put out the fire I'd lit.

"We carefully test cooked all the recipes," they assured the listeners.

Too soon, Mr. Cluff said, "Dark and early"--and I knew he was signing off. I waited until the path was clear, gathered all the courage I possessed and walked up to Rick Cluff. "I'm a big fan."

"Well, thank you." He had a genuine warmth that put me at ease. "Would you like a photo?"

"You'd..."

"Of course," he said and made room for me at the CBC radio table.

My husband captured the moment...

'notice my stylish haircut--not. I'd just donated my hair to cancer survivors'

On my way back to my husband, a woman stopped me.

"I'm so pleased to meet you," she told me. "I wasn't planning on attending this book launch but after hearing you on the radio I knew I had to meet you."

Later, when my husband and I were alone, I told him about the woman and asked, "What do you think she meant? Why do you think she had to meet me?"

"I have no idea," he told me but grinned like he knew why.

Writing that short story didn't attract a publisher to my writing, but attending Flavours of Vancouver's book launch was an exciting step in my author journey.

photo by ldyck

Next post:  Sunday, June 17th
Iceland Independence Day
at approximately 5 PM PST

Knowing my Icelandic roots, a friend lent me her copy of Halldor Laxness' Independent People. And to celebrate Iceland Independence Day (June 17th) I will publish my book review.

"my dog, Abby"  ldyck

Sharing my author journey

On June 8th I took another exciting step on my author journey by attending Susin Neilen's fiction writers' workshop--Creating An Authentic Protagonist. I look forward to telling you all about on June 24th. 

"at the writers' workshop"  ldyck