Leanne Dyck and other authors reading on Mayne Island

I'm pleased to report that Mayne Island's literati is alive and well. In fact, we had a ball on Saturday, April 27, 2017, when local authors entertained a small but devoted audience. There was something for every reader from children's literature to romance to mysteries to...

Inspired by her granddaughter, Livia Wolfs, Dorothy Peters wrote the delightfully altruistic picture book Tomorrow, When I'm Bigger. Dorothy also read from her memoir for adults:  Daughters of the House of Jacob:  A Memoir of Migration.

 Prolific author D.R. Graham talked about her many titles and captivated us by reading from a manuscript she's currently working on. It's set on Mayne Island. I want to write more about it...but I won't.

Fans of Amber Harvey's Mary Magdalene Summer series (Magda's Mayne Island Mystery, Mayne Island Aliens, Mayne Island Skeletons, Magda's Mysterious Stranger) will be pleased to note that Amber is working on the next book in the series. She read from the opening chapters.

And...

There was more 

Arlene Pare

her latest book:  He Leaves His Face in the Funeral Car 

(a book of poetry)

Grant Buday

Jack Schofield

but... Well, I have to admit it was all a little too much for this hermit. Inspired,  I had to leave early to return to my writer's cave.

Here's some of what I said before I left...

I'd like to thank the library for this opportunity to share my writing. What have I been doing since the last Festival Active Pass on Mayne Island in 2015?

My writing life is like watching a duck swim -- on the surface, very little is happening.

On the surface... 

In 'My Life with Letters' (included in the anthology From the Heart), I wrote about being an author with dyslexia. Dyslexia is an inherited condition that affects the way my brain processes written and spoken language.

From the Heart was published in 2015. Proceeds benefitted BC youth seeking higher education.

On the surface...

In 'Christmas with Family' (included in the anthology In the Moment) I wrote about how my desire to be with family for Christmas resulted in my husband and me getting stuck in the snow on Salt Spring Island. 

In the Moment was published in 2016. Proceeds were donated to Children's Wish.

To order, From the Heart and  In the Moment, please email publisher Gary Doi (garydoi@telus.net).

If you look into the water, at a duck's feet, you'll notice that they are paddling like mad. 

Hidden in my writer's cave, I've been writing picture books for children, a novel for young adults, and short stories for adults.

What led me to write picture books?

In the 1980s and 90s...

-I took a children's literature course at the University of Winnipeg

-as an Early Childhood Educator, I read scores of picture books to groups of children

-I owned a children's bookseller business

All of these experiences fuel my writing...

Bim has a new cozy bed thanks to Loving Care Pet Products

Author, Maggie De Vries' writing workshop on POV notes by Leanne Dyck

Usually, in order to attend a writers' workshop, I must hop on a ferry, but not last Friday. Friday, June 17th Maggie De Vries (Governor General Literary Award nominee and Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize (2015) winner) came to Mayne Island.

This was an interactive workshop. Throughout the afternoon, Maggie gave us time to ask questions, talk about our writing, and practice our emerging skills--this included working on revisions. I'm not a fan of this type of writing. I don't feel that I produce my best work under this type of pressure and with so many distractions. But Maggie created such a supportive atmosphere that I was the first to read my revision to the group. This speaks volumes about Maggie's abilities as an instructor.

Maggie began her talk by listing the different Points Of View (1st, 2nd, 3rd, etc.)

She gave some examples of strategies to convey story (i.e. world building)

She stressed the importance of writing in scenes. She advised us to ask, "From the passage I've just read, can I imagine what is taking place? Is it happening in real-time? Am I spending enough time in real-time?"

I took more notes...

-characters are only able to see the story through their eyes

-it's important to keep your character located in time and setting

-the reader experiences the story through the character

-keep detailed notes on your character. This will help maintain differences in their voices. (i.e. a phrase that that character often says)

-order of events is the writer's friend

-dialogue adds sound

-give information in a timely manner. You don't want readers to have to re-image what they're already read.

The workshop was over by six o'clock. After a supper break, Maggie returned to the library at seven o'clock to offer book readings to an engaged group of Mayne Island readers. Maggie has a diverse body of work--ranging from fiction to non-fiction and writing for adults, young adults, and children. She read from her memoir Missing Sarah (published in 2008 by Penguin Canada) which is about her sister Sarah--who is one of the missing and murdered Aboriginal women. Maggie's pride and love for her sister were apparent. The overriding message:  look beyond the situation--see the person, try to understand the person. Maggie closed by reading from Swimming with Seals--her soon-to-be-published (by Orca Publishing) picture book.

(Maggie de Vries (second person on your right, first row) amongst 

a group of Mayne Island--that's me to your extreme left, first row)

I know that my writing has benefited from the short time I spent with author, life coach, and mentor Maggie De Vries. Blessed is the writer who is able to spend a longer amount of time with her.

Maggie, thank you for traveling to Mayne Island. I hope you have enjoyed your time here--despite the rain. 

Thanks also goes to organizer author Pam Withers and to the Mayne Island library who provided the venue.

(back view of Mayne Island library)

More...

Maggie De Vries author website

(photo by Leanne Dyck)

Next post:  Sunday, June 26 (published around 5 PM) Sarren's Curse a short story by Leanne Dyck
Sarren looks normal, but she isn't. She has a problem. She needs help. Will she find it?

Picture Books in Canada

(photo by Leanne Dyck)

 CANSCAIP

Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers

CANSCAIP is a member-supported not-for-profit organization, and we've been around since 1979. Our Members and Friends include children's authors, illustrators and performers. We also welcome librarians, teachers, publishers, editors, parents and journalists. CANSCAIP membership, renewable annually, includes benefits like: newsletter about the children's book community, monthly meetings with expert speakers, packaging your imagination annual conference and a friendly and supportive community for beginning and experienced writers and artists.

For more information, please visit CANSCAIP's website (link) 

"Me and Bim and our friend Abby"

photo taken on Mayne Island by my friend Eleanor

Sharing my author journey...

Somewhere I heard, maybe from my mom, "If you sit with a problem long enough, the answer will come."

Implied but not said is keep calm and keep the faith.

This week that theory held true...

Sharing Stories with Children by Leanne Dyck

During a writing group meeting, I shared a picture book manuscript. I was delighted to receive most of the feedback. But... But... One comment stopped me in my tracks. 

"Have you shared this story with children?" They asked me.

"Hmm, no," I said.

"Well, you should."

"How? It's a picture book. It needs pictures. And I don't draw," I told them.

They had an answer for that too. "You could clip pictures out of magazines."

Or I could gather pictures from the Internet, I told myself.

I knew collecting pictures for my book wasn't the problem. Interacting with a group of children was. It had been too many years since I'd done that. I'd burnt out of my career as an Early Childhood Educator several years ago--right after my mom died.

I have many happy memories of reading books to children. It has always been one of my favourite activities. I miss it. But fear has kept me away.

What if I no longer know how to interact with children? What if I trip and fall over words because of my dyslexia? What if...
I dwelled on these 'What ifs...' until one (early) morning. That morning I took myself in hand. "Will you continue to be blocked by your fear or will you trust yourself and take a leap?" I asked myself.

I gulped and answered, "I'm going to take a leap."

And so I contacted my local library. "Are you still looking for people to read to the children?" I asked them.

"Ah, no, not really," they told me, "In fact, we just printed the poster."

I read the long list of names. I was disappointed but proud that I'd tried to take a leap. It wasn't me who'd failed to overcome my fear. I'd tried. They just had enough readers. I was about to walk away with my head held high, but they stopped me. "But, we should have a few extra people in case something comes up." They took my contact information.

"But they won't contact me," I told myself. Once again I was caught in a net of disappointment (that I won't be able to read to a group of children) and hope (that I won't have to read to a group of children).

Well, they did contact me. A blend of apprehension and excitement carried me from my home to the library. I waited for the children to arrive. And they did arrive. 

The first thing I did was share that story I'd written. We enjoyed adding sound effects and acting out parts of the story.  Then the children plucked books from the shelves and handed them to me.  The last book they gave me was Up, Up, Up, Down by Robert Munsch (click this link to Robert Munsch's web site) 

In true Munsch style, he wrote the book so the children could quickly become engaged with the reading. We all loved repeating "Up, up, up, up, down." And we enjoyed the illustrator's (Michael Martchenko) silly sense of humour.

In the end, I was so thankful I'd taken that leap. I was delighted to see a group of children so entertained by books. And all those wonderful old feelings I got from reading to children came rushing back. I road those feelings for a few days--such joy.

Over many years of reading books to children, here some of my favourite books (in no particular order--meaning:  if I could list them all first, I would)...

The Monster At the End of This Book by Jon Stone 

This book really brings out my inner actor. 

It Looked Like Split Milk by Charles Green Shaw 

I really like telling (as oppose to reading) It Looked Like Split Milk. My favourite way of telling it is to cut out a variety of shapes, put them in a box and have each child choose one. They reach in without looking at the shapes. Then we all guess at what the shape is.

Anything by Robert Munsch 
Okay, too vague
Here are some; I'm sure there are more

The Paper Bag Princess
Murmel, Murmel, Murmel
Mortimer
Mud Puddle
Love You Forever 

More...
'For the Love of Books' part one and part two
(an article I wrote in the 1990s on how to read to children)

'Why I Write for Children' by Darlene Foster

I have more to say about reading to children and on Monday, October 5th I look forward to sharing an article I wrote on this subject. 

Contest...

The deadline for Room's poetry and fiction contest has been extended to midnight of August 1st. Here's the link for more information.

Next Monday:  How to Live A Dream

Sharing my author journey...

If things are too good to be true then they just might be.

Recently, I was connected through LinkedIn by a literary agent. I 

Volunteering at the Mayne Island #Library

I’ve been volunteering at the Mayne Island library for about ten years. I work at the front desk—where I sign books in and out; re-shelve books; help patrons find books; and etcetera—for two-hours once a month. It’s not a taxing position—as long as you remember all the little things you’re supposed to do.

This summer I took a break from the library to focus on writing my manuscript. Last week I returned to the library. I was apprehensive. Would I remember everything?

Walking in, I was overwhelmed by the number of books waiting to be processed.

What comes first? How do I do that again? Am I sure that’s how I’m supposed to do that? Doubts riddled my mind.

Thankfully I remembered the existence and location of a carefully compiled procedure manual. Glancing through it helped refresh my memory.

All these books… How can I sign them all in? How can I sign them all out? How can I shelve them all? I…I…

Thankfully, three fellow volunteers popped in to check on me. Finding me in need, they dove right in and made my shift run smoothly. You know who you are. And this is me saying Thank you.

So if you ever wanted to volunteer at the Mayne Island library, go for it. It’s a friendly, supportive, and fun place to work.
***
Oh, yes and...
ArtCraft seasonal gallery on Salt Spring Island has closed for another year. And I'm on the ferry sailing over to collect my cheque and my knitting. Hopefully the first is large--the latter small.
***
Next post:  Social Networking Q and A

Author readings, Farmers' Market and Church Fair on Mayne Island photos by Leanne Dyck

Friday:  Art Show at the library...

 (jazz music)

 (Everyone starts to gather for the author readings)

(Emcee:  Bill Maylone)

 (Amber Harvey read from her children's mystery:  Mayne Island Skeletons.

Photo from Amber's website)

 (Edward Gale read a poem)

 (Tina Farmilo read a creative non-fiction short story)

 (classical guitar)

 (Arriving home, I realized I didn't have a photo of me. So, I kept my dress on, grabbed the short story and asked my husband to capture my image.)

Saturday:  Farmers' Market...

(Last week I turned the camera lens in on the booth. This time I turned the lens out...)

Also Saturday:  the Church Fair

 (plant sale)

 (book sale--oh, yes, I did purchase an arm load)

 (the popular bottle booth)

 (Joyce Kallweit with her...)

 (sheep)

 (Emcee:  Derek Athea)

 (silent auction--careful don't get too close, it's wild down there)

(miniature donkey and horse--adorable but a little camera shy)

***

Oh, yes and...

Last Monday I spoke proudly of my mother-in-law and casually mentioned her spouse and sons. I told you that these "men folk" were musical. Today I'd like to do a little more than mention it. I would like to invite you to visit my husband's facebook page. He's been sharing his music-- he plays guitar. And I'm so proud of him I could burst--and I think I just have, all over you. : )

My writing retreat by Leanne Dyck

 One of my dreams—which I now realize (thanks to Joanna Penn) is a goal—is to establish a writer’s retreat on beautiful Mayne Island. I plan to offer your writer’s dream—an isolate cottage in which to work, a comfortable bed in which to sleep and a supportive community in which to promote your work.

Yes, its true Mayne Islanders enjoy and want more author readings. This I learned after reading the 2012 Mayne Island Library survey. Of the 25% islanders who responded 61.3% reported that they wanted the library to offer author readings.

My writer’s retreat is a beautiful goal I’m working towards. But  until it becomes reality I will continue to practice.

Each summer, it’s my habit to take a hiatus from my volunteer, social and physical pursuits to devote my days to my true passion—my hus…um, er…my writing.

After breakfast, with notebook in tow, I head out to the backyard. There, content, I write.

It’s an exciting journey of discovery that I’m looking forward to embarking on once again. And I’d like you to come along. In fact, I need you to join me.

Every Thursday, on this blog, I will report my word count. Being accountable to you will keep me focused on my goal. With your help I was able to complete A Long Way From Her. I hope you will help me again, this time with The Sweater Curse—a novel. We set out on this journey on Thursday, June 7^th. Will you accompany me?
***
Next post:  Please welcome Author Peter Carroll