Tonight

I just came back from the Orca group book launch.  I would have been home sooner, but I got all the way to Burrard Street and realized that I left the gorgeous flowers and chocolate that Laurie (friend but also kick-ass photographer) gave me, so I whipped the car around and raced back. 

The door was locked and most everybody had left, but luckily, a few hardworking Kidsbooks employees were doing the finishing touches on putting the store back the way it was.

So, what were the highlights of the evening for me? 

I’m going to give you scatter-shot reflections.

Having dinner with Karen aka K.C. Dyer (Seeds of Time, Ms Zepher’s Notebook, etc) before the Kidsbooks event.  That she came, drove all that way, over all those bridges, so I wouldn’t have to go it alone.

Laurie showing up, which was wonderful in itself, but she brought flowers and chocolate!!  Watching her and Karen talk cameras.

Seeing James McCann (author of the Rancour, Pyre books) walk in through the door with Lee Fodi (Chronicles of Kendra Kandlestar: The Box of Whispers)  And here’s the thing that really moved me.  First off, James now lives in Coquitlam.  For those of you who know Vancouver, Coquitlam is not exactly next door to the West Broadway Kidsbook’s store. 

Secondly, both James, Lee and K. C. Dyer bought my book. 

Now, as all of you know, being a children’s author is probably the lowest paying profession you can go into.  Seriously. 

Just that they showed up was really amazing, but when all three of them, pulled out their hard cold cash and bought my reluctant reader Orca Soundings book, because really, what do they need with that?  Anyway, it really touched me. 

Then there was that moment when I started my reading and looked to the right and saw a group of students and staff from New Westminster Secondary.  First, that they traveled all that way.  Second, how much they love books.  Do you have any idea how wonderful it is to see a group of teenagers wandering around Kidsbooks looking like they’ve died and gone to heaven.  Sarah, (librarian and knitter of fabulous scarves) trying to limit her book spending but unable to resist.  She reminded me of myself in a candy store.  I always walk away with way more than I should.

And Norma Charles (author of The Girl in the Backseat) came.  I didn’t see her until after the reading was over and I really enjoy the kindness that radiates out from her gentle face. 

And now my mind skips back to the NWS teens, standing gazing at a particularly awesome wall of books, and me overhearing them tell one of their cohorts who had gone up and was looking at a book, to stand back because he was obstructing the view.

Listening to the other authors talk about and read from their books. 

Finding out that Ann Chandler ( a woman I met at New Westminster Secondary) not only published that book she told me about, but that her book, Siena Summer, had actually just come out and was on sale right there in the store!  I love it how I meet people and they have a dream and then the next time I meet them the dream has become a reality.  This happens all the time and it makes me feel good for all the people at home who are writing with the hopes of being published.  Because it does happen.  All the time.  And so it might as well be you. 

So all of you aspiring writers out there, don’t give up hope.  I would say, at least once a month, I meet someone who is celebrating their first published book.

Posted by Meg Tilly on Thursday, November 13, 2008 in Chewing the Fat