by Sylvia McNicoll | Oct 8, 2014 | Sylvia McNicoll
What’s the difference between Michael the man and Michael Crummey the writer?
At Burlington Public Library’s One Book One Burlington celebration, newly Governor General nominated Michael Crummey was asked that question. He answered something like–I put the best part of myself in a novel. Obviously the worst part of me still exists, it’s a part of me after all. He went on to say that when he really loves a writer he sometimes avoids meeting him/her so that he doesn’t become disillusioned.
What I like about meeting another writer, especially one in a totally different genre, is that I can put my feet up and be the reader. I can ask reader type questions like “Why didn’t you use quotation marks?” Michael avoids quotation marks when the dialogue is not in the present “realistic” portion of the novel in both Galore and Sweetland. It may not be word for word exactly what the character said. (Hence, I did not put his earlier answer in quotes, please note.) I can ask writer type questions: “Do you write from an outline? Do you write scenes here and there or do you work in a linear fashion?” No outline. Linear. Again no quotations as these may not be Michael’s exact words–I like to have a few of points in mind that I will cover. I write 500 words a day. Maybe on a good day 1,000. I move to a point on the horizon. But that point often shifts. On writers’ middle-of-the-book misery he says he tells himself something that somehow gives him comfort–I will finish this book. It will suck. And I will never have to write it again.
What I liked hearing is that now that Michael’s more experienced with his own writing rhythms and cycles he’s enjoying writing the book more. Confirms how I feel (can a GG be far off in my own career?) On meeting Michael the man after meeting him as the writer–for me, it enhanced the experience of reading his work. Thank you Burlington Public Library for hosting this event.
by Sylvia McNicoll | Oct 5, 2014 | Sylvia McNicoll
“I like Canadian authors because there is not a lot of them and they are all really good.”
Yesterday, Jennifer Maruno (Totem, Kid Soldier, War Bird & The Cherry Blossom Series) and I met some wonderful readers. Here are the names of some of the young people who came over to our signing booth, front and centre at Chapters, on Fairview in Burlington. Drawn by the promise of “an autographed bookmark from a famous Canadian writer”, Aiden, Alysha, Ashleigh, Emily, Eyrin, Isabel, Julia, Kate, Olivia, Owen, Monette, Paloma, and Vivian enjoyed a chat about history, books, writing and reading. (This is a memory game for me–I’m sure I’ve forgotten some names–plus writing them down will provide me with names for future characters.)
What I remember most vividly is how excited they were to talk with real live authors. Jennifer and I mostly just told them the plots of our books and that takes forever since we have so many. I made them guess the number of flies in a jar as an intro to Revenge on the Fly. Believe it or not, I gave away free plastic flies. Who would want one?
As a lead in to Totem (Dundurn) Jennifer performed an impromptu assessment of a young lad’s spirit animal vis-a-vis designing his own totem pole. He liked collecting, especially rocks, and often encountered small animals. Somewhere on his totem should be either a squirrel or a chipmunk.
What I also remember is an afternoon of laughter and fun. Jennifer and I enjoyed each other’s company. Sitting at a table in the front of a store, can be a bit of a fishbowl experience.
Thanks to Rebecca Rahey for the great book display you see in our photo. We know she and the rest of the sales associates will continue doing a wonderful job of hand selling our books.
Thanks also for the wonderful opportunity for Jennifer and I to interact with so many book lovers including ourselves and the staff.
by Sylvia McNicoll | Sep 25, 2014 | Sylvia McNicoll
For Toronto’s Word on the Street, Andrea Wayne Von Koningslow (Bing and Chutney) and I sat at the CANSCAIP booth while two new young writers stood in front drawing people in. One was a “selfie” with two picture books. They seemed well enough written–I didn’t read the whole story–but perhaps suffered from too much text for the usual picture book demograph–something a traditional publisher likely wouldn’t touch.
She talked about author visits and selling rubber bands with “I love to read on it” while I silently cringed. I enjoy visiting schools and getting kids excited about reading and writing, granted no buttons or elastics to sell with this message on it. And I don’t mind autographing and selling books but find it difficult to push this too much.
This writer also pointed out that none of us linked our websites to direct sales. I love all bookstores, linking to one, especially a giant that other writers are in dispute with, seems problematic. Still do traditionally published writers market enough?
I’ll let you decide.
by Sylvia McNicoll | Sep 16, 2014 | Sylvia McNicoll
In the attention competition, reading has been slipping of late not I think because of video games, television or music but because of the increased use of social media, Facebook, Twitter, tumblir, instagram, Youtube and Younameit. I know I can spend great amounts of time watching short cat and dog videos and many, many more people seem to enjoy viewing Charlie Bit My Finger or Crazy Nast@#$$ Badger. The ironic thing about these pastimes is that they should attract only the monied because you need an expensive device and an Internet supplier to partake of them. Reading is free with a library card and arguably provides more professional entertainment, enrichment and relaxation. Also when I attend a literary festival that’s admission free, often only the privileged intelligentsia (writers’ and librarian’s kids, Waldorf students, home schoolers) attend.
This is where Telling Tale differentiates itself. By providing free bussing, access to Westfield Village buildings, story tellers, musicians, author presentations and talks, it’s been able to attract 7,000 visitors in 2014. All kinds of people. One young mom told it was her third year coming. She couldn’t afford to buy a book but her daughter enjoyed an autographed bookmark and I encouraged her to visit the library to borrow the book that matched her souvenir.
s.
I also love that there’s a book table where kids can just pick up someone’s previously loved book for free.
Weather has cooperated. Big names such as Denis Lee attract the bigger crowds and line ups. But I get a chance to connect with readers both new and old, face to face. To show them the fun behind writing and research. And reading!
And people do buy books.
Thank you Susan Jasper for your vision and dedication to making Telling Tales possible…and such a wonderful success. Thank you to all the dedicated volunteers you’ve attracted year in and year out. It’s such a privilege (and so much fun) to present here.
by Sylvia McNicoll | Sep 1, 2014 | Sylvia McNicoll
Recently a google search produced a website where the writer performed a Cover Snark review. She revealed some 28 covers that someone had submitted and she gently made fun of them. The comment on my upcoming Feb 2015 release: “I really hope the construction workers who built this railway into the ocean were fired. Also, still living girl, maybe you shouldn’t follow your ghost friend into the ocean, kay?”
Not a scathing review, by any means. And all my friends rallied to vote my cover to the top of the snark list.Thank you! I actually think the Best Friends Through Eternity cover by Rachel Cooper is the best because I love the blue colours and I love the waves and letters in the sand. (Some comment claimed it was weird and creepy)
What I also enjoyed about the cover for Best Friends Through Eternity was that I was consulted along the way. Ghost girl could have been in cutoff shorts, the letters along the spine might have been in the sand as they are on the front. I think I was just one vote among several on the editorial team but still my income will be hugely impacted by this cover, I appreciate the consult.
Most importantly the image actually connects with the story, perhaps not literally point for point, which believe me some young readers may have a problem with, but thematically .
To me the worst comment Snark Reviewer made on a cover was “What the f***?” Come on, be honest, how often have you thought that about an image on a book.
Besides attracting a reader, I think that image should give some kind of hint as to what the book is about. A picture is worth a thousand words, right? And maybe you don’t get it right away. Perhaps after you’ve read a novel, you look back over the cover and say, oh yeah, I get why all those letters in crazy font are scattered everywhere or why there’s a fine arts renaissance portrait on the cover.
What I also liked about the “snark review” is that for once the writer wasn’t on the hot seat. For once one of the major marketing tools got some attention.
Canadian books have to compete with US novels that are half the price and have gazillion times the design budget. This cannot be easy. But I think some honest cover reviews might spur some better efforts and even some accountability. If no one says “What the f***?” poor sales will always be hung from the author’s neck and at this point in history, writers’ heads and shoulders are already bowed down by the weight of all the responsibilities for promotion.
So come on reviewers, tell the publishers and designers what you think of their work. Star the covers not just the writing.
PS Votes proved Best Friends Through Eternity to be the winner by double the votes of the second place cover. Yah, Rachel Cooper. Yah, supportive voting friends.
by Sylvia McNicoll | Aug 25, 2014 | Sylvia McNicoll
“I read nonfiction (exclusively) because I want to learn something.”
It’s a troubling sentiment I’ve heard often enough. It goes along with “fiction is a waste of time.” Readers feel everything in a novel is made up and therefor somehow untrue and unworthy.
What they may not realize is that fiction writers spend much of their time researching and not only for historical fiction. Most recently I’ve been in touch with two police officers to get the details for issuing speeding violation tickets correctly (also for handling a bomb threat in a school), a hospital doctor and retired E.R. nurse to find out how best to perform an emergency tracheotomy, a couple of avionics experts and pilots to properly recount the details of a bush plane crash. I interviewed a Canadian mom of two chosen daughters and an (East) Indian friend over buffet Indian food to better understand the culture of the transplanted teen for my newest book Best Friends Through Eternity coming out February.
Honestly, the bizarre details in any story are probably researched true facts. We stick to the believable when we invent story bits.
If I want to learn something, I’d be more inclined to read a novel set in the period or with the themes or subject matter I want to learn about. If I’m travelling to a place I often email the local librarians to ask for novels set in their area. I need a narrative story for me to really live and thereby remember details.
Research shows us that we can learn empathy from reading novels; we can also relax, our blood pressure levels improve more reading than performing yoga. If you can read while patting a dog or cat, your Zen will improve even more. How do I know?
Research I did for a book called Dog on Trial.
Read fiction for fun but you will learn a lot.
What’s the difference between Michael the man and Michael Crummey the writer?
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