Transport yourself to the Sidney North Saanich Library on June 8 for the launch of a new anthology of local authors.
At 6:30 p.m. that night, there will be readings from previously unpublished writers who now have a platform in the new book, Moving Write Along.
The collection of 27 short stories and poems comes from 27 members of the Library’s Writing Group. The group meets regularly to discuss story ideas, critique each other’s work and support them as they formulate a variety of work, in a variety of genres.
In the fall of 2016, the group thought it was about time some of their work should be published.
“We’re all amateur writers and many of us may never see our work in a book,” says Writers’ Group member Janice Cook.
It was during the group’s annual planning meetings that they learned about the Vancouver Island Regional Library’s (VIRL) Espresso book-making printer. Sharon Walker, manager of the Sidney branch of the VIRL, said they introduced it at their Nanaimo Harbourside branch in 2015. It uses electronic files — which can be sent to the Nanaimo branch from VIRL sites across the Island — and converts them into book form. One book, Walker said, takes the device about eight minutes to complete. It’s available for use by any VIRL member.
The actual book, however, takes much, much longer. And a lot more detail.
“None if us had any idea what we were going to get into,” Cook said.
The group met with its members and came up with a theme for all submission to the anthology — transportation. The submission period was opened in February, 2017 and closed on April 1. Not a single person who contributed to the book missed that deadline or asked for an extension.
One of those authors is Colin Wood, who wrote about his experience as a younger man, traveling to Canada as a student. He calls it a work of creative non-fiction.
“The work is new, made up of my accumulated memories,” he explained, adding that the fact the deadline was not missed, is impressive.
Both Cook and Debby Vollbrecht, another book committee member, have also contributed. Vollbrecht wrote about her experiences in the Yukon territory. Cook’s is a work of fiction, based on a childhood experience. All stories and poems follow the overall theme — but not all of them are about the literal translation of transportation.
Each submission could not exceed 2,000 words and with the 27 in had, the group’s five book committee members set about to edit, format and prepare the final electronic file for the printer in Nanaimo. And with a sample in hand this month, they say there are still more changes to be made before the official book launch.
“When you look back on it, it really worked out,” Cook said.
The anthology, Moving Write Along is approximately 160 pages and each story includes a short biography of the local writer.
The official book launch is Thursday, June 8 at the Library — across from the SHOAL Centre on Resthaven Drive in Sidney — at 6:30 p.m. It will be available for sale afterwards at the Library and Walker said it will eventually find its way onto one of the branch’s bookshelves.