Coffee with a Vicki Delaney
I was pleased to notice a poster for a writing seminar at the public library and made a note on my calendar. It was to be on Wednesday evening, which is already full with music lessons and grocery shopping, but I managed to make it in “Kootenay Time”, which is to say, ten minutes late.
The instructor for the evening was Vicki Delaney. She is a successful mystery writer, with some of her books set not far from where I grew up. I don’t generally read mysteries, but these are of a psychological bent and sound fascinating. From reading the synopsis of one of them, which she generously shared while instructing us on do’s and don’ts of submitting our work, I’m going to make a point of getting one. Check Vicki’s website for a tantalising sniff of your own.
Keener that I am I stayed behind at the end to help with clean up, and Vicki was gracious enough to invite me for coffee! I was pretty jazzed, but not quite bold enough to ask everything I would have liked. I did gain valuable insight and warnings about hiring a publicist, signing with a small publishing house, and the future of the publishing industry. All that aside, I’m always thrilled to talk with anyone familiar with Manitoulin Island who shares my appreciation for it, so it could hardly miss being a cool visit.
That’s what I like about the Kootenays, the opportunities to meet writers in readings and ‘master classes’, especially local writers. I remember listening to poet Tom Wayman and feeling so proud that he was proud of his local roots despite being quite a famous Canadian poet. I hope you can get to more readings etc!
February 29th, 2008 at 11:43 pm