When I arrived at the library, not much indicated to me that anything interesting was going to happen. A few chairs, a table and a computer had been set up in preparation, and all was quiet.
A few people drifted in, chatting about books or the coming event, meandering around while the staff got everything ready.
A couple more visitors entered, and then a couple more again. Then some more, and just like that, it was a busy place.
The turnout was more than expected, and chairs had to be shuffled around to allow for easy access.
The mood was amiable as Tom Wayman entered, eliciting more than a few cries of “Oh, there he is!”
The presentation featured three authors: Jennifer Craig, Rita Moir and Mr. Wayman himself, the only one who could appear in person. Jennifer Craig wrote “Yes Sister, No Sister,” a memoir of her days as a nurse, and Jennifer Moir, “The Third Crop,” a book about the trials and triumphs of the denizens of the Slocan, respectively. Tom Wayman’s “Boundary Country” was included too, reflecting on the physical and mental boundaries which we live within.
Speaking of Mr. Wayman, he has a gift for speaking, or maybe just with people in general. He talks fast and enthusiastically, waving his hands about and enunciating with vigor. During his introductory speech, he said that “any good book enhances any person.”
That stuck with me, because I have to agree. There have been a couple of times where I’ve read a book that changed the way I thought about things, or taught me to see from another angle. His book has the potential to be one of those books.
I had the pleasure of listening to him read excerpts from “Boundary Country,” and they hooked me with their humor and relatability. His characters seem to be real, believable, and interesting. Obviously good things for characters to be, moreso in short stories, where the author needs to deliver entertainment without lots of build up. In short, I like it.
While Jennifer Craig wasn’t there herself, we did get to see a ten minute video of her discussing her book, talking about her writing, and reading snippets of her memoir. Functionally the same as Tom’s presentation, except achieved through the miracle of a computer and a pole-mounted screen. Hey, no one said it had to be sophisticated.
Regardless of the means, her presentation showed the funny, sad and sometimes extremely odd moments she experienced as a nurse back in the fifties. It takes skill to go from a sad moment to a funny one without skipping a beat, but she manages it.
The third author is Rita Moir, who was again providing us with insight in video form. Her book chronicles the many facets of the Slocan Valley’s residents, their hard work and history. She went from family to family, learning about their experiences, gleaning memories of relatives past and present.
Her book is an anthology of sorts, with pictures and stories to go with them.
She was honest about her difficulties in putting the book into a cohesive package, something that makes the final product even more impressive. I think the five years of effort paid off.
All in all, the One Book program is a great way to get Kootenay authors the recognition they deserve, and it was more of a success here in Nakusp than I would have imagined. There were good books, good company, and good food.
No one seemed to get to the food very fast, although I definitely did.
