Chicken Soup for the Soul !

Well, here I am, lapping up my 15 minutes of fame!

In a year that has been super busy, with many family events, and little time for writing, I am pleased to say that a piece I submitted to Chicken Soup for the Soul, was accepted for publication in their new Christmas in Canada book, which went on sale last month.

Having a book launch for my own (unfinished) book is still a far off dream, so I decided to take part in the  Chicken Soup for the Soul book launch in Toronto last week.

Thirty-four of the ninety-six contributing authors were present at the event. 

 

We signed a lot of books.

That task was enjoyable as I got to know fellow contributors Crystal Thieringer from Ottawa (left) and Judi Peers from Peterborough (right).

I've known about my story making it into this book for a while now and although pleased with the news, I've been downplaying it. After all, this means that I have written only 1% of a book. (There are 101 stories in every Chicken Soup book.) However, now that the book is in the stores and I have been to the launch, I am more excited about the whole venture. 

At the launch, Canadian editor Janet Matthews spoke about the constant barrage of depressing, negative, often violent stories in the media.  Chicken Soup books are a little helping of something positive, something cheerful, a gentle reprieve. If you have been reading my blog, you know that I am sometimes negative myself, often grouching about local or federal politics. So I am pleased to have  a bit of my more cheery writing included in this inspiring book of Christmas stories. 

My story is simply a tale about our three fun-loving kids. There are other, more dramatic stories in the book. I'm not finished it yet, but many of the stories that I have read so far, are really heart-warming. Positive stories are welcome at any time of year but maybe especially now. In these short dark days, as we approach Christmas, in the aftermath of so many disturbing events, it simply makes me feel better, to read these stories that celebrate the goodness of people.

As I said, it's in bookstores now. If you pick it up, I hope you enjoy reading it.