“In this delightful children’s book, a little fish leads the way through a wonderful adventure in which she meets and helps other creatures through their dilemmas by sharing her secret with them. . . . Heather Conn is a skilled children’s author and Lillian Lai’s illustrations are beautifully crafted — giving readers a truly professional product by a talented team.”
— Carol Gardarsson, Editor, The Local, Sechelt, BC (Nov. 17/11)
This past weekend, while selling my Gracie books at Sunnycrest Mall in Gibsons, BC, I had many heart-warming conversations with grandparents. (I was part of the Christmas Craft Fair, the featured writer of Woods Showcase.) They told me how much they enjoyed sharing the act of reading with their grandchildren and witnessing the youngsters’ pleasure in discovering words, language, and storytelling.
This gave me renewed hope that the intimate act of sharing a book aloud will not die in this era of ebooks and Kindles. It also reminded me of how much I enjoyed having my mom read aloud to me when I was young. That’s how I learned to love books. I think that might have sparked my desire to become a writer.
I was surprised how many grandparents bought a book for their grandchild who was only a few months old. One grandmother even bought a book for her unborn grandchild! One doting grandfather bought the book to keep at home when his four grandkids visit; I signed the book to all of them, as he requested.
When a mother asked me to sign the book for her daughter Gracie, I shared a story about my niece Elizabeth. As a young tot, she was thrilled when my sister read her Robert Munch’s The Paperbag Princess because the name of the main character was Elizabeth. What a thrill for a child to have the same name as a book’s hero. I hope that my book gives the little girl Gracie similar pleasure.
Overall, I heard and experienced how much parents and grandparents can love their little ones. That, too, gives me hope for humanity.
Thanks to everyone who bought my book and to The Local for a wonderful review.
A friend of mine just told me this morning that he’s been reading my book on Skype to his “honorary granddaughter” in Gatineau, Que. Here’s what he had to say:
“She gets her face right up to the camera on her end while I read, then I show her the pictures of Gracie as I go through the book. I put the book close to the camera so that she can see Gracie and her compadres. If I wiggle the book a bit, it seems like Gracie is swimming.
“Now, whenever I connect to Fatoumata, she demands that I pull out Gracie. Since Fatou is only two, I have to shorten your words to keep her attention. She just loves Gracie and this is giving us a wonderful way to stay connected to Fatou and her mom, Julia. You had better get busy cranking out another book so that I will have something to go to when Fatou finally wants more.”
— Will Cummer Jr. photo
I’ll be hosting a book table for Gracie’s Got a Secret as part of Woods Showcase at Sunnycrest Mall in Gibsons, BC on Nov. 18 and 19. On the Friday night, I’ll be available from 4 p.m. to closing, on Saturday, from 9 a.m. to closing. I’ll have books available for purchase and signing with personal messages.
My Gracie book has been out for a few weeks now, and so far, someone has bought a copy for a friend in Australia. Another friend will be taking the book to Cuba with her and leaving it there to help locals learn English. My husband has taken her to Massachusetts and she’ll be in a pediatrician office on the east coast. I’m delighted to know that Gracie is expanding her reach beyond British Columbia and Canada.
If you end up taking or sending Gracie to another country, please let me know. I’d love to hear about it. Or send me a photo of you or your friend with the book there and I’ll post it on the site. Thanks.
“New Children’s Book Inspires a Taoist Perspective” — Sunshine Coast BC (Oct. 13, 2011)
The website Sunshine Coast BC, which receives a half-million hits a month and is published by Duane Burnett, introduces Gracie to the world.
Gracie the Goldfish is eager to enter the hearts and homes of people of all ages. To help her on her journey, join popular storyteller John Conway and delightful puppets on Saturday, November 26 as they help launch Gracie’s Got a Secret.
The fun event, from 5 to 6:30 p.m., will be held at the Sunshine Coast Arts Centre in Sechelt, BC. Author Heather Conn will introduce her guest entertainer and lead a discussion following the interactive storytelling. If you purchase a book or two, she’ll also sign copies. There will be a few yummy nibblies available too.
If you miss this event, you can catch Heather earlier on the same day at her book table at the nearby Christmas Craft Fair at the Seaside Centre in Sechelt (for more details, see the post below on this page).
Amidst artists, craftspeople, and holiday shoppers, author Heather Conn will be on hand in Sechelt, BC on Nov. 26 and 27 to sell Gracie’s Got a Secret. You’ll find her from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Christmas Craft Fair at the Seaside Centre, on Highway 101 in Sechelt, on British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast. She’ll have a table with lots of books for sale. Gracie is ready to go home as a holiday gift for lots of lucky youngsters, especially those ages seven to nine.
Want to attend Heather’s fun book launch held nearby in Sechelt that same afternoon? Read the post above for details.
— Linda Williams photo
Here are Gracie and I (next to Jason Herz of the
Sunshine Coast Conservation Association) at
The Writers’ Hub in Roberts Creek, BC on Oct. 23.
Be among the first to get a copy of Gracie’s Got a Secret at the 2011 Sunshine Coast Arts Crawl in Roberts Creek, BC on Saturday, October 22. The author will be available from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., along with books for purchase and signing, at the Writers’ Table at the Gumboot Cafe in Roberts Creek (it’s at the foot of Roberts Creek Road, close to the ocean, off Lower Road).
Come and meet a variety of Sunshine Coast authors, from Heather Conn and Jane Covernton to Andreas Schroeder. They’ll all have books in every genre on hand. Support the tradition of books in print, your local authors and independent publishers. Hope to see you there.
Oh yes, the cost of Gracie’s Got a Secret is $9.95 + tax = $10.45.
To read more about The Writers’ Hub and to see photos of the event, see my blog post.