A week ago I wrote about how my book had made a surprise early debut at McNally Robinson Booksellers and that created a bit of a whirlwind of a week for me. The excitement has continued.
This last week the book hit the shelves at the McNally Robinson Booksellers in Saskatoon. Before the pandemic I was a frequent visitor to Saskatoon since my children, grandchildren and many other relatives from my extended family live there. So I was happy the book would be available for them to buy.
I debuted my website. My kind and capable friend Rudy Nikkel who is a tech wizard helped me set up a website with the latest information about Lost on the Prairie. It includes an about the author section and links to my monthly newsletters and regular blog posts about the book. There is an online study guide with lots of resources so teachers, parents and children can further explore each chapter of the book.
I will keep track of events connected to my book on the website and post comments people make about the book. If you have already read my novel and could send me a sentence or two about what you thought of it, or a question you have after reading it, or a suggestion you could make for how I might have written the book differently I’d love to hear it and will include it on the review page of my website.
Another exciting thing that happened this past week is that Lost on the Prairie made the best seller list for McNally Robinson Booksellers. I was surprised and thrilled!
I am so incredibly grateful to all the people who have already bought my book and have made it possible for me to be on the bestseller list. I can’t thank you enough!
Details for my book launch were also finalized this week. It will take place on June 16th at 7 pm. John Toews who is organizing it on behalf of McNally Robinson Booksellers and Monica Miller the marketing manager at my publisher Heritage House have done a beautiful job of setting up a page on the McNally’s site advertising my launch. You need to sign up to attend and there is a registration link on the page where you can do that. At the launch you will have a chance to ask questions in the chat feature and there just may be a prize or two on offer as well.
I am thrilled that Winnipeg author, educator and book reviewer Harriet Zaidman has agreed to be my guest for the launch. Harriet also writes historical fiction for young people and following the success of her first novel City on Strike about the Winnipeg General Strike she has signed a contract for a second novel called Second Chances about the polio epidemic. Harriet also authors a very successful cooking blog called North End Nosh.
Thanks so much for following along on my writing and publishing journey. I’ll do another post about a week from now to bring you up to date on the latest Lost on the Prairie news.
Note: It doesn’t seem like Amazon Canada has released the book for shipping yet, although people who have ordered it from Amazon in other countries have received their copies. I am sure the Amazon Canada copies should start arriving after May 28th which was the original publication date of the book.
In each post about my book I want to highlight books by other Manitoba authors I’ve written about on my blog. Manitoba has a very supportive writing community and is one important reason my book was published. I want to be sure to do my part to support other Manitoba writers.
Coop the Great by Larry Verstraete
Treasures of Winnipeg’s Historic Exchange by George Mitchell
What Next? 
Congratulations!!
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MaryLou, thank you for the very entertaining collection of adventures that make up the story of Peter Lost on the Prairie! The day of your blog on May 17th More Excitement About My Book, I inquired immediately if I could obtain it here. The friend that I had asked actually ordered it online from Indigo that day and asked it be sent directly to my home address. I received my mailer from Indigo on Thursday May 27th, and after leaving the package in COVID-quarantine two days, I impatiently unpacked the softcover early this morning and read it in its entirety before 10 am.
A spellbinder, for sure! Peter is such a likeable young man, and the whole story told in his voice makes it so easy to get swept away, visually imagining as each new adventure unfolds.
I liked especially the time of innocence portrayed in the story, where it was assumed that at his age Peter was also responsible and could be trusted to acquit the important and necessary task of accompanying his brothers and the livestock to their new home in Saskatchewan. And I did not miss the consistent revelations that Peter’s word was good enough for everyone except, of course, the Immigration official who was helpful but suspicious of everyone immigrating to our country, but suspicious only because that was his job! Even in the case of the barn fire, there was no question about whether Peter did, in fact, extinguish his lantern before falling asleep. The helpfulness of every new person he met portrayed a helpful and honest time, perhaps before the onset of widespread confidence games! His father and grandfather had taught him sufficient lessons of practical value and of social behaviour that he was able to quickly reason out his best next act in order to save his own life or someone else’s, and how to respect and protect valuable livestock and property. Just as an example, in the chapter about the quicksand, after realizing he could not extricate Joe himself and resolving to go get help, leaving the rope around Joe’s waist tied to the saddle horn was a brilliant bit of security before leaving the scene! In all his actions he acted out of great intelligence and courage, to amazing results.
Another element that stood out for me was the Author’s Note beginning on page 196. Giving context to the germ of each idea explored in the story was a delight, to realize the veracity of the actual broad strokes, and the canvas on which you were able to paint such a dazzling probable series of events and hints of what might have come next, in such wonderful allusion to your blog What Next!
One thing that might have been useful to me would have been a hint in the forward to visit the study guide before reading the book. I arrived at page 202 only to realize with a hint of disappointment that there existed an exercise of 3 suggestions that might have been fun for any reader regardless of age, in my case even at 74, to have undertaken ahead of knowing the story. But that is really minor. I’m sure that the book is more often going to be presented in a school setting or book club and the facilitator will undoubtedly mention this study guide in preparation for the reading.
I thoroughly enjoyed following Peter’s adventures, and will heartily recommend your book to others. I found it a very easy, interesting and satisfying read! Thank you so much for whetting my appetite for this book through your blog and congratulations on this great success!
Robert Way
Gatineau, Quebec
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Oh how very kind of you Robert to read my book so carefully and then give me such a positive response. Although I wrote the book for children many seniors who have read it have said it provided good memories for them and they are encouraging me to go to senior’s residences after the pandemic to talk about the book. This was something I had not considered but your interest confirms as well for me. I so appreciate you affirmations and endorsement Robert. Thank you ever so much!
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