The Story Behind the Story with Carrie Stanton of Alberta, Canada.

 

Please welcome Carrie to theScribbler. It is her first visit and we hope it won’t be the last.

Not only does she write stories, she is also an active reviewer for The Miramichi Reader. She is a kind and generous supporter of her fellow authors.

Read on my friends. 

 

 

Carrie Stanton has published two picture books and two chapter books. Emmieand the Fierce Dragon, The Jewel, Beast Bot, and The Gardener. The Jewel isused in schools as a companion to First Nations study. Carrie has a BA from theUniversity of Calgary and is an editor at The Miramichi Reader (TMR). And, likeTMR, Carrie is devoted to Canadian Literature. Carrie has two adult children, adaughter-in-law, one grandson, one mother, one husband, and a small white dogwho incorporates many personas.

Carrie enjoys writing stories that allow the imagination to blossom. She loves how words can grow wings and transport readers great distances, to worlds where anything is possible.

Carrie is proud that many schools often use her books for classroom study, engagement, and conversation. Her books are local #1 bestsellers, have been staff-picked at Chapters and Indigo, and are loved by parents, teachers, and children globally.

Titles: Emmie and the Fierce Dragon & The Jewel.

 

The story behind the story: I knew something was going onwhen I had a cacophony of words inside my head. They were in there rumblingaround, loudly causing distractions. 

I decided to sit still, pen in hand, blank pages at the ready, to seewhat all the mental chaos was about. That’s when the two stories started toevolve. A picture book and a chapter book.  Emmie and the Fierce Dragon and TheJewel emerged, almost simultaneously. I wrote Emmie and the FierceDragon first, then immediately began The Jewel. With The Jewel,I had the story outline but knew I needed to research the setting. The perfectplace to do that was at The Glenbow Museum Library and Archives, located in Calgary,the city in which I live. After all, how else could I possibly get an accuratepicture of life in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in the mid-1800s?Securing a table in the museum’s library, I requested the material I hopedwould uncover life during a time unknown to me. Not being allowed to select thediaries, journals, and notes from explorers who recorded their findings of thearea, I asked the gloved library attendant if I could go over some of these archivedworks at my table. Bringing pieces out of the collections kept securely awayfrom seeking hands, I was rewarded with a cache of wonderful and enlighteningnotes and documents from an era long past. Reading through these carefullywritten works was absolutely necessary to be able to create the world I wantedto bring alive in The Jewel. Knowing my characters Grey Wolf and LittleBear very well, I had to make certain they were at home in this story.Incorporating the colourful Indigenous life into the adventure story of thesetwo best friends made it historically accurate and vibrant. It is a homage tothe beautiful First Nations of the land we now call home. Because of thejournals and diaries left by those before me, I could incorporate the backdropinto The Jewel. The added bonus is that renowned Canadian storyteller,poet, and novelist, Lee Maracle, granted me permission to use her grandfather’swords in The Jewel. Chief Dan George’s words are few but striking in thestory. I used them with precise care and respected them in the beautiful waythey were meant to be honoured.

 

With both manuscripts ready, I sent them to only one person, KathrynCole, managing editor of Second Story Press in Toronto. I knew her reputationwas solid as she had been in the publishing business for decades, at that time.Then I held my breath. 

Kathryn Cole responded with a letter saying that she loved both thestories and they should be printed. Their house wasn’t able to do that withintheir schedule and limitations, but she urged me to keep going. It was at thatmoment I decided to seek illustrators, professional editors and proofreaders,book designers, and a quality printing house. In other words, if Kathryn Cole,the seasoned children’s book editor had faith in me, I had to get some faith goinginside me as well. To my amazement, she offered her words as blurbs on both ofthe books! 

The first stop was deciding to create the picture book, Emmie and theFierce Dragon. Who would ever believe that a small girl could help out atown with a serious fierce dragon problem? Still, Emmie sets off with a plan ofher own to tame that dragon. How many times in our lives must we be faced witha dilemma that requires each of us to stand tall, be brave, and do thecourageous thing with nothing more than our wits and skills? Even if that meantour kneecaps could shake down a hillside? Yes, we must, at any age, face abeast. My daughter, Carly, introduced me to her friend Sonia Leung, a talentedwatercolour artist whom she felt could do the job of illustrating. Afterreading the manuscript, Sonia agreed to create the fantastic original watercolourartwork in Emmie and the Fierce Dragon. I loved how Sonia’s workcomplimented and brought to life the words I had written; I knew this wasexactly the road I should be on. Seeing the finished product in Emmie andthe Fierce Dragon confirmed this choice was indeed the perfect fit I hadbeen seeking when the jumble of words first appeared in my head. I could nowgive it a name, and that name is STORY.

 

Emmie and the Fierce Dragon was the first to be introduced into themarketplace of readers. At the book launch held in Calgary at the city’s oldestbook store, Owl’s Nest Books, a friend of Sonia’s, James Pantuso, approached meand offered to do some illustrating for any other book I might have in mind.Well, I did have The Jewel manuscript just waiting for an illustrator.James created the graphic art that is a stunning example of what an artist cando with a black pen and a piece of paper. There was one and only one colourused in that book, purple, and it was used in a very purposeful way. It becamea critical part of the story, appearing and disappearing at the right times.James and I have gone on to do more collaborations and I am so proud to havebeen able to work with such immensely talented artists.  Both Emmie and the Fierce Dragon and TheJewel are Calgary Number One Bestsellers!

 

Creating the first two books led to two more books. Beast Bot isa chapter book about a passionate inventor who must decide, after the worsthappens in his family, if he should continue with his passion or give it up andmake some new friends.  Beast Botis blurbed by Canadian Treasure, poet, storyteller, novelist, and my personalidol, Sheree Fitch. I was over the moon when she agreed to read the manuscriptand offer her thoughts in a book blurb. Then, it was reviewed by CBC Books,with host Russell Bowers and Canadian literature advocate and author, Dr. AngieAbdou. The Gardener is my latest release, illustrated by James Pantuso,showcasing his talent with a full-colour extravaganza of pictures and a rhymingsingsong story about one’s dreams and imagination, and what happens when thoseare lost. How can your dreams and imagination possibly be brought back oncethey are gone? The Gardener will help out with that!

 

 

Website: Home | Emmie and the FierceDragon

 

 

Coffeeor tequila: Both if the situation demands it! Coffee to keep fueled and a wee dramof Scotch upon completion of a book.

 

Music or quiet: Quiet so the story music in myhead can storm out and dance onto the paper.

 

My desk is a delightful nest of book piles, notebooks, scraps of paper, bitsof story ideas, book thoughts, several pairs of glasses, a multitude of pensand ink colours – a general happy conglomeration of perfect disquietude,awaiting my next book adventure, which might be very close on the horizon.

 

  

Thank you so much, Allan Hudson, for this wonderful experience with youand The Scribbler! I had a blast!

 

 

You are most welcome, Carrie.Wishing you continued success with your writing. 

 

 

And a BIG thank you to ourreaders and visitors.