This year in late September, when I was a reader at Word on the Street in Kitchener, a fellow writer whom I had never met  came to my reading and introduced herself.  Robin had also published her book, Eyes Wide Open, in 2011, originally intending the book for her family.  While our books are both about memories of growing up and of our families, her stories take place in a Northern Ontario community and mine for the most part in southwestern Ontario on our family farm.

Robin Livingston comes from a  family of storytellers. When they gather around a room together, they remember the antics and events of their youth. Encouraged by a friend, she committed the stories to blog at first, then to a collection on paper, which is this book.

Robin invited me to be guest author at her launch,  a role I was pleased to fill.  Together, we planned this event, worked on promotion for the event and prepared ourselves for the day. Since I am also a storyteller in the oral tradition, I asked if she’d mind if I tell one of my stories from Once Upon a Sandbox, then read a poem. Robin was pleased with this plan.

Last Sunday, on a rainy afternoon, we met in a spacious room  in the Evergreen Senior’s Centre in Guelph. Tables and chairs had already been set up, refreshments were prepared, and a dark blue tablecloth on the tables where we’d display our books and do our signing. The door prizes awaited and we waited for our guests to arrive, and they did, in spite of the rain. What better way to spend a rainy afternoon.

Room 4 at the Senior’s Centre, set up. Robin’s display set up on the left. (Photo by Joy Benson)

Nikki Everts-Hammond, emcee for the afternoon event (Photo by Judy Brown, friend of guest author, Carolyn Wilker)

Robin reading from her book, Eyes Wide Open (photo by Joy Benson)

Carolyn Wilker, telling the story “Trip to the Woodlot”  from her book Once Upon a Sandbox. (photo by Judy Brown)

Mementoes from Robin’s family home, artfully arranged by a friend (photo by Joy Benson)

I’ve read several stories and look forward to reading the rest of the book. Robin’s book jacket says

Eyes Wide Open is a collection of stories that span the lives of four generations of the Landy family. From lost boys to beaver tails and frog legs, each of these adventures … is a slice of life served up with smiles and laughter.

Doesn’t this make you want to read her stories? Go here to purchase her book.

Once Upon a Sandbox, available at Words Worth, Waterloo, ON; Chapters Waterloo; Upper Case Books, New Hamburg; Merrifield Book Shop, Woodstock; and Fan Fare Books, Stratford; as well as Chapters.ca