Harry’s Trees became known by my friends because I posted about it on Facebook. One in particular, Glynis Belec, suggested taking it to a general market, beyond that of my family. I’d gotten to know Glynis through The Word Guild to which we both belonged. I trusted her judgement and her commitment to what she did, in publishing books, so I asked and she was delighted to work with me.

The original book went through a few changes in the process. The photo of Dad and his dog that was on the back cover was now moved into the back matter of the book with the photo cropped and the dedication revised for a general audience. The art and words remained the same essentially. We made a couple of corrections and both Maja and I wrote a bio and supplied a professional photo so the book would follow a standard pattern of picture books. Amanda Belec, daughter of Glynis, took care of redesigning the cover, still using Maja’s art on the front.

Glynis, as publisher of Angel Hope, took care of the ISBN and wrote a blurb for the back of the book. By June that year, we had the new book ready. And I was pleased with the results and began to promote it.

Promotion is yet another matter after the book is produced. We need to find a way to sell it. Talking about it is a good thing. I met a fellow writer at a meeting. As I shared what I had done, I learned that she writes for farm magazines—a totally different area but highly suitable to the book. She pitched the story to her editor and the editor agreed. Then Helen and I met for coffee to talk more about the book. She asked questions to obtain content for the article.

A page in Ontario Farmer magazine

While Helen was writing, I was making other plans to promote my book, including a book launch. One place I could show it off was in my home community at the Tavistock Fall Fair where many farmers go, and where many knew my Dad. Helen even figured she had met Dad at an earlier farm association meeting.

Not only was the article published in the Ontario Farmer magazine, but it was also in the Oxford Review that’s delivered to every household in Oxford County. What a whopping audience!

In the article, Helen wrote that I’d be at the Fall Fair in September for anyone who’d like to get copies. My audience for the book expanded. I received calls and emails from people all over the county looking for copies of the book. Many of them were farmers like my Dad which includes being caretakers of the trees on their properties. They wanted copies for children and grandchildren. I mailed books and I sold books at the fair. My first print run was certainly successful and the following year, I ordered another print lot.

And then came the French version the following year.