“I’ve always had a creative mind and active imagination”

Posted By Heather Robbins

Posted 4 months ago

Dyck will hold a book reading for Maynely a Mystery at the Eriksdale Public Library at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

While most are off to a traditional office in the morning, former Eriksdale resident Leanne Dyck need go no further than her imagination, as she spins stories while the radio plays softly in the background of her Mayne Island home. There, she’s created her debut novel, Maynely a Mystery, which has transported readers to the B.C. locale.

It’s one of the Southern Gulf Islands. The prettiest if you ask me.... But you’ve gotta be careful. She’s a temptress. She’ll get in your head and never let go. You’ll pine away for her when you’re not there. She has an undeniable beauty....

She’s been seducing people for eons.... Tree frogs sweetly serenade you in the spring. You can actually pet the wild deer they’re so tame. Ever hear an eagle cry or the sound of a wing moving through air? How about arbutus bark – have you ever felt it between your fingers? The sunsets, the ocean breeze ... beautiful, absolutely beautiful.

Dyck says her novel was inspired by a desire to tell the world about the special place she’d found.

“When I moved to Mayne Island, my life was in transition,” said Dyck. “I’d survived a family crisis that sent me into depression. Mayne Island provided me with a place to heal, grow and create.”

Now, Dyck is returning home for a Maynely a Mystery book reading at the Eriksdale Public Library Tuesday.

“I was born, raised and lived there full-time until I was 21,” said Dyck. “Most of my family still lives in Eriksdale and it’s been a decade since I’ve been back. I’m sure I’ll leave wishing my stay could’ve been longer. I miss that prairie sky.”

Dyck says she and her husband, both from Manitoba, lived in Vancouver before relocating to Mayne Island.

“We moved away from the cold prairie winters,” said Dyck. “We spent too many years in greater Vancouver. I’m not an urbanite; I prefer to live in a small community. Upon our first visit to Mayne Island, I told my husband, ‘we’re home.’ Now, more than 10 years later, if my wish is fulfilled, I’ll never live anywhere else.”

Dyck says Maynely a Mystery, which she began writing in June 2008, is a cozy mystery.

“Even though, as a teen, I was a fan of Agatha Christie novels, the term ‘cozy mystery genre’ was new to me,” said Dyck. “When I began to write Maynely a Mystery I encountered a definition of the genre. It read ‘Cozy mysteries de-emphasize sex, violence and offensive language. The stories are rich with fascinating characters and charming settings.’ I realized, to my amazement, I was writing a book in this genre.”

Maynely a Mystery’s plot has been described as: ‘rumours of gold, a secret lover, ghosts and other mysteries create a labyrinth of intrigue, as Maynely a Mystery traces the lives of the story’s animated eccentric characters.’

“The initial concept came to me after I read Marie Elliot’s The Japanese of Mayne Island, said Dyck. “As I continued to write Maynely a Mystery, my vision of the book became more and more clear. I knew what the book would look like and how I would market it.”

Knowing that, Dyck decided to self-publish.

“These days publishing houses are expecting authors to take an active role in the publishing process: marketing and distribution as well as writing,” said Dyck. “I thought self-publishing would give me a clear understanding of that process and it has. Being the publisher as well as the book cover photographer and the author was a challenge. It all rested on my shoulders.”

Dyck says she sought professional help.

“I was able to find both an editor and a cover layout artist on Mayne Island,” said Dyck. “I found my printer on Vancouver Island. Together we worked to create a book I’m very proud of. Currently, I’m involved in marketing and promotion. I enjoy visiting with bookstore owners and telling them about my book. If you are a bookstore owner, I would love to talk with you. Please email <leanne@oknitting.com>.”

Dyck has made the most of today’s technology. Rather than relying solely on in-person book readings to reach her audience, she’s branched out to online book readings, which can be found at <youtube.com/maynelyamystery> and interacting with readers through her blog: <maynelyamystery.blogspot.com>.

“Thanks to the computer, I can reach a large, diverse, geographically-distant audience affordably from the comfort of my island home,” said Dyck. “Distances are crossed by a tiny little wire.”

Dyck says both her homes remain a steady influence, no matter how far she’s travelled.

“Eriksdale and Mayne Island have not only influenced my work they’ve defined who I am,” said Dyck. “They’ve shaped my ideologies and philosophy of life. While I write, I draw on memories of these places, the experiences I’ve had, the people I’ve met and the values they taught me.”

Dyck, who found her writing voice as a teen, says she enjoys many parts of the creative experience.

“The journey, growth and receiving feedback from readers,” said Dyck “I sit down at my writing desk wondering if my muse will show up. Then she does and she begins to tell me such wonderful stories. I share these stories with readers and am delighted by their reactions. I’ve always had a creative mind and an active imagination. Storytelling — being told stories and telling others my stories — has always interested me. Although I would describe myself as an introvert, I love to entertain.”

Dyck says those looking to publish their own book should take a piece of advice she read in magazine Writers’ Digest.

“‘Write, finish what you write, and send what you write to an editor,’” said Dyck. “I would add believe in the quality of your words. Fight for your ability to share them with ours.”

Maynely a Mystery is available at Prairie Sky Books in Winnipeg. Ordering information can be found at <maynelyamystery.blogspot.com/>