Barrhead resident Glenice Wilson has always been a fan of the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series.
So much so, that when she had a chance to submit two of her own stories for the publishing company’s upcoming book Chicken Soup for the Soul: The Spirit of Canada she jumped at the chance.
“I am really proud to be part of the book, for many reasons, but first and foremost is because I like the vision behind the books,” Wilson said. “Right from the start, the purpose behind these Chicken Soup books is to change the world one story at the time by telling us how ordinary people can do extraordinary things.”
Chicken Soup for the Soul is a publishing company, which was founded in 1993 by motivational speakers Jack Canfield and Mark Victor Hansen. Each of the books follows a similar formula of collecting various short stories from various themes, usually 101 on a specific theme. The stories are of an uplifting nature and the publisher hopes they will inspire the reader in some way.
The issue Wilson is included in is a Canadian-themed one being published, in honour of Canada’s 150th anniversary, called Chicken Soup: The Spirit of Canada.
Wilson has two stories in the anthology.
The first, “The Night the Lights Went Out,” is a true story based on a journey of Wilson’s to Cape Breton Island, N.S.
As part of the excursion, Wilson and a friend decided to take in a Buddy MacMaster and Joey Beaton concert at a little three hundred-seat theatre.
As the two musicians were preparing for the show and plugging in their musical instruments - two fiddles and a keyboard - the electricity went out and stayed out.
“I remember thinking what was going to happen? How am I going to get my money back while I am on vacation? But of course, this being Cape Breton, it wasn’t necessary. The show went on,” she said, with one alteration.
Instead of having the dancers come on at the end, they opened the show.
This is because, as MacMaster explained to the audience, that they wanted them to be able to see the dancers feet while there was still some light filtering into the hall.
“He [MacMaster] just strolled onto the stage and said I guess tonight you are going to get to listen to pure music,” Wilson said, adding the experience taught her about the laid-back attitude and resiliency of the Cape Breton people,” Wilson said.
She added when the concert ended and the audience exited they were met with total darkness.
“When it is dark in Cape Breton, without lights it is dark, but someone put on their car lights and aimed them at the exit so we could all leave safely,” Wilson said.
Her second story, called “A Special Retirement,” is about her experience taking part in a friend’s, Sherrill Meropoulis who worked for Parks Canada, retirement party.
“At the end of her time, the Stoney First Nations [near Nordegg] wanted to honour her through a special ceremony in Jasper,” she said, adding her friend had worked with the band previously.
Wilson then read a small passage from the “The sounds of the sacred old traditions of the Stoney continued. The Stoney invited Sherrill to sit closer to them. ‘You think you have done little, but to us you’ve done a lot to put us in the right direction with our ways and traditions.’”
The next few weeks will be a whirlwind of activity for Wilson. Later this week, she leaves for Toronto, where she will join about 30 authors for the official book launch and signing at Keating Channel Pub.
“I’m really excited to be able to meet all the other authors and get to hear all their stories,” she said.
The Barrhead Public Library will be hosting a June 22 book signing for Wilson.
