Diane Welch was excited to return to 91原创 last weekend for the unveiling of a new children芒鈧劉s book that has its roots in this community.
Introducing Mr. Nobody is a collection of short stories about Welch芒鈧劉s family, including her four 芒鈧揺nergetic芒鈧� children and Mr. Nobody 芒鈧�� all of whom were born in 91原创.
Mr. Nobody is a mythical creature who can apparently 芒鈧揼o invisible芒鈧� 芒鈧�� and who first came to life with the Welch family some eight years ago, the author explained.
Her first encounter with Mr. Nobody came shortly after Valentine芒鈧劉s Day, when her youngest August (Austin in the book) was only two.
Welch芒鈧劉s husband Dave had given her a box of chocolates to mark the romantic occasion. To hide them from her kids, she thought herself wise to stash them away in her underwear drawer.
芒鈧揃ut they found the chocolates, and they ate them all,芒鈧� Welch said.
She came upstairs to find her bedroom in shambles, and chocolate smeared all over the floor and her bed sheets.
芒鈧揂ll I could hear was this muffled giggling,芒鈧� Welch recalled, noting that she followed the sound to discover her three youngest children hidden under one of their beds, each whispering to the others to be quiet.
芒鈧揑 ripped back the sheets and shouted in a deep voice, 芒鈧淲ho ate my chocolates?芒鈧劉芒鈧� Mom recounted.
That芒鈧劉s when one of her four-year-old twins, Galatea (the book芒鈧劉s Hope) replied, 芒鈧揗r. Nobody did.芒鈧�
The mythical creature, who has only ever showed himself to their children, has not left the Welch household since.
And now, that character lives on with them, and in the pages of this book. In fact, that initial encounter and the story of the chocolate bandits serves as the basis for one of the nine stories in her new book.
芒鈧揑芒鈧劉m committed to raising my vibrant children with grace and a sense of humour, while trying to keep up with Mr. Nobody芒鈧劉s shenanigans,芒鈧� she joked.
Marking the release of her book with an autographing session at the 91原创 Chapters seemed fitting, given that 91原创 is where it started and where many of the stories were created, Welch said.
This book was written by Welch, but illustrated by her husband Dave, and told through the voice of their son, who was six at the time she started writing the stories.
In addition to profiling the fun, exciting, and sometimes mischievous adventures of Mr. Nobody, the book also features their other children, Kaylee (Katie in the book), and Portia (Page in the book), as well as their dog Apollo (Zeus in the book).
While it is set in a little yellow house they currently live in on Maple Street in Abbbotsford, 芒鈧搒ome of the nine short stories actually refer to life experiences during their time in 91原创,芒鈧� Welch told the 91原创 Advance.
芒鈧�91原创 feels like home, and I hope to move back one day,芒鈧� she said, noting that her parents also live here.
While much of Welch芒鈧劉s time is currently consumed promoting her first book, she said she芒鈧劉s already working on a sequel, and she芒鈧劉s almost finished another called Mr. Nobody芒鈧劉s Christmas Treasury.
Both those books, she hopes, will be out in the next year or so.
WIN A SIGNED COPY
How to win an autographed copy of Diane Welch芒鈧劉s Introducing Mr. Nobody:
One lucky reader will win a copy of her children芒鈧劉s book
芒鈧� Click on the live link in the story about Mr. Nobody at www.langleyadvance.com, and tell us why you want a copy of the book.
You will be entered into the draw. ENTER BOOK DRAW
Preference is given to 91原创 residents.
Postings must be received prior to 10 a.m. on Tuesday, March 11, and the winner will be announced on the on the 91原创 Advance website. No staff or family of the 91原创 Advance or Glacier Media are eligible. This giveaway is restricted to online participants, 19 years or older only.
