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Take me to the water, calm my soul and fill my heart
Sylvia’s History…so far
I began writing poetry as a child, and when I was older, my poetry evolved into children’s stories, which became illustrated children’s books. Before self-publishing was around, I created hand-made books and mailed them to publishers, hoping they would publish them ‘for real’. I became impatient, waiting for someone to give me a break, so I created handmade books and gave them away as gifts. Ideas come to me at random, usually in the shower or at 3 a.m. and often after I have been thinking about someone I care about. Getting the idea out of the head and onto the page can be a challenge, but one that I enjoy.
While working in a children’s library, I wrote skits and stories for the children every week and ran a summer writing workshop for kids. We gathered all their stories, edited them, and compiled them into an anthology called, Anything But Ordinary. This was the beginning of my passion for helping others sift through their imagination and find the story that works well. I also worked as a Children’s Director overseeing all the children’s programs; writing skits, stories and newsletters, creating murals to spruce up the place, and teaching children and adults.
During this creative season of my life, a local publishing company hired me to create book covers for their clients. I designed both the cover art and line drawings for the interiors of more than 15 books and designed and illustrated two coloured children’s books. I learned the ins and outs of the Vanity and Indie Publishing world at that time and suddenly realized how badly I wanted to write and illustrate my own children’s storybooks and publish them. I had only printed greeting cards, calendars and tiny booklets for children until that point. I wanted to create a book that adults could read, so I began setting my sites on this goal.
In 2005, I wrote a family memoir called, “You Can Fit a Lot of Love in a Suitcase”. It’s the story of my family’s emigration from the Netherlands to Canada in 1960. My sister, Johanna, who is an incredible artist, created the drawings and helped with the research. We were so proud of the book and printed enough copies to give to family members and share around some libraries too.
Later that year, I wrote a fairytale about my sister’s life and gave it to her as a gift for her birthday. She was so impressed by it that she encouraged me to ‘write until you run out of words’. I was intimidated by this idea, but I also really wanted to know if I could write a whole novel. So I took the fairytale idea and turned it into a historical fiction novel. After a few months of researching women in Canada in 1910, I wrote 20,000 words and created my first manuscript. My sister was shocked to receive it in the mail only a year after she challenged me. Her response? “See? I knew you could do it.” (Every writer needs a cheerleader like my sister!) Unbeknownst to me, she shared the book with several people, and eventually, they came back to me with comments like, “You should get this published!” and “When are you going to write the sequel?”
That was in 2008.
As much as I wanted to edit the book and have it published, I was intimidated by the process of editing, revising and publishing. Also, there was the fear of failing, being humiliated and losing my dream of becoming a real writer. If you’ve ever experienced ‘imposter syndrome’ you’ll know what I mean. Every time I set out to work on it, all the doubts and negative voices came racing in through my mind, telling me I wasn’t a good enough writer; and no one would read it anyway so why bother? This kind of thinking only leads to hiding…I hid the manuscript in a drawer and made a million excuses as to why it should stay there.
I became a Literacy Specialist and spent the next ten years teaching people who were illiterate or who were behind in their education, to read fluently. When you give a young person the skill of literacy, you watch their life change before your eyes. Not only can they read but their confidence also grows, and their behaviour and personality begin to blossom - they stand a little taller. It’s incredible!
Teaching children and adults to read opened my eyes to the power of the written word in a new way. It was time to write my novel. I gave myself the gift of a writing retreat and set out to create an epic story. But I knew I couldn’t do it alone. I invited a wonderful writing coach to take the journey with me. He was so wonderful that I married him later that year. Lindsay was not only supportive, but he coached me through the entire process of writing, editing and publishing. His advice and support were like fuel for my engine. I couldn’t wait to share my work with him and hear his feedback.
In 2019, my first novel, Reviving Joy, was published by FriesenPress Publishing. I did it! And I can honestly say it has been like a catalyst, launching me forward with confidence to pursue my other goals and dreams. I think that is why I am so passionate about helping other writers finish their books. Not only does it build their confidence but it gets their work into the hands of people who need it.
Most recently, I co-authored a book with Sarah Tooker called, Ernie the Blue Beagle, which was published in the summer of 2020. We finished the sequel to this book and will see it published in 2024. We found each other online, and after brainstorming over the phone, we got to work. It’s a lot of fun and I’m so glad I get to help Sarah realize one of her dreams too.
In 2021, I applied for and received a writing grant through the Canadian Arts Council. I’ve spent the last year writing a novel based on true events, about my mother’s experience as a child during the Second World War, in the Netherlands. It’s almost finished!
Stay tuned!
I believe creativity and imagination are the secrets to discovering one’s true self.
Creativity is Constantly Calling Me
I love sunflowers! Bright beautiful vibrant and they follow the sun. They also lean into it, and when they are full of ripe seeds, they hang their heavy head and share their seeds with the birds and animals around them, leaving only a few to reproduce more sunflowers next season.
We are similar, carrying a few seeds in our hearts, waiting to be watered so they can begin to grow into something beautiful that we can share.
For me, it’s a story, a picture or an encouraging conversation. When I nurture those seeds, they grow and become the books I write, the illustrations I paint and the relationships I foster.
What Nourishes My Soul?
I love the water, the woods and the animals that live there. Spending time in nature nourishes my soul and feeds my creativity.
I also love reading a good book, playing with children, throwing paint on a canvas or seeking adventure with my spouse. I am the best version of myself when I do these things, often.
Having regular downtime allows me to refill and recharge myself so I can continue to create from a place of positive energy.
A huge thank you to Matt Tommey and his team for mentoring me through the CREATED TO THRIVE arts program. It’s more than a business program for artists, it’s transformative. I learned so much about who I am and what I have to offer the world and how to practically do it. Check out this link to learn more about this amazing program.