One of the things I love about the various Orca non-fiction series I’ve been working on is the way each author must insert themselves into the manuscript by including relevant personal anecdotes. As a result, we are writing about topics that a) interest us on a personal level and b) have some real connection to our own experiences. Given how long and research-intensive the process of writing a book packed with information is, it’s incredibly helpful to be engaged with the material when it comes to finding the motivation needed to stay focussed and get the book done!
I’m currently working on two books for the Orca Origins series (both collaborations with Dani, who also co-authored Take Shelter). Dani and I have been sifting through boxes of family photos in search of images to illustrate personal vignettes included in various sections.
As we’ve dug through stacks of old photographs, we’ve found treasures like this one:
One of the books we are working on is about Christmas – the origins of the holiday, how it’s celebrated around the world, as well as our own memories of the festive season. This image is one being considered for the section on carols. Peter (my younger brother) and I were about 8 and 6 years old when this photo was taken. Reading from our little Golden Book of Christmas Carols, we are singing in front of a Christmas tree we cut down to help the Alberta power company keep the area under the power lines clear. This was our first or second Christmas in Canada at a house on Grizzly Street in Banff. We moved from Banff to Australia and I remember the culture shock associated with traipsing through the snow, my dad carrying an axe, in search of the perfect tree…
Looking through all these old photos has sure brought back some great memories. I wonder, though, what’s going to happen to the last several years worth of photo memories, all of which are stored digitally. It would be so easy to lose everything if something happened to my online backups… or if something happened to me. If my significant others didn’t know my passwords, would all those digital images go poof into the ethers, never to be seen again?
There is certainly something to be said for a shoebox full of actual photos, some that date back to the days of my great-grandparents.
Project: Print a few photos from each batch I take… Having hard copies of precious memories may prove to be the most durable backup of all.
Categories: Non-fiction, Orca Origins, Uncategorized
Nikki Tate - Author 
“…memories, all of which are stored digitally…” I agree that this is a problem.
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