As a first-time published author, Sudbury resident Jeremy John said the process was a steep learning curve, but he’s pleased others will be able to hear the stories he has been telling his own family for decades.
Robert’s Hill (or the time I pooped my snowsuit) and other Christmas stories is filled with 10 stories John has written for his father every Christmas since he was a child.
“It's a weird tradition outside my family, but ever since I was a little kid, I've written a Christmas story for my family on Boxing Day,” said John, who might be more familiar to Sudbury.com readers as Jeremy Dunton. “I have been reading the stories to the family for the last 30 or 35 years, and someone would always say it would be great to get them published, or maybe that would make a good cartoon, or they should be turned into an illustrated book.”
That’s where Dundurn Press comes in. John said he “fell backwards” into a connection with the publishing company, and they liked the idea, the stories, and they took a risk.
“We selected 10 to put together into a collection, and it turned into Robert’s Hill,” said John.
The book is named after one of the stories contained within its cover.
John said he and the publishing company spent about a year working on the book. It was released Nov. 9 in an Indigo-Chapters-Cole’s exclusive deal. That’s where you can pick up hard copies of the book for $20. It can also be purchased online at Dundurn.com and Amazon.ca. A launch party was held with family and friends at 46 North.
“It’s real, real now,” he said. “People are heading to stores and buying it. It’s a little surreal. It's really kind of overwhelming and wonderful and sweet. And I can't stop smiling thinking about it. It's pretty damn cool.”
Part of the deal struck with Indigo-Chapter’s-Coles will see John do some live readings at Chapters Indigo stores.
“A big part of this is that the stories are read out loud,” John said. “With the lockdown and everything that's happened, we've decided to make that virtual, so we're going to do one big event on their Instagram live on Dec. 9. I'm going to read a couple stories live and we're talking about doing some giveaways as well.”
John said some people may be confused as to whether Roberts Hill is a kids book or an adult book.
“It's a bit of both, as strange as it sounds,” he said. “My audience has changed a lot. Some of the stories were written when my cousins and nephews and nieces were all very small. Some of them are kids stories like The Pigeon King saves Christmas or Merry Christmas, Mr. Baggins, which is about the Hobbit and Christmas. That's a fun little cute one.”
But then as everyone started growing up, the stories started to take on a more mature theme, he said.
“There's some older stories, like The 12 shots of Christmas, which is about everybody's favourite winter holiday activity, getting smashed,” he said.
The Christmas Divorce is about the time John said he may or may not have caused his friend's parents to get divorced over Christmas.
“So there are some that are definitely for the grownups, but some that are definitely for the kids and hopefully everybody finds something in one of the stories that they like.”
Having even more stories in his collection, John said he has discussed the possibility of a second book.
“I would say that finding 10 more really good ones in the collection might be difficult, but I could probably find a couple,” he said. “I would like to maybe do a pop-up book of Robert’s Hill (or the time I pooped my snowsuit), and then you would pull the little tab and have the poop come in.”