When writing comes easy

Avis Boone, the inspiration for Abigail

I remember writing those first Abigail stories.

I don't remember researching for them (much) but I do remember writing them. I sat at the big white iMac computer in our home office and the words just poured out of my fingers. Once I got the basic concept and characters down, there was no stopping me.

I've only had that experience one other time in my life -- the experience of writing as typing, or typing as writing, where the story, the setting, the characters are so fully developed in my mind that I didn't even really have to think but simply to write.

It's a joyful, blissful experience for a writer. You feel free and powerful and filled with talent.

I actually wrote twelve stories in a very short space of time, perhaps two months, even though Lynn and I had only planned on a single volume with four stories. 

The first story in Volume 1, "Passing the Test", was based on comments made by Avis Boone, the real-life inspiration for Abigail, in a documentary made by the local Rogers Cable station (find it here). Avis talked about how she and her cousin had applied for jobs at the McAdam Station and, bam, there was the story idea.

Several of the characters also leapt fully formed from that interview: Abigail (Avis), Martha (Avis' cousin), Miss Pierce (Miss Quinn, the stern hotel manager about whom Avis told several interesting tales).

Easy peasy.

The second story, "In Trouble", was also inspired by one of the tales Avis tells in the Rogers "Backtracks" program. Talk about a great resource for material -- I have had the honour of meeting several of Avis' family members and I have thanked them over and over again for her contributions to the Abigail stories.

Once I had those two stories done (and that took maybe two days at most), it was smooth flowing from there. Abigail and Martha were clear in my mind; Miss Pierce was also coming together nicely. And I felt I had a pretty good handle on the times (the stories are set in the early 1940s).

"Behind Bars" was a simple little story that was intended to highlight the fact that the McAdam Railway Station had its own jail cell. And to show the Martha was indeed a mischievous little person who would cause no end of trouble for her more straight-laced cousin.

And then there was "Canada's Sweetheart", a story which has gone on to become far and away the favourite story for most people who love Abigail. The good folks at the Station have even created a skit based on the story that they perform at many of their special events.

Canadian skating legend Barbara Ann Scott visit to the McAdam Station in the late 1940s was mentioned on several of the tours of the Station I had attended and I realised early that there was a story there.

 Then, on a visit to Ottawa the summer before sitting down to write Abigail, I had a chance to visit a museum display on Ms. Scott's amazing international skating career. As I toured the display, I realised that Ms. Scott was just hitting her stride at the time of the Abigail stories, not yet Canadian or Olympic champion but just about to burst onto the international scene.

So I decided to change the dates of her visit to McAdam and have her interact directly with my characters in what I think turned out to be a very sweet story.

And so "Canada's Sweetheart" was born.

The story holds an especial place in my heart as the author because it marks the first time I incorporated a real person into the world of Abigail. Barbara Ann Scott appears as herself and my characters interact with her directly.

This is an approach I used over and over again throughout the Abigail stories. I had Prime Ministers and Premiers drop in. After finding the McAdam Telephone Book from 1939 in the New Brunswick Provincial Archives, I was able to incorporate the actual townspeople of the time (like Mr. Cook, the greengrocer, and Dr. MacLean) into the stories.

And, in later stories, I did much more. But that I will have to save for a later post.

Jumping in with both feet

Frank Carroll

The first significant memory I have of the Abigail Project is that first meeting with the executive of the McAdam Historical Restoration Commission.

It's important to remember: I had never met any of these people and had no idea how they would react to our crazy idea and the sample books we brought.

If memory serves, Mary O'Keefe helped set up the meeting and she and I drove out to McAdam one Saturday afternoon to meet the group: Frank Carroll, Elsie Carroll, Dave McInroy and one other person whose name current escapes me. It is possible that Gail Swan was also there and that perhaps Elsie wasn't -- my memory has always been quite problematic.

I had written 12 stories already, flawed, wonderful stories that introduced cousins Abigail and Martha, their new friends Alice and Jenny as well as the stern Miss Pierce and the gruff Mr. Fitzpatrick.

Using only the first four stories -- "Passing the Test", "In Trouble", "Behind Bars" and "Canada's Sweetheart" -- my sister Lynn had created a beautiful sample book, complete with illustrations she herself had drawn. I remember being stunned at how beautiful those illustrations were and how the book looked so professional.

Lynn had seven sample copies printed and sent to me specifically for this meeting.

Frank and the team were nothing but kind and supportive and, after I did my brief pitch about what we had done and what we hoped to accomplish, I produced the sample copies with something of a flourish.

Dave, who had been fairly quiet throughout the early part of the meeting, pulled out his wallet, slapped a ten-dollar bill on the table and said, "I'll buy one right now."

At that point, I knew we were in business.

I asked for their consent to use the Station and its history in this way and said that we would print and donate 20 copies to the Station. They could sell those copies, pocket an easy $200 and move on to the next project.

Elsie Carroll

If they felt the idea had promise, however, I would pay to print 100 copies for them to sell, with the Station reimbursing me for the cost of printing if proceeds from sales were sufficient to cover it. I didn't want them to be out any money just because they chose to support our crazy idea.

Frank looked affronted, smiled a slow smile and said, "Print 500".

I sat back as if I had been punched. FIVE HUNDRED copies? That's an initial investment in printing costs of $3000. And I had promised to cover the cost if the books didn't sell.

I swallowed hard, glanced at Mary and caught her grin. She seemed to have caught whatever fever was afflicting Frank.

I looked from smiling face to smiling face and thought: Okay. They know their market better than I do. If they think they can sell 500, who am I to question them?

With that settled, we agreed on a launch date for the Abigail book for early November, with further discussions to be held and details to be sorted.

Then Mary and I drove back to Fredericton and I had the delicious luxury of telling my partner Patti that Christmas was cancelled: all our money was to go into printing 500 copies of Abigail Massey at McAdam Station, Volume 1. 

With the faint hope that we would sell enough copies to recoup our investment!

Journey's end: Abigail co-creator Mark Walma bids farewell to his beloved character

Me, Mark Walma, speaking at the recent book launch

With the publication of Unclaimed Baggage, Mary E. O'Keefe's wonderful new novel, in the fall of 2022, our long journey with the Abigail Abigail Massey at McAdam Station project comes to an end.

At least my journey comes to an end.

Mary has expressed an interest in writing additional stories exploring the lives of some of our supporting characters -- like Miss Pierce and Mr. Fitzpatrick -- but for me, as one of the two creators of Abigail, Martha and their friends and of the popular story books that chronicle their adventures, I am bringing this 13-year project to a close.

The fact that I am not sad or worried or scared or melancholy or uncertain about this decision tells me it is the right thing to do. The time has come to focus my attention on other projects, other creative endeavours.

The Abigail Project has been an amazing experience for me, filled with memorable moments and wonderful surprises.

Once Lynn and I decided this was something we wanted to do -- to tell the (fictionalised) stories of the young women who lived and worked at the McAdam Railway Station and Hotel as a way to raise money to help preserve the Station, the first 12 stories just poured out of me.

We had planned to print only one collection of four stories, with only 20 copies, and to donate them to the McAdam Historical Restoration Commission. We figured they could earn maybe $200 from selling the book and then be done with the whole idea.

The Commission had other ideas, however, and asked that we print 500 copies, confident that the interest would be there to support such a massive print run. Lynn and I, along with my partner Patti, took a big gulp and ordered 500 copies of Volume 1, hoping beyond hope that our little project wouldn't end up costing the Commission, or us, a bundle of money.

Within a week of publication, that original print-run of 500 had sold out. We can thank the people of McAdam for that, and the media in New Brunswick who threw their full support behind the venture. We have since printed and sold about 2,000 copies of Volume 1 of Abigail Massey at McAdam Station and followed it up with Volumes 2 through 5, plus a Christmas novella, a coffee table book, a beautiful poster Lynn designed, mugs, bookmarks and even an fake McAdam Junction newspaper. And now, finally, Mary's epic novel that brings Abigail back to McAdam in the year 2017.

The experience has been so filled with joy and delight that I have a million wonderful memories of the Abigail Project. And I hope to use upcoming blog posts to share those with you as well.

It will be sort of my farewell to Abigail. And my thanks to everyone who has supported our books.

Breaking New Ground: Abigail novel makes CBC Christmas book list

 We have spent a decade and more building the Abigail Massey at McAdam Station project, publishing five collections of stories, a Christmas-themed novella, a coffee-table book and now Unclaimed Baggage, Mary E. O'Keefe's wonderful new Abigail novel.

 This novel continues the story of Abigail and her friends, while bringing the story of Abigail's long and complicated life full circle. This novel introduces the mystery of what drove Abigail and her beloved cousin, Martha Casey, apart in the latter part of the war and traces Abigail's efforts to reconcile with Martha.

It is a wonderful book, beautifully written and spectacularly designed and illustrated, and has sold fantastically well since we released it just over a month ago.

And now Mary and her novel Unclaimed Baggage have accomplished something unprecedented in the history of our project: they have earned mention in an article in the provincial media, promoting New Brunswick books for the Christmas season: CBC Article

The entire Abigail team extends our hearty congratulations to Mary and Lynn, author and illustrator/designer of this wonderful novel. And we want to thank Patti Simmons, who has worked her social media promotional magic to ensure that this amazing book has become known across the province and around the world. 

Unclaimed Baggage is available for purchase at the McAdam Railway Station, the McAdam Village Office and at Artful Persuasion, located on York Street in downtown Fredericton.

And, even more exciting, Mary will join Abigail creator and author Mark Walma will be appearing live in person at the Fredericton Boyce Farmers Market on Saturday, December 17 from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Look for them inside the market buildings and, please, drop by to say hello!