That burst of excitement TV brings

A burst of excitement thanks to Nick Moore

 We planned the launch of Abigail Massey at McAdam Station, Volume 1, for Sunday, December 5, 2012.

We had no idea what to expect.

I drafted a press release that I sent to every media outlet in New Brunswick that I could identify, no matter where in the province they were located. I sent it on a hope and a prayer, desperate to garner even the briefest mention on a radio station, on a TV news broadcast, in a newspaper.

We booked the Formal Dining Room at the Station. The McAdam Historic Restoration Commission prepared refreshments, the MHRC President Gail Swan prepared remarks and Patti and I talked through what I would say as well.

We were ready to go.

Problem was: the books weren't. The printed copies of the first collection of short stories got caught up in the postal outlet in Moncton, New Brunswick.

We had to go to the launch event WITH NO BOOKS to sell.

We had the seven advanced copies we had printed (well, we had six since one copy had somehow gone missing) to show to people willing to place orders, but the expected 500 copies of the book to sell did not get to us in time.

Sensing a building disaster, Patti and I made our way out to McAdam on the assigned day. When we got there, we found a small but excited group waiting for us. Mary O'Keefe attended with her husband and some friends. The Carroll family of McAdam was well represented.

And, to my great joy, about 20 other people from the local community turned out.

Still, 35 people? With 500 books to sell?

I sensed we were in serious trouble. The show would go on, to be sure. We would do our very best, absolutely. But how the heck are we going to spin a 35-person launch event with no books into the effective marketing and sale of 500 copies of a virtually unknown book by a virtually anonymous author?

Me on CTV

Just as I was girding myself to ask Gail to start the proceedings, my attention was attracted by a bustle at the doorway to the Formal Dining Room.

Are those professional quality film lights? Is that a television camera? Is that Nick Moore from CTV Atlantic, strolling into the room with a microphone, a camera crew and a buzz of electricity?

It was like Nick and his crew touched off a rocketship that carried our project for the next ten years. His wonderful three-minute piece on the books and the Station played that evening on the six o'clock news and, I am told, across the country.

And it splashed our project into the public imagination and the attention of the other media. 

By Wednesday, we had been featured in newspapers and interviewed on popular radio shows. 

By Saturday, we had sold out the original 500-copy print run -- the copies having been received so helpfully on the Monday after the launch event -- and were ordering more.

And the rest, as they say, is history.

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.

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!

 

A magical moment for author Mary

As the September 25 launch of Unclaimed Baggage, Mary E. O'Keefe's wonderful new Abigail Massey novel, continues to approach, the excitement builds. At least for the people on the Abigail team and, we hope, the folks with the McAdam Historical Restoration Commission.

The writing and publication of a novel is a long and complex journey and the Abigail team is trying to celebrate each step in that challenging but rewarding process. Last week, we enjoyed the creation and implementation of the marketing and promotion plan, with videos being filmed and schedules being worked out.

This week, we celebrate one of the most magical moments in an author's career -- the moment they first see and hold their published novel. For Mary, that memorable moment happened this past Saturday in the middle of a downtown Fredericton coffee shop when Abigail creator and author Mark Walma presented Mary with the printer's proof of Unclaimed Baggage.

To make the moment even more magical, Mary happened to be in mid-conversation with a mutual friend who was, at that very second, asking when the new book was expected to be out. Mark handed Mary the printer's proof and, in an excited, almost sing-song voice, Mary said, "Oh my goodness, that's it!" before accepting the book and cradling it carefully in her hands.

The book itself is absolutely beautiful. Mark and Mary agreed that illustrator and designer Lynn Walma had taken her already fabulous work on early Abigail books up another notch with Unclaimed Baggage: beautifully designed, perfectly executed and with three new illustrations that are already among our favourites, UB is simply a stunning work of art.

As Mary flipped through the new novel, Mark asked her how it felt to hold her first novel in the her hands. Again, with a delighted laugh, Mary said simply, "It feels pretty good!"

The printer's proof copy is a single printing of the new book that is prepared by the printing company so that the creative team can give it one last review before the full print run is initiated. This review is not intended to be another edit -- the time for changing the text is long since passed -- but to give us the chance to ensure that no mistakes were introduced to the book as it moved from computer file to printed form.

For example, we look for duplicated pages, or pages that might be missing, or print that is fuzzy or otherwise unclear, or text that is misaligned on the page or even chapters that have somehow been printed out of order.

We're happy to report that Sure Print and Design in Toronto produced an absolutely perfect printer's proof and we are ready to give the go ahead for the initial print run of 500 copies. With the marketing and promotion strategy in full swing and interest already high, we are hopeful that we sell out of those 500 copies soon after the September 25th launch and have to go back to Sure Print to ask them to run off hundreds more copies of Unclaimed Baggage!

A long-awaited update on Abigail

 It's been four years since I have posted anything on this blog and I apologize for that.

But it has also been four years since the last Abigail Massey at McAdam Station book so perhaps that explains our absence.

I am happy to say, however, that we have a new Abigail novel, written entirely by Mary E. O'Keefe with design and illustration by Lynn Walma, coming out next spring.

And in honour of that event, I have attempted to turn this Blogger site into something of an Abigail Website, since our original website disappeared with the loss of our web server.

So, please, check out the new pages attached to this blog and watch for more information in the coming weeks!

Kicking off the Summer in Style

The McAdam Railway Station and Hotel is kicking off the summer season in grand style a little early this year with a combined event planned for the afternoon of Saturday, May 13.

“This will be a great treat for our guests,” said Frank Carroll, representative of the McAdam Historical Restoration Commission, the group of volunteers that has been leading the restoration of the glorious station for the past decade. “We’re hosting a book launch event at 1 p.m. for the second edition of our gorgeous McAdam Station coffee table book and then greeting, at 2, a passenger train loaded with folks as part of the Oromocto Hospital Foundation’s Annual Train Ride fundraising event.”

The Hospital Foundation’s train ride fundraiser includes a train ride from Fredericton Junction to the McAdam Railway Station and back, a tour of the historic Station and finally dinner in Fredericton Junction. Tickets for the event have been sold out for some time – they often sell out in the fall for the following May’s train ride.

The book launch, meanwhile, is open to the general public free of charge. Mark Walma and Mary E. O’Keefe, authors of the well-known Abigail Massey at McAdam Station children’s books, will be on hand to share stories of the Station, of the Abigail Massey book project and of exciting plans for the upcoming year.

Front and centre at the book launch will be the second edition of The McAdam Railway Station and Hotel: Fact, Fiction and Photography, the beautiful coffee table book that celebrates the Station, the restoration effort and the Abigail stories, with every penny from sales going to support the Restoration Commission.

“When we brought out the special first edition of the coffee table book two years ago, it sold out even before we got it back from the printers,” Walma said, “so we’re delighted to be able to bring out the second edition, just as beautiful and just as chock full of exciting photos and text, but redesigned for the general market.”

Carroll pointed out that the book launch event creates a great opportunity for folks to view and take photos of the arrival of a passenger train at the Station and to enjoy the excitement along with the many passengers who will be loading and unloading on the train in McAdam.

“In its heyday, the McAdam Station welcomed passenger trains numerous times every day,” Carroll said, “but now, unfortunately, it’s a fairly rare event to have a passenger train filled with people roll up to our platform and open its doors. I expect this will bring back a lot of fond memories for a lot of folks across New Brunswick.”

The McAdam Station will offer its full catalogue of services and events starting in June this summer, including Railway Pie Sundays and the special celebration of Canada’s 150th Birthday on July 1.
“This combined book launch/passenger train event is a great way to kick things off,” Carroll said.

“I’m not sure what I’m more looking forward to,” Walma added, “the launch of our gorgeous book or the chance to step back into the Station’s history and witness the arrival of the Oromocto Hospital Foundation’s passenger train.”

The book launch begins at 1 p.m. and is free to the public. The train is expected to arrive at 2 p.m.

"Still Standing" McAdam is a hit in New Brunswick

Tuesday night was a big night for the Village of McAdam, its people, its historic railway station and its fictional favourite daughter.


CBC TV's hit television series, Still Standing, broadcast its latest episode on Tuesday, this one focusing its affectionate attentions on the New Brunswick village. It was a laugh-filled half-hour featuring Canada's favourite comedian and actor, Jonny Harris.


Alongside interviews with various local personalities, Harris chatted with Mark Walma, author of the Abigail Massey at McAdam Station stories, about the Abigail project and about Walma's relationship with the struggling town.


"It was a huge event, for the Village, the Station and for me personally," Walma said after the show. "I think we all had a really positive feeling about how Jonny and the crew from CBC and Frantic Films would present McAdam and its stories but the final episode surpassed even those high expectations."


Still Standing characterizes itself as offering love letters to Canada's struggling small communities, offering an entertaining mix of interviews with local personalities, information about the community and its history and original stand up comedy, written by Harris and a team of writers, that focuses uniquely on the community and its people.


"I felt they really delivered on their promises," Walma said with a smile. "The episode told McAdam's story very well and managed to produce a surprising number of laughs for a half-hour show."


For example, Harris drew big laughs when he described McAdam as "the first town in Canada to have a same-sex marriage before it has a Tim Hortons" as he profiled a lovely young couple who are planning their wedding for this fall, with the reception to be held at the Station.


He also profiled the local hair dresser, the proprietors of a nearby hunting and fishing lodge and the former mayor and his sister who are at the heart of the Station's restoration effort.


"In a show filled with highlights, the best moment for me was the interview with Frank Campbell," Walma commented. "Frank is one of the most knowledgeable people in McAdam when it comes to the history of the Station and he proved an entertaining and colourful speaker. I've been associated with the Station for about five years now and I still learned a lot from Frank's appearance on the show."


Walma himself figured prominently in the episode. He appeared regularly in the scenes from the stand-up comedy show (usually shown laughing uproariously) and he was presented chatting with Harris in the Station's lunch counter about the Abigail books as well.


Several of Lynn Walma's wonderful illustrations were also featured on-screen during the course of the episode.


After telling the story of the Abigail project and noting that it has raised more than $20,000 for the Station's restoration fund, Harris rounded out the segment by telling Walma that, while everyone appreciated the fact that he had taken the time to attend the show in McAdam, they all would much rather he go home and write more stories in support of the Station.


"No worries there," Walma said. "[Co-author] Mary [E. O'Keefe] and I are just putting the final touches on the stories for Abigail, Volume 5, which will be launched this winter in time for Christmas."


Walma said he was impressed with the fact that the Still Standing episode focused on the positive when it comes to the future of McAdam. In fact, Harris made it clear that, based on his experience in visiting struggling communities across Canada, he felt McAdam has a real chance to survive if it makes the restored Station a focal point of the Village's future.


"The show itself is already helping," Walma added. "I've received emails and tweets from across Canada, asking for more information about the Abigail books and how to buy them. Plus, website traffic is up significantly!"


The McAdam episode of CBC's Still Standing is now available online at the CBC TV website.

McAdam is certainly Still Standing in hit CBC show

Still Standing host Jonny Harris with Author Mark Walma

The Village of McAdam, home of the historic McAdam Railway Station and Hotel, will be featured in an episode of the CBC hit series, Still Standing, later this summer.

Hosted by Newfoundland actor/comedian Jonny Harris (of Murdoch Mysteries fame) and produced by Frantic Films of Toronto, Still Standing calls itself a "love letter" to small-town Canada. The show launched its second season with a fun and informative visit to Haida Gwaii in British Columbia, a beautiful island and home of Skidegate, a Haida community of approximately 800. You can watch the entire episode online here.

Frantic Films first visited McAdam in early February to do some advance work for the episode that would feature the New Brunswick village. Amelia Wasserman of Frantic Films spent a week in the village, talking to the local people, visiting the sites, taking photos and video and gathering information in preparation for the visit of the entire cast and crew.

McAdam mayor Frank Carroll included Abigail author Mark Walma on the list of potential participants in the show and, after enjoying a mock interview with Wasserman about the Abigail project and his relationship with the village, Walma was fortunate enough to be chosen to meet Jonny Harris and appear on the show.

The second appearance: Author Mark with Abigail books

"I really didn't think I would be chosen," Walma admitted with a laugh. "But I guess the show's producers wanted to include someone who was interested in the village, participated in some village events but wasn't quite considered a local. It's an interesting perspective, I guess."

Several weeks later, a full crew from Frantic Films and CBC spent a week in McAdam to do the filming required for the episode. With Harris and the technical and creative folk came two other talented comedians and writers, Fraser Young and Graham Chittenden, whose responsibility it was to turn all the material the group gathered into a one-hour stand-up comedy act that Harris would deliver at the McAdam High School gym on the Saturday night.


"The interview with Jonny Harris was a lot of fun," Walma said. "We sat in the Station's Lunch Counter and chatted for 45 minutes or so. I expected there to be a lot of stopping and starting but it was just a smoothly flowing conversation. He really is the nice guy who comes across so clearly on TV."


Walma explained that the interview focused mainly on the Abigail project and how he and his sister Lynn came to take such an interest in the village and its Station. "But he was also interested in whether or not I had been adopted by the village yet," Walma added. "You know, was I still that guy from away who writes the books or was I one of them?"


The author appears to have enjoyed the entire process thoroughly, with one possible exception: "It is kind of terrifying," he said, "to sit in that gymnasium knowing that Jonny Harris is about to talk about you in his stand-up set but with no idea whatsoever of what he's going to say."


And how did it turn out?


"For me personally, it was an awesome experience. They handled me with comic kid gloves," Walma said. "For the village, it was just as great. Jonny, Fraser and Graham did an amazing job of writing an original, detailed and really funny set about the Village of McAdam and its people. I was really impressed with how well written it was and how perfectly Jonny delivered it."


Although the actual date of broadcast of the McAdam episode of Still Standing has yet to be made public, the release yesterday of a 90-second trailer for Season Two of the show on Facebook has already generated a great deal of buzz in New Brunswick.


The trailer includes flashes from all of the episodes planned for Season Two but McAdam and its beautiful station feature prominently, including one shot of Jonny Harris marching along on the platform in front of the station and several brief shots of various McAdam citizens who will appear in the episode.


"I'm even in there a couple of times," Walma said, a twinkle in his eye. "I watched the video for the first time on my smart phone as I was walking down the street and I stopped dead, my jaw on the ground, when I realized that the smiling face that had just flashed across that tiny screen was my own!"


Screen shots of Walma's appearances in the video appear at the top of this entry. Watch this space for more information about the Still Standing episode on the Village of McAdam as it becomes available.

Abigail web series comes to life in new teaser trailer

Abigail creator and principal author Mark Walma is "beyond excited" by the debut, this past November, of the teaser trailer in support of the proposed new Abigail Massey at McAdam Station web series, tentatively titled The Station.


"I am quite honestly beside myself," Walma said recently. "This teaser trailer is, in and of its self, a beautiful piece of film making and I am very optimistic that it will 'seal the deal' when we begin to approach the various arts bodies for funding for The Station."


Directed, filmed and edited by Tom Belding of the Vancouver Film School, the teaser trailer features an amazing blending of historic footage with new shots Belding filmed on a cold Saturday morning in October at the McAdam Station.


Walma attended the filming session. "It was so great to see professionals like Tom Belding and Nancy Lynch in action," he said. "Many of the shots in the trailer were taken using a high-def camera attached to a drone that Tom flew around and above the Station building and I think the resulting trailer is absolutely amazing."


Since the 90-second film debuted at the launch of Abigail Massey at McAdam Station, Volume 4, in early November, it has been viewed more than 1200 times on Youtube.


"It's had a galvanizing effect on our work to bring the proposed web series to life," Walma said. "I don't think you can watch that teaser without being impressed and excited."


Meanwhile, the fourth volume of Abigail stories experienced a very successful selling season since its launch in October with author's Walma and Mary E. O'Keefe making numerous public appearances in support of the new collection of children's stories.


To view the trailer for yourself, follow the link above or copy the following URL into your browser:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=affsvan_YEA.

New book, new author

Abigail Massey at McAdam Station, Volume 4, is here!

With stories written by both Abigail's original author Mark Walma and McAdam, NB native Mary E. O'Keefe, accompanied by Lynn Walma's wonderful illustration, this new collection of children's stories set in the 1940s offers everything a young reader could want in a story book: humour, action, adventure, emotion, even a little bit of soul-searching for Abigail and her friends.

"I'm delighted that we are able to bring Mary E. O'Keefe and her delightful writing style into the public eye," Mark Walma said recently. "Mary grew up in McAdam, right across the street from the landmark train station, and her stories have a wonderfully fresh, innocent and heart-warming feel to them."

The new collection offers six new stories, featuring Abigail, her cousin Martha and their friends and colleagues who live and work at the historic railway station and hotel.

"There are a lot of familiar faces in the stories but also some new ones," Walma said, "including a new hotel maid who, well, let's just say she introduces challenges for Abigail and her friends."

Volume 4 will be launched at an event to be held on Sunday, November 8, 2015 at 1 p.m. at the McAdam Railway Station and Hotel. The event is free to the public and should be a fun time for all.

The Abigail Project Expands in Interesting Ways

The Abigail project team continues to work hard in preparation for the fall launch of Abigail Massey at McAdam Station, Volume 4, with six exciting new stories and six wonderful new illustrations.


"We're excited to report that Mary O'Keefe, a talented writer and McAdam native, has joined the team and contributed two really fantastic stories to this new collection," original Abigail author Mark Walma said recently.


"Mary brings a bright and upbeat tone to her stories and her indepth knowledge of the people and culture of the McAdam area really adds the ring of authenticity."


Walma said the fourth collection of historical stories for children set at the McAdam Station in the early 1940s involves the departure of one familiar character and the emergence of a new, potentially troubling character.


But the new Volume isn't the only project that is garnering the attention of the team: work is underway to convert the special Abigail novella, A McAdam Station Christmas, into a stage play and to adapt the short stories into scripts for a web series.


"We're looking to expand our Abigail's reach," author Mark Walma said recently, "to introduce her to new audiences both in live action and online formats."


Walma said that a draft play has already been created and he is working with established screen writer Nancy Lynch to shop the play to community theatres around New Brunswick. "Nancy is a very driven, talented person and we're lucky she's taken an interest in our project," Walma said.


Lynch is also the driving force behind the web-series idea, working with Walma to develop a "teaser trailer" for the proposed new online TV series that could be used to apply for grant funding from government arts institutions.


"I had never really heard of web series before Nancy brought it up," the author laughed, "but it sounds like a fun and exciting opportunity for us. Stated simply, a web series is like a mini television series that is made available to the public entirely online, through outlets like Youtube."


He pointed out that, with the publication of Volume 4, the project team will have a total of 18 Abigail stories that could be adapted into four-to-six minute web episodes.


"That's enough for a really strong start and, if the we get that far and attract an audience, we'll be able to seek out more funding, perhaps even sponsorships," Walma said.


"And, since the main goal of entire project is to support the restoration and preservation of the McAdam Railway Station and Hotel, anything we can do to increase the profile of the Station within New Brunswick and across the country will be well worth the effort!"

A fourth collection of Abigail stories gets the green light

With green lights coming in from all around, it looks like the planning stages of Abigail Massey at McAdam Station, Volume 4, are underway.

"We're planning another collection of short stories for children," Abigail creator and principal author Mark Walma said. "We kind of veered away from the short story format for last fall's A McAdam Station Christmas and that was a lot of fun but the short story is where Abigail and her friends really belong."

Walma said there are some new wrinkles in the works, however, including the recruitment of some new talent to the creative process.

"I've been talking to some extremely talented writers here in Fredericton who have expressed an interest in contributing stories to the next collection," he said. "Having new authorial voices in the books will help keep Abigail fresh and it will be very interesting for me, as the original Abigail author, to see what other writers do with my characters."

There are also plans to include a new artist in the team, a young artist with an exceptional gift, according to Walma. "My sister Lynn will still be heavily involved in the book, bringing both her artistic and her design talents to Volume 4, but we're also excited to see what a new artist will bring to the drawings that introduce each story."

The expectation is that Abigail, Volume 4, will be released early in the fall of 2015.

"The fun part, the creative part, begins now," Walma said.

CBC interview now on Youtube

We're pleased to announce that we have finally posted on Youtube author Mark Walma's third interview with Terry Seguin on CBC Fredericton's Information Morning program, which took place in mid-December of 2014.

Terry and the CBC crew have been very supportive of the Abigail project and of the McAdam Railway Station in general. He's a great interviewer: kind, intelligent and witty, tough when he wants to be and always prepared.

Without the fantastic interest and coverage of the New Brunswick media, the Abigail project would probably not have gotten off the ground.

U of T law alumni magazine features Abigail

The Abigail Project, the McAdam Railway Station and Hotel and author Mark Walma were all featured in this month's edition of Nexus, the alumni magazine for the University of Toronto Law School, Walma's alma mater.

The brief article was written by magazine editor Lucianna Ciccocioppo and accompanied by some a gorgeous photograph of Abigail author with the Station looming in the distance. This photo was taken by New Brunswick photographer Ahmed Dassouki.

We hope both Nexus and Mr. Dassouki are okay with us copying this photograph on our page as a way of drawing your attention to the article. Like the photo, Ms. Ciccocioppo's written piece does a wonderful job of capturing the essence of the McAdam Station story and bringing it to readers across the country.

Author to appear at McAdam Railway Station this Sunday

With the new Christmas novella well into production and the audio-book version of Volume 1 now available, things seem to be humming along in the Abigail project.

Author Mark Walma is now preparing for an appearance at the McAdam Railway Station and Hotel this coming Sunday, July 27 from 1 to 3 p.m.

"The McAdam Historical Restoration Commission has planned a series of appearances by local artists to complement its already very popular Railway Pie Sunday events," Mark explained, "and I'm quite honoured to have been invited to take part."

Mark said his role is to set up his table and then chat with the people who drop into the Station for pie.

"Many of the people who come out are likely from McAdam and the surrounding area so they likely already have purchased the original three Abigail books," Mark said. "My appearance there is not really about the sales of the books but more about thanking people for their support for our project and the Station, adding even more interest to their visit and getting them excited about the upcoming book."

Artist and designer Lynn Walma is currently working very hard on the drawings and layout of the new Christmas novella, "A McAdam Station Christmas", which is due out in November.

"We're very excited about this new book and looking forward to the launch late this fall," Mark said. "We are thinking of having two different launches -- one at the Station and a second in Fredericton -- so watch out for that!"

An awesome Canada Day for Abigail

Canada Day in McAdam turned out to be an awesome experience, Abigail author Mark Walma said.

"What a great day we had," he said recently, his face still showing the slightest hint of sun from the day spent outside the McAdam Railway Station. "Lots of people, lots on interesting conversations, lots of kind words about the Abigail books and even a few sales."

Mark spent six solid hours staffing a table at the Canada Day event, taking the project's new point-of-sale book display and audio book out for a test drive and catching up with a lot of friends out in McAdam.

"They've got a great bunch of people out there," Mark said. "The group who make up the McAdam Historical Restoration Commission, people like Gail Swan, Elsie Carroll, Elaina Goss, Kim Dunphy and Dave McInroy, are just wonderful, hard-working, supportive people. And they get great support from the Village mayor, Frank Carroll."

Despite the fact that it was one of the hottest days of the year, Mark said he thoroughly enjoyed the day.

"I was lucky," he said. "My table was in the shadow created by the eaves of the Station and got a nice breeze off the pond. It was quite comfortable."

He said he was especially delighted with the many compliments he received from people from all over (some from as far away as Toronto, Edmonton and even California) about the first three volumes of Abigail stories and the excitement that greeted the news that a fourth book, A McAdam Station Christmas, will be coming out in November.

"One woman actually did a little dance when she saw the poster," Mark said, laughing. "She told me she'd enjoyed the first three volumes but had been worried that there wouldn't be any more coming out. She was absolutely thrilled."

And then there was the little boy from Toronto who complained that he just couldn't wait until November to read the next book. "He was eventually convinced to settle for a photo with the author that his mom could post on Twitter for him," Mark explained.

Next appearance for Mark will likely be at the First Anniversary/Moving Party for Artful Persuasion, the fabulous Fredericton artists' co-operative store that was one of the first sales partners for the Abigail books.

The Artful Persuasion party was planned for this Saturday, July 5 but has already been postponed due to the fact that Arthur (be he a Hurricane or a Tropical Storm by then) is expected to roll into town and dump up to 100 mm of rain on the city throughout the day on Saturday. The new date will be announced soon.

Canada Day brings new Abigail items

This is what all the hard work was about: a brand new CD, with recordings of author Mark Walma reading the four stories from Abigail Massey at McAdam Station, Volume 1.

Plus a fantastic new display box for all four of the Abigail books (the first three collections of stories and the new Christmas novella, "coming this November").

"I'm pretty happy with the results," Mark said as he prepared for his appearance at the Canada Day celebrations in McAdam on Tuesday. "Lynn did an awesome job with the designs of the display case, the CD cover and the novella."

Mark explained that, even though the red stickers for the CDs themselves are beautiful, Lynn has expressed a concern that they might peel off and damage people's CD players. "So we've decided to forego them for now," he said. "They're beautiful, to be sure, but I'd rather sell unadorned CDs than do any damage."

The entire Village of McAdam celebrates Canada Day in style, with local artisans and crafts people setting up tables around the Train Station for the day and a big parade through the community, starting at 10:30 a.m.

"It's always a lot of fun," Mark said. "It will be a beautiful day so we hope we have huge crowds to come out and get to know the Station and the Village of McAdam."

Podcast CDs of Abigail finally completed

"I'm feeling a combination of excitement and relief right now," Abigail author Mark Walma said Sunday afternoon. "After a lot of work and a lot of worry, I'm very pleased to be able to announce that the books-on-CD version of Abigail Massey at McAdam Station, Volume 1, is now completed and bring printed."

Walma has worked throughout the weekend, ironing out final technical problems, editing the recorded versions of the stories, and preparing to record, just to make sure the new release will be ready for his appearance at the McAdam Station on Canada Day.

"It became a bit of a race against time, unfortunately," he admitted. "I think I underestimated the complexity of the project when I first launched into it but I'm pretty pleased with the result."

Mark explained that he feels the new version of the Abigail stories will help people with vision impairments, children and elderly people enjoy the stories too.

"I've had a lot of really positive feedback from people when they hear about this new project," he said, "and I was committed to getting it launched by Canada Day."

Mark said he expects to give away the copies of the new CD to people willing to make a donation to the Station's restoration fund at the Canada Day celebration, rather than selling it for a set price.

"My thinking is, if someone is willing to donate ten dollars or more to the Station, I'm happy to give them a copy of the CD," he said with a smile. "It's all for a great cause."

The difficulty pod-cast journey

Creating podcasts and books-on-CD is turning out to be harder than expected, Abigail author Mark Walma now admits.

"I got into it on a whim, to be honest," he said. "A person with a vision impairment emailed Abigail some time ago saying that, although she has heard the Abigail Massey books are pretty good good and although she had purchased copies for friends and family around the world, she still hadn't been able to enjoy the stories herself."

Mark first sent the woman the stories in their electronic (Word) format, so that a program on her computer could read them to her.

"But I thought, 'maybe I can do better'," he said with a laugh. "I didn't realise what I was getting myself into."

First, there's doing the recording itself. Mark had to bring together the right equipment and software just to get started. Once that was done, he needed to find quiet time to read the stories into the computer.

"All it takes is for the dog to bark or a loud truck to drive by and you have to stop and rewind," he said. "I had one 'take' ruined when someone flushed a toilet!"

Then came the actual reading part of it.

"Reading like that isn't as easy as one might expect," he said. "There's nothing like a digital recording to show you how many ums, ahs, coughs and sniffs you commit in a single minute of reading. And then there's the problem of stumbling over words, mispronouncements and stuff like that."

It took him more than two hours to record each of the four stories from the first volume in any kind of decent shape and editing each one has taken many hours more.

"You want to remove the blemishes, sure, but you also want to make sure you get the pacing right," he explained. "You have to deal with the fact that, when you do so many 'takes' in the course of reading a single story, you're going to have sometimes significant differences in volume as well."

And then there's the problem of time. Mark's goal is to fit the four stories from the first volume on a single CD. Well, most CDs handle only 80 minutes of recording. And not a minute more.

"Each story turned out to be between 18 and 25 minutes in length," he said, laughing. "So, when all was said and done, when I had the recording of each story in pretty good shape, I found out I was still about two minutes over the limit."

So now it's back to the editing booth.

"I'll get there, I'm sure," Mark promised. "It's just a much more difficult journey than I expected."