I’m not much for self-help books. I’m the type of person who would run, not walk, away from anything titled Words of Wisdom for Dummies or What I Learned from My Next-door Neighbor’s Daughter’s Cat. It isn’t that I don’t look for wisdom and knowledge in books, but I don’t like the force feeding approach.

Very often when I’m reading, I find myself connecting the dots. Realizing truths I had only partially imagined. I wonder how my perception of the world would differ without books. I think of books as the path to understanding and knowledge. Obviously books are not the only way for us to learn, but they represent an enormous fund of knowledge that has been gathered, analyzed and crafted into volumes organized by subject, title and author. They are a priceless resource.

I believe I’ve gained a great deal of insight into the world in which I live through my affair with books. I have learned something from most of the volumes I’ve read over the course of my lifetime, but some books stand out more than others. I’d like to share the ten books that have influenced me the most. Here they are:

1. The First Eden by David Attenborough (I read this book when I was quite young. It’s probably no longer in print, but I vividly remember its impact. It helped me see the world and its ecosystems differently. I realized how much we had already lost and how much we have yet to lose.)
2. Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond
3. Collapse by Jared Diamond (Full of epiphanies. I realized that we are not invulnerable and that we have the power to make very poor choices as a species.)
4. The Collapse of Complex Societies by Joseph Tainter
5. Dark Age Ahead by Jane Jacobs
6. A Short History of Progress by Ronald Wright (Thoroughly engaging. Brings together many of the concepts covered by Diamond, Tainter and Jacobs in one easy to read volume.)
7. Rivers of Blood, Rivers of Gold by Mark Cocker (A crash course on man’s inhumanity toward man. If you weren’t cynical before ... )
8. The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein (Helped me articulate a concept I had suspected but didn’t have the words to express.)
9. Hope for Animals and Their World by Jane Goodall (Is this hope? I’m not sure, but it might be.)
10. The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood (Funny thing about this book. I found my spiritual belief system had more in common with a fictional cult than any of the current options available. Yeah, hilarious.)

I’m sure there are many I’ve missed, but I hope you find some inspiration in these titles.

I’m not much for self-help books. I’m the type of person who would run, not walk, away from anything titled Words of Wisdom for Dummies or What I Learned from My Next-door Neighbor’s Daughter’s Cat. It isn’t that I don’t look for wisdom and knowledge in books, but I don’t like the force feeding approach.

Very often when I’m reading, I find myself connecting the dots. Realizing truths I had only partially imagined. I wonder how my perception of the world would differ without books. I think of books as the path to understanding and knowledge.

Obviously books are not the only way for us to learn, but they represent an enormous fund of knowledge that has been gathered, analyzed and crafted into volumes organized by subject, title and author. They are a priceless resource.

I believe I’ve gained a great deal of insight into the world in which I live through my affair with books. I have learned something from most of the volumes I’ve read over the course of my lifetime, but some books stand out more than others. I’d like to share the ten books that have influenced me the most. Here they are:

1. The First Eden by David Attenborough (I read this book when I was quite young. It’s probably no longer in print, but I vividly remember its impact. It helped me see the world and its ecosystems differently. I realized how much we had already lost and how much we have yet to lose.)
2. Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond
3. Collapse by Jared Diamond (Full of epiphanies. I realized that we are not invulnerable and that we have the power to make very poor choices as a species.)
4. The Collapse of Complex Societies by Joseph Tainter
5. Dark Age Ahead by Jane Jacobs
6. A Short History of Progress by Ronald Wright (Thoroughly engaging. Brings together many of the concepts covered by Diamond, Tainter and Jacobs in one easy to read volume.)
7. Rivers of Blood, Rivers of Gold by Mark Cocker (A crash course on man’s inhumanity toward man. If you weren’t cynical before ... )
8. The Shock Doctrine by Naomi Klein (Helped me articulate a concept I had suspected but didn’t have the words to express.)
9. Hope for Animals and Their World by Jane Goodall (Is this hope? I’m not sure, but it might be.)
10. The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood (Funny thing about this book. I found my spiritual belief system had more in common with a fictional cult than any of the current options available. Yeah, hilarious.)

I’m sure there are many I’ve missed, but I hope you find some inspiration in these titles.

I'd like to tell you about some of the girls I've met on my trips to Malawi. I especially want to tell you about some of the girls at Atsikana Pa Ulendo Girls' School.

All of the girls have amazing stories, but of course some stand out more than others.

Valentina is the eldest of five girls. Valentina’s father is polygamous, and Valentina is the daughter of his first wife. It is often difficult for first wives since the husband is usually more sympathetic to the newer wives. This was the case in Valentina’s family. The second and third wife turned their husband against Valentina’s mother. Although she was expected to contribute labour to the family’s tobacco garden, her husband wasn’t supporting her. Eventually she returned to her family’s village with her children.

Life was even more difficult for Valentina’s family after the move, and Valentina’s mother remarried. Valentina’s stepfather refused to support Valentina’s schooling because she is not his daughter. Eventually he left Valentina's mother because he didn't want to help Valentina out. Finally Valentina’s uncle stepped in and offered to look after Valentina. This caused tension between him and his wife. Because of the extreme poverty in Malawi, any extra strain on a family is keenly felt. And Valentina’s aunt was jealous of the extra burden Valentina placed on her family. It was Valentina’s uncle who saw the notice for Atsikana Pa Ulendo and told Valentina she should apply.

Valentina started school at Atsikana Pa Ulendo (Girls on the Move) in January 2008. Like all the girls, she had difficulty with her English, but she has been improving ever since. Valentina feels very guilty for causing her family so much trouble. She is a gentle, innocent girl and didn’t understand the situation. She feels a great deal of shame.

Valentina was sad and withdrawn during the second term, but the situation has improved.When I saw Valentina in May this year, she was in good spirits and positive about school. She speaks English well now, she works hard on her studies and her grades are improving. Her favorite subject is Bible Knowledge, and she loves to play netball. She is still a bit naïve about her future goals, she wants to help orphans, but she is a good kid with a big heart and a great attitude. She has the potential to go far and make a difference in her country.

I just got back from the Surrey International Writers’ Conference, and what a ride! I had gone with the intention of approaching an agent for my book. Since it’s my first full-length book, I knew it was a long shot.

My logic was sound. I believe there is a national and even international market for my book, so I’d like to see it in the hands of a national publishing house. National publishing houses don’t usually accept unsolicited manuscripts. For that, I need an agent.

As it turned out, the agent I was pumped for just didn’t “get” my project, but two others did - two very prestigious others. Until all the i’s are dotted and the t’s are crossed, I don’t want to give too much away, but I’ll keep you posted. I know which agency I’m going with, but I’m afraid I’ll jinx myself if I say too much right now.

This changes everything. Now I “really” need to roll up my sleeves and get to work. The possibilities are enormous, and if I don’t succeed now, I’ll only have myself to blame. I’m actually quite terrified. I feel big, big pressure. But don’t worry. I’m not complaining. It’s a wonderful challenge.

If you’re tuning in late and would like to know more about my book, A Light in the Warm Heart of Africa, please visit the Writing Page of my website.

Photo of Robert J. Sawyer by Ursula Maxwell-Lewis

Well, we’re driving through the Fraser Valley. It’s 11: 15 AM (Alberta time), and I’ve been on the bus since 7:45 PM last night. It hasn’t been too bad. I’ve only had a seat mate since Merritt, and she seems an okay sort. Most of the real lowlifes got off early on: Edson and Hinton. There was the guy going home from Fort McMurray. Looked like his clothes hadn’t been washed in at least a month (maybe he didn’t like doing laundry?). He smelled like he’d been bingeing all week, but maybe I shouldn’t complain. It probably concealed something even less savory. Then there was the young “gentleman” who seemed unable to contain his anticipation of the evening’s delights while on the phone with his girlfriend (and he was using his “cellphone voice”). Can’t say I wanted to hear about how he “likes it rough” and “that’s a hint for later” or his plans to score some meth. But those one went their separate ways, and it wasn’t too bad after that. All except for the couple sitting behind me whose sole purpose for the trip appeared to be to consume as much stinky food as possible in a fifteen hour period and then belch it all back up. Other than that, it hasn’t been too bad. I managed to sleep quite a lot despite the kinks in my back, neck, shoulder, hip ...

On a more pleasant note, the landscape here is beautiful. The trees still have their leaves, and some of them are even still green. They cover every shade from yellow to orange to a deep rich burgundy red. It’s overcast, but it isn’t cold. I know because I just got out to stretch my legs at Chilliwack. And as for the bus thing, yeah it’s pretty gross, but it sure beats driving.

Anyway, I’m on my way to the Surrey International Writers’ Conference: very heady stuff. I’ve been wanting to go for a few years now, but I’m always too busy. Well I’m too busy again this year, but the time was right, so here I am. The Surrey Conference is an absolute cornucopia for us literary sorts. I expect to be absolutely tripping over agents, editors and assorted writers. Guest fiction writers this year include Terry Brooks, Anne Perry, Diana Gabaldon and Michael Slade, and although I was at one time a huge Terry Brooks fan and still enjoy Anne Parry, I probably won’t be taking their workshops. I’m there for the non-fiction workshops and to see an agent(s). I have an appointment with Sally Harding from the Dean Cooke Agency - very prestigious. I don’t really think anything will come from it, and I still have Plan B, C, D, E and F to fall back on, but there’s that little voice that keeps saying, “Yeah, but what if?”

The whole “marketing your book” thing is enormously time consuming and mentally exhausting. It’s almost as much work as writing the book itself (okay, that’s a gross exaggeration, but it’s still a big deal).

I’m pleased with my book proposal. I think it’s strong, but I’m not so happy with my sample chapters. I didn’t realize how difficult it would be, at this point in the process, to pluck three chapters from my manuscript and polish them off. The book is so complex and interwoven that I don’t know how they will appear to an agent. I have to have faith that she can imagine the finished product, and that’s her job, so I should probably stop worrying.

It’s been good to have the weekend as a deadline for my proposal package. I’ve learned a lot from the process, and I think I will learn a lot from this weekend. In any case, when I get home on Monday, I’ll be ready to get back to writing, and that’s a good thing. But for now Plan A, here I come.