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Following The Writing Studio's Creative Writing Workshop, Gary Hirson took a bold step forward and self-published his children's book, 'The Magic That Is Ours', now causing a sensation in bookstores.
"The workshop enabled me to write and read my work without feeling insecure about my abilities, says Hirson, a professional photographer, businessman and wannabe writer with a keen interest in the magic of creativity. This is his first published work. Through this book he hopes to help children understand the power of their imagination, and help them realize that they can manifest anything they set their minds to.
THE STORY OF "THE MAGIC THAT'S OURS"
I first wrote this story about 8 and half years ago. I had just left the corporate world to follow my dream of becoming a professional photographer. I was a bit insecure because I was used to earning a fixed monthly salary. I just kept telling myself "that everything will be ok; I must just use my imagination." At the time I was also exploring the esoteric side of life and was doing some astrology workshops. The astrologer said to me that I must start writing because that is the way I express myself the best. When I asked what I should write about she said, "Use your imagination"
The other contributor to the story was when I noticed a friend of mines daughter completely "zoned out" when she was watching cartoon network. Her mother was making dinner and said to me that she knew it wasn't right to put her daughter in front of the TV while she was busy, but it was safe and convenient to know that she was safe and being entertained. However she did feel that too much TV stunts the growth of the child's imagination.
So the story was actually written for mothers who when busy could read a short section of the story and then leave the child who could do the "fun time" whereby they use their own imagination related to the story.
Straight after I wrote the story I sent it to some of the big publishers in SA. All of which turned it down. I put the manuscript away but I knew that I would get back to it. I went to work as a photo assistant in London and took the manuscript with me. I sent it to some of the London based publishers but again the response was negative.
Again I left the manuscript alone for a while. When I came back from London I met my then girlfriend-Jan- who was a journalist and a news editor. I showed her the story and she really liked it but she said it needed a bit of polishing. Together we sat and edited the story.
Up until then the story was all that I had written but I decided I wanted to learn a bit more about writing. I signed up for your weekend workshop at the SABC. The workshop was fantastic as I got to understand the basic fundamentals about writing. I also met people who were at the same level as me writing wise.
This enabled me to write and read my work without feeling insecure about my abilities.
Besides what I got out about the writing, you were the one who suggested I contact "Pegicorn.Net" whom in turn agreed to publish my story, on line.
We signed the contracts but the publisher thought that the story was a bit "thin" and they suggested that I add a few chapters. I wrote another three chapters that they enjoyed and added to the story. I commissioned a friend of mine to do the illustrations. A few weeks later as she was handing me the illustrations I was receiving an e mail from the publisher saying that they were going out of business and that they could no longer publish my book.
After a few days of depression I made a conscious decision to self publish the book. The story was about creativity and imagination and I decided to put into practice what I was writing about. The only thing was I didn't have clue on how to go about it.
After doing a bit of research I contacted the centre for the book. I got hold of Colleen Higgs, bought her book on self - publishing and I started on my little adventure.
From that day I knew that I had to treat it like a small business and watch and allocate all finances needed.
A while later I bumped into an old friend of mine who by chance had a design company and they were busy designing a book for a person who was self publishing her life story. So there and then I had found a designer as well as access to someone who was currently going through what I was about to embark on.
Up until then the costs had been minimal. The illustrator was a friend of mine and she didn't charge me the full rate for the illustrations. The book had been edited by Jan and Pegicorn so there weren't any editing costs.
I gave the story and illustrations to the designer. About 9 months later after many calls and e mails they presented me with the mock copy of my book. I was completely humbled by the experience. I am an active goal setter and do visualisation and affirmation exercises regularly and never once did I doubt the fact that I would have a published book. But when I finally had it in my hands it was the most amazing felling I have ever felt.
The designer then printed me 25 sample copies. As the costs were starting to escalate I had to become creative and as the designers are friends of mine and I am a professional photographer we agreed that I would do photography for them in lieu of payment for the design of the book.
Once I had the samples I then sent the books to friend, teachers, librarian's psychologists and anybody I thought would be able to give me feed back about the book. The response was amazing especially from the teachers who read the story to their pupils. (See the press release). Everybody was also blown away about the illustrations. There was mixed feed back to whether the story should be edited to the original manuscript or to be left with the added chapters. I decided to edit the book to its original length and use the added chapters to possibly start the next book.
Once the decision on the length of the book was decided the designer and I decided on the paper type and it went to print.
I sent my book to Stephan Philips distributors and they agreed to distribute the book on my behalf and sell it to all major book stores country wide
A launch date was decided upon and it was to be held at a child friendly coffee shop at 3pm on Saturday 2nd June.
A week before the launch date I received 1000 copies of the book but because of the format (A4 landscape) the cover and backing board was too thin and the book was too floppy and could not be held properly. After an emergency meeting the book was sent back to the printers who sorted out the problem.
As it was a children's book and the launch date was on the same day as a rugby test I had a feeling that most of the fathers would stay away and the launch would be attended by mothers and children. The venue was a coffee shop in the city that had access to a park in which children could play. I organised a clown to entertain the children as well. The clown was a friend of mine and again we traded photographs of his family for his time. Jan was the introductory speaker. I spoke and I had a friend of mines son to do a short reading. The launch was a huge success. I sold 65 books and everybody had fun.
Besides the sales I have been invited to do a talk at a business network group as well as to do a 15 min presentation on self publishing at a "scbwi/ibby" meeting.
A review of the book was also in the last "life in balance" newsletter which has 8000 subscribers. It is a holistic based newsletter.
Through Stephan Phillips the book is now available in major book stores country wide and was on display at the "cape town book fair"
I appointed Redhedz, a PR agency to do the entire PR and they are sending the book out to all major media for reviews.
I am currently starting to contact librarians etc to try and get it into schools etc.
The whole process of self publishing has been a real adventure because it was completely new to me. I have had total creative license with the whole process but then all the costs were mine to bear.
IT'S A KIND OF MAGIC
'Imagination is more important than knowledge' is what Albert Einstein, possibly one of the finest minds of our time, said. In the illumination of this statement a new children's book, The Magic That's Ours, has been written by local author Gary Hirson.
This bright, inspiring book encourages children to make life long friends with their imagination and change their world from the ordinary to the extraordinary.
Capetonian artist, Dorothee van der Osten, painted the book's illustrations which brim over with colour. The vivid pictures contain an element of mystery to prompt children to explore them and let their imagination fly free. Joel and Jina, the main characters, are abstractly drawn so the reader has to use the palette of their imagination to create and see the heroine and hero.
Written for children between the ages of six and eight, The Magic That's Ours has been widely distributed for comment to psychologists, art therapists, professors, playgroups, mothers and of course children. It has also won the acclaim of teachers and librarians from private, government and alternative schools.
"The feedback is really encouraging. Teachers reported that children who previously had not been overtly social, interacted well during the fun and creative projects suggested," comments Hirson. "Ideally I would love this interactive book to reach classrooms across the country and inspire teachers and learners alike.
"The book is a goldmine of 'things to do' which call for young minds to adventure into their imagination. This makes it a useful tool in a multitude of situations from the school room to playgroups and with babysitters, parents and child psychologists. As an active goal setter I understand the power of visualization and would like to give this gift to our future leaders as early as possible in their lives," the author explains.
"Reading excerpts from the book is about the only thing that keeps my class of 35 children still," says Wilhelmina Bozack, a grade two teacher. "They are enthralled by the story, which gets their imagination working overtime. The extent of the children's creativity during the fun time activities has been extremely rewarding to see. They tell stories, paint pictures and create games. Even the Xhosa speaking learners remember the story perfectly in English."
The book tells the story of Joel and Jina who walk to school each morning through the countryside and across a river. Although their journey is alive with the joys of nature one morning something extra special happens. The reed bed at the end of the river changes into a cave full of whirling, swirling colours and glistening with crystals. The children are drawn to the enchanting place and there meet a cute little creature called Imagi-nashun or Magic for short.
He tells Joel and Jina - "Your imagination, or Magic, is everything that you can think up. Every time you think up a new story to tell, or draw a new picture or invent a new game to play, that's when you are using your magic."
The Magic That's Ours features nine fun time activities, which widen the narrow horizons of the humdrum world to allow the child to reach for any possibility. Through this they learn the power of imagination is not only fun but can break down barriers, solve problems, invent, write stories and paint pictures.
"In later life a well developed sense of imagination will stand by as a steadfast friend for lateral or 'out-of-the-box' thinking and problem solving. It is also vital in creating the type of life experiences that enrich an individual instead of the cardboard-cut-out existences many adults endure," comments Hirson.
Michelle Crawford, a Hout Bay clinical psychologist with a substantial child client base, says reading enlivens the thought process. "Reading to a child is one of the best investments of 'quality time' a parent can make, as it encourages young minds to adventure into exciting worlds of their own creation. The Magic That's Ours has been especially crafted to allow the child to escape the cage of conditioning created by overdoses of television, computers and the plethora of games spawned by technology. It gives children access to the vast pool of the unconscious in general and their imagination in particular.
"The activities suggested in the book prompts the child to explore and journey into the reflective space within themselves. It also sows the seeds for children to tap into their imagination and explore visualization as a means of creating their reality and experiences through thought," concluded Crawford.
Hirson says the inspiration for the book arrived as he observed a friends' child absolutely absorbed by cartoons on TV. "She was totally zoned out, her mum called her three times before she responded. I could really see there was a big need for an interactive book, which offered an alternative to television.
"It only takes a parent five minutes to read a section of the book and explain one of the fun time activities. After that the child can entertain themselves in a creative and stimulating way. Hopefully The Magic That's Ours will draw children back to the wondrous truth of who they really are - pure magic".
THE MAGIC THAT'S OURS. At a glance
Suggested retail price R 100,00( DIRECTLY FROM THE AUTHOR)-R120,00 (RETAIL)
Number of pages 32 pages (soft cover)
Author Gary Hirson
Cover and Illustrations Dorothee van der Osten
Distribution Selection bookstores countrywide via Stephan Phillips or direct from author
Contact: Gary Hirson: gary@garyhirson.com Tel: 021 461 2449
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