An extended conversation with author Richard Van Vamp.

SA国际影视传媒淩ichard Van Camp here in good SA国际影视传媒榦l Edmonton Treaty 6 Territory, but I was born and raised in Fort Smith, Northwest Territories. I was just there, probably three weeks ago, and somebody said, SA国际影视传媒榳hen youSA国际影视传媒檙e a Northerner, and youSA国际影视传媒檙e not living in Denendeh, youSA国际影视传媒檙e kind of just homesick and homely for the rest of your lifeSA国际影视传媒�.SA国际影视传媒�

News/North: Richard, ISA国际影视传媒檓 so excited to be speaking with you here today for the Yellowknifer and North North. WeSA国际影视传媒檙e here to talk about the re-release of A Blanket of Butterflies, Spirit of Denendeh, Book One, full colour edition. ISA国际影视传媒檝e got some questions here that ISA国际影视传媒檝e gathered about SA国际影视传媒榩rocessSA国际影视传媒� SA国际影视传媒� which youSA国际影视传媒檝e touched on a little bit already, and ISA国际影视传媒檒l speak more about a bit later on SA国际影视传媒� about working with Book Three and how that is a challenge, I mean.

Van Camp: WeSA国际影视传媒檙e gonna face it, and erase it together, Cassandra.

News/North: You know, maybe we can start there, right? Because the way that you described it really, I think speaks to the vulnerability of writing, on overcoming fear, or facing it, even embracing it? How would you put that? This is Book Three, to say youSA国际影视传媒檝e done this before is an understatement, and yet SA国际影视传媒� and yet SA国际影视传媒� you say youSA国际影视传媒檙e still facing yourself in this?

Van Camp: Oh, I will always be a student to the craft of writing. I will always be a student. I will always be a disciple to the craft of writing. And I actually was just writing to Cherie Dimaline and Waubgeshig Rice this morning saying SA国际影视传媒業 donSA国际影视传媒檛 know if youSA国际影视传媒檝e been here, my brother and sister, but I feel like I break stories all the timeSA国际影视传媒� SA国际影视传媒� and ISA国际影视传媒檝e always said, I even shared with you, Cass, that this is like combing, you know? For me writing is like combing tangled hair. But with this series, because it is a trilogy, and Book Two is done SA国际影视传媒� itSA国际影视传媒檒l be out in April. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 called As I Enfold You In Petals SA国际影视传媒� it is so beautiful.

News/North: The way you honour story, and Elders, Dene spirituality and law, is all what drew me to your work originally. This world needs stories that are medicine stories, right? That share SA国际影视传媒� that exemplify SA国际影视传媒� good ways of living. So, how is it that you keep going when you feel youSA国际影视传媒檝e SA国际影视传媒榖rokenSA国际影视传媒� a story? Because youSA国际影视传媒檝e always shared with me to embrace the good writing days and the SA国际影视传媒渂adSA国际影视传媒� SA国际影视传媒� to really sink in, completely, and really just enjoy the journey the story takes me on, right?

Van Camp: I think that the beauty of writing and the beauty of craft and the beauty of what we do as writers, is, you know, we get down on our hands and knees and beg every single day and hope the good work continues SA国际影视传媒� and when you have filled your life with, like, really good and sweet medicine and good home cooking dinner, I mean, and you show up first thing in the morning, with a really good heart, you know? I pay my taxes, ISA国际影视传媒檓 still paying my taxes, you know, I just want to be a good person, you know what I mean?

So, when I show up SA国际影视传媒� there are days where I actually feel I have broken it SA国际影视传媒� I have broken the story because I either pushed it way too far, or I wanted to test something. And itSA国际影视传媒檚 okay, because the next day, like as weSA国际影视传媒檙e talking now, I trust that my mind, heart and spirit, and those chest muscles we useSA国际影视传媒� You know, when youSA国际影视传媒檙e playing chess against somebody youSA国际影视传媒檙e quietly terrified of? They are usually younger than you, maybe about five, and theySA国际影视传媒檙e little maestros with chess SA国际影视传媒� those chest muscles, those spirit muscles, that craft inside of you, that beautiful wish inside of you SA国际影视传媒� to really honour the story. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 OK if you feel like you broke it on a Tuesday, because youSA国际影视传媒檙e probably going to figure it out on a Thursday.

Just keep reaching and risking.

And again, watching great shows, listening to great, you know, whatever SA国际影视传媒� itSA国际影视传媒檚 podcasts or music, and really becoming, you know, I would say, we become more spirit than human when weSA国际影视传媒檙e writing. And I think itSA国际影视传媒檚 not only SA国际影视传媒榳e become more spirit than human when weSA国际影视传媒檙e writing,SA国际影视传媒� I think itSA国际影视传媒檚 where we become more spirit than human when weSA国际影视传媒檙e wandering, and weSA国际影视传媒檙e reaching and weSA国际影视传媒檙e wishing and weSA国际影视传媒檙e thinking and dwelling, you know?

So all I want to say is that there is a time to inhale and to listen and ask and reach and risk and do the research and read those books, etc. Listen to those podcasts, crank those tunes. You know what I mean? Soak it all up.

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