Sarah Ellis - A private writer goes very public HERE WAS something about Sarah Ellis’ neighborhood that reminded me of being a kid growing up in Vancouver. Maybe it was the narrow street leading up to her three-storey house that | mistook for an alleyway, or the skinny grey tabby that lay on her front lawn stret- ching lazily in a sunbeam. Whatever it was, an ice cream truck full of kalf-formed childhood memories came pouring in like they do everytime ! breathe in the sweet scent of lilacs, hyacinths and sweet peas. “All the important things hap- pen to you when you're a child,” says Ellis, disappearing into the kitchen. “That’s why | chose to write about children rather than adults,’ she explains reappearing with a pet of hot tea and a tray of lemon shortbread cookies. That’s not the only reason. “It might also be shyness about writing about adults,’’ she admits. “I'm quite shy about writing in general. I don’t go to writers’ groups or let anyone but my editor © read my manuscript — I’m very private about it while I’m writing it. I like writing as a solitary activi- ty. It’s one of those jobs that have no faking -- if you're not doing it, you're not doing it.” The rise of Sarah Ellis is some- - thing many Vancouverites have been watching with a sense of pride and pleasure. Her ascendency has been steep and steady since 1987, when her first book, The Baby Project, won the Sheila E. Egoff Prize. Last December Ellis flew to Ot- tawa to accept this country’s top literary honor — the prized Gov- eror Gereral’s Award in the children’s literature category for her latest book, Pick-Up Sticks (Trying to find a copy of Pick-Up Sticks now is near impossible. The entire print run of the book — 3,000 copies — has sold out). Winning the Governor General's _ Award is a huge achievement for the North Vancouver children’s librarian, author and critic, and the recognition is welcome, if a bit overwhelming. Despite the kudos, Ellis says that knowing she has chosen the right career path can only come from within. “Being a bestseller is not really an indication of anything,” she says leaning back in an armchair, blowing on her tea. ‘‘Peer tec- ognition is great, but on the other hand I weite for children, and what adults tell me is one rernoved from the real reader. “It’s lovely to have exterior tecognition, but the conviction it’s Challenge Yourself at The 6.C. Fastiva! of the Arts, Vernon, May 27 - 31 ’ Congratulations tothe delegates from the North Shore Juried An Show who are advancing to the B.C. Festival of the Arts. Also, thanks to the many committed volunteers in the community for their hard work and dedication to the arts. Supported by tha Province of British Columbia through the B.C. Lottery Fund SPOTLIGHT FEATURE the right thing to do has to come from within.” She says she’s had to keep reminding herself that winning the Governor General's Award is “a bit like winning the lottery.” For someone who read a book a day from Grades 3 through 7, it wasn’t luck but a natural growth that led Ellis to library school and eventually to write her first book. Her own childhood was a happy MANY VANCOUVERITES have been watching one. Ellis has vivid recollections of trips to the West End Public Library where she’d take out bat- ches of books at a time, making sure to include one she'd read be- fore as a back-up in case none of the others panned out. “twas quite a conservative reader, | just slid in and slid out the back door (of the library) — | never asked anyone for anything.’ One image that has always stayed with her is the sight of her school librarian, Miss Fletcher, ripping sheets of brown paper, in which she'd wrap her students books in order to protect them from the rain, off a large roll. Recalling the names of treasured childhood books doesn’t come easy — with the exception of Little House on the Prairie. \ttuens out that Ellis wasn’t the most discriminating of readers. “| remember reading my way See Choosing page 30 . NEWS photo Cindy Goodman the rise of children’s author Sarah Eltis with a sanse of pride and pleasure. 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