Penning a PM as local childhood crime fighter
By Lindsey Rivait
Arts Editor
March 31, 2010
 Fireside Publishing House, which offers top quality children’s novels based on Canada’s leaders, is currently holding a contest to win a kids’ book writing contest.
The Toronto-area publisher will award the book publishing contract to either a university, college, or high school student (or a recent graduate within one year), who authors the best first chapter and one page outline for a historical fiction adventure novel based on Paul Martin Jr., the 21st Prime Minister of Canada.
As part of Fireside’s Leaders and Legacies series, the story begins with Martin at age 12 in the summer of 1951. Since Martin, who was born in Ottawa, spent most of his summers in Windsor, the setting of the novel will be Windsor in 1951.
Fireside publisher Roderick Benns says that all of the books in the series will feature historical figures as young amateur sleuths in some way. “Martin specifically requested a mystery crime angle and I think in any book we’re going to see crimes being committed and the protagonist having to dig down and find out a mystery of sorts, whether or not that’s more paranormal or crime fighting, that’s going to be up to the writer in each case.”
Benns penned the first book of the series, based on John Diefenbaker, and is currently working on the second based on John A. MacDonald, making Martin the first living Prime Minister and first liberal that Fireside has covered. “He struck us as a very approachable, warm, accessible person. He has had a lot of youth initiatives, so we thought he’d be a good fit for this, and he responded exactly as we imagined, which we’re grateful for,” said Benns.
The series is targeted to children ages 12-15, with the hopes of getting them more interested in Canadian history. “It’s sad in this country the way we forget about our leaders and don’t support them in the same way as the U.S. does, and they might take it too far the other way. There has to be a happy medium,” Benns explained.
If sales and support are strong, Benns hopes to cover all 22 Prime Ministers, and then some. “We want to include other leaders, too, so that we can have more gender equity and more diversity in general through science, arts, and sports figures.”
Chances are good for contest entrants. Benns estimates that Fireside will receive between 50-100 entries from across Canada. “This is not like entering Lotto 649 here,” he said. “The chances of winning are pretty high. These are not big numbers that we anticipate entering, so if you can write at all, we would encourage you to enter,” Benns continued.
The Early Adventures of Paul Martin book writing contest closes Aug. 1. Entries consist of a first chapter, 1,000-2,500 words typed and double-spaced, and a one page book outline. The finished novel will be approximately 250 pages. Submissions must be written in English and only Canadian citizens or landed immigrants are eligible. It is recommended that entrants read Martin’s book Come Hell or High Water for insight into his childhood.
The $65 entry fee includes a copy of Book One from the series in order to gain an understanding of what the Martin book should be like, feedback on each entry, and a copy of Fireside’s standard book publishing contract to review.
Register online at www.firesidepublishinghouse.com or through mail. Details and further contest rules are available on the website.
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