Imposter syndrome’s an awful, though common, affliction. I’ve probably written about it before. The comparisons you can’t help making, the wavering motivation, the crushing doubt. But here’s a positive spin: just because you’re fighting yourself doesn’t mean your work isn’t good. It doesn’t mean you don’t know what you’re doing, either. In fact, there are probably people you don’t even realize are in awe of what you’re accomplishing — people you inspire without your even knowing it.
And just maybe, if you stop for a moment and look — really look — at what you’ve done and where you’re going, you might be impressed, too. If you allow yourself to go there and observe your life from the outside, you could see what those other people see. Trust me: it’s not such a bad view. In fact, I’m finding it’s a very good place to be.
In that spirit, I’m realizing my strength and current momentum have come not only from hard work, but from leaning into my authentic self. From leaning into my passion for archives and storytelling, and where the two intersect. It’s where I’m finding the most success and, more and more, I see it’s the right direction for me. From co-hosting upcoming webinars and workshops, to discussing potential new contract work; from building a public brand to making new writer/archivist friends — all signs point to being on the right track.
In industries as tough as mine, that’s something to be excited about.
What wins have you celebrated this month?
Book Season
The Little Fernwood Book Fair (Victoria, BC) is coming up fast! Some of the attending authors, including me, will also be reading from their books. You can catch me at 1:10 pm! Or, stop by my table during the rest of the afternoon to chat Paris, archives, and all things books and writing. See you soon!
Keeping it Local
Jackie Sharp is a fellow Vancouver Island author, and so very supportive of our local writing community. Not only does she run the Ladysmith Book Fest twice a year (I’ll be there in April!), but she also founded the Vancouver Island Reads Local Authors group on Facebook.
I’m pleased she’s included me as the feature author in the first edition of The Island Book Shelf monthly newsletter! Read my interview, and browse all the featured books, at the link.
Past, Present, Future
On October 2, Toronto-based publication Milénio Stadium published my poem “the things i measure at night (12:22)“. It’s part of a new, regular two-page feature for the Mirador Artistries Collective, a group of Canadian artists that acknowledges a broadly shared cultural past from the Portuguese-speaking world (Lusophony) while also looking to our present and future for inspiration. I’m proud to be a member of this group as part of my continued efforts to build stronger connections with my heritage.
Redux
This one’s for the mid-Island family historians. My archives + storytelling workshop is back! We’ll talk about ways to add colour to your family history beyond your own collection of material, how to create setting and voice, real examples of strong storytelling from museums and other sources, and paths and platforms for sharing your story. Interested? Get all the details and your ticket here.
With thanks to the Parksville Museum for hosting!
BC Archives Awareness Week
Archives Week is an annual celebration to draw public attention to the importance of the province’s nearly 200 archival institutions. The Archives Association of British Columbia‘s annual Archives Week takes place the third week in November, and this year’s theme is “Access and Accessibility.”
As part of this week, I’ll be co-presenting a webinar on November 18 with Patrick Van Den Nieuwenhof, archivist of the city of Zaventem, Belgium. If you’re interested in the idea of using storytelling as a strategic tool in archives, join us for “Empathetic Archiving: Bringing Archives to Life Through Stories”!
Archives are often perceived as static repositories of the past: collections of documents, images and records preserved for future reference. Yet archives are also spaces of human experience, carrying traces of lives, emotions, relationships and memories. Through an empathical approach to archiving, archival materials can be reanimated as sources of connection, understanding and storytelling. By viewing archives not as fixed containers of truth but as living resources for narrative-making, attendees will discover ways to bring historical materials into dialogue with contemporary audiences. This general presentation introduces the concept of storytelling as an archival practice.
All events during Archives Awareness Week are free and presentations will take place online via Zoom. Please register (RSVP) in advance to receive the Zoom link.
Taking Flight
Thank you to everyone who’s browsed, read, and shared Andorinha Press Issue 2! We’re getting a healthy number of views, and we couldn’t be happier. And there are already people hoping to submit to the next one. (Though as a one-person team currently, putting out more than two per year isn’t feasible. Submissions won’t open again until early in the New Year.)
To learn more about our contributors and their work, check out the spotlights we’re sharing every weekday on Instagram and Threads.
Les Bouquinistes
The Traveling Archivist, by Mary B. Hansen
As adults, I don’t think we share our excitement enough when we make new friends.
Thanks to LinkedIn, I recently connected with Mary B Hansen. (Actually, she was the one brave enough to reach out to me — I’m grateful.)
As it turns out, genuine, authentic relationships CAN still be found and formed online. Because for a couple of hours, we geeked out about archives, writing, and bringing the two together. We could talk for hours!
And if you’re interested in archives and storytelling, check out her work and buy her fantastic books online.
Blurb for The Traveling Archivist:
Running from the aftermath of a local murder and attempting to escape the pain of betrayal and loss, professional archivist Della Waters takes a temporary job as a traveling archivist in a small town in Eastern Oregon.
An outsider in this close-knit rural community, Della immerses herself in the archives where she discovers misfiled trial documents detailing a racist massacre of thirty-four Chinese gold miners more than one hundred years ago. Her research uncovers uncomfortable truths for the local pioneer families.
Will the pillars of the community embrace their hidden past or try to destroy it and her?
Mary B. Hansen is a writer and archivist who understands the power of stories and information to
transform lives, including her own. Mary is a certified archivist with a master’s in library and information science. She is currently focused on writing about archives rather than working in them. She lives and writes in Portland, Oregon with her partner, two cats,and a very smart Australian Shepherd.
As always, thanks for reading. Merci!
Sonia
On the Road: Journeys through Japanese Woodblock Prints, October 2026.
