Helen Orr, a Stratford-based writer and retired Avon Maitland District School Board (AMDSB) principal, recently released her first children’s book, Belinda and the Fairy Lair, based on stories her father told her as a child.
In her first published book, Orr writes about Belinda, a witch with a house near a secret Fairy Lair. Though her neighbours on Forest Road don’t know she is a witch, that she communicates with the fairies in the secret Fairy Lair, or even that her best friend is the Guardian Elf of the lair, everything could turn upside down after a small boy and his beagle discover the hidden lair.
“Belinda the Witch and the Guardian Elf are actually (my father’s) characters,” said Orr. “He would sit with us in the dark and make up stories to tell us. I remember elbowing him, telling him to continue. His stories were such a big part of my childhood.”
The first novel is set in the forest and based on Orr’s childhood memories.
“Children are so imaginative and creative,” she said. “When kids go out in nature and they go out in the woods to explore, it really is magical for them and it helps their imaginations blossom.”
The second and third books will be more adventurous for the characters as they embark on a journey outside the Fairy Lair and away from the home they’ve always known.
Though Orr is known for her other work, including short stories and an essay printed in Boomer Magazine, she has always wanted to publish a children’s novel.
“I remember writing in our basement at home in Ottawa during very cold winters. We had an unfinished basement and a small room beside the furnace. I would go down and write about tropical islands or things that would help me feel warm,” Orr said.
Coming from an educational background and having worked as a principal with the Avon Maitland District School board for over 15 years, Orr says to others wanting to write their first novel, “Just do it.”
“I think a hurdle for most people is sharing it,” she continued. “They're your little babies and you’re scared to put them out into the world, and once you do, people then have an opinion on them, but that's so important.
“However, once you share it, you learn a lot about your writing. That is a strength and will help you find your own voice. Once you start sharing with other people and getting feedback on your writing, it really makes a difference.”
If you want a copy of Belinda and the Fairy Lair, it can be purchased at Fanfare Books and online at indigo.ca. You can also follow along on Belinda’s journey on the Instagram page dedicated to the series, @belinda_and_the_fairy_lair.
Amanda Modaragamage is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter with the Stratford Times. The LJI is a program funded by the federal government.
