” Reg. 24999

mf 2997

The work of L Lower Island children fills the pages of a new
magazine that’s designed especially f for them.

By JULIETTE IETTE PROOM
Review Staff Writer

“M 10-year-old’ son inspired me,”” says Virginia Lec,

publi lisher of Chalk Talk. .
_ The North Saanich

1 1Z: les and pictures by
Lower Island.

It has everything “from a poem, on why Mom i is sweet toa

; recipe for elephant stew that serves 3,800. ‘‘If more people

are expected, two rabbits may be added. But do this only if

necassary, as most people do not like to find hare. in their
stew, ’’ the recipe instructs. 7
wen Lee be sia #0 publish

hat children needed.
t flood i in, “put ‘there were always a few

i items in the day’s. mail.”’ Lee started: compiling material in 7

orn of two produces a comic-book

youngest son. Brandon had been having

ish h the magazine last fall, she

hers all over the Island, | while

right.

“Lee screens all submissions, setting’s some me mater se for :

. amazing critics.” > en
_ Puzzles are the favorite part of his mother’s project for 12- a
-old Merlin. “Ts interesting and, f n to. do all hat

October. By Christmas, she was ready to produce Issue I: -

February 1988.

“1 got my computer a week before 1 had to have the fi first ;
~ issue laid out. I’d never used a word processor, but knowing
_ how to ty

e hel;
_ Before she started Chalk Talk, Lee knew nothing about

ped,”’ she reca

ishing. ‘‘I’ve never written anything which was publish-
| pt maybe alettertotheeditor.”
The dea of publishing children’s work was inspi
difficulty learning to
read. “He'd look at pictures, but

- After school, they sat down an

; wonderful imagination “SO it was a. matter ‘of getting him in-

ed in writing thi :
he course of writing the book, he realized that rea
is just written pictures and reading suddenly | became f

future i issues and special thematic editi
! maze and oth r puzzles h

ir friends tested the puzzles, cor
eas’ or too difficult. “Kic

_ “Barly on, I decide
the printers which I I could go to.” Lee do

March hasn't hit the !

by her

efused to read the words. me
le | _ 86 per year by writ

ent a week preparing an entry for another -

d to use a web-offset press. This limited
>s her own typeset-

; pleased with response to the first issue. Although
M tands yet, she’s currently working on
pril. 7
So far, it’s a labor of love. “‘I have to invest i in myself and. ,
spend some money on a I want to do. Eventually, I'd
ing.” . od

Letters, phone calls and subscription orders (available for

g 1550 Mi i, RR dney, V8L..

increas first i stands at the .

ng of the month. “J was 5 kin id of holding my breath,
; Lee, :

bun the reac has been n really good

it to pay for itself, but I don’ ‘expect that at the | beginn-

PEAT MOSS —