Annick Duignan

What was your favorite book as a child?

My favorite book as a child was “The Secret Garden” by Frances Hodgson Burnett. I related to the main character, Mary Lennox, because while growing up I often felt alone and like an outsider in both of my worlds. This book reminded me to give everyone a chance because you never know who “your people” are going to be.

Do you remember the original reason or motivation why you started writing creatively?

I began to think about writing creatively, as I lost some of the important people in my life. In losing them, I also lost their stories. I did not have my Mother or my Uncle’s voice when telling the stories as I remembered them. I decided to write down my stories to preserve my voice and share my experiences, as a way of connecting with others.

What was the most adventurous or thrilling thing you ever did/experienced?

The most thrilling, adventurous thing I ever experienced was learning how to ski at 30 years of age. I had attempted skiing at 18 on a school trip. It was a traumatic experience, and I swore I would never ski again. Twelve years later, as the wife of a skier, and the mother of a 6-year-old beginning skier, I realized that I did not want to be sitting in the lodge. A good friend offered to teach me how to ski. He said I had to give him a full day, dress the way he instructed me, and promise I would not quit. I agreed, but struggled, falling repeatedly. By 2:00 pm I was extremely frustrated, wet and tired, and had decided this was not going to work. But I had promised to not quit, so I took the chair lift to the top of the mountain one more time, and then it happened: I was able to turn without falling! I kept turning slowly and made it down the mountain at a controlled speed. I will never forget the exhilaration of that mastery.

Do you listen to music while reading or writing?

I do not listen to music while writing, it might be a distraction. I have not tried it though, so I plan to consider it.