I never thought I’d be the person rewinding the evening news fifteen times, trying to get the perfect screenshot. And yet, there we are. A few months ago, I emailed Keith Baldrey at Global BC. Someone pointed out to me that he often has books by local authors on the bookshelf behind him. This happens during his BC updates. It’s subtle. Easy to miss.
I sent a note through the Global BC contact. I shared a bit about my children’s book, There Are Some Things Love Can’t Buy. I asked if he would consider placing it on his shelf. He kindly agreed.
After I mailed it, we recorded the broadcast every day; we didn’t want to miss it. When it finally appeared, we rewound the segment over and over again, trying to get a clear shot. I texted everyone. Most people responded with something along the lines of, “That’s great!”, followed by, “Wait… what is this?” Because, of course, when you look at the screen, you see Keith. Not the bookshelf.
There’s another reason this moment meant more than just a fun screenshot. For years, we watched the news every day. It was part of our evening routine. We ate dinner at 5:00 and watched the local news. We tidied up and went for a walk. With a few other activities, this was pretty much what most of our evenings looked like. We stayed connected and informed.
My son joined the Canadian Army shortly after high school and has been overseas on two tours. After returning to Canada, he decided to apply for a three-year posting overseas. This was a busy time for me also, returning to school again as an adult. I started becoming restless. My sleep wasn’t great. I suspected it had something to do with worrying about so many things and people.
At this time, and after some small talk with my dental hygienist, I heard something that stuck. She happened to be from a military family. She mentioned that watching a few minutes of news doesn’t actually give you the full story. It’s just a snapshot of something much bigger, often years in the making. If something were to happen, I’m not going to find out about it in the news. Thank you for that. What a reality check. I stopped watching the news, and I started sleeping better too.
It was cool watching the news this time. There were a bunch of small moments, lots of them were informational or good news stories. And there it was, my children’s book sitting quietly in the background of a familiar BC news station’s bookshelf. News doesn’t only exist to amplify tragedy; it highlights community, and community matters.
My book is a reminder that sometimes there are things love can’t buy. It is often the love, caring, and compassion of the community that provides light for people in sometimes hard times. This support is everywhere when you stop and notice. It tends to show up quietly. I’m excited that Keith Baldrey made space for me to share my book as a local children’s author. I’m proud to share a book that celebrates, community, caring and kindness. Thank you, enjoy the read.
I wonder what will happen to my book? Will it be enjoyed, will it be donated, or placed on a shelf? Wouldn’t it be neat to be a book?
Written by Nicole Croft
Author of There Are Some Things Love Can’t Buy
Nicole and Danielle Books
Nicole and Danielle Books 
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