Writes about people, places & the natural world
Click the link below to listen to Jo-Ann Roberts interview Paula on CBC Radio All Points West on Sept. 12, 2013, a few days after a cougar attacked a woman on Flores Island.
Stalking the cougar We meet the Vancouver Island woman whose curiousity about the ferocious cat has resulted in a brand new book.
Writing a book is an intense, challenging and rewarding process. But if you’re working on a big project and the deadline is looming, the intense and challenging aspect can be overwhelming.
That’s how I felt last fall as I struggled to finish The Cougar: Beautiful, Wild and Dangerous. I had so much fascinating information! How could I possibly condense it into suitable manuscript length by March 31?
Then I read an article about accomplishing goals in the Mayo Clinic newsletter. The three main points were:
1. Clarity of focus. The best never lose sight of the goal. The event is circled on the calendar. As the countdown begins, all activities are directed toward that date.
2. Tunnel vision. This means having the courage not to accept an engagement or even respond to an email that doesn’t advance the goal.
3. Intense commitment. Distractions must be eliminated. That includes cutting back on nonessential obligations. It also means having the discipline to walk away from people who are negative and unsupportive.
I printed those guidelines out and put them on my desk where I would see them every day. In order to accomplish what I needed to do within the time available, I created monthly, weekly and daily goals. It might sound scary, but it kept me on track!
Taking my commitment one step further, I set up my laptop in an upstairs bedroom. That way I wasn’t distracted by Rick, the dog or the ringing of the phone. And I didn’t have access to the internet and email unless I used my PC downstairs. It’s amazing how much time that saved!
Some decisions were difficult. I limited get togethers with friends and, even though Bailey got a walk every day, there weren’t as many of the long, off leash romps on the beach that we both enjoy. Of course, none of this would have been possible without an understanding and supportive partner.
Cougars are known for their intense focus so every day I told myself to “focus like a cougar.” I often asked myself, “Does this have anything to do with cougars?” If the answer was no, I made a note to deal with it after I sent the manuscript in.
And yes! I made my deadline, right on March 31. The Cougar will be in stores near the end of Sept.
Will I use the Mayo Clinic guidelines again? You bet! They’re excellent strategies for finishing a book, article or thesis. Or whatever else your goal is, be it training for a marathon, losing ten pounds in two months or becoming a millionaire.
Like all cats, cougars are curious. They’re attracted to movements, noises and objects they haven’t seen before. But a curious cougar can quickly become a dangerous one if something triggers its chase and kill instinct.
The most common triggers are quick, erratic actions such as jogging or children playing, high-pitched, prey-like sounds or an animal or person appearing vulnerable because they are alone, seem injured or are small, which includes crouching or squatting.
The young adult cougar shown here was photographed staring in a Manitou Springs, Colorado home. At one point the cat stood up and put its paws on the window and the owners worried the glass would break.
Luckily, the cougar decided it had seen enough and sauntered away. And tracks in the snow revealed that it wasn’t travelling alone. The size of the paw prints indicated it was accompanied by its mother and a sibling.
If a picture’s worth a thousand words, 111 West Coast Literary Portraits is invaluable. Fifteen years in the making, it contains more than 100 photographs of B.C. authors, as well as extracts from their work or personal notes written specifically for the book.
The book is an important documentary of B.C. literature. It includes emerging, famous, as well as infamous authors and speaks to the diversity of literature, culture and the unique voice of Canada’s most western province. A work of art in its own right, the 8 x 10 heavy stock, glossy paper gives a depth and luminosity to each portrait. And the use of black and white film provides a classic, timeless quality to the images.
When Barry began photographing writers he didn’t realize he was starting a book project. He and his wife at the time, Blaise Enright, were new to the West Coast and wanted a project they could work on together while exploring their new environment. By a quirk of fate, authors became the focal point. But it wasn’t always easy.
R.W. Gray wanted to be photographed partially submerged in water. Rick and I wanted to include our dog but Bailey thought posing meant running around in circles. Stephen Reid wanted to wear a cop costume and have a gun and some money on the table in front of him. Little did Barry and Blaise know that Reid’s props would later be used in a real life drama.
But perhaps the most difficult photo shoot was of poet Al Purdy. The initial images didn’t turn out well. Soon after Purdy received the proofs Barry answered the phone to find someone screaming at him. Purdy, a character with an occasional crusty edge, demanded the photos be retaken the next day or he’d black list the photographers with every writer in B.C.
It was a scramble for Barry and Blaise to get to Victoria from Vancouver on time but they made it. Along the way, Blaise bought an assortment of squeaky toys hoping to lighten up the situation. After the shoot, Purdy said he hadn’t known whether to smile or be offended. The photo on page 158 tells it all.
As the collection of photographs grew, it was titled Lit Happens and exhibited in a variety of venues to promote literacy in B.C. A couple of years ago, Mona Fertig of Mother Tongue Publishing approached Barry about turning the photographs and accompanying text by authors into a book.
This fall, Barry has exhibited prints from the book, attended signings and participated on panels of photographers throughout the Lower Mainland, Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands. 
Barry’s always been passionate about black and white film. “It helps the viewer focus on the subject,” he explains. “There’s no confusing palette of colours and it seems to really highlight the subject. Also, film photographs have a depth to them that digital can’t duplicate.” As well as taking the photographs, Barry developed all the film, matted and framed the prints and even made the cardboard boxes to transport them in.
Through 2009 and 2010, Barry and I collaborated on a photo-journalism project called On the Edge, Putting a Face on Homelessness. Time and time again, I witnessed Barry’s easy-going manner help nervous folks relax, watched him guide people into natural-looking poses and admired the meticulous detail that went into the printing of film and framing of photo and text.
He’s brought the same attention to detail to 111 West Coast Literary Portraits. For more information visit www.barrypetersonphotography.com or www.mothertonguepublishing.com.