My Maud by Katie Maurice

This storybook is a celebration of friendship and imagination. Have you ever had an imaginary friend? Well, I have, and so did Lucy Maud Montgomery (Maud), author of the world famous Anne of Green Gables. As a child, Maud actually had two imaginary friends, but one was her "kindred spirit." Maud's imaginary friend (as well as Anne's) was Katie Maurice.

This is the story of L.M. Montgomery's Life of Imagination, told from the perspective of its personification, Katie Maurice-Maud's imaginary friend. I wrote it as a poem, in verse. It is illustrated with my selection of 45 of approximately 2000 photos L.M. Montgomery personally took, as well as 22 professional and candid portraits of her, supplemented with field photos and event "snaps" which I've arranged to visually tell her story, and to recall over a dozen of the colourful scrapbooks Maud also created. To commemorate the 80th anniversary of her passing, I am so proud to share this example of my women's history work with you. I invite you to read her story out loud while you look through the camera lens with her. You'll see the people, places and magic Maud saw and loved throughout her lifetime of creativity. And maybe you'll step through Katie's glass door into her fairy room, too.

May your own creative imagination be inspired by this magical, historically accurate storybook-it has so much "scope for imagination!" I hope you'll share it with kindred spirits of all ages. Please let me know; I'd love to hear from you.

-Rosalee Peppard Lockyer