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in si de ha lto n. co m O ak vi lle B ea ve r | T hu rs da y, M ar ch 3, 20 22 | 14 THE FIRSTONTARIO 1AWARDS ARE HERE TO SUPPORT LOCAL SMALL BUSINESS 2021 1Awards Winner | Cara & Co Silicone Craft Supply Have you been in business for more than two years with less than 50 employees?Applicationsarenowopen online for Hamilton, Halton, Brant, Niagara Region and surrounding area businesses at 1Awards.ca. Apply now for your chance to win and share in $135,000 ($25,500 cash, $109,500 in-kind services) in prizes. ENTRIES CLOSE APRIL 1. The greatest privilege in the world is making children smile through something you've creat- ed. So says Oakville author Lind- say J.L Angus. For Angus, children's stories are the "ultimate medium" be- cause they combine "beautiful imagery, thoughtful messaging and a direct connection to the au- dience." In some cases, they can even be a "cathartic, healing experi- ence." And "Nothing You Can't Do," the second book from the mother of two and corporate com- munications director, is just that. Angus wrote the book for her three-year-old son Chet, who, at the age of one-and-a-half, suf- fered third degree burns to his arm when he pulled down a dish of hot sauce. The book was a way to turn a negative into a positive and a way to create positive messaging for children everywhere, especially Chet, said Angus. She was inspired by the words of the physician who treated her son when he reassured the heart- sick parents their son would be fine, but he would have a scar. "He then said, 'you know what, though, there's nothing you can't do with a scar.'" "Going through it made me re- alize there must be others experi- encing these same feelings. I wanted to use my artistry to share the universal themes be- hind it (empowerment and inclu- sion) and inspire others." When Angus first started writ- ing children's stories eight years ago, she was "moving away from larger, more intense productions in TV and film and towards a sim- pler form I could do myself using my vision, voice and talent." "Although I am versed in me- dia and storytelling from years of working in it, I still needed to learn the specifics of the chil- dren's book industry, like format, audience and visuals." She also needed to determine her own style as a new children's book author and illustrator. Children's stories today focus on characters who are more dy- namic and diverse, as well as themes that speak to current is- sues, she said. "Today, children are looking for books that speak to the world around them. Just because they are little, doesn't mean they don't want to discover big ideas. The art of children's books is taking these big ideas and finding a way to share them so they're fun and relatable for children." Once she settles on an idea, she unearths its universal theme and then builds her characters. "For me to move forward with something, it has to feel like it will be meaningful to me as well as to others. It's really important to me to feel a connection with my audience through my books." Writing and illustrating "Nothing You Can't Do" has been "the best creative experience I've had professionally," said Angus. To date, she has self-published two children's picture books: "Nothing You Can't Do" and "Right Beside Grandma's Tootsie Rolls." NYCD is for ages 0+ and RBGTR is for ages 3 to 8. She also has two new books, "Stuck Like Glue" to be published this year and "Born To Be Alive" scheduled for publication next year. All of Angus' books are avail- able through her website http:// www.lindsayjlangus.com/. CHILDREN'S AUTHOR FINDS HEALING THROUGH LATEST RELEASE Author Lindsay J.L Angus with her new children's book, "Nothing You Can't Do." John Langevin photo KATHY YANCHUS kyanchus@metroland.com COMMUNITY