non-fiction
Q&A with Doreen Pendgracs, author of Before You Say Yes …
How did you come up with the idea for this work?
I had just come off a six-year term on the board of Access Copyright, Canada’s Copyright Licensing Agency. I was feeling a bit of a void, as I had really enjoyed working on this board. It always kept me hopping! And all of a sudden it occurred to me: I bet other people could learn from my 25 + years on non-profit boards. I called a lawyer friend who also did a lot of non-profit work and she confirmed that there has never been a book done on this topic. And that was it. I knew I’d have a hit on my hands if I handled the topic effectively.
How did you come up with the title?
That was easy! The whole intent of the book is to give current and would-be directors the information they needed before they would say yes to taking on important volunteer responsibilities. So Before You Say Yes … was a natural choice for the title of the book.
How did you research your book?
Most of the content comes from my own experiences as a director on a wide variety of non-profit boards. But to augment my own thoughts and experiences, I interviewed more than 20 individuals who I either know personally from my work as a director, or who I’ve met or encountered via other means. The result was amazing in that each chapter contains words of advice and experience from people who have “been there; done that” so that others don’t have to make the same mistakes or encounter the same difficulties we discuss in the book.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received as a writer?
Write what you know. And that’s what I’ve done with this book. After more than 25 years on numerous boards, I really feel that I can speak to any issue or situation a new director might encounter. I’ve found that most of my strongest writing has been on subjects with which I am intimately familiar or about people, places or things about which I am passionate.
What is your next project?
A book about chocolate and travel! As I mentioned before, I love writing about things about which I am passionate. Travel and chocolate are certainly two of those things, and my next book will share some of my best chocolate experiences and discoveries with my readers. Stay tuned for that!
Before You Say Yes … will be available in March. Doreen Pendgracs is an award-winning writer, author and public speaker based in Matlock, Manitoba. Her website is Wizard of Words.
Tags: Access Copyright, Before You Say Yes ..., Doreen Pendgracs, reference, volunteer, Wizard of Words About the author
Margaret is the Director of Sales and Marketing at Dundurn Press. A resident of the inner city, she's really a lover of regional history, country fairs and canoe trips.
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I too have served on a number of non-profit boards, and I wish I’d been able to have a book like this *before* I said yes to some of them.
I look forward to reading and reviewing the book.