Over time I reckoned that it would be, first of all, therapeutic for me to ‘write it all down’ and perhaps therapeutic and educational for others to read it.
James Robertson – 19 October 2026
The Back Flap
Early reviewers, family friends, and medical professionals have called James Robertson’s memoir, Day by Day: There is Always a Little Bit More everything from “gut-wrenching” to “beautiful and touching.” These comments encapsulate the more than forty years of caring for their special needs son, Graham, who is not just James and his wife, Kari’s, eldest child, but also a beloved brother, uncle, and friend, who has never been defined by his disability, a rare form of epilepsy called Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. The story is mostly told from a father’s perspective but also includes chapters from immediate family members, and a life-long special friend who helped Graham tell his side of the story too. The raw, vulnerable, and often difficult to read intensity of this story is intentional but the author’s hope is to encourage other families struggling with the challenges of supporting a loved one with special needs—from navigating an under resourced medical system to finding much needed and often elusive programs and dwindling government funding— to reach out for support and also to know that they are not alone.
About the book
What is the book about?
Day by Day: There is Always a Little Bit More is a life story about raising a child/sibling who has a complex medical condition and unique needs. The story is told primarily from the father’s perspective but one of the highlights is the inclusion of recollections from the entire family.
When did you start writing the book?
I started writing in earnest about two and a half years ago. Although I started from notes I scribed over the past twenty plus years.
How long did it take you to write it?
Once I started writing and was able to focus, the time line has been two years.
Where did you get the idea from?
I’ve always been drawn to memoir books, though I confess that for many years I seldom cracked the cover of a book. Too busy with work, family life and volunteer commitments. Over time I reckoned that it would be, first of all, therapeutic for me to ‘write it all down’ and perhaps therapeutic and educational for others to read it.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
Several –
First of all, remembering the details as the time line of the book covers over forty years and a lot happened during that period. Fortunately, I had access to hospital reports which helped in filling the gaps.
Then it was deciding what to include and what to push aside.
Finally there was allowing myself to be vulnerable and share numerous things that perhaps those who knew me and my family really did not know.
What came easily?
I’d have to say sharing the emotions we went through as a family.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
Real world people, though sometimes it did not feel real!
Do you have a target reader?
Yes, there are several! The most important would be:
- Families who are doing their best to raise a child whose needs demand an insane amount of time and energy.
- The medical community – physicians and other carers who could benefit from seeing and feeling our perspective.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I won’t say it was well organized. Rather, a box full of hospital reports, several note books, and access to past emails and letters that scribed events of the day.
I found it necessary to work through the process chronologically.
I dedicated most weekday mornings to writing though, frequently, at other times a thought would enter my mind requiring a note be made to consider later on.
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
No, I did not use outlining in any formal way.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I met with my publisher on a monthly basis during which time we would review and complete a high-level edit of three chapters each session. Then a complete detailed edit was done upon completion of writing the manuscript.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Yes
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
No, I tended to prefer a quite atmosphere, other than the dog asking to go out.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
No I had an agreement with a publisher from the early days.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher? Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
A close friend recommended OC Publishing and reminded me that the founder, Anne O’Connell, had been one of Graham’s preschool teachers. I contacted her and she was on board right away. I didn’t want or need to look any further. She was my coach, editor, and publisher throughout the process.
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
The cover was done by a professional, through my publisher, an amazing designer named David Edelstein, though I provided the ‘pieces’ and he worked his magic to create a work of art.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
Currently a work in progress with the focus on the launch event. My publisher has a launch marketing plan they are guiding me through including: developing my author bio and other marketing content, setting up author profiles, an author page on the OC Publishing website with links to retailers, a virtual book tour (sending out review copies, setting up author Q&As, interviews, and podcasts), announcements in their newsletter, posts on social media, an interview on The Author Journey (hosted by my publisher), and other stuff that goes on behind the scenes.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
Take time to investigate and understand the end-to-end process from concept through to actual printing. It is a learning process as you move through it. Be prepared to put effort in to being descriptive; whether it be emotions, the scene, all those details make a significant difference and lead to enhancing the reader’s experience.
About You
Where did you grow up?
Halifax, NS. Spent over sixty years in the same home
Where do you live now?
Halifax, NS, having moved to a new home six years ago in readiness for retirement.
What would you like readers to know about you?
I’m a Haligonian (a local term for someone from Halifax), married for 47 years, three children, and six incredible grandchildren. As well as raising a family and working, I have spent most of my life volunteering in a variety of roles. My volunteer work and my son’s illness have shaped me and provided me the tools with which to be successful in my working career.
What are you working on now?
Writing for me really all started with a desire to publish a children’s book my father and I wrote together some 65 years ago. Once my current book is well established my focus will turn to that children’s book and seeing it on book store shelves.
End of Interview:
