When the pandemic brought life to a standstill in 2020, performers like Adam Loosley were at loose ends.

The Petrolia native, son of Mayor Brad Loosley, has been a professional figure skater for decades. Right now, he’s living in Florida and is a performance director for Disney On Ice producing shows across North America. He was slated to be in Ontario this month, but once again, the pandemic has put a halt to the performance.

“When the live entertainment and the industry took came to a screeching halt, I obviously went on a bit of a hiatus,” Loosley recently told The Independent. He describes it as a dark time.

But as Loosley spent time with his family, specifically his brother and his kids, Casen, Keira and Kesler, his creative juices started flowing.

“I was home with my brother reading bedtime stories to the kids. And to be honest, at the end of some of the stories, I thought to myself, ‘Wow, that was bad,’” Loosley says with a laugh.

“I said to my brother, ‘I think I could do better than that.’”

That moment led Loosley to write ‘You are a Great Story.’

“I just lost my job in entertainment and it was kind of a grim time, if you remember. And I really wanted a creative outlet.”

Loosley remembered one of his friends, a performer who had been working with Cirque du Soleil who was an artist. “He was also going through a rough time in entertainment. And he’s an artist, and both him and I came together.”

Loosley wrote his niece and nephews into the book and Daniel Henke illustrated it. The story leads the children through all kinds of adventures and it “encourages children to realize that each and every day, they have an opportunity to make their day a great one. And that they can be the author of their own adventure throughout their life.”

It’s not a surprising topic for the skater turned author. Loosley speaks passionately about allowing kids to follow their dreams, particularly young people who want to be a figure skater in a hockey town.

“I think more than ever, we’re finally realizing that it is best to really just be yourself and authentically yourself,” says Loosley.

“Do what you want. Follow your heart…There aren’t these rules anymore. ‘Oh, you have to play hockey or you have to figure skating;’ you can do both. Why not do both? I love hockey.

“You don’t have to choose a side, you can write your own rules, create your own path, your own story.”

Loosley says kids just have to surround themselves with supportive people who help them reach their goals.

“I was lucky enough to have that in my family built in, and my coaching, and my friends, but it’s important to pick your crowds and that you pick a crowd that builds each other up to be their best.”

Loosley’s book “You are a Great Story’ can be found at The Cottage and Petrolia Mercantile and Tea in Petrolia or on Amazon and Barnes and Noble’s websites.