Hello Hackmatacks!

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Catherine Austen

Next week I’ll be in Atlantic Canada on an author tour as part of the Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award celebrations. My middle-grade comedy, 26 Tips for Surviving Grade 6 (Lorimer) is a nominated title in the 2012/13 English Fiction category. Classes all over the eastern provinces have been reading my book and other nominated titles this past school year. (You can check out all the English fiction titles and their authors here. And don’t forget the French fiction titles and the non-fiction titles in French and English, all accessible here.)

The shortlists for the 2013/14 Hackmatacks have been announced, if you want to get a head start on reading those for next year.

The reading and voting for the 2012/13 awards wrapped up this spring and young readers all over the east coast are ready for the author tours and final award ceremony.

And so am I.

I was born in Newcastle, New Brunswick (now part of Miramichi, NB), and I’m thrilled to say that’s where I’m headed on my tour. The New Brunswick Hackmatack Club awaits. I’ll speak to groups of young readers at four libraries in New Brunswick before heading on to Halifax, Nova Scotia, for the Hackmatack award celebrations. (I have more roots — or at least more cousins — in Nova Scotia, so it will be wonderful to arrive there, too.)

This is me in Nova Scotia - very happy. — This is me in Nova Scotia – very happy.

The award ceremony will be held on Friday, May 10th, at Pier 21 in Halifax. The ceremony starts at 10:00 am and will be live streamed on the Hackmatack website. The winning titles in each category will be announced and awarded on the spot. Fifteen nominated authors will be in attendance, speaking to students, signing books, and celebrating reading.

Alas, there’s no time to hang out in Halifax and see who’s playing at the Carleton because it’s straight onto a plane heading home after lunch. What a work week! I can’t wait. I’m grateful to the Hackmatack organizers for including me. (And, wow, are they organized! I’ll be driven from airport to hotel to reading to reading to hotel, etc. All I have to do is show up.) I hope to enjoy the company of lots of readers and writers while I’m away, plus have a bit of time to explore my surroundings, and maybe even write a little.