It is an honour to have my latest middle-grade comedy, 28 Tricks for a Fearless Grade 6, selected as a 2016 Diamond Willow Nominee! For those who may not know, Willows are not just gorgeous trees. They are also Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice Awards (SYRCA). Every year, the Willow Awards offer Saskatchewan students an opportunity to vote… Continue reading The Willow Awards
Author: Catherine Austen
I'm a Canadian author of books for all ages. My short stories are published in literary journals including The Fiddlehead and The New Quarterly. My books for young readers have won multiple awards, including the Canadian Library Association Young Adult Book Award and the Quebec Writers Federation Prize for Children's Literature. I live with my family in Gatineau, Quebec.
SCBWI Spring Conference in Ottawa
There are still a few spaces left for Ottawa's SCBWI Art of Story Conference scheduled for the end of the month. For two days, guest speakers will offer workshops and presentations to everyone interested in writing or illustrating children's books, from aspiring picture book illustrators to established YA novelists. There's something for every level of experience. The conference will offer presentations, workshops, one-on-one critique… Continue reading SCBWI Spring Conference in Ottawa
Friday Fable: The Old Writer and Oblivion
You may have heard the old story about The Old Man and Death: An old man was out gathering a bundle of sticks for his fire. He cut a dozen thick pieces in the forest and began to carry them home. He had a long way to go, and he was tired before he was halfway there. Throwing his bundle… Continue reading Friday Fable: The Old Writer and Oblivion
Ottawa’s Awesome Authors Contest
'Tis the season for the Ottawa Public Library's Awesome Author Contest! Local writers aged 9-17 have a couple of months to shine up their best poems and stories for the 2016 competition. If your work is already shiny, you can enter it right now. If you want some professional help in polishing your words -- or digging up words… Continue reading Ottawa’s Awesome Authors Contest
Make a WISH
For the second week in a row, I met some friends on Friday morning for an hour of silent writing in a local tea house. I call it a Write in Silence Hour, aka a WISH. Okay, yeah, people have been doing this for centuries by other names. You might head to a cafe for a… Continue reading Make a WISH
Catherine Austen 