Attention young writers! The Ottawa Public Library’s annual Awesome Authors contest is now accepting poems and stories from Ottawa-area youth aged 9-17. Deadline February 16th. Not in Ottawa? No worries. If you've got your act together RIGHT NOW, you can enter the Jessamy Stursberg Poetry Contest for Canadian Youth in one of two age categories: junior (grades 7-9)… Continue reading Writing Contests with Looming Deadlines
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.
Friday Faves (Book Recommendations)
I know it's not Friday. My New Year's Resolution this year is to be nicer to myself and others, so it's awesome that I'm writing my Friday blog post when it's barely Saturday. Here are a few of my favourites among the books I've read of late: Adult Fiction: The Wherewithal by Philip Shultz Just… Continue reading Friday Faves (Book Recommendations)
Friday Fable: The Writer and the Busy Life
You may know the old story, The Child and the Brook: One day an old man was out walking when he noticed a child standing by the side of a stream. The boy stood there for over an hour, shifting from leg to leg, fidgeting, sighing, and staring at the water. "Why do you gaze so… Continue reading Friday Fable: The Writer and the Busy Life
Cool Reads for Cool Kids
My latest middle grade novel, 28 Tricks for a Fearless Grade 6, is featured in this month's issue of Middle Shelf Magazine, in their "Cool Reads for Cool Kids" section (under the "Humor" category, natch - you'll find my excerpt on page 22.) Check it out at this link to the current issue. (I don't… Continue reading Cool Reads for Cool Kids
Yesterday’s News and Tomorrow’s Talks
I was at this year's KidLit Cafe, an annual celebration of local children's authors and illustrators hosted by the Ottawa Public Library and the Ottawa Children's Literature Round Table. (That's old news but it's all I've got at hand.) If you didn't catch all the authors at left - Alan Neal, me (Catherine Austen), Don Cummer, Cécile… Continue reading Yesterday’s News and Tomorrow’s Talks
Catherine Austen 