If you're a children's book writer, a teacher, a librarian, or a student in Ontario, you probably know about the Forest of Reading, Ontario's children's choice book award program. (It's like the Hackmatacks on the East coast, the Red Cedars on the west, and the Willows and MYRCA in between, but larger in scope and… Continue reading Forest of Reading Honours
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Hackmatack Children’s Choice Winner
Hey, I won! What a wonderful trip to the Maritimes I had last week. I flew into Bathurst, New Brunswick, on the 6th to begin my Hackmatack Author Tour. I spoke with students in elementary schools along the Miramichi (returning to my birthplace of Newcastle) on the 7th and 8th, then met up with fellow Hackmatack nominees… Continue reading Hackmatack Children’s Choice Winner
Hello Hackmatacks!
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… Continue reading Hello Hackmatacks!
Friday Fable: The Writer and the 138,000 word manuscript
You may know the old story, The Boy and the Nuts: A child visiting a wealthy home was pleased to find on the table a jar full of nuts and figs. (This was in the days before Skittles, keep in mind.) He plunged his greedy little hand into the sweet jar and took all that… Continue reading Friday Fable: The Writer and the 138,000 word manuscript
Quebec Writing Competition
If you are a writer in Quebec, you have about ten days left to submit your short prose masterpiece to this year's Quebec Writing Competition, brought to you by the CBC and its exceptional provincial partners. (It's like the regular CBC short story competition, but just for Quebec writers. And if you think it's unfair that Quebec… Continue reading Quebec Writing Competition
Catherine Austen 