Blog

authors, books

Goodreads Discussion Group Guest Author

If you're interested in young adult novels, you should: (a) read Daniel Pinkwater's Young Adult Novel; and (b) join the Goodreads YA Reads for Teachers (and Any Other Adults!) discussion group. I am the group's Guest Author this month, so I'll be talking with discussion group members and visitors about the writing life, my award-winning teen novel, All… Continue reading Goodreads Discussion Group Guest Author

authors, books, middle grade novels

QWF Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature

I'm taking a breather from picking up after the puppy to say, wow, it was such an honour to win the Quebec Writers' Federation 2012 Prize for Children's and Young Adult Literature for my middle-grade comedy, 26 Tips for Surviving Grade 6 (James Lorimer & Company, 2011). The book was shortlisted with Monique Polak's Pyro (Orca Book… Continue reading QWF Prize for Children’s and Young Adult Literature

pets, writing

We interrupt this blog…

...to bring you PUPPIES! Well, just one puppy. But what a puppy. Sigh. I'm smitten. Puppy's vital stats: Name: Ernest  (AKA Ernie, Ernesto, Che, and occasionally the names of my cats and children when I get confused) Age: 3 months; he's been with us since age 8 weeks. Breed: Labrador/Boxer mix (Chosen because one of… Continue reading We interrupt this blog…

authors, books, young writers

Ottawa Teen Author Fest: Write On!

If you’re a young writer in the Ottawa area, please come out on Wednesday for a discussion panel of YA authors, part of the Ottawa Public Library’s Teen Author Fest. Here's the blurb: Write On!Find out what it takes to write like a pro from a panel of published authors. Discussion panel: Max Turner, Catherine… Continue reading Ottawa Teen Author Fest: Write On!

authors, writing

Profread One Least Time

In submitting a manuscript to an American publisher last week, I wrote a cover letter mentioning that one of my books (All Good Children) was nominated for two YALSA awards. I read through the letter and manuscript excerpt, made a few revisions, proofread it a final time, and was just about to send it off by email when I made a tiny last-minute… Continue reading Profread One Least Time