authors, book awards, What's New, writing

Judging the 2022 Ottawa Book Awards

It was an honour to be on the jury of the Ottawa Book Awards this year, with fellow jurors Conyer Clayton and Faizal Deen.  We considered more than 80 submissions in the English Fiction category, including poetry and prose for all ages. With such a talented pool of authors in Ottawa, it was difficult to… Continue reading Judging the 2022 Ottawa Book Awards

author talks, authors, What's New, writing

Celebrating Literacy

I'm thrilled to be heading to Shawville, Quebec, next month for "Get the Word Out!," a literacy festival hosted by the Western Quebec Literacy Council. I'll be joining other local artists and authors Jamaal Jackson Rogers, Robin Blackburn McBride, Seymour Hamilton, Katharine Fletcher, and Venetia Crawford for a day of poetry, stories, workshops and presentations… Continue reading Celebrating Literacy

authors, reading, short stories, What's New, writing

The Spirit of Sharing

If you're Canadian and a reader, you've probably heard of Blue Met (Metropolis Bleu). It produces a renowned international Literary Festival in Montreal every spring, along with a slightly-less-well-known Children's Literary Festival. But Blue Met is so much more than an event! A non-profit arts foundation, Blue Met is dedicated to bringing people from different cultures… Continue reading The Spirit of Sharing

art, authors, books, illustration, picture books, podcast, writing

Picture a Story: Interviews with Illustrators

Featuring interviews with five Canadian illustrators about creating narratives in words and pictures. Featuring guest author-illustrators Peggy Collins, Katherine Battersby, Farida Zaman, Christine Tripp, and Chris Jones. 45 minute. All ages. To listen to this special episode of my Cabin Tales Podcast, visit CabinTales.ca or the podcast host Podbean. A full transcript of this episode is… Continue reading Picture a Story: Interviews with Illustrators

authors, books, children's books, picture books, podcast, writing, writing proces, young writers

Author Interviews about Tension (Episode 5.5)

Interviews with Canadian children’s and YA authors on the subject of tension and how to make a reader turn the page. With guest authors Kate Inglis, Lisa Dalrymple, David McArthur, Jeff Szpirglas, and Marty Chan. Hosted by Catherine Austen. 40 minutes. All ages. Check out the Episode 5.5 webpage for audio, show notes, and author… Continue reading Author Interviews about Tension (Episode 5.5)