Summer 2022 update: Winners of this year's Awesome Authors contest are announced here on the Ottawa Public Library's YouTube channel. 🙂 *Original Post: The Ottawa Public Library's Awesome Authors Youth Writing Contest is back! Young writers of the nation's capital, get to work on your poems, short stories, and comics. You could win publication, glory,… Continue reading Awesome Authors 2022 is on!
It's almost Halloween. To build the spooky atmosphere -- and also to encourage creative writing -- I'm offering these nine read-alouds, spooky stories written by students aged 11-17, all featured on my Cabin Tales podcast last October. They range from silly fun to gory terror, ideal for this time of year. First is the shortest… Continue reading Halloween Student Stories
MAY 2021 Update: The Library has just announced the winners of the this year's Awesome Authors contest! Check out the announcements on YouTube. You can watch right here (below) or visit the OPL's YouTube channel and view the Ages 9-12 results or the Ages 13-18 results. https://www.youtube.com/embed/9Y8kY544X14 This year's winners in the 9-12 age category… Continue reading Awesome Authors is on!
A special Halloween episode featuring 5 spooky stories written by students aged 11-17, including a terrifying musical awakening, a horrifying futuristic drug, a demonic yoga class, a pizza you don’t want to order, and a phone call you don’t want to answer. PG. Let the kids listen in. Check out the Special Episode webpage for… Continue reading Spooky Student Stories (Halloween Special Episode)
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)
Catherine Austen 