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

authors, books, What's New

What’s New Wednesday: CLA Awards Reception

Alas, I've missed a few too many Wednesdays on this blog. But I simply had to pop in to put on record the great evening I had on May 31st at the Awards Reception of the Canadian Library Association. I was one of three happy children's book creators honoured at the ceremony. (My teen novel, All Good Children, won the… Continue reading What’s New Wednesday: CLA Awards Reception

Friday Fables, writing

Friday Fable: Sour Writers

You have probably heard the fable, Sour Grapes: A hungry fox snuck into a vineyard where ripe grapes hung from tall vines. The fox stood on his hind legs and snapped his jaws, eager for a taste. But the grapes hung just out of reach. The fox hopped and pawed and jumped and stretched and… Continue reading Friday Fable: Sour Writers

books

When the To-Read List becomes Too Long

There was a time when the known world was so small that a person could actually hope to read ALL of the books ever written (or at least that they knew of). Imagine that. I so badly want to be that person! But no such luck. There were about 1,000 new books published today and I only read… Continue reading When the To-Read List becomes Too Long

authors, books, writing

Laurel Leaves

I like to stay grounded in the present in my writing (with an eye on future deadlines), but every now and then I try to look back on the work I've done. Or walk back to it, in this case. My first children's novel, Walking Backward, was published by Orca Book Publishers in 2009, which feels like quite a while ago.… Continue reading Laurel Leaves