Welcome to my website! I write children’s books, edit educational resources, swim, sweat, paddle, and explore.
All in Canadian authors
I’ve had the pleasure of reading and reviewing some fabulous Canadian children’s books in the last few months: 1) Story Boat, 2) I Will See You Again, and 3) Song for China. Click to read the reviews in Quill & Quire.
"You can't go wrong, if you're a reader." It's true that books can help you soldier through some of the challenges life throws your way, giving you a wonderful escape and a reprieve from the hum-drum and the ordinary.
I'm not a playwright.
I finished writing a play this week. A play? Yeah, I know. I'm not a playwright, or didn't used to be.I'm not sure if completing a draft of a play makes me a playwright or not. Of course, it took me years to accept that I was a real author, too. It's that old insecurity complex that plagues authors, young and old, experienced and inexperienced alike.
Eat locally. Read locally. I like it.
I have to say, I think this is the coolest thing. We've all been hearing about the importance of shopping locally and supporting local farmers for several years now. Then, the 100-Mile Diet evolves with families, chefs, and restauranteurs seeking fresh, local ingredients for their dinner tables. And now this new twist: the 100-Mile BOOK Diet. (If anyone knows why it is "miles" not "kilometres," please let me know.)
My last blog posting provided a CBC link to a program about the future of book publishing. Following from the panelists' discussion, I'm sharing a piece I wrote a while ago:
The Scholastic Book Fair is at my children’s school. I shudder. Don’t get me wrong. I love books. I write children’s books. I’m all for promoting literacy and getting kids enthused about reading. In addition, as an editor, I adore Scholastic. They are my best client. Their deadlines are reasonable; they pay me in less than three weeks. So, what’s the problem?
