Welcome to my website! I write children’s books, edit educational resources, swim, sweat, paddle, and explore.
All in book talks
Inside state-of-the-art classrooms and spacious libraries, students listened attentively and volunteered eagerly. “If you weren’t a writer, what would you be?” they asked. Young children peered up at me with delightful grins when I kicked my legs high to the beat of my lollypop drum.
Spring and fall are the choice times to schedule school book talks. The weather is more predictable for longer commutes, which means fewer snow days and cancellations. By this time of the school year -- June -- students are longing for summer. Classes take on a more celebratory tone with outdoor poetry lessons, strolls around the neighbourhood, and large-scale art projects, such as painting murals for graduation ceremonies. Fall marks the start of the school year and is a-buzz with enthusiasm, planning, and bountiful ideas for an exciting year ahead.
I was reading the December 2012 issue of Quill & Quire and saw a quote by Howard White that resonated with me. In responding to a question about the future of Canadian publishing, he says, "...we need to keep the faith." Then he raises the glass of water analogy: "I think one of the most damaging things that's happening to publishing right now -- and to writing -- is that people are looking at the empty half of the glass." I'm going to keep this analogy in mind over the next while and consciously try to talk more positively about the book biz. Why not?!
