Category Archives: the Writing Life

New Caillou books: Ecology Club series

DSC08985I’d almost forgotten about these! Last spring I wrote two picture books for Caillou, and I just received some copies in the mail now that they’re finally out.

They recruited me to write these because I’d story edited the tv series Caillou for a season, and wrote a pile of scripts for the show. These titles are part of their Ecology Club series:

Caillou learns to recycle

Caillou Learns to Recycle – in which Caillou’s daycare teacher tells the kids about what happens to the things we recycle, and what new products can be made from them.

fresh from the farm

Caillou – Fresh from the Farm – in which Caillou’s family visits a farmer’s market, and Caillou learns about local and seasonal foods.. and tries a new recipe.

This style of writing is certainly worlds away from fantasy fiction, but I can put on the Preschool Writing Hat when I need to! Which probably looks something like this…

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p.s. Dang! I said it as a joke, but now I really want a Preschool Writing Hat!

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I love this…

One of the best parts of talking to kids:

May art - Version 2

(from my daughter’s Gr. 1/2 class, if you hadn’t guessed it already)

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School Talks Today. Fun was had.

Phew! A lotta talking at Saltspring Elementary this afternoon. First I talked to the Kindergarten-Gr 2’s about being an author and making up stories. Then I spoke to the Gr. 3-5’s about writing for television and how cartoons are made. (Now that’s a huge topic – I could have gone on for hours.)

It all went well (thanks Powerpoint), I had a great time, and the students seemed pretty pumped too when it was all over. One Gr. 1 (S.) told me she was going to go home tonight and write a book!

I’m pretty revved up too, and (as I promised them) I am going to get some animation links up on this blog soon, and write more about storytelling, and writing how-to, and so forth…

Thanks Saltspring Elementary for being such a great audience!

 

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Still pretty chuffed

I wish I could be more blasé about this, but I was in Vancouver last night, and as I headed toward the bus stop I chanced upon a Chapters open late and I decided to check the shelves for…

IMG_0792Two copies of Eldritch there, on the shelf just a few humbling, heart-fluttering inches away from the tomes of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Yeah, I’m not too proud to go into Chapters and take photos of my book! And the funny part of it is that an hour later I saw that a good friend of mine out east had just posted on facebook her own photo of Eldritch on another store shelf out there!

It’s still shocking for me to come across it like that!

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Latest Eldritch Reading, with Cookies

On Thursday I spoke to a group that was a bit of a change from my school readings… the local Saltspring UCW (United Church Women)!

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(Plus a few male guests…)

It was nice to see that reading an excerpt from Eldritch intrigued them as much as the intended YA audience. But then of course YA fantasy novels are so commonly read by adults these days that they should really rename the whole genre.

I would highly recommend reading to “church ladies” for 3 reasons –

1. They are kind: if they find your talk not so interesting they are far more polite and discreet about it than kids are.

2. The coffee is always on.

3. They bake: whenever ladies like this gather, baked goodies are always in evidence, and they are always Excellent!

Thanks, ladies!

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My First School Group!

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Last Monday I had the great pleasure of reading from my book and chatting with a small but well-read group of students from the Centre School on Saltspring Island. I was a little nervous, but they were kind and had some great questions and comments. We discussed weird words, different kinds of fantasy fiction and mythology, which plays a big part in Eldritch Manor. They were extremely interested in Greek mythology because right now they’re reading Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief in class and are REALLY enjoying it.

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One challenge involved in talking to students is pitching your comments to their age level. Whenever kids ask questions and contribute to the discussion it’s a huge help in discovering their interests and making the talk more interesting for them.

Thanks Centre School students! That was fun! And it was nice to meet in the gorgeous new library too.

(photos courtesy of Sheila Spence)

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Springtime Happenings

And with the spring – this year at least – come the school talks! This afternoon I’m heading to the Saltspring Public Library to read from my book and chat with grade 3-5’s from the Centre School. I have a knee-shaking terror of speaking to an adult audience, but talking to young readers is actually fun for me. Thank goodness!

I hope they don’t ask me anything too hard.

In other news, I’m hoping to do more with this blog… talk about writing, recommend books, maybe even invite young guest reviewers to write about their favourite fantasy books? Contests, maybe?

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Life in B.C.

My publisher asked me to write about B.C. for their blog – here’s what I came up with…

Eight months ago I lived in the west end of Toronto in an old brick house with a yard so small I could cut the grass with scissors. Today I’m in a wood frame cottage surrounded by mossy trees, perched on the side of a mountain on Saltspring Island, B.C.

A bit of a change.

I haven’t been here very long but I’ve noticed a few basic things about British Columbia:

1.     It’s green. Freakishly green.

2.     And damp. If you stand still for too long moss will grow on you.

3.     Ravens’ wings make a loud whooshing sound.

4.     This is the only place where I have ever been asked in casual conversation if I own a chainsaw.

5.     Everyone backs into parking lot spots.

6.     Raccoons in the wild are only half the size of their cheezie-bloated Toronto cousins.

7.     Everyone’s got a bear story.

8.     Santa Claus travels by float plane.

Saltspring Island is a weird, unique little place, but in many ways it lives up to every B.C. cliché. Nobody is on time for anything. Nobody locks their cars, and many actually leave their keys in the ignition. The guy at the next table in the coffee shop could be a millionaire, or he could live in a cave. When you meet someone new here, you have absolutely no idea what outfield world-view they’re about to throw at you.

As for writing in B.C., I now stare out my office window at trees instead of buildings, and my concentration is shattered by ravens flapping around instead of sirens. My brain is still settling into the new rhythm. For a long time I found the energy of the city invigorating. The buzz and hum of people doing things – working, hustling, rushing about, and talking talking talking – carried me along for many years, but lately I realized that the city was just making me resentful, stressed and antsy.

I needed to find a quiet, green, bird-twittery hideaway and this place fits the bill. I don’t know much about the writing community in B.C. yet, though they tell me you can’t throw a rock on this island without hitting a writer. And I haven’t been here long enough to have a full B.C.-inspired novel in my head, but my next book will probably include at least one character covered in moss.

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