ISSN0708-594X Volume 35, Number 3 Fall 2013
Dianna Bonder CANSCAIP News
Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers La Société canadienne des auteurs, illustrateurs et artistes pour enfants
Introducing … Don Aker by Jill MacLean
To: [email protected] Subject: Don Aker From: [email protected] And what good talk we had! So good that I hesitate to call it The Interview. You arrived at 8:30 a.m. on a morning in early May, after a two-hour drive from Hi Don, your home on the shores of the Bay of Fundy. Obviously you’re a morning person. You took three In a weak moment you confessed you’re helpless to hours out of your busy schedule: in the last month, resist the little ping that means an email has you spent a week in Toronto doing school and arrived, especially when you’re supposed to be library presentations; you presented at the River writing. Thanks for that confession, because it John “Writing on Fire” festival; you visited several helped me begin your profile. We talked about schools in Nova Scotia for the Writers in the beginnings, which you – unlike me – find relatively Schools program; and, as if that weren’t enough, easy; each of your young adult novels starts with you were working on three books. Three books. I’m such a strong, tension-filled scene. Then there’s astounded you could speak at all, let alone in that dynamite first sentence in The Space Between: coherent, often funny, and always illuminating “I’m going to Mexico to get laid.” sentences.
CANSCAIP News If I had to characterize your writing career, the seed of all your books. “Every piece of fiction I’d say versatile, constantly evolving, and grounded I’ve ever written…has grown out of something that in integrity. In the late eighties, you began with has bothered me, kept me awake at night, wouldn’t award-winning short stories for adults leave me alone.” (interestingly, all your short stories have as their Stranger at Bay, also published by Stoddart, lynchpin a child or teenager), and they’re still your came out in 1997; Harper Collins has been your favourite form to write. You took a course from a publisher ever since. The First Stone appeared in Los Angeles screenwriter and wrote three 2003, followed by One on One in 2005, for middle screenplays; film continues to be one of your readers, then three more books for young adults, passions. You’ve written numerous textbooks for The Space Between (2007), The Fifth Rule (2011), and the Nelson Language and Running on Empty (2012). Writing series, stemming All your titles have won or from your thirty-plus years been nominated for awards of teaching high-school across the country. Oh yes, English. While you say, and there were two more rather wryly, that textbooks books for younger readers pay well – unlike, let’s face published by Scholastic in it, most young adult novels 2008. I mentioned the – there’s more to the three manuscripts textbooks than hard cash. currently in draft form – an They’re also a form of historical novel for redress. You freely admit Scholastic’s I Am Canada you started your career in series about the fall of education as the world’s Louisbourg, a thriller called lousiest writing teacher. Delusion Road featuring a “Before you begin, you have psychopath (I can hardly to know what your story’s wait), and the final volume about,” you declaimed to of The First Stone trilogy. the teens in your first classroom. Don’t we all “I owe much of my early have sentences we’d like success to winning awards erased from the record? that raised my profile, and I’m especially grateful for the Forest of Reading But teaching also program because the led you to write for young readers themselves get to adults. A journal kept by choose which book wins. one of your students But despite the increased described her father’s attention they garner, awards can be daunting. physical abuse; you were impelled by law to report If I’m not nominated, does that mean the book this, even though you were betraying a confidence. is no good? Will the next one be strong enough Then, in church, the minister read from Hebrews: to make the cut? Ultimately, I have to put all “Faith is…the conviction of things not seen.” You this aside. What’s most important is whether had your subject, domestic violence. You had your I’ve done justice to my characters and the title, Of Things Not Seen. In 1996 this book won struggles they face.” Atlantic Canada’s Ann Connor Brimer Award and the Canadian Authors’ Association Lilla Stirling These comments segued into your writing Award, and you were launched. In this book was process. You had no idea what you were doing when you started Of Things Not Seen, so you wrote 2 CANSCAIP News careful outlines for each chapter; for your second So when I ask, “Do you know the general novel, you didn’t bother with an outline, letting the arc of the story before you begin?” you say, “Very story take you wherever it wanted. “It was a general. And mostly vague.” In The First Stone, you nightmare – I wasn’t fit to live with. At the end of knew Reef would throw the rock, that Leeza would that summer, my wife said, ‘Don’t ever write a book be harmed, and that they’d get together by the end. this way again.’” The last of these convictions, by the way, turned out to be wrong. When you visited a rehab centre By the time you were ready to start The and talked to people who’d suffered terrible First Stone, you’d figured out a method that has physical damage, you realized there was no way served you well ever since. Three questions serve as Leeza could so easily and quickly have forgiven the backbone of every novel. Who is your main Reef. character? What does he want more than anything else? What frustrates him from achieving that goal? You wrote the ending that felt right, and “None of my characters are real people, received a lot of flack from your although I often use details and traits readers for its ambiguity. from people I know to flesh them out.” “Every piece of Although you’d always Before you even think of writing, you fiction I’ve ever maintained you weren’t a sequel spend a considerable time getting to kind of guy, the death of a close know your protagonist, his backstory, written…has friend drew you to revisit that his friends and parents or lack of them; story. The Fifth Rule almost wrote he always arrives with a name, the grown out of itself, probably because the two single right name. And it’s knowing main characters were already your character that saves you from something that formed, their longings clear in recurrences of that early nightmare – has bothered me, your mind, and it was “a joy and from outlines. returning to characters I’ve loved.” The challenge was to But there’s a lot you don’t know kept me awake insert the necessary backstory when you start. In The Space Between, at night, without slowing the momentum. for instance, Jace thought all he wanted I like the way this book can stand was to get laid; unconsciously, of wouldn’t leave alone, as a companion to The course, he was desperate to make peace First Stone as much as its sequel. with his older brother Stefan’s suicide. me alone.” Along came Connor the athlete in Lisa Doucet, co-manager Chapter One. You had no idea Connor was gay, nor of Woozles, Halifax’s children’s independent did you know why Stefan, also an athlete, killed bookstore, puts it this way: “Don Aker has created himself. You were 100 pages into the book when some of my favourite teen male characters in young you overheard one of your students saying, “I’d adult literature. He has a genius for crafting rather go to prison than be gay.” And there was compelling, believable and highly sympathetic your theme. characters – once you get to know them. They make their share of mistakes as they navigate their The psychopath in your thriller has a thick way through the challenges of their lives and they scar on his face and a thing (“not a good thing”) for challenge readers to look beyond the surface.” blonde women. Suddenly, in the midst of writing, you realized that his mother – his blonde mother – You write “realistic” fiction because “…there gave him that scar, and something unknown, yet are so many real-world problems facing young organic to the story, was yours. It’s these people now that I can’t help writing about them.” discoveries, these surprises, that drive you, that You start a book as near to the ending as possible. give you the energy and momentum to face your The “big event” has already happened (Stefan’s laptop every morning. suicide) or is about to happen (Reef throwing the rock at Leeza’s car); in consequence, your novels 3 CANSCAIP News have a fairly short time span – a week for The Space techniques, and perspectives.” Good editors, you Between. You find it easier to write about say, see the whole picture; figure out what the book unlikeable characters than likeable ones. Ethan, the is really about. A good editor, I’ve always protagonist of Running on Empty, wasn’t born maintained, should be paid as much as an NHL angry and self-centred. So what, or who, made him player. this way? Again, that crucial element of discovery. Your two favourite characters are Scar in You have nothing but praise for every editor The First Stone, and Raye, in Running on Empty. you’ve ever worked with: Kathryn Cole, Lynne Each is female, with a strong sense of her own Missen, and Hadley Dyer. Lynne Missen changed identity and comfortable in her own skin. Although the beginning of The Fifth you’ve written from both Rule, inadvertently leading male and female points of you to a character who view in a number of your plays a major role in its novels, I sense you prefer sequel. Lynne says, “I loved looking at the world working with Don – over through a guy’s eyes. the course of our working Which has nothing to do relationship, we became with the profoundly friends, and I still love discouraging fact that male getting his newsy emails, teenagers who’ll read a which usually include book from the female hilariously self-deprecating perspective are just about anecdotes. In fact, humour non-existent. is what stands out for me. You keep While Don is an all-round notebooks (you’re on talented author, especially number #19), filling them skilled at building suspense with intriguing details, and keeping readers conversations overheard, turning the pages, I was events in the news, terrific always amazed that he lines from other writers could also write a funny that inspire you, and scene and it would make questions you want to me laugh every time.” explore. Curiosity, I’d say, Among other is one of the traits that changes, Hadley Dyer cut compels you to write. You 10,000 words from Running worry that retirement is on Empty, a manuscript two-edged, giving you far you disliked (well, hated is more time to research and the word you used), and write, yet removing you whose publication you delayed for a year until from constant exposure to high school students, to you’d gained confidence in it. Hadley loved “voice,” not in terms of slang but of the intensity working on this book with you. “This is a story and colour of speech patterns. “My students are the about fast cars, fast money, quick decisions, and a audience I write for but, more importantly, theirs boy spiralling out of control, which we agreed are the stories I share.” would be better served by swifter, leaner Potential stories jam those notebooks, “…and I’ll paragraphs….Don is such a professional and so only get to a fraction of them.” Not that you’re experienced, yet he approaches his craft as a life- complaining! long learner...always open to new ideas, 4 CANSCAIP News As for the issue of profanity in YA novels, In your earlier days, you’d set the alarm for “Never use it gratuitously, and always make sure it five in the morning, and write until the day started says something about character.” Reef in The First for your wife and two daughters. Family was your Stone is a case in point. The book was temporarily priority, followed by your students. You’re retired banned in one school district because the now, your two daughters live in Halifax, and you superintendent decided that high school students can work all day. One thing, however, hasn’t couldn’t possibly be exposed to the f-word. You changed. Your wife, Debbie, an educational were expecting something like this to happen. But assistant specializing in helping children on the you just plain couldn’t make Reef speak in a nicely autism spectrum, remains your greatest support – sanitized way. and, at times, your most brutal (your word) critic. In the afterword of Running Autobiography and on Empty, you call her your fiction: where’s the first reader, your first boundary? In one sense, editor, and your very own you suggest, you’re always cheerleader, without whom writing about yourself and you could never have your own teenage angst. begun this journey. Only five percent of teenagers glide through Family continues to adolescence; the rest suffer, be your priority, and you and suffer hard. How many make no secret of the fact of us can still remember that you adore your little those endless moments grandson, Siyah, who lives when we were crushed, in Halifax; you and Debbie mortally embarrassed, or in are thinking of selling your a blind rage? The Space dream house by the sea to Between is your favourite be closer to him. among your novels, its I ask about hobbies. protagonist, Jace, the guy “Viewing films and reading. most like the adolescent And yes, I read differently Don Aker: a middle child because I’m a writer – more with a high-achieving older conscious of how the writer sibling and a younger is taking me along, more brother with a serious like an apprentice.” You’ve medical condition. Add to learned from authors as that the three people in diametrically opposed as your life who’ve committed Stephen King and suicide, their survivors Raymond Carver. To Kill a struggling to make sense of Mockingbird was the first novel where you were tragic loss, and you have the bones of The Space actively aware of being inside the head of a person Between. in a very different place and time. The Book Thief, Surely most fiction has at least an element The Fault in Our Stars, Bel Canto, and countless of autobiography. For you, the real issue is how you others continue to influence you. Robert Cormier use your life experience in your fiction. Core values was the first writer in your experience “who showed underlie your novels: empathy and compassion for real teens in real situations, with the varnish off. your protagonists, your strong belief in redemption He knew the value of cutting, of every word on the and hope. page doing what it was supposed to do.”
5 CANSCAIP News I then pose the very obvious question: why do you write? We all know writing is hard work, Congratulations and in spite of what some of your students thought, it doesn’t get any easier. “Nothing worth doing is Michael Bedard ever easy,” you used to tell them. “Writing is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration.” Thomas Mann The 2013 Violet Downey IODE Award for The Green said more or less the same thing: “A writer is a man Man [sic] for whom writing is more difficult than it is for Sharon McKay others.” So, Don, why do you write? The 2013 Helen & Stan Vince Canadian Jewish Book You tell me about the emails you’ve Award for Into Enemy Territory Annick) received that say, I was Reef, going down the wrong road. About the RCMP officer who works with Young Offenders, and who gives a copy of The First MEMBERS SHORTLISTED FOR THE Stone to each one of them and asks them to read it. CHILDREN’S LITERATURE ROUNDTABLES OF About the student from Barrington Passage who CANADA INFORMATION BOOK AWARD chose police work as a career because he wanted to Hadley Dyer for Potatoes On Rooftops: Farming In have a positive effect like Reef’s mentor, Frank the City (Annick Press) Colville. About teachers with students who boasted Deborah Hodge for Rescuing The Children: The of never having read a book, and then buried their Story of the Kindertransport (Tundra Books) noses in The First Stone and The Fifth Rule. Martin Springett and Isobel Springett for Kate One Christmas you were waiting for Debbie and Pippin (Puffin Canada) in MicMac Mall, your arms loaded with packages, when you noticed three teenaged boys – MEMBERS SHORTLISTED FOR the TD “mohawks, tattoos, piercings” – staring at you, Canadian Children’s Literature Award clearly talking about you. You watched, alarmed, as Deborah Ellis for Kids of Kabul (Groundwood) they started moving towards you, and clutched your parcels in a panic. Cripes! I’m going to be Jennifer Lanthier for The Stamp Collector swarmed! Then one of them said, “You that Don (Fitzhenry & Whiteside) Aker dude?” Gulping, you nodded. He grinned. Susin Nielsen for The Reluctant Journal of Henry “The First Stone? Totally awesome book.” K. Larsen (Tundra)
Don, how can you not write? All the best, MEMBERS SHORTLISTED FOR the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award Jill Wallace Edwards for Uncle Wally’s Old Brown Shoes (Orca Books) JILL MACLEAN is the Cary Fagan for Mr. Zinger’s Hat (Tundra Books) author of six books including the multi-award Jennifer Lanthier for The Stamp Collector shortlisted The Nine Lives (Fitzhenry & Whiteside) of Travis Keating and The Present Tense of Prinny MEMBERS SHORTLISTED FOR the Norma Murphy, both from Fleck Award for Children’s Non-Fiction Fitzhery & Whiteside. Jill, who lives in Nova Scotia, Deborah Ellis for Kids of Kabul (Groundwood) also blogs. Visit her at www.jillmaclean.com 6 !"#$!"%&'#()*! =*E'+"018'&F*1<'*!>(7+2"#$%-'(%D'"?30(#/%&'(% /"+G#(13H+#(F*GG1<'*!G*-(%W%O"!!"#/%C#%R#?"I(?;% )-90;%96%-'(%G"#3(0-0*#7!90-%W+.%(*$!&''4=X! 19X(%)-90;%Wj.<<#%!`$%$($X! /'(#-"14J$$#(F1<'*!N9"#$%R!K%@?"7'*%5-"7L7%&0"!%-9% ! -'(%&9!%W+.%(*$!&''4=X! !"#$!"%&'"()*#+',-.' /"+G#(13H+#(F*GG1<'*!G*-(%W%O"!!"#/%C#%R#?"I(?;% ! 19X(%)-90;%Wj.<<#%!`$%$($X! ! !)*#,(/0' ! 2#$$13K"(1<'*!>(*?%P27-"+(/%=920-((#%*#3%)(#-(#+(3% 1..,2'!)##.!,2'$-"(.3' -9%E(*-'<%&'(%)-90;%96%)-(X(#%&027+9--%%WT$6)=! ! Y'*#6)*X! !
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! 0' CANSCAIP News for students to begin their story, but where the Noteworthy story goes from there is in the hands of each individual. One submission per student will be CONGRATULATIONS accepted from September 4, 2013 until the contest closing date of November 8, 2013. Complete rules, submission requirements and prizing info can be found at www.litontour.com.
LOGO VARIATION: Our front-page logo variation is by DIANNA BONDER. You can see more of her work in The West is Calling (Orca), Eleven Lazy Llamas (Whitecap) and many others.
ILLUSTRATORS: We are looking for more LOGO VARIATIONS to dress up the NEWS. For inspiration, you can view our current ones at the ever-changing logo site on the home page of our website. If you are a full CANSCAIP member/illustrator and would like to submit your version for possible use, here are the specifics: Digital is preferred, so scan your paper art at 300 dpi (high resolution) and send the file to the office at [email protected]. Make sure you put CANSCAIP Logo Submission on the subject line. We’d love to have some in colour if that appeals to you.
CREATIVE WRITING: If you are teaching a course in writing or illustration for the children’s market, we’d love to send you a package of brochures and a sample newsletter to distribute to your Barbara Reid: photo credit Ian Crysler students. Just email [email protected] to let us know how many you need. Barbara Reid was named a member of the Order of Canada in Ottawa on June 28, 2013. Barbara’s first book, illustrated in her signature Plasticine art, is Baby Calf. Her most recent titles are Picture A Tree and New Baby, all from Scholastic Canada.
IFOA Contest: The International Festival of authors this year includes a WRITE ACROSS ONTARIO contest for elementary and high school students. Students in grades 5 to 12 will write a story using the story-starter provided for their age group by one of four well-known authors. This year, Kevin Sylvester will provide the story-starter for grades 5–6, Richard Scrimger will write one for grades 7–8, Lesley Livingston will cover grades 9–10 and Dionne Brand will create the story-starter for grades 11–12. The story-starter is used as a place
8 CANSCAIP News ANN HAGMAN CARDINAL is a novelist and Welcome Director of Student & Alumni Recruitment for Vermont College of Fine Arts. She has an MFA in by Monique Polak Writing and every January she runs VCFA’s writers’ residency in Puerto Rico. She has just finished In this column we welcome our newest writing the young adult novel, The Gift of the members. Cuentista, and is hard at work on a YA horror novel, El Cuco. Her YA novel Sister Chicas—co- authored with Lisa Alvarado and Jane Alberdeston Coralin—was released by Penguin Books. Her stories have appeared in several anthologies, including A Cup of Comfort for Mothers and Sons and Women Writing the Weird, and she contributed to the Encyclopedia Latina: History, Culture, And Society in the United States. Her work has appeared in American Scholar, Family Circle Easy Knitting, AARP, Latina Style, and Latina Magazines. Ann also blogs for blogcritics. Ann lives in Vermont with her husband Doug and son Carlos. DOUGLAS DAVEY is the author of the teen novel M in the Abstract, which was published in January 2013 by Red Deer Press. He was born in Kingston, Ontario on May 15, 1971, a particularly depressing time to be a child. He was raised and schooled outside of Battersea, Ontario, a small village north of Kingston. Following his graduation from high school, he moved to Guelph, Ontario, where he earned a degree in fine art from the University of Guelph. He later went on to earn degrees in education and library science from the University of Western Ontario. A lifelong lover of libraries, he spent several years working at the Guelph Public
Library. He now works as the Children’s and Youth Sigmund Brouwer Services Librarian at the Halton Hills Public SIGMUND BROUWER is the author of 19 novels Library, serving Georgetown, Acton and the and several series of children’s titles, with over surrounding area. When not writing, working, or three million books in print in five languages. His wasting time, he plays guitar with Deutsche Vision, Absolute Pressure was a Junior Library Guild a surprisingly entertaining Joy Division cover band. selection. Among Sigmund’s titles are eight on the NICOLE FURFARO has short stories and poems Canadian Children's Book Centre Best Books for published in Highlights High Five, Spider Kids & Teens 2009/11. His novel, Devil's Pass, is part Magazine, WeeOnes e-magazine and The Mailbox of the Seven series with authors Eric Walters, Ted Magazine for Teachers. She has loved creative Staunton, Richard Scrimger, John Wilson, Nora writing since childhood. She is addicted to McClintock and Shane Peacock. Through his Rock children's books and it is her dream to have one of & Roll Literacy Show®, he speaks to about 80,000 her own published. Nicole is a primary teacher and students per year at schools across Canada and the she enjoys finding new ways to excite her students United States. about writing. It is her passion and she tries to help 9 CANSCAIP News her students unlock their inner author! Nicole lives in Puslinch Township with her husband Tony, also a teacher, and her two wonderful sons, Matteo and Brogan. SUE MACLEOD is the author of one young adult novel, Namesake (Pajama Press, 2013), and two books of poetry for adults. Formerly the poet laureate of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Sue now lives in Toronto and is at work on a second novel for teens. Her writing has earned her national, provincial and municipal arts grants and a fellowship to write for a month in a Scottish castle. Sue has read from her work in nine provinces and taught writing at settings including elementary and junior high schools, Dalhousie University and the Art Gallery of Ontario. Kristine Scarrow SARA MARLOWE is a musician, clinical social Born and raised in the prairies, KRISTINE worker, and university lecturer. She has been SCARROW has contributed to several publications meditating for many years and takes delight in in addition to being an editor for Our Pink sharing mindfulness with children, youth, and Thoughts, a website honouring inspirational families. She lives in Toronto with her husband, Canadian women. She also works as an editor for son, and two cats. She can be found online at Hear my Heart Books in Saskatoon. Kristine has a www.mindfulfamilies.ca. No Ordinary Apple: A special interest in writing as a healing art and offers Story About Eating Mindfully is her first book. workshops to individuals, schools, community- PAT MILLER-SCHROEDER is the author of 17 based organizations and other groups. In addition children’s non-fiction books about nature, science, to freelance writing, editing and facilitating and the environment. Two of her books, workshops, Kristine’s first young adult novel, Bottlenose Dolphins and Japanese Macaques were Throwaway Girl, is being published by Dundurn nominated in the Children's Literature category of Press. She is currently working on her second the Saskatchewan Book Awards and another, Blue novel. As a busy mother of three young children, Whales, was nominated for the Hackmatack she is thrilled to be fulfilling her lifelong dream of Children's Choice Award in the Maritimes. Her writing, and encourages and celebrates others who book Gorillas received a Canadian Children's Book are following their dreams. Centre Choice Award. Pat has also written several children’s educational film and television scripts.
She was the researcher and co-writer on ten episodes of a wildlife biography series, Wild Lives, broadcast on both SCN and the Discovery Network.
She also developed the characters and wrote the animated educational film script, Hot Stuff the Fire Cat, which has been produced and placed in elementary schools throughout Saskatchewan. She is currently actively pursuing publication of Sisters of the Wolf, a middle grades adventure novel set in prehistory.
10 CANSCAIP NEWS CHARIS COTTER published The Ghosts of Baccalieu News Roundup this past spring. It’s a book of local ghost stories and illustrations created by elementary school children by Elizabeth MacLeod at Tricon Elementary School in Bay de Verde, Newfoundland. Charis held a series of storytelling, PLEASE NOTE: Send News for Roundup to writing, editing and publishing workshops in the [email protected] school and asked children to collect traditional Please include your city and province/territory. ghost stories from their families. Each of the 104 students contributed something to the book, either Atlantic Region a drawing or a ghost story. The result is a professionally published, 152-page book complete with index and appendix. It celebrates the students’ exuberant creativity and hard work as well as the rich cultural heritage of their community. Charis formed her own publishing company, Baccalieu Books, to publish the book and she is marketing it to schools, libraries and bookstores in Newfoundland. She sees The Ghosts of Baccalieu as the first in a series of books about Newfoundland ghosts created by Newfoundland children. The initial project was funded by an ArtsSmarts grant from the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts Council, Photo credit: James Bell in partnership with the Department of Education The July meeting of CANSCAIP Atlantic included through the Cultural Connections Strategy. For (clockwise from left) MELANIE MOSHER, LINDSEY more information about The Ghosts of Baccalieu, CARMICHAEL, Shirley Godfrey, SYLVIA GUNNERY, see Charis’s blog. Charis’s novel, The Swallow: A LAURA BEST and ANNE LAUREL CARTER (back to Ghost Story (Tundra Books) will be published in camera). 2014. Charis lives in Western Bay, NL.
LINDSEY CARMICHAEL reports that CANSCAIP Atlantic is gaining momentum! In July, the group met at SYLVIA GUNNERY’s home for a picnic and walk along Crescent Beach. Visiting Ontario member ANNE LAUREL CARTER shared her experiences and insights, and the group set goals for the future of the region, including (one day) a regional conference. At the August meeting, Atlantic region member RICHARD RUDNICKI and Ontario member MONICA KULLING provided insights into their unusual author/illustrator collaboration during production of their latest picture book, Making Contact: Marconi Goes Wireless (Tundra Books). CANSCAIP Atlantic is currently working with the Writers’ Federation of Nova Scotia to establish a consistent day, time, and place for meetings, beginning this October. Any suggestions for programming or meeting topics are welcome and should be directed to the Atlantic Jessica Scott Kerrin Region Rep, Lindsey Carmichael, at JESSICA SCOTT KERRIN has had a busy publishing [email protected]. Lindsey lives in Halifax. schedule in 2013, launching three new books, all of
CANSCAIP News which are aimed at middle readers. Two of them COATES (who wrote The Power of Harmony) also will be launched this fall. Spit Feathers (Kids Can led a panel entitled “Food for Thought” at Word on Press) tells the story of Ferguson Beaver, the proud the Street in Halifax on September 22 — Maritime- grandson of a retired lobster fisherman. Two flavoured food, that is! Jill lives in Bedford, NS. troublesome classmates, Graeme Swinimer and Norris Fowler, threaten to take away Ferguson’s one SUSAN WHITE’s third novel, The Sewing Basket, chance to help his grandfather right the past. Spit was released in May. Her début novel, The Year Mrs. Feathers is the final book in “The Lobster Montague Cried, won the 2012 Ann Connor Brimer Chronicles,” a trilogy. Also released this fall is award. Susan’s second novel, Ten Thousand Truths Jessica’s first mystery novel, The Spotted Dog Last (all Acorn Press), earned honourable mention on Seen (Groundwood Books). In it, Derek isn’t happy the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s 2012 Best about having to do repair duty at the old cemetery Books list. Susan lives on the Kingston Peninsula, for his grade-six community service project, NB. especially because of his troubled past. Then, an anonymous donation arrives at his library: copies of Ottawa Montreal Quebec a new mystery novel, with a secret code penciled Welcome to new Friends: Karen Avivi from L’Ile inside. The official launch for The Spotted Dog Last Perrot, PQ; Louise Bradford, Ottawa; Tara Seen will take place as part of the arts festival called McCarthy, Verdun, PQ; and Raisa Zaheeruddin, of “Nocturne: Art at Night” on October 19, where Montreal. Jessica will host an installation in Halifax’s oldest cemetery, The Old Burying Ground. Jessica lives in ELISE MOSER’s first YA novel, Lily and Taylor Halifax. (Groundwood Books), was published on September 1. She will launch it in Montreal in October. Elise KAT KRUGER reports that Month9Books has lives in Montreal. obtained the U.S. rights to her debut novel, The Night Has Teeth (Book One in “The Magdeburg MONIQUE POLAK released her fourteenth novel Trilogy”) with options for the rest of the series. Kat for young adults, So Much It Hurts (Orca Books also made appearances at Eden Mills Writer’s Publishers), in September. It’s the story of Iris, an Festival and The Word on the Street Halifax in aspiring actress who gets involved with an older September. Book Two in “The Magdeburg man. When the relationship turns abusive, Iris has Trilogy,”The Night Has Claws (Fierce Ink Press) was trouble extricating herself from it. The book was published in September. Kat lives in Halifax. inspired by a dark chapter in Monique’s life. Look for another YA title from Monique — Straight JILL MACLEAN is happy to say that the reviews of Punch (Orca) — in spring 2014. That novel is about her free-verse YA novel, Nix Minus One (Pajama a girl boxer. Monique began boxing lessons in 2011 Press), have been uniformly good — you can read as part of her research for the story, and she’s still them at her website. Jill is also happy that The boxing. Her trainer says, “You’re not a natural. But Hidden Agenda of Sigrid Sugden, the third volume of you’ve got something I can’t teach — you’re a the (unplanned!) trilogy that began with The Nine fighter.” Monique says that may be the best Lives of Travis Keating, and continued with The compliment she’s ever had. Monique lives in Present Tense of Prinny Murphy (all Fitzhenry & Montreal. Whiteside), will be published this fall. She really enjoyed writing this book, and hopes that the fans LORI WEBER has a new young adult novel, Picture of Travis and Prinny will look forward to hearing Me (James Lorimer and Company). The story is told more about the characters of those two books — in three voices: the bully’s, the target’s, and the including Hud, the bully — and about Sigrid, one of witness’. One girl is obsessed with her weight, the the much-feared three girls known as the Shrikes. other with becoming a star, the third with doing the For the cover, Jill’s editor actually found a right thing. In the end, each girl emerges as a much photograph of the birds called shrikes together on a more complicated individual than her simple label. branch. Jill and other writers including JAN Lori lives in Pointe-Claire, QC.
12 CANSCAIP News Ontario Outside Metro Toronto BRENDA KEARNS is pleased (and a little nervous) Welcome to new Friends: Amanda Diletti-Goral to announce that she has now published four e- from Stoney Creek; Mark Fenton, Hamilton; Jo-Ann books in three different languages — English, Hartford, Mississauga; Sarah Kuhn, Waterloo; French and Spanish. The Day I Washed My Face in Wendy Loevenmark, Barrie; Tracy McEachran, the Toilet is an early teen novel, and Sleepover Zoo is Ridgetown; Ishta Mercurio-Wentworth, Brampton; a chapter book that was originally published by Carolyn Wilker, Kitchener; Amy Winders, London; Scholastic Canada in 1998. Parrots and Popcorn and and Darlene Zembrod of Dundas. There’s Nothing Wrong With Claudia are picture books illustrated by the amazingly talented KARLEEN BRADFORD and Sheatre took part in the CHRISTINE TRIPP. Brenda would also like to St. Catharines and Welland Canal Museum’s announce that, after many years of prodding by her celebration of Black History Week in July. Sheatre is children, she finally has a website and blog. Please adapting Karleen’s book, A Desperate Road to go to brendakearns.com to check out the impressive Freedom, The Underground Railroad Diary of Julia skills of web designer ALICE PRIESTLEY, and to May Jackson (Scholastic), into a musical. Joan take a peek at the e-books. Brenda lives in St. Anns. Chandler is the Director and David Sereda wrote the music. Karleen’s latest “Dear Canada” book is HEATHER KIRK’s book Be Not Afraid: The Polish out in September and is called A Country of Our (R)evolution, “Solidarity” (Borealis Press), is Own, The Confederation Diary of Rosie Dunn currently featured on the website of the Polish (Scholastic Canada). It tells the story of a young Heritage Foundation of Canada, a non-profit Irish girl, in service to a Civil Service family, who organization created in 1993 in order to receive and has to move with them to Ottawa when Queen maintain funds for the purpose of supporting Polish Victoria declares that city to be the capital of the culture and language. The book was distributed by Province of Canada. The year is 1866, the Parliament the president of the Polish Heritage Foundation of Buildings are almost finished, and John A. Canada to delegates at the Quo Vadis Conference Macdonald, D’Arcy McGee, George-Étienne Cartier (www.quovadisconference.com), a Polish youth and George Brown are campaigning for conference held in Montreal in August. Heather confederation of the British Colonies. With the still- lives in Barrie. present threat of an American invasion, it was a time of turbulence and history-making decisions. For Rosie, the move from Québec City to the muddy, smelly, raw lumber town of Ottawa was a wrench, especially as it meant leaving her family and all the life she had ever known behind. Karleen lives in Brechin.
LIZANN FLATT’s nonfiction picture book Sizing Up Winter (OwlKids Books) was released in September. It features winter animals and measurement math concepts for kids in grades Kindergarten to two and is the third title in her “Math in Nature” series illustrated by Ashley Barron. This past May Lizann Ann Love and Jane Drake toured northern Saskatchewan for Canadian Children’s Book Week featuring Sorting through ANN LOVE and JANE DRAKE announce their new Spring, the second title in the series. The first title, book, Pandemic Survival: It’s Why You’re Alive Counting on Fall, will appear in paperback this fall (Tundra), complete with beautiful and gruesome in the United States with Scholastic US book clubs. illustrations by Bill Slavin. Pandemic Survival is a Lizann lives in Muskoka. lively social history from the point of view of epidemics that have circled the globe — wreaking havoc, killing billions, challenging science, and 13 CANSCAIP News changing the world. Anyone reading the book is Henry Holt, has recently been translated into alive because their ancestors were survivors. Kids Chinese and is now being sold in Asian markets. will discover why they use soap, drink clean water, Her fourth book, Wave, a teen reluctant reader in and sneeze in their sleeves. And they’ll find out the HIP Books Xtreme Series that was published in what happened to those who didn’t know any paperback in 2012, was re-released in 2013 in e-book better! Researching this book, sisters Ann and Jane format. Debbie lives in Loretto. dug deep and found their own ancestors survived polio, typhoid, scarlet fever, typhus, and more. And NANCY RUNSTEDLER’s first book Beautiful they share a lingering symptom from writing about Goodbye (Dundurn Press) was published July 27 plagues and pestilence — the urge to wash their followed by a launch party August 10. Maggie’s life hands! Ann lives in King and Jane lives in Toronto. has been anything but easy lately. So when her best friend Gillian discovers a Ouija board in the attic, JENNIFER MARUNO has released her fourth it’s a welcome relief. While they’d rather be at the middle-level novel, Kid Soldier. Her first novel, mall than babysitting Maggie’s brother Cole, the When the Cherry Blossoms Fell (both Dundurn girls figure it will be a fun way to spend a Saturday Press), was shortlisted for the Hackmatack Award — asking questions about boys and other teenage and the Young Readers of Canada Award. Jennifer dilemmas. After all, it’s just a game. Or is it? lives in Burlington. Thinking nothing could possibly go wrong, the kids dive in, eager to test the new game, but discover the STEPHANIE SIMPSON MCLELLAN’s endearing board will change their lives in ways they couldn’t monster family, introduced in Hoogie in the Middle, have imagined. The trio ends up with more than returns with Tweezle into Everything (Pajama Press), they bargained for and are thrust into a whirlwind illustrated by Dean Griffiths. Tweezle is ready to be journey. One in which, if they aren’t careful, they a big boy now — and he knows just how to prove it. might never return from. Nancy follows up with her For some reason, Mom isn’t thrilled when he helps second book, Pay It Forward Kids: Small Acts, Big with the dishes (Splash! Crash!). Dad isn’t delighted Change (Fitzhenry & Whiteside), to be released when he hunts through the closet (Blam! Slam!). October 15. Nancy lives in Paris. Pumpkin and Hoogie say he’s way too little to touch their stuff. But when an even smaller friend needs PAT SKENE has launched two new books under her help, Tweezle’s big idea might just save the day. own imprint, Press Here to Start Publishing. Stephanie lives in Newmarket. Revenge of the Mad Hacker is a middle grade adventure in cyberspace, with a focus on Internet DOROTHY-JANE NEEDLES has opened a website safety for tweens. Pat involved 160 students in and produced four books (all published by Needles grades four to six to select the cover. This book has Publishing) in the past year. The first, Dufferin been highly endorsed by Kidproof Safety Canada. Dines In, is a cook book with stories and recipes Her second new book, A Tale of Two Biddys, is a re- from Dufferin County in the 1800s. Crafts for mastered folktale about greed, gratitude and a Seniors is a hand book for those working with frazzled fairy with anger management issues, for seniors singly or in groups. Next, a detective story: ages 8 to 12. Pat lives in Oakville. Murder at the Church Supper. Lastly, for children ages six and up is Mrs Chestnut’s Store, about a KATHY STINSON’s book Big or Little? (Annick widow squirrel who opens a general store, with the Press), which is 30 years old this year, has been accompanying trials and tribulations. Still to come revised for release as a board book next year with is another children’s historical work about Toronto new illustrations by Jennifer A. Bell. Her book in the 1890s, involving Hester Howe School. “It’s fun Highway of Heroes (Fitzhenry & Whiteside), to work on your own!” Dorothy-Jane says. She lives nominated for 4 tree awards, was also nominated in Rosemont. for the Ontario Historical Society’s J.J. Talman Award. Kathy’s latest, The Man with the Violin DEBBIE OUELLET’s first children’s book, How (Annick Press) has been awarded a starred review Robin Saved Spring, originally published in 2009 by by Kirkus Reviews: “A Stradivarius on the subway?
14 CANSCAIP News This Canadian import tells the story of violinist Toronto Joshua Bell’s quirky experiment. Imaginatively Welcome to new Friends: Femi Adams, Helder illustrated and beautifully written, this offbeat ode Faria, Sarah Filippi, Kathleen Gauer, Frances to the power of music is a winner.” At Hallman-Chong, Patricia Lima, Sandy Nozuka, kathystinson.com/2013/06/12/meeting-joshua-bell/ Holly Sedgwick and Leslie Walters you can read about Kathy’s meeting with Joshua Bell. Kathy will present The Man with the Violin at SUSAN GLICKMAN is delighted to announce that the Vancouver Writers’ Festival in October. In Les Éditions du Boréal will be publishing a French November she will be a keynote speaker for an translation of her novel, The Tale-Teller (Cormorant audience of Alberta Early Childhood Educators in Books). She will also be touring the Maritimes and Kananaskis. Kathy lives in Rockwood. reading with poet Julie Bruck on the following dates: September 26 at University of Prince Edward HEATHER WHALEY spent the summer giving Island, Charlottetown; September 30 at Saint Mary’s storytelling and singing programs for toddler, pre- University, Halifax; October 1 at St. Francis Xavier school and school-age children across the Greater University, Antigonish; October 2 at Mount Allison Toronto Area. She also received a Storytellers of University, Sackville; October 3 at Bishop House, Canada Culture Days grant to produce and launch Great Village, NS; and October 4 to 6 at the an inter-generational storytelling concert called University of New Brunswick, Fredericton (Poetry “Story Lounge: That’s Life,” at the new Abilities Festival). Centre in Whitby, Ontario. This free concert will take place on Saturday, September 28 from 2:00 to SUSAN HUGHES was honoured to be a Writer-in- 4:00 p.m. and will feature true-life stories and Residence with the Toronto District School Board songs, as well as spoken word and music based on throughout the 2012-2013 school year. She enjoyed memoirs, family, and the ups and downs of life, and her May visit to Halifax, giving several school is for adults and teens age 14 and up. Refreshments, presentations about Off to Class: Incredible and sponsored by local merchants, will be available Unusual Schools Around the World (Owl Books) and during the break. Heather is thrilled to have a attending the Hackmatack Awards, for which her partnership with the Abilities Centre, which is a non-fiction book was nominated. Susan is pleased charitable organization that delivers enriching to announce the upcoming October publication of sports, arts, music, and life-skills opportunities for Bailey’s Visit and Riley Knows Best, the first two all ages and abilities. She has been a member since books in her new series for 7-to-9-year-olds, “The its opening in 2012 and loves that it is accessible to Puppy Collection” (Scholastic Canada). Kat is persons of all abilities. Heather hopes to build a thrilled when Aunt Jen opens a dog-grooming salon stronger community in Whitby of storytellers telling in town, Tails Up. She’s even more excited when their true-life tales during Story Lounge gatherings Aunt Jen invites her and her best friend Maya to for older youth and adults. Heather lives in Whitby. help care for the puppies which come to board with her. Each puppy leads the girls into a new KARI-LYNN WINTERS’ book Gift Days (Fitzhenry & adventure. Susan is also pleased to announce the Whiteside), a picture book about one Ugandan girl’s October publication of her chapter book The Four struggles to go to school and get an education, has Seasons of Patrick (Red Deer Press). When winter been nominated for the Rainforest of Reading begins, Patrick, 9, is unhappy at how often his Award. The winner of this award will be father’s friend, Linda, and her daughter, Claire, 7, acknowledged at the Rainforest of Reading festivals seem to be showing up for dinner. By the time in Grenada on October 22 and in St. Lucia on spring arrives, Patrick’s father is planning to marry October 25. More information about this award can Linda. She and Claire will be moving in with be found on the Ontario Library Association Patrick, his father, and his older brother at the website. Kari-Lynn lives in St. Catharines. summer’s end. Feeling crowded out of his own family, Patrick comes up with a big idea. He’ll build a tree house where he can stretch out his arms and breathe. But will that really solve all his problems?
15 CANSCAIP News old Alex from the twenty-first century) sets across war torn Scotland and on the way sets key historical events in motion. Death of a King is a companion book to Andrew’s first novel The Battle for Duncragglin (Tundra).
Elizabeth MacLeod
ELIZABETH MACLEOD appeared at Word on the Street in Toronto on September 22 promoting her book Bones Never Lie (Annick Press). Her audience found out about forensics, autopsies, DNA matching, CT scans — and the role Napoleon Bonaparte’s wallpaper played in his death …
RUTH OHI has written and illustrated two new books this fall: Kenta and the Big Wave (Annick
Press) and Fox & Squirrel (Scholastic Canada). Kenta Andrew Vanderwal “tells of a boy whose beloved soccer ball is washed away in the Japanese tsunami, and the surprising KATHLENE WILLING is pleased to announce that journey it takes before being returned to him” (Quill after four years of research, writing, and editing the & Quire). Fox & Squirrel is a celebration of the best contents of an on-line program, The Loyalist kind of friendship. Bartlett Family (theloyalistbartletts.com) is up and running and ready for educational use. The program KENNETH OPPEL’s latest novel, Such Wicked follows a decade, 1783−1794, of the Bartlett family Intent — the sequel to his Frankenstein prequel, who arrive in Niagara after the American This Dark Endeavour (both HarperCollins) — was Revolution. Users are charged with the task of released this fall in paperback. An original story, making decisions for the family to help them “The Klack Bros. Museum” is included in the latest become successful in their new life in Canada. The “Guys Read” anthology, Other Worlds (Walden creative team, including Kathlene who worked on Pond Press). Ken’s new book, The Boundless (Simon the glossary and student resources, consisted of & Schuster Books for Young Readers), will be CHRISTOPHER MOORE, noted historian; and artist published in April 2014. Ruth Tait. The program is being provided free for educational institutions by the developer, Joe ANDREW VANDERWAL’s new novel Death of a Koenig. King (Tundra Books) is a time travel historical/fantasy fiction set in medieval Scotland at FRIEDA WISHINSKY and ELIZABETH MACLEOD the time when the attempts of King Edward, the have just released A History of Just About Hammer of the Scots, to assert self-proclaimed Everything: 180 Events, People and Inventions That authority over Scotland were actively resisted by Changed the World (Kids Can Press). Book List has William Wallace and his supporters. In the search already said about the book, “Perhaps the most for his missing parents, the main character (13-year- intriguing additions to many entries are text boxes 16 CANSCAIP News that show each item’s long-lasting impact on GWEN MOLNAR and BARBARA HARTMANN are history” and “will find wide curricular appeal.” excited to announce their collaboration on the School Library Journal also praised the book, saying publication of their picture book, Hazel’s Rainbow “… this is a good place to start when introducing Ride (Dempster + Craig).The book follows the world history to young students … this volume is a adventure Hazel creates for herself and her pepper- superb introduction.” red cat with his pepper-yellow coat and his pepper- green hat. It’s an introduction to the concept of Man Sask Alberta exotic colours that extend beyond the primaries ... Welcome to new Friends: Kelsey Beier from or even the secondaries! In November and Edmonton; and Susan Kennedy of Calgary. December Barbara’s illustrations from the story will be shown at the McMullen Gallery in Edmonton. KAREN BASS’s fourth novel, Graffiti Knight (Pajama Gwen and Barbara both live in Edmonton. Press), has been published. Set in the post-WWII German city of Leipzig, the book tells the story of BC Yukon Nunavut NWT 16-year-old Wilm. Frustrated with the harsh Welcome to new Friend: Larissa Bosely from treatment of his family, he sets out to embarrass the Langley, BC; and Mary Griffin of Victoria. authorities using graffiti, but things take a dangerous turn. Go to www.karenbass.ca to learn more about the story and read the first chapter. Karen lives in Hythe, AB.
CHARMAINE HAMMOND has received the 2013 Outstanding Alumni award from Renison College University. Toby The Pet Therapy Dog Says Be a Buddy Not a Bully is her latest children’s book, released in June 2013, in both English and Spanish. The book just received Gold in the Reader’s Favorite Awards and was a finalist in the Canadian Author Association Alberta Exporting Awards. Her book
Toby the Pet Therapy Dog and His Hospital Friends (both e-books) was translated to Spanish in April Claire Eamer and lian goodall 2013, and is also available in video format on StoryCub. Charmaine lives in Plamondon, AB. LIAN GOODALL and CLAIRE EAMER, who call themselves the CANSCAIP contingent of DEBORAH FANNIE MILLER is thrilled to announce Whitehorse, Yukon, lunched together in June to Juggling the Jitters is now available and Grappling celebrate Claire’s new book Before the World was with the Grumblies (both Frontenac House) is now Ready: Stories of Daring Genius in Science (Annick available in paperback! These “Dealing with Press). Claire will soon be moving to British Feelings” picture books deal with difficult emotions Columbia, and lian is working on two books about in comic and comforting ways. They provide tools northern girls and women. Lian lives in Whitehorse. to stop anger and anxiety from escalating out of control and are written for children in kindergarten SHELLEY HRDLITSCHKA launched her new YA through grade 3 to be enjoyed with parents, title, Allegra (Orca Books Publishers), in May at teachers, and other caregivers. The plot of each Steamworks Brew Pub in the heart of Vancouver’s book involves a parent and a mischievous “monster” Gastown. Allegra hopes that being at a performing- (an external projection of the child character’s arts high school will change her life and make her a emotions) who happily hinders and then helps the better dancer. But high school is still high school, child, with their anger in Grappling with the complete with cliques, competition and cruelty. Grumblies and their anxiety in Juggling the Jitters. And home isn’t much better. Forced to take a class Deborah lives in Calgary. in music theory, Allegra takes refuge in writing 17 CANSCAIP News music with her young teacher who nurtures and Magazine for Family Reading. The publisher added a appreciates her talent. But when her feelings for special Kid’s Korner just for Max’s writing. At him become more intense and he seems to http://youtu.be/255pK4S2imE you can view an reciprocate, Allegra sets in motion a chain of events animation of the poem. Max, a.k.a. Robert that could destroy everything and everyone she Stelmach, lives in White Rock, BC. loves. Allegra has been nominated for YALSA’s (Young Adult Library Services Association) Best IRENE N. WATTS has two new publications for YA Fiction for Young Adults 2014 list. Shelley lives in and middle readers in September. In Touched by North Vancouver. Fire (Tundra Books), three generations of immigrants struggle to make a new life in America. AINSLIE MANSON’s book Roll On: Rick Hansen The pogrom they escape, the Triangle Shirt Waist Wheels Around the World, came out last fall at an Fire where 146 young immigrant workers lose their awkward moment, just as Greystone Books and lives, and the book burning in Nazi Germany all parent company Douglas &McIntyre announced take their toll. However the “Golden Land” finally bankruptcy. But the good news is Greystone Books brings them the promise they hoped for. Escape Ltd. has now aligned with Heritage Publishing from Berlin (Tundra) is an Omnibus Edition of the Group and in September Ainslie’s book will be Trilogy of the “Marianne Stories” to mark the 75th reborn in a paperback edition ... and Roll On WILL anniversary of the Kindertransport. Irene lives in roll on! A Japanese translation of Roll On came out Vancouver. this past summer. Ainslie lives on Bowen Island, BC. ERIC WILSON’s latest Kindle edition is Santa MICHELLE MULDER is flabbergasted and ecstatic Bieber, set in Vancouver on Christmas Eve. The that her first non-fiction book, Pedal It! How kindness of superstar Justin Bieber helps a young Bicycles Are Changing the World went into reprint boy find peace by forgiving his parents for wrongs within its first three months on the shelves. The both real and imagined. The story also contains book is part of the new Footprints series, and ideas on achieving peace between nations. Eric lives Michelle’s second entry in the series, Brilliant! in Victoria. Shining a Light on Sustainable Energy, (both Orca Books) will hit the shelves on October 1. Michelle PAM WITHERS has a new book out, but not a YA lives in Victoria. adventure novel this time. It’s on boys and literacy and is aimed at parents. With her sister (an CAROL ANNE SHAW’s second book in the educator and therapist), Pam has co-authored HANNAH trilogy, Hannah & the Salish Sea Jump-Starting Boys Help Your Reluctant Learner (Ronsdale Press), was released in February 2013. Find Success in School and Life (Viva Editions). Pam This sequel tells the story of Hannah, who along lives in Vancouver. with her friends, work together to expose an illegal poaching ring operating in the seaside village of International Cowichan Bay. Carol Anne is currently finishing Welcome to new Friends: Rolla Donaghy from book three of the series, titled, Hannah & the Wild Rochester, New York; and Diahann Green, of St. Woods. This time, the setting is the wild west coast Catherine, Jamaica. of Vancouver Island, and we find Hannah and company part of a tsunami clean-up crew, working GORDON KORMAN will be releasing the sixth in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. When a installment of the “Swindle” series, Jackpot discovery is made on the beach, the woods (Scholastic), this fall. He’s also writing Unstoppable, surrounding the area become alive with secrets! the fourth and final book in “The 39 Clues” series Carol Anne lives in Cobble Hill, BC. (Scholastic). Gordon lives in Great Neck, NY.
MAX TELL was delighted to have his poem “The EDITOR’S NOTE: Members can be emailed directly Knight, the Dragon, and the Librarian” published in through their profile page on the CANSCAIP website. the Summer 2013 issue of Westward Quarterly, The
18 CANSCAIP News They are accepting submissions in the following To Market, To Market categories: Picture Books; Beginning Readers (5 and up); MG Readers (7 and up); Upper MG Readers (12 and up); YA Fiction (14 and up); YA Fantasy or Sci-Fi (14 and up); by Beth Pollock How-To books; and Educational Subjects. Full Please Note: CANSCAIP does NOT screen publishers. submission details on each of these categories can be Information here is provided by the publishers themselves. found on the website above. It is the responsibility of the writer or illustrator to research a publisher’s business reputation BEFORE signing Illustration submissions: Brighter Books is looking for a contract. Reputable publishers do NOT charge for new artists for their talent pool. For full information on reading, editing or publishing manuscripts. submissions, please refer to guidelines on the website above. Jo Breakwater Books Templar Publishing Deepdene Lodge, Deepdene Avenue * Dorking, Surrey, RH5 4AT United Kingdom http://www.templarco.co.uk/contact.html Candlewick Press Manuscript submissions: For fiction submissions, 99 Dover Street please send a hard copy of the synopsis and the first three Somerville, MA, USA 02144 chapters to the Commissioning Editor for Fiction at the http://www.candlewick.com/about_faq.html#Anchor- above address. For picture book and novelty book Submissions-47383 submissions, please send the whole manuscript to the Illustration submissions: Please send samples (no Submissions Team at the above address. Email original artwork) to the Art Resource Coordinator at the submissions will not be accepted. address above. Include a brief cover letter and a resume Illustration submissions: Please send electronic detailing relevant professional and publishing samples of your work to [email protected]. experience. If you work in more than one medium or Compile your samples into one PDF file. Email style, or specialize in a particular subject matter, please submissions are preferable, but if you must send a hard include a representative assortment of samples. Include copy, please label it as ‘Artwork Submission’ and send to your name, address and telephone number on every the Submissions Team at the above address. sample. Also, please include the date the work was created and the medium used. If you prefer, you may * send an electronic file of your artwork in JPEG or PDF Luminis Books form to [email protected], where it 1950 E. Greyhound Pass #18 will be forwarded to the Art department. PMB 280, Carmel, IN, USA 46033 * http://www.luminisbooks.com/submissions.html Dancing Cat Books Manuscript submissions: Luminis Books publishes 390 Steelcase Road East young adult and middle grade fiction that explores the Markham, ON, L3R 1G2 intricacies of human relationships. They will also http://www.dancingcatbooks.com/submissions.sht consider mysteries, historical fiction and science fiction ml that have a depth of meaning. Only online submissions will be accepted. The body of your email should include Manuscript submissions: Dancing Cat Books is a 1-page synopsis of your manuscript, along with a 10- currently accepting submissions for young adult and page sample, and should be sent to middle grade fiction. Electronic submissions should be [email protected]. Emails with attachments will sent to [email protected]. (Send be deleted. submissions in Word, RTF or EPUB formats only. No PDF files, please.) Alternatively, you may send a physical * submission to Barry Jowett at the above address. For all Brighter Books Publishing House submissions, please include: a complete manuscript in 12 4825 Fairbrook Crescent point Times New Roman, double-spaced; an author CV; Nanaimo, BC V9T 6M6 and a brief synopsis of the work (no more than 200 https://brighterbooks.submittable.com/submit words). Manuscript submissions: Brighter Books focuses on Illustration submissions: Dancing Cat is looking for children’s books (from picture books to young adults). art portfolios (three to six colour or black-and-white 19 CANSCAIP News digital proofs) from artists who include a full biography 1b.VIRTUAL Packaging Your Imagination Can’t and website address or online portfolio. Please do not make it in person? Attend Welcome and email or fax art samples, and do not send original art. Keynote, plus three workshops of your choice They will accept colour postcards, tear sheets or slides in Saturday, November 16th STREAMED ONLINE. Fee clear protective sheets. $125. Keynote Speaker: Linda Bailey, Welcome * Address: Aubrey Davis. For complete list of Dawn Publications speakers and to register see 12402 Bitney Springs Road www.canscaip.org/EventsCalendar Nevada City, CA USA 95959 http://www.dawnpub.com/submission-guidelines/ 1c. PYI Get Published Bootcamp, our inaugural Manuscript submissions: Dawn publishes nature follow-up day for unpublished writers and those awareness books for children. Email submissions should th be sent to [email protected]. The subject line with a MS ready to go. Sunday, November 17 of your email should read Manuscript Submission, Humber College, Lakeshore Campus, Building followed by the title of your work and your name. The L, 21 Colonel Samuel Smith Drive, Toronto manuscript may be included in the body of the email or (please note this workshop is not available for attached as a Word or PDF document. Alternatively, you online streaming). Fee $150. Workshop Leaders: may submit by mail to Glenn Hovemann at the above Cynthia Good and Vikki VanSickle. For details address. Both emailed and mailed submissions should and to register see include a cover letter about yourself, your vision for this www.canscaip.org/EventsCalendar submission, and any other publications. For a full list of what they are not interested in publishing, please see their website. CANSCAIP acknowledges the generous support Illustration submissions: Mailed submissions are of the City of Toronto though the Toronto Arts preferable, and may be sent to Muffy Weaver at the Council and conference partner Humber above address. But if you do submit by email, the subject College School of Creative and Performing Arts line should read “Illustrations by (your name)” and for PYI 2013. should be sent to [email protected]. You may send the URL of your website; if you don’t have a website, send up to two digital illustration samples. In either case, please include a cover letter about yourself, your style, and other books you have illustrated.
Business Briefs
CONFERENCES: Please note that 1a, 1b and 1c have separate registration pages under Events Calendar. Visiting Creators: 1a. Packaging Your Imagination, our 29th year of Librarians and teachers interested in having workshops takes place on Saturday, November author, illustrator and performer visits can th 16 Humber College, Lakeshore Campus, check members' pages and email them directly Building L, 21 Colonel Samuel Smith Drive, through their form at Toronto (please note new location). Fee $175. Pitch www.canscaip.org/Members Perfect, $55. Illustration Exhibition, $20.Keynote Speaker: Linda Bailey, Welcome Address: Aubrey Davis. For complete list of speakers and to register see www.canscaip.org/EventsCalendar 20 CANSCAIP News Goodminds.com’s second specialty is the school Meet the Professionals library market. Marlene Turkington, a former by Marsha Skrypuch teacher-librarian from London Ontario, is their curriculum consultant and that part of the EDITOR'S NOTE: This is the fifth in a series of interviews warehouse is massive as well. that Marsha will be doing with professionals in the field of children's literature. Our aim is to give you an inside look Jeff took the time to sit down with me and answer a at the industry. few questions.
Can you tell me about GoodMinds.com? Book Wholesaler Jeff Burnham, GoodMinds.com is an Aboriginal, family- owned book wholesaler, based on the Six Nations of the My hometown of Brantford Ontario is rich in Six Grand River Reserve, at Brantford, Ontario, Canada. Nations culture and history. I love to go on long The business now stocks more than 6,000 titles bike rides and one of my favourite routes takes me including school library books and a strong behind the Mohawk Chapel and past the Woodland Aboriginal collection. Although GoodMinds.com Cultural Centre. Right beside the Woodland technically opened its “doors” in April 2000 to Cultural Centre on Mohawk Street and tucked into distribute Aboriginal educational resources, the an industrial mall is Goodminds.com. I had passed roots of the business extend to a combination of it many times and took note of it, meaning to drop events in 1987 and 1995. Today, GoodMinds.com is in. Last June, I did. operated by Linda and Jeff Burnham and 10 staff to date, including Sheila Staats, Marlene Turkington, Rosemary Lunau, Josiahs Cook, Sandy Nagy and others. What is your role in GoodMinds.com? As President, I focus on long term planning. Up until recently, we focused on Aboriginal books, but we identified a need for non-Native high-quality children and youth books for the school library market, so we've expanded to include that as well. With that change, we've been making it easier for schools to purchase from us. We implemented automated shopping carts at book fairs, in our office and our website. The staff of Goodminds.com. Jeff Burnham is second from right. We have also been working with publishers directly with some projects – assisting in the production of Jeff Burnham is the president and he operates books where we have the expertise and we see a Goodminds.com with his wife Linda and their staff. need. Implementation of the new SALT program is He took me on a tour. The warehouse is huge. Jeff something I am passionate about. showed me through the section where Aboriginal materials are organized – shelves upon shelves of What is SALT? curriculum texts, language instruction books, SALT stands for Supporting Aboriginal Libraries fiction and non-fiction for the school market, but Today. It is a fund started in 2013 by also for academic and general reading. This is the GoodMinds.com, initially to raise money for the Six largest and broadest selection of Aboriginal books Nations Public Library, for their $15 million dollar in North America. new building and archives. We almost immediately realized that a huge need for a library existed in
21 CANSCAIP News hundreds of Aboriginal communities across Canada. events. There really is not a “typical” day. It can More than 90% of Aboriginal communities do not range from packing 100 bins of books for a major have any public library at all. display, to setting up at a show, to selling, then packing up again and returning to the office to put GoodMinds.com is donating 10%, of Canadian the books back on the shelf, only to repeat the public library sales to the SALT fund and will do the process the next day. same for all other sales upon request. For complete details please see the SALT information on the web What kind of writing are you passionate about? site at www.goodminds.com. I recently enjoyed reading The Inconvenient Indian Wow. I had no idea that most First Nations by Thomas King. communities do not have public libraries. Is there something you wish people would ask SALT is a literacy issue and an education need. you, but they never do? Currently no funding exists in First Nations I would love to be invited to speak about the need communities to start a public library. What scarce for public libraries in Aboriginal communities. dollars there are has to compete with obvious needs such as housing, water and sanitation, roads, and Peer into your crystal ball and tell me what you education. Given that competition, it is easy to see in the future for children’s publishing. understand why most First Nations communities do GoodMinds.com sells books that for the most part not have a public library. are written and published by others. We are SALT is ultimately a campaign to get the Federal dependent on writers who put their heart and soul Government to recognize the need for public into the books they write. libraries in Aboriginal communities, and to provide As for the future, I hope there will continue to be funding for public libraries, so that literacy can growth in children's multicultural books and in improve in Aboriginal communities. At particular Aboriginal books. I hope that the general GoodMinds.com we see this as an important social public will read more multicultural titles. That justice concern. With everyone's help we can make would be the best way that I know for everyone to a difference! become more informed about our global village. Can you tell me about your book selection Let me close by using Aboriginal books as an process at Goodminds.com? example. A book about residential schools is written Books are selected by our two professional selectors. more for the non-Aboriginal reader than for the Sheila Staats selects all Aboriginal Books from Aboriginal reader. Most Native people already know Grades K-12, and also for our College, University about Residential Schools, but non-Native readers and Adult collections. Marlene Turkington selects can learn about the issue by reading such a book. all other books for the library collection, which also They may not already know that the real intention includes Early Education, Graphic Novels from of Residential Schools was to get rid of the “Indian Grades K-8 and YA books. Marlene is a former head Problem”. We know now that the Residential School librarian for a large school board in Ontario.Both policies didn't quite accomplish their goal. In some have had years of experience and are knowledgeable cases they did more damage by creating a whole about choosing books that support curriculum new set of problems that we are still living with needs. today. By reading a book on that topic, a non-Native reader can gain empathy. Can you describe your typical day? Marsha Skrypuch is the author of sixteen books for My day ranges from administrative accounting children and young adults, most recently One Step At A functions and consultations with staff in the office, Time: A Vietnamese Child Finds Her Way (Pajama Press) to very interesting meetings with authors and and Making Bombs For Hitler (Scholastic). She had two customers at book fairs, conferences and other Forest of Reading 2013 nominations: Silver Birch fiction for Making Bombs, and Red Maple non-fiction for Last Airlift. 22 CANSCAIP News Personally speaking, I like to have a very I’m a Children’s Book comfortable space waiting for me each time I sit down to work. I like my things in a disorganized Illustrator: Part Two order and everything within reaching distance. I hate getting out of my chair to find things so it’s By Dianna Bonder imperative that everything be close at hand. The other thing I am very picky about it room
Dianna was CANSCAIP’s Creator-in- temperature; this is something that can make or break a work session for me so I am constantly Residence for Illustration from January to striving to find the perfect temperature for me to May 2013. create. Once I have established a comfortable work One of the greatest parts of my job is that I actually area, I usually begin by creating small thumbnail get paid to make a mess! Being an illustrator affords sketches. I have volumes of reference material and me the time to play with art supplies of every kind between my stacks of books and the internet (I love and the opportunity to get dirty and make a disaster Google Images!) and my fertile imagination, I am of my work-space on a daily basis. I can’t even able to develop my characters fairly quickly. From imagine holding down a job that required me to there I will further develop my roughs and just keep clean up after myself and to maintain a clean work- re-working the composition until I feel I have it just station! right. I use oodles of tracing paper to work and rework each scene and once I feel I have perfected each spread, I can then submit them to my publisher. Once my roughs are approved by the publisher, I can begin working on my final illustrations. I tend to work in watercolours and coloured pencil for the most part (sometimes acrylics) and like to use 300lb hot press watercolour paper (my current favourite is Lana Aquarelle paper) I have found this paper provides me the smoothest surface possible and handles the water medium beautifully. I then transfer my drawings to the paper using various So this brings me to my point. How do other techniques and work out any final details that illustrator’s create and what do they use to create? require adjusting. After each drawing is completed, Do they sit down and rationally apply pencil to I work in watercolours (my favourite is Holbein) paper? Or are they still cleaning last week’s paint and coloured pencils (anything goes) and will also out of their hair and if so, do they care? Some days, use acrylics for some final details and finishing as I sit down at my drawing table, I ponder whether touches. Once the final illustrations are complete I my work-station is set up efficiently. Am I making will seal them with a matt finishing spray and ship good use of my space? Should my pencils be them off to my publisher and pray they don’t get organized by lead type or height? Have I chosen the lost along the way! right paper for my project? Does my collection of But that’s just me; the question that I wanted to clay bits deserve a box of their own or is the floor have answered is how do OTHER illustrators work? sufficient? I can sometimes waste precious minutes I had the opportunity to throw some questions out just thinking about my working habits vs. the to six successful children’s illustrators and it was working habits of others. So as I prepared to write interesting to read how each artist approached their my article this month, I realized this might be a work and their space. Here are what several of my perfect topic for discussion.
23 CANSCAIP News fellow illustrators had to say about their creative out or photocopy to the final size (usually about 10- process and some of the tricks of their trade. 20% larger than the final book size). With the properly sized print outs I use a light table to BEN HODSON transfer my drawings to the watercolour paper. I then tape the paper down to Masonite boards and prime them. After the board dries, I paint the entire page using a heavy wash of sienna brown. I find this gives body to the colours and helps unify everything. www.benhodson.ca
MARY JANE MUIR
I digitally paint in Photoshop using a Wacom tablet. Right now I'm using a lap top with a pretty small screen. The beauty of working digitally is that it's pretty easy to change something; like colours or to resize. But most importantly, there are no more stressful trips to the courier to ship a huge pack of paintings that I pray, pray, pray will arrive safely to the publisher. I love the instant gratification of emailing my work. Originally I started out working with pen and ink and pencil crayons, which was fine I am very fond of ink line drawing and coloured for magazine or text book illustrations, but was far pencil, pastels and also watercolour. I have also too labour intensive for picture books. Holy carpel been exploring areas of digital illustration. I’m not tunnel, batman! After that I worked with acrylic sure if my techniques are unique but I find the paints and I really liked how they reproduced in creation of vector images to be most satisfying. One print. I usually paint on 140 lb. cold press reason being the brilliant colour on a screen and a watercolour paper. (I lean towards paper with a bit second reason being the clean images that can of tooth to it because I like a bit of texture in my easily be enlarged or reduced without losing clarity. work.) I don't buy the expensive stuff because I'm I like being able to add pattern and tiny details to a covering it in layers of acrylic paint. And I like paper piece when I take a vector design into Painter where that's heavy enough not to buckle once I layer on details can be added to clothing and faces. I try to the paint but flexible enough to easily wrap around keep up with technology and I love it. Tools I use a drum scanner when it's being scanned by the are paper, pencils, pens, sketchbook, watercolour publisher. When I first get a manuscript I start out papers, watercolours, scanner, digital software by making tiny, loose thumbnail sketches of ideas as including CorelDraw, Corel Photo Paint X5, and I read it, usually in the margins of the manuscript. Corel Painter. Oh yes, I should mention my Wacom It's amazing how often those first little drawings Bamboo Fun tablet. And I dabble with animation make it into finished paintings. I like my first with Animationish and Flip Boom Doodle for fun. I reaction to a story before I start to over think it. usually begin sketching out ideas in my daily Then I use tracing paper to refine the thumbnails a journal or my sketchbook. Sometimes I need to do bit and then I scan the drawings into my computer, research for the details of an activity or a setting or blow them up, maybe alter them a bit for lay-out clothing and fashion styles which would fit the time and then print them out at a larger size. I rework and setting of my characters. I take my pencil the drawings using tracing paper and then I print 24 CANSCAIP News sketches to my scanner, scan them into Corel Draw RICHARD RUDNICKI and from there they are developed into line and vector files. I delete my lines, clean up my images and then take them into Painter. http://maryjanemuir.blogspot.ca
SUSAN TOOKE
I have two styles, or techniques, that I use when illustrating picture books. The books about critters for younger children (Gracie the Public Garden’s Duck, I Spy a Bunny, Gus the Tortoise Goes for a I am not sure how unique it is, but I am currently Walk) are illustrated with quick, loose pen and ink working with a collage technique developed from an line work, and coloured with ink washes. I love pen interdisciplinary collaborative project developed and ink illustration, and as a child was fascinated by over several years. Drawing the various elements of the drawings of illustrators like N. C. Wyeth, Arthur a given illustration, I photograph them digitally Rackham, Earnest Shepard, John Tenniel, and Bill using a copy stand stacked with multiple layers of Peet. The books about true stories from history glass. Importing found objects and my photos of (Viola Desmond Won’t be Budged, A Christmas the drawings into my computer, I further affect Dollhouse, Making Contact! Marconi Goes Wireless, them through changes in layer, size, colour, etc. and Tecumseh) are fully resolved acrylic paintings. I While my the illustrations for my first 9 books were paint realistically but simplify and stylize in a style all painted with acrylic on water colour paper, the uniquely my own in terms of content, composition, complete images for Lasso the Wind exist solely in colour, authenticity and attention to detail. My digital form. At the same time, these illustrations illustrations benefit enormously from the work I do are combinations of cut-outs painted or coloured as a visual artist: plein air and studio landscapes, with various materials, and digital inventions portraiture and figure work. I use pen and ink created by drawing within the digital environment. drawings for books aimed at younger children. They After reading one of George’s poems, I put the are looser and I can exaggerate gestures and poetry aside and imagine a visual story. Through expressions. I use steel drawing nibs, with Windsor a series of simple line drawings, I decide on the & Newton inks. For my painted illustrations, each main imagery, which I share with my editor/artistic image is carefully researched to accurately depict director. Once this is approved, I am free to the material culture of the life and times of the develop the final imagery. Usually, there is a mid- subject. Models are employed for the main point confirmation of the design. characters. I paint from reference materials, actual items, and my imagination. To achieve the bright, www.susantooke.com clean colours I favour I paint with a double primary palette of Golden full-bodied acrylic. All my illustrations are done on stretched 300 lb. hot press
watercolour paper. I start my books with preliminary research into the subject, and a visual exploration in my sketchbooks. A set of thumbnails
25 CANSCAIP News is generated, with enough detail to show how I KRISTI BRIDGEMAN intend to illustrate the story. I then narrow my research to focus on the elements of each page. There’s a huge amount of work here, and when it’s done I create detailed linears, drawings showing in line exactly what the final rendering will look like. I complete the paintings and finally go back over them for a continuity and colour balance check. www.richardrudniki.com
ELIZABETH SHEFRIN
I use a combination of quill pen, sepia ink and watercolour. I discovered the sepia ink /watercolour combination while looking for a green friendly medium, (quill pen and ink, as opposed to disposable markers) so when I discovered the ink and how it reacted with watercolour, I felt that I had 'found my medium'. I love the warm brown parchment paper kind of look; it reminded me of antique oriental painting, or the work of Victoria children’s book illustrators like Arthur Rackham. I
like how the glowing lines, the bleeding of ink and My illustrations are done in a cut and paste water, creates a misty west coast feeling. A technique. Sometimes if I want to be a bit fancier I concoction of sepia calligraphy ink and permanent call it “cut paper collage.” I cut out bits of paper in brown ink, with quill pen, on watercolour paper. I the shapes I want, occasionally draw on them with a also use watercolour with salt, wax resist, and fine black marker, and glue them down. Sometimes sometimes metallic inks. I begin by imagining the I draw them first, but I don't usually use the book as a whole as though it were laid out like a drawing as a pattern, I just draw it enough times long comic strip. I imagine the flow of it as a whole - that it's in my hands, and then cut. Occasionally I'll including covers. I work very small and rough to make a paper pattern first, but that's not so usual. start- as small as 2" x 2" - offering a few variations The materials I favour are scissors, glue and fine for each page for the first series of spreads. This marking pens, usually black. All the beautiful paper dummy could be reworked several times, or often I can collect. I use origami paper, Italian paper, only requires one more draft at a 6" size- to work handmade paper, and old calendars, whatever I can out compositional things (like where the text will be collect. Sometimes I photocopy fabric and use that. placed) before I begin the large sketch. For the large I use Google image for reference a lot. In the sketch I work directly onto my substrate, I work beginning stages I don't really do roughs, I just do it lightly with pencil, so the client/designer can make and if it doesn't work I do it again. I start with the smaller adjustments to details. I discuss colours and central figure, or object in the illustration and once any further ideas about the cover and mood that the I've got that down I find or create a background for designer might be working on. Then outline in ink, it. I've been a fabric artist my whole adult life, so and fill in with watercolour. sometimes if I can't get the illustration going in cut paper I'll do it in fabric first. www.kristibridgeman.com www.stitchingforsocialchange.ca 26 CANSCAIP News So that’s how the other half lives. It turns out we all The performance of a play involves the hopefully like to make a bit of a mess and we all organize our successful interaction of the director with her spaces differently. It’s actually surprising to me, how community of actors, stage crew and audience many different ways there are to approach our craft members. In working with the volunteers who make and yet we all effectively create such beautiful CANSCAIP what it is as well as meeting with pieces of art! CANSCAIP members in person and online, I’ve Born in Kamloops B.C., DIANNA BONDER cannot found inspiration for new CANSCAIP programs, recall a time when she wasn’t drawing or writing events and online connections. I’ve also been lucky stories. As a child, Dianna insisted she wanted to be a enough to improve my understanding of our ballerina, a cruise director or an artist. Because of industry and my craft through attending CANSCAIP her large feet and lack of fashion sense, she wisely meetings and conferences. chose the latter. Inspired by the world around her, Dianna has illustrated and written her way into the Listen to the Players hearts of many. With over twelve books to her credit Although the director inspires the vision of the play, and several more in the works, she shows no signs of slowing down. Now living on lovely Gabriola Island she is also inspired by her community in return. I’ve with her two daughters, two cats, two dogs and a always known that the CANSCAIP community is rabbit; Dianna insists she is living the life! Days at rich with creative individuals who have an exciting the beach, drawing pictures and writing crazy stories range of skills and experiences. As president, I’ve while playing dress up with her girls….it doesn’t get learned to listen to those around me – to let the any better than that! Visit her at hum and chatter within our community fuel my www.diannabonder.com ideas. I think of my brain as a colander, filtering the ideas and opinions I gather from our community in CANSCAIP is pleased to acknowledge the support of order to visualize what moves to make next in order BMO Financial Group for a portion of the CIR to improve and grow CANSCAIP. program. Form a Creative Vision Whether I’m thinking as a director or CANSCAIP president, I think of creativity as problem solving. It’s impossible to know what situations or opportunities I may face in the future, but as each problem arrives, I can continue to try new ideas and/or combine existing ideas in innovative ways until I find a solution that works. Creative living Lines from the President's Desk: means trusting that I’ll be able to find a solution to Exit Stage Left my current problem, no matter how challenging. Nurture the Growth of Others By Karen Krossing Unlike my director in Cut the Lights, I’m a natural
mentor, seeking opportunities to help others foster As I put the finishing touches on my upcoming their own creativity. In my time volunteering for young-adult novel and contemplate my final CANSCAIP, I’ve helped to provide mentoring months as CANSCAIP president, I can’t help but opportunities through workshops on craft at make connections between the two. My novel, titled Packaging Your Imagination, experienced speakers Cut the Lights, features a student director of a play – at monthly meetings, casual networking a position that has remarkable similarities to my conversations by email or after events, and so on. role as president. I’ve also enjoyed celebrating the successes of our Find Inspiration Through Connection members – performances, published books, awards, recognitions. It’s important to acknowledge how 27 !"#$!"%&'#()*! ?#C?!:)>B)!1@#6/)(8!)B)%!#=!/))%!$! A@)$=.*)!2'!/)!$/@)!2'!/*#%C!A)'A@)!2'C)2?)*!2?*'.C?! :'*4=?'A=8!B'@.%2))*#%C!'AA'*2.%#2#)=!$%(! 6)%2'*=?#A!A*'C*$6=!2?$2!$@@!<))(!1*)$2#B#2;!$%(! A)*='%$@!C*':2?!$=!:)@@!$=!<'=2)*#%C!1'66.%#2;D! 5'*!6)8!#2>=!/))%!#6A'*2$%2!2'!@)$B)!6;!='@#2$*;! :*#2)*>=!()=4!2'!%'.*#=?!6;!A)*='%$@!$%(! A*'<)==#'%$@!1*)$2#B#2;!2?*'.C?!B'@.%2))*#%CD! J$4#%C!1'%%)12#'%=!:#2?!'2?)*!`3U-`39j! B'@.%2))*=8!:#2?!2?)!6)6/)*=?#A!$2!@$*C)!$%(!:#2?! #%(.=2*;!1'%2$12=!?$=!2$.C?2!6)!?':!2'!)%*#1?!2?)! `3U-`39j!1'66.%#2;!$=!:)@@!$=!6;=)@ ! ['J+1?B@3?B ! +1' CANSCAIP News listener or a more compassionate counsellor (a word Remembering Claire she often suggested people look up.) Claire achieved many things with her life but By Barbara Greenwood surely her gift of CANSCAIP to Canadian creators is unique. In a sporadic CANSCAIP Diary, which appeared in the NEWS, Claire wrote in June of 1980 what she and, she hoped, all of us wanted CANSCAIP to be: “Always—open-hearted, generous, rejoicing in others’ successes, a comfort in trouble and grief, steadfastly encouraging beginners (and veterans!) and never forgetting those who brought us together—the children.” In our early years, Claire was our guiding light, a steady beacon keeping us on course. Without Claire (and her mother) Canada would have been without an element that made the growth of children’s literature in the past three decades a warm and collegial affair rather than a remote and impersonal Claire Mackay business. We owe it to Claire to continue to nurture her vision. Claire Mackay, 1930- 2013 * * * Claire was a friend and mentor to many, many Canadian writers, but for those of us with long roots Tributes have poured into the CANSCAIP office in CANSCAIP she was, above all, our founder and from members whose lives she touched. Here are guiding light. excerpts from some of the many we received. True enough, the idea for an organization to nurture creators for children grew out of the “Group Janet Barkhouse of Eleven,” who met each other for the first time at I have attached a contribution on behalf of my Port Colborne’s Canada Day Conferences in 1976 mother, Joyce Barkhouse, whose long friendship and 1977, realized they had common interests and with Claire I would like to have remembered. This decided to form an association. And true enough, email arrived from Claire on 11/16/08, just after she’d Claude LaBrecque was our first president. been diagnosed. But it was Claire who summoned the tribe. “Dearest folks—How are you? Sorry for 5-day By sending out the first newsletter (typed on a silence, will try to make up for it. Mostly it's a manual typewriter by her mother Bernice Bacchus) matter of appointments and tests and waiting inviting all who were interested in writing, around. But it's slowly waning—I have only one test illustrating or performing for children to that first this week, plus 2 leg wrappings. I'm trying to meeting in the social room of a church at Yonge and arrange a meeting re my archives. Have e-mailed Heath in Toronto, she created the nucleus of the folks at Osborne; evidently they would like to have community that became, with her guidance and other stuff, too. I don't see much of value, but they drive, a national voice for the newly burgeoning do. I suppose the fact that I was the second Canadian children’s literature. Canadian children's writer to be published in What keeps coming up again and again in our Canada (in 1974). Jean was published in the 60s, memories of Claire? Laughter and words. You but with Doubleday in US. And Lyn Cook in the couldn`t be with Claire for long without laughing late 50s. Anyhow I'd like to get rid of the papers all and she loved words. She collected dictionaries and over my floors. I wonder if they want foreign read them for fun. And if you were having problems language editions....” with a word, she’d say “Look it up!” with an There she is, Claire Mackay, newly diagnosed expression that said “Why would I have to tell you with a grim disease, focusing on writing tasks and that!” But if you were having real problems— keeping her worried friends in the medical loop personal or compositional—no one was a better 29 CANSCAIP News without drama. She and my mother, Joyce serious, often earnest talk about being-a-writer— Barkhouse, connected initially through their work the challenges, the hurdles, the inspiration and so for TWUC and CANSCAIP because there were so on. Instead we got the funniest comedy routine of few other writers for children in Canada in the 70’s, the decade! The whole evening went right out of had corresponded faithfully for over thirty years control. They bantered and joked and kibbutzed when this email was sent to me—my mother hadn’t and teased each other in the friendliest possible yet joined the electronic age. Claire—valiant, loyal, way. They also told a hilarious string of anecdotes vital and real. about their many years of friendship. From the moment the audience walked in, we didn't stop Jean Little laughing. I'm still laughing at the memory. What Just a reminder—Claire was the one who came up impresses me most, looking back, is that they were with the name CANSCAIP. ad-libbing. They were making it up as they went I have so many memories that I could write a along. Brilliant, funny Claire! She was really special. substantial book about them. But one of my favourites happened on my birthday. I think it was Budge Wilson my 75th although I am not sure. She was standing One afternoon, many years ago, a stranger appeared next to me when she handed me a card to open. I at my door in Peterborough, fresh off the bus from was seated at the table and it was clear she could Toronto. She smiled warmly, introduced herself, hardly wait for me to get the message out. When I walked right in, and sat on the nearest armchair. read it, it said “Open this card and you will find a She was Claire Mackay. message from God.” I flipped it open and beheld, "You're a writer," she said. Well, yes, but a “See you soon.” It was a moment of high hilarity. I fledgling one—not having published a single book told her she was a bad person but I loved it, of before I was 56. And had she come all the way to course. Peterborough to say that? Sort of. She had come to We wrote together, travelled together, read urge me to join CANSCAIP. Thus I was handed books together and loved each other. The world is CANSCAIP and Claire Mackay on one platter. empty today. Claire became my close friend, and CANSCAIP my bulwark and comfort centre. Each would prop me up when I was low, and rejoice with me when good things happened. Both were always there when needed. Estelle Salata I'll never forget the first time that I met Claire at a workshop held at Mohawk College in Hamilton, Ontario. She had just written Mini-Bike Hero and it was her first appearance in front of an auditorium full of children. She was accompanied by Lyn Harrington, Madeline Freeman and Audrey McKim who had taken her under their wing to ease her into Claire and Jean Little signing their book Bats About the world of published authors. And a very large Baseball and comforting wing it was as it included three of the writers who, along with Claire, were part of the Linda Bailey nucleus at the birth of CANSCAIP. Claire was quiet Back in the 1990s, Claire and Jean Little once and nervous that day, but she rose to the challenge traveled out to the west coast together. They had quickly and captivated her audience with her co-written a book (Bats About Baseball), and one charm, wry humour and wit. night they did a presentation for a large crowd of fans at the Vancouver Children's Literature Roundtable. We were expecting the usual, mostly 30 CANSCAIP News Frieda Wishinsky humour. Does anyone remember her take on Peter Claire was an amazing speaker. She was funny, Rabbit? I'd love to see that piece again. Brilliant! smart with great pacing and timing! I learned more watching her speak than I would have from a whole Richard Scrimger pile of public speaking books. Claire Mackay sat on my couch drinking instant She was also a fine writing mentor. I approached coffee and reading a story about an ice cream truck her in 1987 when I first started writing and she was with a bell that went tinga linga. My first kids’ writer-in-residence at the Toronto library. Her story. My twins were having afternoon naps and comments were specific and her suggestions for the apartment smelled of diaper and dust and revision clear and positive. I walked away thinking, Claire’s roll-your-owns. "I can do this". I revised those stories and they were When she finished, she folded the pages neatly. eventually published. It meant so much to have “I hope you don’t want to get rich,” she said. someone believe in my work “Uhh,” I said. Claire was my mom’s best friend, a successful author. Mom had asked her to give me Barbara Reid advice. I felt like a kid showing his crayon drawing. In the 1900’s CANSCAIP members received reviews, “Children`s authors don’t make much money,” clipped with real scissors, with “from Claire Mackay” she said. She stubbed her smoke and got up. At the written in cursive. Some had a personal note. door she said, “The bell is good.” Sometimes it was rude. A fairy godmother in “What?” I asked. running shoes, Claire paid attention, applauded the “The rest of the story needs work, but the bell is good, but didn’t take any crap. She made me want funny.” to do my best. It was a shock to realize I wasn’t her And she was gone. Two months later she asked only child. Claire had enough love for us all, so I me to be in her anthology. got over it. Some classic Claire—after an award: “Nice going kiddo”, followed by the quote “Celebrity Karen Krossing is the mask that eats your face.” My first encounter with Claire Mackay was when I was in my first year as an editor at an educational Linda Granfield publishing house. I’d just been transferred to work In 1988, the year I attended my first CANSCAIP on a language arts program, and I was thrilled. I meeting, authors still got actual newspaper received a non-fiction piece written by Claire that clippings of articles and book reviews; my first had been edited by the previous editor. Claire noted clipping was from Claire, not my publisher. And that two errors had been introduced during the that's how our friendship began—with that snippet editing process and left me to find them. It amused and a congratulatory note. Lots of us benefitted me and inspired me to excellence. from "Claire's Clipping Service". I've kept many of Although I wasn’t personally mentored by Claire the pieces of mail I received from Claire over the in terms of my writing, people who were mentored years. From 2002: “I feel pretty good for a 72-year- by her have mentored me. And in return, I mentor old, within whom resides an energetic 35-year-old, a others in the CANSCAIP community. This is Claire’s libidinous 20-year-old, a pathologically shy twelve- legacy. CANSCAIP has been built on the philosophy year-old, and a six-year-old in Grade One who just of supporting other creators, thanks, in part, to wet her pants. I am an entire family, all by myself!” Claire. Tim Wynne-Jones Pat Hancock Weeks after my first children's book came out, I Claire had a way about her. She could make received a warm and lovely letter from a stranger tentative writers—like me thirty-five years ago—feel welcoming me to the world of Canadian children's right at home at a meeting of esteemed children’s authors. Claire didn't remain a stranger for long. authors and illustrators, and she could craftily And the welcoming was the start of a friendship seduce you into wanting to work as hard as she did that meant a great deal to me. And behind that for her beloved CANSCAIP. And as one of its early warmth and generosity of spirit was a killer sense of 31 CANSCAIP News members I was especially fortunate because she the monthly meetings with Claire and Jean Little in became my mentor. the front row. Their ad hoc comments were always A wordsmith par excellence, Claire kept me on funny, smart, and spot-on. my toes. And her enthusiasm for research was contagious. When I first learned this, I no longer felt alone. We used to have such fun sharing bizarre historical facts we had unearthed. Through friendship and example, she taught me to believe in myself as a writer. Charis Wahl The day Claire walked through the door, my life changed. Here was a talented, businesslike writer, coming to me (down the hill and around the corner) asking me to edit a book. Me? Amazing! Did this woman need editing? Not that I could see, but hey. Well, the book got written, and, yes, it got edited Claire with one of her many dictionaries. and published, and everyone seemed more-or-less cheerful with the result, which as we all know Theo Heras doesn't always happen. Then she came back, with I met Claire Mackay through IBBY-Canada (the another book, and another, and …. Quickly Canadian section of the International Board on businesslike gave way to casual, funny, wise, Books for Young People).I was a new librarian and sceptical (but never cynical), magnificently curious, green. At my very first executive meeting, Claire and non-judgmental. And I realized that so much of riffed on the spelling of her position—was it what I knew, understood, and took joy in came from councillor or counselor?—and proceeded to give the Claire. definitions. (I think someone might have used the wrong one, and I only hoped it wasn't me.) Kathy Stinson There are so many funny and moving memories of Peter Carver Claire to draw on. In one scenario, Claire is giving a Claire befriended all new CANSCAIP members and talk. She is talking about words. She tells us the Friends—even people like me who were not writers origin of the word "cantaloupe" from the Latin at all but worked at places like the CCBC. She was "cantare" which means "to sing" and "loupe" which the first author to be a member of the board of means "wolf". The fruit first grew, she tells us, in the CCBC—a small but significant achievement which hills around Rome where at night wolves were often at first was resisted but then accepted. She was a heard, singing. I think of this every time I enjoy a mentor in so many ways—the Margaret Laurence of slice. In our home, on the highest bookshelf, sits a children's literature in Canada. gargoyle. It is reading a book, of course, because it is a gift from Claire. It is said that if you place a * * * gargoyle at the highest point in a room, it will keep you safe. I'm happy just to feel Claire's presence You can read a profile of Claire, (written by whenever I sit in our living room with a good book Barbara Greenwood) in the December 1, 1982 and the company of our reading gargoyle. issue of the CANSCAIP NEWS, which has been posted in the Members/Friends Only list of past Camilla Gryski newsletters on the website. Some of my most vivid memories of Claire date back to my two years as President when I chaired 32 ! DC8)DCBO%8@4)% !"# BOOK- If you’ve been working on a manuscript and want help finishing your project, or you’re interested in absolutely anything to do with books – we’re here to move your passion forward. Correspondence Program in Creative Writing Creative Book Publishing 30 week program four months (May – August) one-on-one mentoring with published author specialize in editing, marketing, agenting/rights, well over 300 graduates have been published or technology Contact: Antanas Sileika, 416-675-6622 ext. 3448 grads find work because employers love our grads [email protected] Contact: Cynthia Good, 416-675-6622 ext. 3462 [email protected] !"#$%&'()*+(),) !"#$%&'(&)*$+,$)$,#&-+.#$'/$)/0,1$ !"#$%%"&#'$()&"*"+,-."#*"/01*2#3&452 )$2'!$/'&$%&'/+!$+2,3&#& 3"+1/0#/+3#0-%"#-+,4&/+'"#'&"/1"3 "6'04,-."07#%$*"#'/+/3-/+#!&-1-+5 '$((4+-178#.-,-1#!&-1"&,'$/0-1-$+8'/ ! CANSCAIP News Do you write, illustrate or Perform for children? Want to learn? CANSCAIP Presents: PACKAGING YOUR IMAgINATION November 16, 2013 The Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers presents a day of workshops focused on writing and illustrating for children. Virtual PYI Not able to join in person? Attend online. All Sessions can be streamed live. Need even more PYI? Join us Sunday, November 17 for our inaugural PYI GET PUBLISHED BOOTCAMP. Space is limited! Register today at www.canscaip.org/pyi CANSCAIP acknowledges the generous support of the City of Toronto through Toronto Arts Council and conference partner Humber College. 34 CANSCAIP News 35 ''' ''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''2&3$,4'546N&,.+#&'9.4.67.4':66,&;;&;'3"< 9:*@9:PQ =/0'>.3?$,;3'@3AB'@$73&')0CB'D","43"B'E*'F)@'/2C C1GH)1)H1))I'''"JJ7K&LK.4;K.7MA",N''OOOAK.4;K.7MA",N CANSCAIP News A quarterly bulletin of the Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers/ La Société canadienne des auteurs, illustrateurs et artistes pour enfants ' !"#$%&'()!"*$%+&,'(" -.##'/01(' C9'$2%7H2%I=$AM'054,P'$ 2%7H2%I=$7'86$ N+*I#&*(G! g3SZU!gSR--9Uh ! 6&#G'+! &3S&3S3!hSZZUERR"! W#-*1N+*I#&*(G! `$2?)*#%)!S'%(#%$ ?'(G+#EJG'+I1111111111111111111111111111111111"#$%%$!&'%()*! 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