“I am a great believer in luck, and I find the harder I work, the more I have of it.” Stephen Leacock

Fire on the Mountain was released March 2022

Do you like to keep busy? I find the busier I am, the busier I get. It’s not unusual for me to have three or four projects going at once — thank goodness for coloured file folders! I think a diversity of subjects and genres keeps me from getting bored. Moving from a Kindergarten non-fiction series to a chapter book to a rhyming picture book to a biography for Grade 5 students is a lot like cross-training in the gym. I’m flexing many different writing muscles, relying on the coaching of my personal trainers (my editors), and sweating a lot. Some projects are easy, like sit-ups, and others are excruciatingly difficult, like chin-ups.

Writing is just like exercise: the more you do it, the more you can do it. And for me, the tighter the deadline, the more efficient I get. So am I busy? Yup — and loving every minute of it!

Visiting elementary schools to talk about the slinky, scaly, feathered, and furry animals featured in my chapter book series is great fun and helps to remind me why I write.

Fire on the Mountain

This is a guest blog post that I wrote for Orca Books describing my inspiration for writing my new book, Fire on the Mountain.

What comes to mind when you think of fire?

Do you picture a cozy campfire and roasting marshmallows? Or maybe the candles on your birthdays cake? Or do you imagine flames racing through a forest?

Fire can warm us and bring comfort, but it can also terrify us. Fire can bring us together and tear us apart. Fire can destroy, but it can also spark renewal.

Fire is a complex topic and I knew that writing about the Kenow wildfire that burned almost 40 % of Waterton Lakes National Park in 2017 would be a very big story – too big, in fact! My book, Fire on the Mountain, was inspired by the events of the Kenow Fire and includes lots of facts and places that readers may recognize.

Just like the real fire in 2017, my story starts with a lightning strike Read More

Upcoming Events

Friday, July 15 Book tour: Pincher Creek
Are you curious about wildfire? Join me at the Pincher Creek Library for a presentation featuring Fire on the Mountain, 11:00am - 12:00pm, 895 Main Street, Pincher Creek, Alberta

Friday, July 15 Book tour: Blairmore
Fire on the Mountain is a story about wildfire for young readers. I'll be at the Crowsnest Community Library, 2:00 - 3:00pm, for a presentation and reading, 2114 - 127 Street, Blairmore, Alberta

Saturday, July 16 Book tour: Lethbridge
I'm back at the Helen Schuler Nature Centre, eager to meet young readers and talk about wildfire. Presentation, reading and craft, 1:00 - 3:00pm, 300 Indian Battle Road S, Lethbridge, Alberta

Sunday, July 17 Book signing Chapters!
Stop and say hello and let's talk about wildfire, 11:30am - 3:30pm, Park Place Mall, 701 - 1 Ave S, Lethbridge, Alberta