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...
Victoria students go Batty!
My mom is waiting for me to write the next ‘great Canadian novel’, which is weird because I’m sure she knows I write for kids. But I’m also pretty sure she doesn’t know why. If...
Five Fast Fact for Friday: Exterminator
Exterminators provide a service that you might not think about or value much – until your deck has been eaten by termites or bats have made a home in your eaves. Here are five...
Five Fast Facts for Friday: Adele
Adele debuted in 2008 and has become one of the world’s top singer-songwriters. There are many fascinating facts about Adele that you may not know: Adele often imitated the Spice Girls and loved to...
Have you finished reading Salamander Rescue? Here’s a new QUIZ!
Are you ready for a challenge? If you have finished reading my newest chapter book, Salamander Rescue, try this new quiz to see how much you remember. I’ve included questions about the characters, Waterton,...
Five Fast Facts for Friday: Landslides
Often, the deadliest landslides happen with little warning. I have driven through the Frank Slide in the Crowsnest Pass many times and always find it quite eerie to consider that some of the town’s...
BOOK LAUNCH for Salamander Rescue
I hope you will join me for the launch of Salamander Rescue on Tuesday, May 10, 7:00 – 8:30pm at Owl’s Nest Books in Calgary. I’ll talk a bit about Waterton’s salamanders, read some...
Five Fast Facts for Friday: Japan
I visited Japan in 1991 and found it was a country of paradoxes – the latest in high tech devices sold a block away from a centuries-old temple, and brides dressed in traditional red...
Five Fast Facts for Friday: Anne Frank
Anne Frank’s story is well-known around the world. Here are five fast facts you may not know: In 2013, more than one million people visited the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam. The play, The...
Five Fast Facts for Friday: Manta Rays
When I’m swimming in the ocean, it’s always in the back of my mind that a ray could be underfoot. They’re flat, well-camouflaged and downright scary. Remember how Steve Irwin died? As I researched...
Five Fast Facts for Friday: Flight
If you could become an animal, what would you choose? I would like to be a bird, able to soar over mountains and deserts. When I was researching facts for this book, I discovered many...
What is a Crystal Kite?
The annual Crystal Kite Award is a peer-given award that recognizes great books by SCBWI members. Fifteen awards are given out in regions around the world, and Canada is one of these. In total,...
Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss!
Dr. Seuss is likely the best-selling children’s author in the world. His simple, inviting rhymes tend to linger in dusty memories for decades, springing forth with a few quick words. Come on now, I’m...
Who have YOU met on the internet?
If you look carefully, you can find some fascinating, helpful people through the internet. While writing Dirty Jobs: Coal Miner (published by Weigl, 2014), I was challenged to find accurate, reliable details about modern...
The Joys of Feedback and Revision with Frieda Wishinsky October 16
Honest – revision and feedback can be joyful, with a little help from your friends. At some point, we all get a little too close to our own work and have trouble seeing it...
Focus on Children’s Literature with Martine Leavitt: next SCBWI meeting September 11
Do you wrestle with theme when you’re writing, or is it your guiding light? If you write YA or mid-grade fiction, you won’t want to miss Martine Leavitt’s presentation on theme on Thursday, September 11. Leavitt is...
Waterton launch of Ospreys in Danger on July 19!
My new chapter book, Ospreys in Danger, is set in Waterton Lakes National Park, so I am very excited to travel down to Waterton for a launch. I will be at the Waterton Heritage...
Signing ‘The Wall’
Behind the counter at Monkeyshines Children’s Books there’s a cool and pretty unique feature wall. It’s an “I was here” for authors and illustrators who have had the pleasure of reading/signing/launching their books at...
Reading and signing this Saturday
Monkeyshines Children’s Books is such a fun place to explore! On Saturday, May 31, I will be reading from Ospreys in Danger and signing books, so please drop in and say hello. We...
BOOK LAUNCH of Ospreys in Danger
I hope you’ll join me in celebrating the launch of Ospreys in Danger on Saturday, May 10, 1:00 – 3:00 pm at the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary in Calgary. I’ll share a bit of the book...
Working as an Illustrator: Next SCBWI meeting April 17
Illustrators have a variety of options for having their work published, but getting started can be a challenge. How do you approach a publisher? What can you expect from your working relationship with...
Kids’ books versus children’s literature
Is this a case of ‘I say potato, you say spud?’ I don’t think so. In my mind, children’s literature is like adult literature: finely crafted prose that delves deep into social issues. Great...
