How to Write Children’s Fiction: A Workshop

Aspiring kidlit authors in the Annapolis Valley! Children’s literature is one of the most creative and rewarding genres. I’ll be leading this 2-hour workshop on writing for young readers, sharing insights on writing for the juvenile market, leading participants through exercises that will help them create child-centred stories, as well as offering publishing tips. Click here to register.

A sneak peek at Pierre and Paul!

I’m thrilled to be introducing these two cuties to the world. Pierre and Paul are two friends (deux amis) and the stars of my upcoming bilingual series with Owlkids Books! The first title is Avalanche! which is conveniently the same word in French and English. Many thanks to the talented Alice Carter.

In Memoriam: Sheila Barry

I am just one of many children’s authors devastated by the news of Sheila Barry’s passing.  I began working with Sheila at Kids Can when she nurtured Jasper John Dooley into print.  She moved on to become publisher of Groundwood Books, where we also worked together.  Over the years we became snail mail correspondents and friends.

From Sheila I learned that children’s literature is every bit as creative and challenging to write as adult fiction; more so, if you dare. Despite the misconception that kidlit is didactic, she had only one rule that I ever heard her mention: if someone is jumping on a trampoline, give her a net. She urged us to take chances, walked us through the impossible, and so she kept her writers safe and published books that gave kids the chance to soar.

Sheila was our net.

Please read her Publishers Weekly obituary.