My new site is up

I've been busy building myself a new site which includes a wordpress blog and website rolled into one.  I'm gradually transferring content.  This is where all new posts will be located.

New site coming soon...

Sorry for the lack of posts, but I'm in the midst of a website/blog move...I hope to have the new site up in a few weeks so watch for announcements.

National Aboriginal Day and Summer Solstice Today

Today is the summer solstice, but also National Aboriginal Day.  I'm hoping to get to a few of the activities to celebrate with my First Nations and Metis friends.  Just about right now, a Salish Welcome Totem is being raised at the Victoria Native Friendship Centre.  I'll be there in spirit, and will try to get down soon to take a picture of it for you.

Tall Tale Books

Image by pattie74_99 via Flickr

Although Victoria, BC is not a particularly large city, we are lucky enough to have our very own children's book store, Tall Tale Books.  Unfortunately, this fabulous little bookstore, like many other independents, is having a tough time these days.  The owners aren't willing to give up though.  Here's their plan...they've created a "Hero Society" which is open to any patron who agrees to pay a mere $10 a month in return for children's books of their choice. The idea is basically to give the store a guaranteed income so that it can keep going. Anyone can join, and even if you don't make it to Victoria regularly, you can save your store credits and cash them in any time. 

Getting Started

Like most other professional writers with a focus on books for kids and teens, I'm frequently asked by family and friends to look at their stories and/or help them get published.  But, writing a cute story simply isn't enough. Most amateurs aren't aware of just how much time, effort, and work goes into getting published, especially these days.  Even very short manuscripts can require a dozen rewrites, and of course you have to find a publisher interested enough to take a chance on your work.  Writing for kids is not something you can do just because you've got a little retirement time on your hands.  It takes knowledge about the industry and a commitment to the craft of writing. Even if you decide to opt for the self-published route, you still need to follow the previous steps, but in addition, you will also need to find the services of a professional editor, designer, and illustrator or photographer for your book's cover (and, if necessary, interiors), possibly a computer expert (if you are going the e-book route) and you'll still need someone to handle promotion and sales.

If all this is sounding a little overwhelming, you may want to check out Harold Underdown's "Getting Started" pages.  Underdown, is a former editor, and the author of The Complet Idiot's Guide to Children's Publishing.


His advice is solid gold.

Canadian Children's BookCentre announces 2011 award short-lists

The Canadian Children’s Book Centre (CCBC) is pleased to announce the finalists for the TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award, Prix TD de littérature canadienne pour l’enfance et la jeunesse, Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award, Norma Fleck Award for Canadian Children’s Non-Fiction, Geoffrey Bilson Award for Historical Fiction for Young People and the inaugural John Spray Mystery Award.

The books on these shortlists exemplify some of the best work by Canadian authors and illustrators. The Canadian Children’s Book Centre is proud to share these titles with you.

TD CANADIAN CHILDREN’S LITERATURE AWARD ($25,000)Sponsored by TD Bank Group

Burn
Written by Alma Fullerton (Midland, ON)
Dancing Cat Books

Canadian Railroad Trilogy
Written by Gordon Lightfoot (Toronto, ON)
Illustrated by Ian Wallace (Brookline, MA)

The Glory WindWritten by Valerie Sherrard (Miramichi, NB)
Fitzhenry & Whiteside

I Know Here
Written by Laurel Croza (Markham, ON)
Illustrated by Matt James (Toronto, ON)
Groundwood Books

Plain KateWritten by Erin Bow (Kitchener, ON)
Scholastic Canada

PRIX TD DE LITTÉRATURE CANADIENNE POUR L’ENFANCE ET LA JEUNESSE ($25,000)

Sponsored by TD Bank Group

Le chasseur de loups-marins
Written by Claire Vigneau (Sherbrooke, QC)
Illustrated by Bruce Roberts (Westmount, QC)
Éditions Les 400 coups

Devant ma maisonWritten and illustrated by Marianne Dubuc (Montreal, QC)
Éditions La courte échelle

La fille d'en faceWritten by Linda Amyot (St-Charles-Boromée, QC)
Éditions Leméac

Oh ! la vache !Written by Alain M. Bergeron (Victoriaville, QC), Édith Bourget (Saint-Jacques, NB),Colombe Labonté (Saint-Lambert, QC) and Guy Marchamps (Trois-Rivières, QC)
Illustrated by Caroline Merola (Montreal, QC)
Soulières éditeur

Xavier-la-luneWritten by Martine Audet (Montreal, QC)
Illustrated by Luc Melanson (Laval, QC)
Éditions Dominique et compagnie

MARILYN BAILLIE PICTURE BOOK AWARD ($20,000)Sponsored by A. Charles Baillie

I Know Here
Written by Laurel Croza (Markham, ON)
Illustrated by Matt James (Toronto, ON)
Groundwood Books

In Front of My HouseWritten and illustrated by Marianne Dubuc (Montreal, QC)
Translated by Yvette Ghione (Toronto, ON)
Kids Can Press

Singing Away the DarkWritten by Caroline Woodward (Victoria, BC)
Illustrated by Julie Morstad (Vancouver, BC)
Simply Read Books

SporkWritten by Kyo Maclear (Toronto, ON)
Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault (Montreal, QC)
Kids Can Press

Stanley’s Little SisterWritten by Linda Bailey (Vancouver, BC)
Illustrated by Bill Slavin (Millbrook, ON)
Kids Can Press

NORMA FLECK AWARD FOR CANADIAN CHILDREN’S NON-FICTION ($10,000)

Sponsored by the Fleck Family Foundation

Case Closed! Nine Mysteries Unlocked by Modern Science Written by Susan Hughes (Toronto, ON)

Illustrated by Michael Wandelmaier (Toronto, ON)
Kids Can Press

Evolution: How We and All Living Things Came to BeWritten and illustrated by Daniel Loxton (Victoria, BC)
Kids Can Press

Not Your Typical Book About the EnvironmentWritten by Elin Kelsey (Pacific Grove, CA)
Illustrated by Clayton Hanmer (Toronto, ON)
Owlkids

Viola Desmond Won't Be BudgedWritten by Jody Nyasha Warner (Toronto, ON)
Illustrated by Richard Rudnicki (Halifax, NS)
Groundwood Books

Watch This Space: Designing, Defending and Sharing Public Spaces
Written by Hadley Dyer (Toronto, ON)
Illustrated by Marc Ngui (Cambridge, ON)
Kids Can Press

GEOFFREY BILSON AWARD FOR HISTORICAL FICTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE ($5,000)

Sponsored by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre’s Bilson Endowment Fund

Exiles from the War: The War Guests Diary of Charlotte Mary Twiss
(Dear Canada)
Written by Jean Little (Guelph, ON)
Scholastic Canada

FollyWritten by Marthe Jocelyn (Stratford, ON)
Tundra Books

The Glory WindWritten by Valerie Sherrard (Miramichi, NB)
Fitzhenry & Whiteside

Queen of Hearts
Written by Martha Brooks (Winnipeg, MB)
Groundwood Books

Wild GeeseWritten by Caroline Pignat (Kanata, ON)
Red Deer Press

JOHN SPRAY MYSTERY AWARD ($5,000)

Sponsored by John Spray

Borderline

Written by Allan Stratton (Toronto, ON)

HarperTrophyCanada

Dead Bird Through the Cat Door
(Megabyte Mystery)

Written by Jan Markley (Calgary, AB)

Gumboot Books

The Mystery of the Cyber Bully
(Marty Chan Mystery)

Written by Marty Chan (Edmonton, AB)

Thistledown Press

A Spy in the House

(The Agency)

Written by Y.S. Lee (Kingston, ON)

Candlewick Press

Victim Rights
(Ryan Dooley Mystery)

Written by Norah McClintock (Toronto, ON)

Red Deer Press

Guardian's Top non-fiction picks

The Guardian posted their 100 top picks for non-fiction.  Sadly, there were quite a few of the titles that I hadn't read, but then I do tend more toward fiction, so I suppose I can be forgiven. Here are a few that I read, although I confess that when it came to Hawkings' A Brief History of Time, it was more of a "tried to read" kind of thing.

It makes me wonder if anyone has put a similar list together for kid's non-fiction?