News
Here are some news stories,
but more up-to-date news stories can be followed on my
blog.
August 9: I learn that both THE BALLAD OF KNUCKLES McGRAW and SILVER RAIN have been nominated for a 2012 BC Chocolate Lily Award.
July 28: I hear that DISCONNECT, My novel for middle school reluctant readers will be published by Orca Book Publishers in fall 2012 - that's three books next year, the other two being THE WRONG BUS and THE PAPER HOUSE.
July 8: I learn that THE BALLAD OF KNUCKLES McGRAW is listed as one of the Canadian Children's Book Centre's 2011 Best Books for Kids and Teens.
July 7, 2011: I am invited to teach a workshop on Voice for the Vancouver Branch of the Canadian Authors Association on Saturday Oct. 1. Registration details will soon be posted here.
June 26, 2011: I start recording the process of writing THE MUDLARK MURDERS on my blog.
April 7, 2011: The Local Peace Arch News features me and my friend/neighbour Cristy Watson and our new work. Read the article here.
March 31, 2011: Orca Book Publishers accepts PAPER HOUSE for publication in spring 2012 - another Orca Young Reader for 7-10 year-olds.
February 7, 2011: My new brochure can now be downloaded here.
February 4, 2011: THE BALLAD OF KNUCKLES McGRAW is named as one of the Ontario Library Association's Best Bets at their annual Super Conference.
January, 2011: MEETING MISS 405 is included on the Canadian Children's Book Centre's recommended reading for Family Literacy Day 2011, and is on the Reading List of Markham Public Library's Battle of the Books.
December 1, 2010: My Website gets a makeover thanks to Library Tech student Sarah Chadwick! Didn't she do a great job?
November, 2010: I present to Surrey school classes at the Semiahmoo, Strawberry Hill, Fleetwood, Newton and Ocean Park branches of Surrey Libraries.
October, 2010: THE BALLAD OF KNUCKLES McGRAW is nominated for the 2011 Silver Birch Express Award.
October, 2010 - I enjoy visiting schools and libraries on Vancouver Island during the Cowichan Booksplash.
July 29, 2010: I learn that Orca Book Publishers will publish my book BEYOND REPAIR in spring 2011, this one for their Currents series - 'High-interest intermediate novels (for 10-14 year-olds) aimed at reluctant readers'.
June 16, 2010: MEETING MISS 405 is listed as one of the Best Books for Kids and Teens, 2010 by the Canadian Children's Book Centre.
June 4, 2010: MEETING MISS 405 wins the 2009/2010 BC Chocolate Lily Award (Fiction/Chapter Books category)
May 5, 10I get my first glimpse of the cover of SILVER RAIN, due out October 2010. I'm thrilled with it. Check it out on my Books page.
April 1, 2010: The Surrey NOW Newspaper carries a piece about the book launch, complete with name typo and misquote... 'I said I don't write light commercial fiction' rather than I don't like... Check out the article here. But other than that, all publicity is good publicity!
March 29, 2010: Two of my stories for younger children, 'When Papa Works the Night Shift' and 'Something to Worry About' will be published by REAL Kids Magazine.
March 4, 2010: I'm invited to present a memoir workshop at the June CanWrite! conference - the annual conference of the Canadian Authors' Association.
February 26, 2010: The sequel to MEETING MISS 405 is almost ready to go. I'll be presenting copies of the limited edition of A STAR IN THE WATER during school visits, library readings, and other events promoting my books. Details about the website contest here.
February 3, 2010: MEETING MISS 405 is nominated for a third award - the 2010 Saskatchewan Diamond Willow Young Readers Choice Award.
February 2, 2010: Saturday, April 10 is set for the official launch of THE BALLAD OF KNUCKLES McGRAW - 1 p.m. at the Newton Library in Surrey, to be followed by a kids' writing workshop. Check here for launch details.
January 8, 2010: In the next few weeks I'll be launching the first contest, in which the prize will be one signed limited edition copy of THE STAR IN THE WATER, (or, 'What happens next?') - an unofficial companion to MEETING MISS 405. This will be one of a only twelve copies used as contest and draw prizes and special giveaways during school visits, presentations, etc., in 2010. Check here for contest details as they emerge.
I'm a grandma! Cooper Earle Johnston was born today. Here he is dozing on his dad's chest just four days later. (UPDATE: Jan. 8 - just 11 days later, Colton Robert Douglas Brunt was born to my stepson David Brunt and his partner Becky Johnson.)
December 15, 2009: I get my first glimpse of the cover of THE BALLAD OF KNUCKLES McGRAW. Once again, illustrated by Peter Ferguson. I love it!
October 2009 - I
present workshops and Blue Pencil Cafe Manuscript evaluation sessions at
the Surrey International
Writers' Conference.
October 26, 2009:
MEETING MISS 405 is nominated for the 2010 OLA Forest of Reading Silver Birch Express Award.
July 15, 2009: My third children's novel tentatively entitled ELSIE AND THE SILVER RAIN is accepted for fall 2010 publication by Orca Book Publishers.
June 3, 2009: I launch the Surrey Writers' School to pick up where the Surrey Creative Writing Diploma Program left off when Surrey School Board cancelled it and other community programs.
May 13, 2009: MEETING MISS 405 is nominated for a 2009-2010 Chocolate Lily Award
April 3, 2009: My article on 'Showing not Telling' appears in the May issue of The Writer magazine.
February 3, 2009: Heard today that my second children's novel, THE BALLAD OF KNUCKLES McGRAW will be published in spring 2010 by Orca Book Publishers.
January 15, 2009: My website gets a facelift. I hope you like it.