CANSCAIP CANSCAIP Blog

EDMONTON CANSCAIP meeting

Jennifer Gordon — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 17:22:15 GMT

Join us for guest speaker Luanne Armstrong.

A writer and teacher of many talents, Luanne is a poet, journalist, fiction writer, children’s author, PHd in Creative Writing, teacher, editor, and farmer from the Kootenays.

Luanne is teaching at Women’s Words at the U of A the first week of June.

She has taught or mentored many CANSCAIP members; come out and see what new tips and tricks she has to share!

For location details, please email Edmonton Regional Rep, Dennis Lee: Dennis.Lee@edmonton.ca

The Catherine - Romance Writing Contest

Jennifer Gordon — Mon, 14 May 2012 16:42:38 GMT

The Catherine 2012 Toronto Romance Writers Contest

Three weeks left to enter! Get your entry ready!

Deadline: June 1, 2012 Electronic entries only

Entry includes: The first pages of your novel-length manuscript plus a synopsis. Up to 30 pages combined.

Eligibility: The Catherine is open to all unpublished writers (whether or not a member of RWA) and any member of RWA who is not eligible to join RWA-PAN. Entry must be uncontracted, unpublished as of entry date.

First round judging: Each entry will be judged by three writers; the lowest score will be dropped.

Categories and Final Round Judges: Contemporary Series – Wanda Ottewell, Harlequin Contemporary Single Title – Leonore Waldrip, HQN Historical – Katherine Pelz, Berkley Paranormal, Fantasy, Futuristic – Esi Sogah, Avon Romantic Suspense – Leis Pederson, Berkley Strong Romantic Elements – Kathleen Gilligan, St. Martin's Young Adult – Karen Chaplin, HarperCollins Children's Books

Gold Ticket Grand Prize: The top entry in each category is entered into Gold Ticket round to be judged by Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary Agency. The Gold Ticket winner receives a three-chapter critique by New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong.

For more information, visit http://torontoromancewriters.com/contest/

Happy writing and entering!

Sell First, Write Later! One-day workshop

Jennifer Gordon — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:09:06 GMT

This one-day workshop will teach you how to get a publisher’s attention by writing a professional book proposal.

Manuscript submission protocol, standards, and guidelines will also be discussed.

Sat, May 26, 2012, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Instructor: Joan Marie Galat (www.joangalat.com)

For more information email MacEwan Writing Works at writingworks@macewan.ca or call 780-497-5346.

May Congratulations

Karen Krossing — Wed, 16 May 2012 19:51:52 GMT

CONGRATULATIONS

Congratulations to the following CANSCAIP members who are award winners and nominees:

SCWBI Crystal Kite Award

Lena Coakley won the 2012 SCWBI Crystal Kite Award in the Americas Division for her debut novel Witchlanders, published by Atheneum Books. The Crystal Kite is a peer award voted on by SCWBI regional members.

CLA 2012 Young Adult Book Award

The Canadian Library Association is pleased to announce the 2012 Young Adult Book Award winner and Honour Books for books published in 2011. All Good Children by Catherine Austen, published by Orca, is the winner. The Honour Books are Karma by Cathy Ostlere, published by Penguin Canada, and This Dark Endeavour by Kenneth Oppel, published by HarperCollins.

CLA 2012 Book of the Year for Children Award

The Canadian Library Association has selected its 2012 winning title for the Book of the Year for Children Award. This year’s winner is The Whole Truth by Kit Pearson, published by HarperCollins. The Honour Books are Dragon Seer’s Gift by Janet McNaughton (published by HarperCollins) and That Boy Red by Rachna Gilmore (published by HarperCollins).

Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator’s Award

The Canadian Library Association is pleased to announce the 2012 winner and honour books for the Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator’s Award. The winner is My Name is Elizabeth! (Kids Can Press), illustrated by Matthew Forsythe and written by Annika Dunklee. Honour books are Small Saul (Kids Can Press), illustrated and written by Ashley Spires, and Migrant (Groundwood Press), illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault and written by Maxine Trottier.

Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards

The 2012 shortlist for the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards include:

Children's Picture Book Award Category

Picture a Tree, by Barbara Reid, Scholastic Canada
Migrant, by Maxine Trottier, illustrations by Isabelle Arsenault, Groundwood Books

Young Adult / Middle Reader Award Category

No Ordinary Day, by Deborah Ellis, Groundwood Books
Scribbling Women, by Marthe Jocelyn, Tundra Books
Blink & Caution, by Tim Wynne-Jones, Candlewick Press
That Fatal Night, by Sarah Ellis, Scholastic Canada
The Whole Truth, by Kit Pearson, HarperCollins Publishers Ltd

The 2012 winners will be announced on May 31, 2012.

Finalists for the 2012 Newfoundland and Labrador Book Awards

Presented by the Writers’ Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Literary Arts Foundation of Newfoundland and Labrador, this year the awards are honouring excellence in the categories of fiction and children’s/young adult literature. The finalists for the Bruneau Family Children’s/Young Adult Literature Award include the Dragon Seer’s Gift, written by Janet McNaughton, HarperCollins Canada.

Shortlists for the 2012 Arthur Ellis Award

The Crime Writers of Canada have announced the shortlists for the 2012 Arthur Ellis Awards. The finalists for Best Juvenile/YA Crime Book include:

Blink and Caution, written by Tim Wynne-Jones, Candlewick Press
Empire of Ruins: The Hunchback Assignments III, written by Arthur Slade, HarperCollins Canada
Missing, written by Becky Citra, Orca Book Publishers

Prizes will be announced on May 31.

2012 Rocky Mountain Book Award

Susin Nielsen's Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom (Tundra Books) is the Gold Medal Winner of the 2012 Rocky Mountain Book Award, a readers’ choice program, which invites students to choose the best book from a shortlist. The Alberta-based program is designed to stimulate the reading interests of students in grades 4-7.

Saskatchewan Book Award

At the 19th Saskatchewan Book Awards, thirteen awards were given out celebrating excellence in writing and publishing in Saskatchewan, including one for children's literature. Adele Dueck took home the honours for her novel Racing Home (Coteau Books).

Winners of the 2011 Willow Awards

The winners of the 2011 Willow Awards were announced in Saskatchewan. Winders included:

Shining Willow (Kindergarten - Grade 3)

The King's Taster, written by Kennth Oppel, illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher, HarperCollins

Diamond Willow (Grades 4-6)

The Midnight Curse, written by L.M. Falcone, Kids Can Press

Snow Willow (Grades 7-9)

Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom, written by Susin Nielsen, Tundra Books

Winners of the 2012 Hackmatack Awards

The winners of the Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award 2012 were announced in Moncton, New Brunswick. Hugh Brewster, author of Prisoner of Dieppe: World War II, was the winner in the English fiction category. Catherine Rondina, received the English non-fiction award for her book Don’t Touch That Toad & Other Strange Things Adults Tell You.

2012 Helen and Stan Vine Canadian Jewish Book Award

Lesley Simpson's Yuvi’s Candy Tree (Kar-Ben Publishing) is the winner of the 2012 Helen and Stan Vine Canadian Jewish Book Award in the youth category. A program of the Koffler Centre of the Arts, the Helen and Stan Vine Canadian Jewish Book Awards celebrate excellence in contemporary Canadian writing that reflects Jewish themes and subjects.

Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award

Susin Nielsen's Dear George Clooney, Please Marry My Mom (Tundra Books) is the winner of the 2012 Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award (MYRCA). Kenneth Oppel's Half Brother (HarperCollins Canada) and Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch's Stolen Child (Scholastic Canada) were named the 2012 honour books.

The nominees for the 2013 MYRCA list have been announced. These include:

Against All Odds by Natale Ghent, HarperCollins
The Case of the Missing Deed by Ellen Schwartz, Tundra Books
Dragon Seer's Gift by Janet McNaughton, HarperCollins
Dragon Turn by Shane Peacock, Tundra Books
End of Days by Eric Walters, Doubleday
Fly Boy by Eric Walters, Penguin
Ice Storm by Penny Draper, Coteau Books
This Dark Endeavour by Kenneth Oppel, HarperCollins
The Tiffin by Mahtab Narsimhan, Dancing Cat Books
Timber Wolf by Caroline Pignat, Red Deer Press
True Blue by Deborah Ellis, Pajama Press
Undergrounders by David Skuy, Scholastic Press
Witchlanders by Lena Coakley, Atheneum Books

Ontario Library Association Festival of Trees

The Ontario Library Association hosted the 2012 Forest of Reading Festival of Trees in May. CANSCAIPers include:

Silver Birch Fiction Award

Undergrounders, David Skuy, Scholastic Canada

Silver Birth Non-fiction Award

Don’t Touch That Toad & Other Strange Things Adults Tell You, written by Catherine Rondina, illustrated by Kevin Sylvester, Kids Can Press

Silver Birch Express Award

When Apples Grew Noses and White Horses Flew, written by Jan Andrews, illustrated by Dušan Petričić, Groundwood Books

Red Maple Award

Half Brother, by Kenneth Oppel, Harper Collins

White Pine Fiction Award

The Gathering, by Kelley Armstrong, Random House

Something from Nothing: The Play!

Jennifer Gordon — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:43:19 GMT

SOMETHING FROM NOTHING - based on the book by Phoebe Gilman and produced by CASCADE THEATRE will be at the Toronto Fringe Festival this July.

All shows are at the PALMERSTON LIBRARY THEATRE: 560 Palmerston Ave (just north of Bloor St. 2 blocks west of Bathurst)

TICKETS: online www.fringetoronto.com

By phone - (after June 15) 416 966-1062 x 1

At the door TICKETS ARE : $10 adults - $6 children INFO – 416 469 2878

SHOW TIMES Saturday, July 7, 2012 - 7:15pm - 8:15pm Sunday, July 8, 2012 - 11:00am - 12:00pm Monday, July 9, 2012 - 4:15pm - 5:15pm Tuesday, July 10, 2012 - 12:45pm - 1:45pm Wednesday, July 11, 2012 - 2:45pm - 3:45pm Friday, July 13, 2012 - 7:45pm - 8:45pm Saturday, July 14, 2012 - 2:15pm - 3:15pm Sunday, July 15, 2012 - 3:30pm - 4:30pm

Word On the Lake: BC Writing workshop

Jennifer Gordon — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:46:21 GMT

The Shuswap Association of Writers presents its Ninth annual festival for readers and writers, "Word on the Lake", Salmon Arm, May 25-27.

Keynotes are Ivan Coyote and Sylvia Taylor, plus 11 other award-winning presenters.

Visit www.saow.ca for registation forms and discounts, biographies, workshop schedule, information on applying for bursaries and alternative accommodation and more.

Ted Staunton: Writing Courses, Summer & Fall

Jennifer Gordon — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:36:46 GMT

Ted Staunton will once again be leading the one week WRITING CHILDREN'S BOOKS course at this summer's Haliburton School of the Arts. The course runs July 30 - August 3, from 9:00-4:30 each day. It includes a Blue Pencil segment for works in progress by participants. The registration fee is $299.74. To register, go to the Haliburton School of the Arts website, click on HSTA Part Time Calendar, and click on the course name listed alphabetically under the week of July 30. For further information, contact Ted at tedstaunton at sympatico dot ca.

In September Ted Staunton will again be leading the long-running WRITING FICTION FOR CHILDREN I & II for George Brown College. The classes take place Tuesday and Thursday evenings respectively, in the wonderful Mabel's Fables book store (on Mount Pleasant, two blocks south of Eglinton). A second session of class I is offered Monday evenings at the College itself and is led by Rick Book. Originated by Peter Carver, the courses have been the launching pad for the writing careers of numerous CANSCAIPers. Registration is via the George Brown website. Contact Ted at tedstaunton at sympatico dot ca for further information about the classes.

Cottage writing getaway?

Jennifer Gordon — Mon, 14 May 2012 17:28:55 GMT

Magnolia Cottage, in Victoria, BC is available for a vacation stay from June 1st to August 31st.

To view Magnolia cottage: http://www.emrvacationrentals.com/vacation-rental-detail.ihtml?id=1394

Magnolia Cottage is a beautiful, new cottage in an ideal location for your vacation. Enjoy this lovely setting that is near beach access and parks like Vantrieght Park and Ferndale Forest Park. The entrance is warm and inviting, welcoming you with potted plants. When you open the front door, you see a fully functioning kitchen equipped with everything you need. The home includes all high-end appliances. The cabinets, countertops and flooring are well constructed and have a modern elegance. Adjacent to the kitchen, there is a nice eating area where there is an espresso coloured table with four chairs. Contact Lily for details: lily dot erlic at shaw dot ca

From the Garden to the Trenches: A Children’s Literature Conference on the First World War

Jennifer Gordon — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:25:28 GMT

An international conference on children’s literature entitled From the Garden to the Trenches: Childhood, Culture and the First World War will take place May 10-12, 2012, at three locations: Brock University in St. Catharines, Ontario; the Osborne Collection of the Toronto Public Library; and Trinity College at the University of Toronto. It will bring together Canadian and international writers and scholars.

From the Garden to the Trenches is the second of three international conferences in the Approaching War research project supported by the Leverhulme Trust, marking the approaching centenary of the First World War. The Canadian conference will focus on childhood, culture and war from the perspectives of the Americas and the Caribbean. The first conference, held in Sydney, Australia, in 2011, focused on the global south, and the third, focusing on Great Britain and Europe, will take place in Newcastle, Great Britain in 2013.

The Canadian conference will be held in two locations over three days, beginning at the White Oaks Conference Centre in Niagara-on-the-Lake, sponsored by Brock University, then moving to the Osborne Collection of Early Children’s Book and Trinity College in Toronto on the second and third days respectively.

Confirmed speakers include British author Michael Morpugo and seven Canadian authors for young people: Hugh Brewster, Deborah Ellis, Sarah Ellis, Linda Granfield, Kevin Major, Arthur Slade and John Wilson.

For information on From the Garden to the Trenches, visit www.fromthegardentothetrenches.com.

TD Canadian Children’s Book Week 2013: Call for Applications

Jennifer Gordon — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 19:36:18 GMT

Who? For authors and/or illustrators with new children’s books being released in the fall of 2012 and/or spring 2013 who are interested in touring schools, libraries, bookstores and community centres, outside of their home province, during TD Canadian Children’s Book Week 2013.

What? The next Book Week tour will run from Saturday, May 4 to Saturday, May 11, 2013.

When? The deadline for applications is Friday, May 25, 2012.

How? Authors and illustrators who are interested in touring should visit the Book Week website under ‘Information for Artists’ (http://www.bookweek.ca/information-artists) for complete application details and to download the application form.

Sarah Ellis Lecture

Jennifer Gordon — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 20:37:35 GMT

9th Annual Albert Lahmer Memorial Lecture with SARAH ELLIS

Sowing Seeds in Danny, Dorothy, Dennis, Dillon and Destiny: A Century of Library Service to Children

As we celebrate the centenary of children’s librarians at the Toronto Public Library and look back to the early decades of library service to children let’s examine some of the specific books and stories that lay behind that mission. What were those seeds that Lillian H. Smith and her disciples were sowing with such energy, idealism and creativity? And how did they get away with it?

Thursday April 26, 8 p.m. Lillian H. Smith Branch, Community Room 239 College Street (at Huron) The Osborne Collection of Early Children’s Books.

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Osborne and Lillian H. Smith Collections Please call 416-393-7753 for more information. Free admission.

Richard Ungar launches TIME SNATCHERS!

Jennifer Gordon — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 20:35:12 GMT

YOU'RE INVITED TO THE TIME SNATCHERS BOOK LAUNCH THIS THURSDAY, APRIL 26!

BEN MCNALLY'S BOOKS 366 BAY STREET (just south of Richmond on west side)

6 - 8 P.M. (short author talk at 6:30 p.m.)

Please drop by and help me celebrate the launch of my first novel for children - TIME SNATCHERS (ages 10 and up). Feel free to bring friends and family!

I'll be giving a short talk at 6:30 p.m. Refreshments provided.

Here's the description from my publisher: Time Snatchers A thrilling middle-grade sci-fi... "The year is 2061, and Caleb’s world is crashing down around him. The small group of orphans who were also “adopted” by Uncle used to feel like family, but both the competition to be the top time snatcher and the punishment for failure have gotten fierce. Time traveling to steal priceless objects can be a thrill, but with bully Frank trying to steal his snatches, his partner Abbie falling for Frank’s slimy charms, and Uncle planning to kidnap innocent kids to grow his business, Caleb starts thinking about getting out. But there is no place on earth, past or present, that is safe from Uncle’s tentacles, and runaways get the harshest punishment of all. Will Caleb risk everything to fight for the future he dreams about?"

Looking forward to seeing you there!

RICHARD UNGAR

http://www.richard-ungar.com

April Congratulations

Karen Krossing — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 18:54:29 GMT

Congratulations to the following CANSCAIP members who are award nominees:

Shortlist for the 2012 Atlantic Book Awards

The Atlantic Book Awards Society is pleased to announce the full shortlist for the nine different book prizes that make up the 2012 Atlantic Book Awards. Winners will be announced at a special awards show on May 17 in St. John’s, Newfoundland. These shortlists include the following titles by CANSCAIPers:

Ann Connor Brimer Award for Children’s Literature

Betsy Wickwire’s Dirty Secret, Vicki Grant, HarperCollins Canada

Lillian Shepherd Memorial Award for Excellence in Illustration

A Day with You in Paradise, illustrated by Patsy MacKinnon, written by Lennie Gallant, Nimbus Publishing
Monkeys in My Kitchen, illustrated by Sydney Smith, written by Sheree Fitch, Nimbus Publishing

The Bruneau Family Children’s/Young Adult Literature Award

Dragon Seer’s Gift, Janet McNaughton, HarperCollins Canada

Shortlist for the 2012 Violet Downey Book Award

The shortlist for The National Chapter of Canada IODE Violet Downey Book Award, value $3000, has been announced. The Award is offered annually for the best young children’s English-language book containing at least 500 words of text. The winner will be announced at IODE Canada’s National Annual Corporate Meeting on May 26. This shortlist includes the following titles by CANSCAIPers:

Dragon Seer’s Gift, Janet McNaughton, HarperCollins Canada
That Fatal Night, Sarah Ellis, Scholastic Canada
This Dark Endeavour, Kenneth Oppel, HarperCollins Canada
Timber Wolf, Caroline Pignat, Red Deer Press

IBBY Canada Announces 2012 Honour List Children’s Books

IBBY Canada, the Canadian National Section of the International Board on Books for Young People, is delighted to announce the selection of Canada’s IBBY Honour List of children’s books for 2012. This list includes the following titles by CANSCAIPers:

ENGLISH TEXT: The Nine Lives of Travis Keating, Jill MacLean, Fitzhenry & Whiteside
TRANSLATION ENGLISH TO FRENCH: L'oeil de la corneille (Eye of the Crow),translated by Pierre Corbeil from English text, written by Shane Peacock, Bayard Canada livres

The IBBY Honour List is a biennial selection of outstanding books for children, selected by a jury, to represent the best recently published children’s literature in each country. IBBY Canada’s Honour List titles, and Honour List titles from many other countries, will be presented at the 33rd IBBY World Congress in London, England in August 2012.

2012 Alberta Literary Awards Shortlist

The Writers Guild of Alberta (WGA) is thrilled to announce the finalists for the 2012 Alberta Literary Awards. The Alberta Literary Awards recognize and celebrate the highest standards of literary excellence from Alberta authors. Winners will be announced at the Alberta Book Awards Gala in Calgary on Saturday June 9, 2012. These shortlists include the following titles by CANSCAIPers:

R. Ross Annett Award for Children’s Literature

Ghost Messages, Jacqueline Guest, Coteau Books
Karma, Cathy Ostlere, Puffin Canada

Join Cheryl Rainfield as she launches HUNTED

Jennifer Gordon — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 17:11:38 GMT

In Toronto? Then you're invited to Cheryl Rainfield's launch for HUNTED (YA paranormal fantasy/dystopian) on March 31st from 4-6 pm at Bakka-Phoenix Books on Harbord (84 Harbord St near Spadina). There will be food and prizes--and possibly a psychic! I hope you can come help me celebrate!

http://cherylrainfield.com/blog/index.php/2012/03/13/in-toronto-youre-invited-to-my-hunted-book-launch-at-bakka-phoenix-books-march-31st/

March Congratulations

Karen Krossing — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:12:08 GMT

Congratulations to the following CANSCAIP members who are award winners and nominees:

2012 Notable Book for a Global Society

Five Thousand Years of Slavery by Marjorie Gann and Janet Willen (Tundra) has been selected as a 2012 Notable Book for a Global Society by the Children’s Literature and Reading Special Interest Group, International Reading Association.

Shortlist for the 2011 Saskatchewan Book Awards

Children’s Literature Award

Full Steam to Canada: A Barr Colony Adventure, written by Anne Patton, Coteau Books
Racing Home, written by Adele Dueck, Coteau Books
Picturing Alyssa, written by Alison Lohans, Dundurn Press
The Secret of the Stone Circle, written by Judith Silverthorne, Coteau Books

Regina Book Award

Picturing Alyssa, written by Alison Lohans, Dundurn Press

Saskatoon Book Award

Waiting for No One, Beverley Brenna, Red Deer Press

Fiction Award

Empire of Ruins: The Hunchback Assignments III, Arthur Slade, HarperCollins Publishers

Award winners will be announced on April 28.

Canadian Library Association 2012 Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Award Shortlist

The Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator’s Award recognizes an illustrator of a noteworthy Canadian book, published in 2011, that appeals to children up to the age of 12 years.

The winners will be announced prior to the Canadian Library Association National Conference on May, 31 2012. CANSCAIPers include:

Migrant, written by Maxine Trottier, illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault, Groundwood

Picture a Tree, by Barbara Reid, Scholastic Canada

Canadian Library Association 2012 Book of the Year for Children Award Shortlist

The 2012 Book of the Year for Children Award recognizes a Canadian author of an outstanding book published in Canada in 2011, which appeals to children up to and including age 12. CANSCAIPers include:

When Apples Grew Noses and White Horses Flew by Jan Andrews, Groundwood
No Ordinary Day by Deborah Ellis, Groundwood
That Boy Red by Rachna Gilmore, Harper Collins Canada
Dragon Seer’s Gift by Janet McNaughton, Harper Collins Canada
The Tiffin by Mahtab Narsimhan, Dancing Cat Books
Dragon Turn by Shane Peacock, Tundra Books
The Whole Truth by Kit Pearson, Harper Collins Canada
Empire of Ruins by Arthur Slade, Harper Collins Canada

The winners will be announced prior to the Canadian Library Association National Conference on May 31, 2012.

Canadian Library Association 2012 Young Adult Book Award Shortlist

The 2012 Young Adult Book Award recognizes an author of an outstanding English-language Canadian work of fiction (novel, collection of short stories or graphic novel), published in 2011, that appeals to young adults between the ages of 13 and 18. The winner will be announced prior to the National Canadian Library Association Conference on May 31, 2012. CANSCAIPers include:

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong, Random House
All Good Children by Catherine Austen, Orca
The Woefield Poultry Collective by Susan Juby, HarperCollins
This Dark Endeavour by Kenneth Oppel, HarperCollins
Karma by Kathy Ostler, Penguin Canada

Finalists for the 2012 BC Book Prizes

The West Coast Book Prize Society is thrilled to announce the finalists for the 2012 BC Book Prizes. The winners will be announced at the annual Gala on May 12, 2012 in Vancouver.

Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize

The Runaway, written by Glen Huser, Tradewind Books

Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize

Pussycat, Pussycat, Where Have You Been?, written by Dan Bar-el, illustrated by Rae Maté, Simply Read Books

The National Chapter of Canada IODE Violet Downey Book Award Shortlist, valued at $3000, has been selected from among submitted books published in

Canada

in 2011. The Award is offered annually for the best young children’s English language book containing at least 500 words of text. The winner will be announced at IODE Canada’s 112^th National Annual Corporate Meeting, being held at the Delta Airport West Hotel in Mississauga, Ontario on 26 May 2012. The five Canadian authors short-listed for this Award are:

· Dragon Seer’s Gift by Janet McNaughton,

St. John’s, NL, published by Harper Collins

Canada

· Howl by Karen Hood-Caddy,

Bracebridge, ON , published by Dundurn Press

· That Fatal Night by Sarah Ellis,

Vancouver, BC , published by Scholastic Canada

· This Dark Endeavour by Kenneth Oppel,

Toronto, ON , published by Harper Collins

· Timber Wolf by Caroline Pignat,

Kanata, ON , published by Red Deer Press

Globally Coordinated Book Reading Flash Mob on March 28th at 4pm

Jennifer Gordon — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 17:17:15 GMT

PRESS RELEASE For immediate release

Join us in Toronto for the world’s first Globally Coordinated Book Reading Flash Mob on March 28th at 4pm On March 28th at 4pm in Toronto’s Union Station you are invited by the Pay it Forward Foundation to take part in the world’s first globally coordinated book reading flash mob.

All you need to do is bring a book that inspired you in some way, take some time to reflect on how that book inspired you and also reflect on how a random act of kindness has the potential to change someone else’s life. Now more than ever in these tough financial times we need to help and be kind to each other and you can become part of a global movement helping to make the world a kinder place.

The event has been put together by the Pay It Forward Foundation to raise awareness of the impact that small, random acts of kindness can have on people and to encourage people to Pay It Forward. Charley Johnson, President of the Pay it forward Foundation says “We realise that change starts with us, and for this reason, we believe that it is a simple thing that everyone can do to remind people that the world is still an amazing place and that others still do care.”

Nancy Runstedler, of Paris, Ontario, and organizer of the Toronto flash mob says “We know that serving others has the power to create change. Real change! You can make a difference today, no need to be a celebrity or millionaire. Be the change you want to see in the world. Understanding that a small act of kindness can shift someone’s perspective on life is the reality we live in. Help us share the message, the outcome will give purpose and meaning to everyone involved.”

Come along and be a part of the Pay It Forward Book Reading Flash mob in Toronto’s Union Station on March 28th at 4pm. For further information on all flash mob locations go to http://www.pifexperience.org/pif-flash-mob/ You can help make a difference in the world! ENDS Notes for Editors Nancy Runstedler is available for interviews and photographs. For further information email nancypif@gmail.com or call (519)209-6932 cell Charley Johnson, President of the Pay it Forward foundation is also available for interview. Email Charley@pifexperience.org For additional information on the Pay it Forward Foundation got to http://www.pifexperience.org/ Issued by Maritza Duncan PR Consulting www.maritzaduncan.com Tel: +44(0) 750 621 6288

SOME LIKE IT HOT: YA FICTION WORKSHOP

Jennifer Gordon — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 18:24:04 GMT

Eight Mondays, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. (March 5 to April 30 - no meeting April 9) 1200 Atwater Avenue, Suite 3 $175 ($155 for QWF members)

Workshop leaders: Monique Polak and Lori Weber

Hosted by the Quebec Writers' Federation (qwf.org) http://www.qwf.org/workshops/spring2012/polak_weber.html

To register, email julia@qwf.org. For many of us, the books we read as teens have stayed with us for the rest of our lives and may even have shaped our values and ideas on our place in the world. Today, the YA market is thriving, making it an exciting time to be a YA author. However, the genre can be challenging. The writer must create stories that engage young readers, authentically reflect their world, and speak to them in a way that is never pedantic or condescending. The writer must do all this with plots that are fast-paced and original, and with characters that are believable and never clichéd.

Write/Right to Read Contest for students Grades 4-6

Jennifer Gordon — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 21:24:16 GMT

World Literacy Canada is proud to once again present our annual national writing contest. Give your students a chance to win $1000 and an amazing prize package.

Along with the contest, a teacher's resource package is available, complete with a reading guide for Deborah Ellis' book No Ordinary Day, discussion prompts and classroom activities to teach students about diversity and tolerance.

Please visit the World Literacy Canada website to download the contest package.

Writers' Union of Canada 2012 Writing for Children Competition

Karen Krossing — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 16:02:49 GMT

The Writers' Union of Canada is pleased to launch its 16th annual Writing for Children Competition, which invites writers to submit a piece for children up to 1,500 words in the English language that has not previously been published in any format. A $1,500 prize will be awarded to an unpublished Canadian writer, and the entries of the winner and finalists will be submitted for consideration to three publishers of children's books. The deadline for entries is April 24, 2012.

The Writing for Children Competition, which welcomes submissions for all ages of young people, from picture books to young adult (YA) stories, can be a springboard into a writing career. “Lisa Dalrymple, whose ‘Skink on the Brink’ won last year, will have her story published by Fitzhenry & Whiteside in the spring of 2013,” notes Kelly Duffin, the Union's Executive Director. “It will be very exciting to see this winning story in print.”

The Union initiated the Writing for Children competition to discover, encourage, and promote new writers of children’s literature. The Competition has grown in popularity since its inception, last year attracting over 680 submissions from every region of Canada.

The Union is proud to announce an esteemed group of jurors for the 2012 Writing for Children Competition. Author and screenwriter Don Calame is known for his critically acclaimed YA novels Beat the Band, which appears on the American Library Association’s 2011 Best Fiction for Young Adults List, and Swim the Fly, nominations for which include for Ontario Library Association Forest of Reading White Pine Award, the New Westminster Hyack Teen Readers Award, the Nevada Young Readers Award, and the American Library Association Best Book for Young Adults. His new book Call the Shots is due for release in the fall of 2012. A Governor General’s Award nominee for Tess, Hazel Hutchins has published forty-plus books throughout the English-speaking world and has been translated into German and Korean. Recent awards include the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award and the R. Ross Annett Award for Children's Literature for Mattland, the Norma Fleck Honour Award for A Second is a Hiccup, and the Shining Willow Young Reader's Choice Award for TJ and the Cats. Rene Schmidt’s novel Leaving Fletchville was a Red Maple Honour Book 2010, was named a Best Books for Kids & Teens 2010 selection by Canadian Children’s Book Centre, and was shortlisted for the IODE Violet Downey Award.

He is also the author of the non-fiction work Canadian Disasters, which profiles forty-two tragedies over the last two centuries.

To be eligible, submissions must be written by Canadian citizens or permanent residents who have not been published in book format in any genre and who do not have a contract with a book publisher. Any text, fiction or non-fiction, up to 1,500 words, in the English language, that is original and not previously published in any format, is eligible. A typed, double-spaced entry in a clear twelve-point font on white paper, not stapled or exceeding the maximum word length, along with an entry fee of $15 per submission (cheque or money order), should be sent to The Writers’ Union of Canada at 90 Richmond Street East, Suite 200, Toronto, Ontario, M5C 1P1. The deadline for submissions is April 24, 2012. The winner will be announced in July 2012. Electronic submissions will not be accepted. For complete rules and regulations, please visit TWUC's website.

The Writers' Union of Canada is our country's national organization representing professional authors of books. Founded in 1973, the Union is dedicated to fostering writing in Canada, and promoting the rights, freedoms, and economic well-being of all writers. For more information, please visit www.writersunion.ca.

Application Deadline Reminder: Literary Arts at The Banff Centre

Jennifer Gordon — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 19:33:23 GMT

Applications have now closed.