Tonight I’m going to the launch of the Toronto Public Library’s 2010 Young Voices magazine. It’s a magazine of art and writing by 12 to 19 year-olds. I’ve been a guest editor of the magazine for four years, and I love encouraging young writers.
If you know any teen writers or illustrators in Toronto, please let them know about the magazine. The deadline for submissions is every April. Here’s a link.
Check out my brand new video for my novel The Castle Key. I made this video myself, so I’m quite proud. Here’s what Canadian Children’s Literature had to say about the novel: “A complex and fascinating story. This is one fantasy novel for young teens that is not to be missed.”
You can check out my YouTube channel here.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1RdYqyv6tK0&feature=player_embedded
A nine-year-old girl who loves to write. A birthday party. What better way to celebrate her birthday than with writing games?
This Saturday, I conducted a series of writing games for nine-year-old Saskia and 19 of her friends. As the guests entered Saskia’s home, they were greeted by the words “Creativity World” written in 12 different languages. Together, we played games with words – creating evil villains, writing using masks, and using “story dice” to tell stories as a group. I enjoyed getting a glimpse into the creative worlds of these girls. Saskia and her friends are fine writers.
It was an intriguing idea for a birthday party – one that I would have enjoyed when I was a kid. Heck, I’d even enjoy it now!
I just returned from a three-day writer’s retreat. Do I look relaxed in this photo?
It’s amazing how fast the time goes when writing. Three days are over in a blink. Writing a novel is such a time-intensive pursuit, while an eager reader can devour that effort in mere hours.
What’s great about a retreat is simply having the quiet, empty space to ponder characters and to delve deeper into who they are, what drives them, what irks them, what moments will change their lives. And these characters do live. There’s no mistaking it. They come to life in quiet writerly moments, and they continue to thrive in the minds of readers.
If you’re interested in writing or illustrating for kids or teens, check out CANSCAIP’s Packaging Your Imagination conference, an annual day of workshops by experts in the field. This year, the conference will be held at Victoria College in Toronto on Saturday, November 6th. As Vice-President of CANSCAIP, I’m spearheading the committee to organize the day, and it promises to be inspirational. With workshops on non-fiction illustration, cartooning, how to write graphic novels, mystery writing, and much more, you’ll get excited about creating for kids. So book Saturday, November 6th in your calendar and register soon. See you there!