On Saturday, May 24, 2025, you can find me at the first-ever Appleby College Festival of Authors, located in Oakville, Ontario! Its goal? To celebrate the incredible work of Canadian authors. I’m thrilled to see this new festival joining the literary landscape. Let’s help it be a big success so that it can continue for years to come.
At this year’s festival, you’ll find panels of speakers who are all there to share their books and delve into their creative journeys. Whether you like fiction or memoirs, thrillers or romance, picture books, or YA, you’ll find an author and books that are right for you. Tickets are only $10 and are available here.
I’ll be speaking with moderator John Corr and panelists Richard Scrimger and Sylvia McNicoll about The Power of Friendship in Stories. Plus, A Different Drummer bookstore will be on site so you can pick up new books, including my latest – Monster vs. Boy. I hope to see you there!
Writing Craft Talk at CANSCAIP
On June 11, I’ll be speaking at the monthly CANSCAIP member’s meeting at 7 p.m. ET. Meetings are via Zoom, and you can contact CANSCAIP for membership options or a onetime invitation as a guest.
Writing Groups that Work: Give and Receive Feedback that Supports the Writer
Date/Time: Thursday, June 6, 2024, 7:00–8:30 PM (EDT) Cost: $30 US Delivery: Online with session recorded for later viewing
Get the scoop on writing groups that work. In fact, why not invite your writing group (or writing partners) to join?
A well-run writing group can be a training ground for collective growth, support, and motivation to write. But some traditional groups can be unintentionally off-base, judgmental, and even harmful. In this 90-minute session, you’ll explore how to set up a writing group that centers on each writer’s needs, including creating a discovery experience to explore a project – where it came from, where it’s at now, and where the writer is inspired to take it next.
This course will cover:
how to form your ideal writing group, including where to find members and how to set it up for success.
how a writing group can foster inclusion and support for a diverse range of experiences.
how to prepare for feedback on your writing, including the value of an artist statement to introduce a piece of writing.
how responder(s) can prepare for a feedback session.
how a group can co-create a safe, nurturing feedback experience.
the roles of the responder(s) and writer during feedback.
what to do with the feedback you receive on your writing (and when to set it aside).
This workshop is for any writer or writing group seeking ways to offer and receive targeted, constructive feedback that inspires revisions and meets writing goals.
To register, go to the Whale Rock website. While you’re there, please also check out their many wonderful offerings for new, emerging, and established writers for children and youth. And don’t forget to subscribe to the Whale Rock newsletter!
