Yikes it's almost May!

April has been a crazy busy month, with trips to Lethbridge, Calgary, Vancouver, Saltspring Island and Seattle. Two Young Authors Conferences and a Teachers' Conference not to mention school visits, have kept me hopping ferries and planes. It's always a treat to catch up with old friends like Marie Louise Gay, Deborah Turney-Zagwin and Linda Bailey. I have met lots of wonderful new friends too,writers: Helaine Becker, Marty Chan, and Dennis Foon, and illustrator Lorna Bennett. Be sure to check out all of their books.

A heartfelt thanks to event organizers Elaine Rusnack,(Weaving Words), Richard Chase (Lethrbridge YA Conference), Teresa Bowles (Calgary YA Conference) and Kelly McQuillan (Surrey teacher/librarian) who all did such a fabulous job of putting together author events.

With so much traveling, I am way behind in my writing. I plan to start catching up though really soon. I am bursting with ideas, some of them coming from the kids I've met up with over the last few months. Vancouver Children's Literature Roundtable' Serendipity Conference is coming up this week, so I'll have to be patient a little longer. Oh how I wish I could be like Eric Walters and write anywhere and everywhere. Sadly, I need to lock myself away from all distractions to really get words on paper; at least words anyone cares to read.

For now though, I'm enjoying the second in Bruce Coville's The Unicorn Chronicles. I am so behind! I saw him at a conference on the weekend and he mentioned that the third book is about to come out. I guess I'd better read fast. If you haven't read the first, go get it immediately. The other book that I have on the top of my pile is The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things by Carolyn Mackler. It is supposed to be soooo good. With so many good books to read, it's a wonder any of us ever get around to writing! Later, Sheryl

Otters holding hands

Yes, despite my daughter's lack of faith in my technology abilities (probably with good reasons), I have finally figured out how to upload You Tube videos to my blog. This is a fantasitc one of sea otters at the Vancouver Aquarium. Enjoy! Sheryl

I Can't Believe It's Already April!

I can't believe it's already April! I know, I know, I know. It's been ages since I've posted. Trips to Vancouver, Nevada, Tofino, Lethbridge and French Beach have kept me busy. A particular highlight in Lethbridge aside from the awesome Weaving Words Conference and The equally awesome YA Writing Conference hosted jointly by their library and Children's Literature Roundtable, was a trip to Waterton National Park and seeing a huge herd of elk, and I am talking in the hundreds. It was fantastic! Then, having my lovely daughter home from Australia has enticed me away from work and into talking about books, reading books, and watching our favourite TV shows, What Not to Wear, and one and all of the home reno shows. She has two more weeks before starting her dream job in Vancouver working for a book rep. company which is the go-between for publishers and booksellers/libraries. Got to enjoy having her home while I can. Next week is Saltspring Island and teaching writing to grade four and fives, and then Vancouver where I'll be teaching a YA writing workshop for Adults. Busy busy busy...

Until next time, happy reading, Sheryl

Bloggers have kid's book awards too

Just wanted to let everyone know who doesn't already that bloggers give out awards too! Check out http://dadtalk.typepad.com/cybils/2007/02/the_2006_cybils.htmlto find out about the best of the best in kids' books according to us regular folk. Hey, a Canadian book even made the list; Melanie Watt has won for fiction picture books for her book Scaredy Squirrel published by Kids Can Press. Later, Sheryl

Deb Ellis

I have just returned from taking Deborah Ellis to her hotel after her last presentation during the Victoria leg of her western tour. I have spent the last several days listening to Deb address the effects of war, aids, poverty, and the drug trade on the lives of children with audiences that ranged from grade four students to senior citizens. The importance of the themes that Deb’s stories bring to the forefront are especially evident in the questions the young people in her audience ask; questions like how can kids live in prisons, why can’t kids who are sick get the medicine they need, and why can’t girls go to school in Afghanistan? Many will have read The Breadwinner, Pavanah's Journey and Mud City, but Deborah Ellis has written many other books. She is no one trick pony, despite this label she so often gives to herself. She is about shaking us out of our complacency and about empowering young people to demand more of our world and it's inhabitants. She is about social justice.

Not surprisingly, I was excited to hear that Deb has turned her compassionate yet critical storyteller’s eye on North American. Jakeman will be the title of her next novel. It's about kid whose mother goes to prison. It's about poverty and the feeling of being powerless, but it's also about alter-egos and about kids taking back their power. I can hardly wait to read it.

The Higher Power of Lucky & Three Wishes

So what do The Higher Power of Lucky and Three Wishes have in common? Read on...

It’s unbelievable. The controversy around this year’s Newbery Award-winner, The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron is growing in leaps and bounds. The ugly head of censorship has been rearing it’s head in the New York Times, on Publisher Weekly’s Website, and in blog after blog. It seems that a lot of librarians have trouble with the word “scrotum”, and that’s enough to keep the book away from sensitive young readers! I must admit that I agree totally with Ms. Patron who explained that scrotum is a “delicious” word. Unbelievable, and of course one of the many ironies (I’m not even going to go into sex-driven advertising or music videos here) is that as the ‘ban the book frenzy’ reaches it’s peak, we are just about to celebrate Freedom to Read Week. Don’t they get it? Banned books are wildly appealing to the young and curious, as I first learned back in the 1960’s when J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye was banned from my high school. Even the kids who had an aversion to reading devoured that book (or at least key passages of it). So, congratulations Ms. Patron. You can expect to sell more books and you are in very good company!

It was only a year ago that a huge controversy developed when one school district in Ontario chose to drop Deborah Ellis’ Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak from a provincially sanctioned readers’ choice award, again just as we were heading into Freedom to Read Week!

For anyone in the Victoria, BC area, the Victoria Children’s Literature Roundtable will be hosting Deb Ellis as part of our celebration of Freedom to Read Week at Spectrum Community High School @ 957 Burnside Rd in the school library @ 7:30.

Or you can go to http://www.freedomtoread.ca/ to find out how you can celebrate this important week in your own area. Defy the censors. Read a banned book!

Sheryl

Eric Wilson was wonderful Grey Whales Ahead

Yes, I'm a little slow. It has been a couple of weeks since mystery writer Eric Wilson spoke at our Children's Literature Roundtable. With sales into the millions and publications in more than a dozen countries worldwide, you might expect him to be less humble. But, that just wouldn't be Eric. What a lovely man. Here's where you can find out more about Eric and his newest books http://members.shaw.ca/ericwilsonweb/.

In upcoming news, On March 20, and 21, I'll be visiting Tofino and Uclulet during their Pacific Rim Whale Festival. If I'm lucky I'll get to see the some of the 22,000 grey whales on their annual migration-the longest of any mammal; an estimated 16,000 km return trip. Very cool! While I'm there I hope I get a chance to stop by the studio of one of my favourite west coast artists, Mark Hobson. I have one of his limited edition grey whale prints over my bed. One of the few disadvantages of being a kids' book writer as far as I can see, is that I don't have enough money to buy more art! But then, there could be far worse things couldn't there. S.

Back from Australia and ALA in Seattle...

After my last trip to Seattle for the American Library Association Conference and book signings with author friends Debbie Hodge and Linda Bailey I had one more trip planned. I had thought I would be going to Toronto for the Ontario Librarian's super conference, but I'm just not up for it, so my plans are to stay home and write. Unfortunately, flu season has slowed me down. Hopefully, I will soon be back to the novel I'm working on as well as one new picture book and two board books.

In the meantime, reading, mindless television and the sun finally shining is keeping me sane. Check out my book blog for a review of Debbie Hodge's new picture book. Here I am at American Library Association Conference in Seattle signing my newest book. I am with two fantastic Fitzhenry & Whiteside Sales Reps. Stephanie Stewart (left), and Penny Taylor (right).

Tomorrow night our Children's Literature Roundtable will also be hosting Eric Wilson; Canada's million-copy selling mystery author for kids. He always gives a fantastic talk, so will let you know how it goes. Later, Sheryl

Reviews

Hey,

I just discovered two reviews of my new book, The Smell of Paint. One is on Amazon.ca--go to the review at the bottom of the page. The other is on a Book Blog. Check them out. S.

Back from sunny Australia and rainy Seattle

So, I'm finally back from a wonderful trip to Australia where my three lovely daughters and I enjoyed surf and sun, great wines, and fantastic museums and art galleries for almost a month. Arrived home to power outages and a foot of snow. Yikes! That was followed by wind storms, downed phone lines, and then computer problems. I fit in a trip to Seattle for the American Library Association Conference and book signings for A Pod of Orcas and The Smell of Paint with author friends Debbie Hodge (she has a new picture book out which you should totally check out called Lily and the Mixed Up Letters --watch for a review soon on my book blog with Tundra Books and Linda Bailey (who has new picture book coming out in the spring called Sweet Pig) which was also lots of fun. So, you see I have plenty of excuses for not updating this blog for a while. No more slacking off though…

It was a pretty busy fall with lots of travelling, lots of school presentations and festivals. The winter is supposed to be my writing time, so I'll be home a lot more. I'm especially looking forward to hearing Eric Wilson talk at the Children's Literature Roundtable (a group of teachers, librarians, parents and writers who love and want to support kids books) on January 29th. Eric has a new book out called Red River Ransom. With more than a million books sold in 10 countries, and 30 years of writing under his belt, Eric has tremendous insight into writing for kids. I am especially interested to hear of how he always gets feedback on manuscripts from a small group of kids. What a cool guy. Then near the end of February, our Roundtable is hosting Deborah Ellis who is also fabulous. But, I'd better get back to writing. All for now, Sheryl

Update

So, I'm home now and will be for several weeks after pretty much being on the road for several months. Such a busy fall with multiple trips to Vancouver, up-Island, Toronto, Arizona and Seattle. But, being home has not been quite as relaxing as I'd hoped as I arrived just in time for a major snow storm, power outages, and artic weather hammering the usually wet West Coast. I spent three hours digging out my car and shoveling foot deep snow. I trudged to the grocery store in my rubber boots (I don't own winter boots) and came home with blocks of ice instead of feet! I must admit, it is pretty though, especially now that I have power back and can make a cup of hot tea and I don't have to rely on very wet wood and an ineffient fireplace and piles of blankets to keep me warm. So, aside from getting ready to host the last Children's Literature Roundtable of the year, judge a kid's writing contest for the Canadian Children's Book Centre, and work on my next book, catch up on letters and emails resulting from dozens of school and library visits, I have glorious time to read read read....

Sadly, what wasn't waiting for me was book reviews for my new book. If you read it (The Smell of Paint), and like it, and I hope you do, think about writing a review for Amazon. Sigh...Getting a book review for a kid's book is almost as hard as getting one published! Until next time...Sheryl

Deborah Ellis and Andrea Spalding coming to Victoria

I'm such a slacker about updating, but then I have a pretty good excuse; I've been on the road! Actually, I've hardly been home all fall, Toronto, Arizona, up-island several times, Vancouver several times, so you can forgive me for not updating. I had an absolutely wonderful time in Toronto--teaching a workshop, and doing school and library visits as well as spending time with eastern authors and illustrators which was fabulous. Many bottles of wine and great dinners later, I'm back home. Writing is usually such a solitary thing so I always enjoy the time on the road. Still, it's good to be back home--wearing my lulu lemon pants and a sweat shirt, and getting back to eating veggies and not tempting myself with deserts (I have a serious lack of will power on this one. If I see it I want it!).

I have been wearing my other hat for the last few days, organziing the Victoria leg of Deborah Ellis' tour. Of course you all know Deb Ellis, the author of The Breadwinner, Pavana's Journey, Our Stories Our Songs: African Children Talk about Aids, and the very controversial Three Wishes: Palestinian and Israeli Children Speak. Deborah will be speaking to our Children's Literature Roundable of which I am the chair. We are mostly educators, librarians, and parents, but a few authors also belong. I am very much looking forward to what Deb has to say. I heard her once before when she spoke about women and children's lives in Afghanistan. So if you happen to be in Victoria at the end of February, drop me a line to find out more details.

On a related front, we are very excited to have Andra Spalding coming to speak to the Roundtable in early December. Andrea is the author of so many wonderful books, Including Bottled Sunshine, and The Most Beautiful Kite in the World. More recently, she has teamed up with Judge Scow, a First Nations elder to write Secret of the Dance. Check out my book blog for a review. It is a wonderful and very important book.

Time to watch a little home reno tv, a favourite past time when the weather is too rainy and miserable to get out into my garden. Besides, I have to come up with some clever ideas for my fireplace front now that I've chipped away all those ugly broken tiles.

All for now. Sheryl

Good news from IBBY Canada

The theme this past spring for Nami Island's second annual international Children's Book Festival in Korea was"Journeys of the Imagination." The idea of this IBBY sponsored event was "... to evoke the notion that every child can travel around the world in their imaginationon and through books and dream of a peaceful future in which they meet each other are are friends." I was delighted to hear that IBBY Canada had included Waiting for the Whales, my first picture book in the exhibition that respesented Canada. The other 9 titles included are:
Florence et la Sainte-Catherine by Lysette Brochu and Chrisian Ouesnel
Le Chandail de Hockey by Roch Carrier and Sheldon Cohen
La grandmere by d'Aputik by D Groulx
Dragonfly Kites by Tomson Highway and Brian Deines
NothernLights: The Soccer Trails by Michael Kusugak and Vladyana Kyrorka
A Big City ABC by Allan Moak
Tiger's New Cowboy Boots by Irene Morck and Georgie Graham
Glaire's Gift by Maxine Trottier and Rajka Kupesic
Ghost Train by Paul Yee and Hrvey Chan

To find out more about IBBY Canada (Canadian member of the International Board on Books for Young People) check out their website. They do great work.

My new book, The Smell of Paint, is finally out!

So, I'm trying blogger out as a more user-friendly version of a website just to see how it goes. I'll start by posting my new book, The Smell of Paint which will be in bookstores near you in the next week or so. It's a novel for ages 11 and up, with the main character being 14. Check it out.

This is the ad copy written by my favourite editor Ann Featherstone...

For a track star, the race never ends

All Jess can do is run—from her mom’s illness, her family’s grief, her friends’ sympathy. But when Jess finally stops, who will be there to help her face the truth?

It's published by Fitzhenry & Whiteside, and will be available in both the US and Canada. I've already had my first good review which included a not so great picture of me at the track with kids and the coach from my kids' former high school running in the foreground. I'd include a link, but it's already in the pay section of the oneline version of the Times Colonist's and I doubt that, however much you love me, you won't be subscribing to the TC just to read that article. If you happen to be in Victoria on October 16th though, you could drop by Spectrum School @ 957 Burnside Rd to a group launch that will include my new book along with new titles from Kit Pearson, John Wilson, Adrienne Mason, Penny Chamberlain, and Dianna Bondar.