Ten Stories Up

Book Review: Eon

2012-02-10T11:28:00.000-04:00

Paperback edition

Title: Eon
Series: Dragoneye Reborn
Author: Alison Goodman
Publisher: Puffin
ISBN: 978014314097

Book source: personal collection

From the publisher:

For years, Eon's life has been focused on magical study and sword-work, with one goal: that he be chosen as a Dragoneye, an apprentice to one of the twelve energy dragons of good fortune.

But Eon has a dangerous secret. He is actually Eona, a sixteen-year-old girl who has been masquerading as a twelve-year-old boy. Females are forbidden to use Dragon Magic; the penalty is death.

When Eona's secret threatens to come to light, she and her allies are plunged into grave danger and a struggle for the Imperial throne. Eona must find the strength and inner power to battle those who want to take her magic... and her life.

Pros:

Hardcover edition

The setting. Oh wow, does Alison Goodman know how to build a world. There's depth and breadth and history and culture, and I believed it. It transported me. Not to mention, how fun is it to find a fantasy that's rooted in something other than Western European mythology? Goodman says she was inspired by the traditions of both China and Japan, and by adding a generous dollop of imagination, she's created something totally unique.
The stakes. It's not just life or death for Eona, here. Her secrets - that she's a girl, and that she never fully bonded with her dragon (and thus can't call its power) - could destroy the ruling dynasty and, oh yeah, the kingdom at large. Hello, delightful tension!
Also, hurray for a completely gorgeous cover. This is one case where the paperback edition far surpasses the original hardcover.

Cons:

Do you ever wish you could shake a character for not realizing what's been obvious to you for a hundred pages? In one rather critical way, Eona is horribly slow to catch on. Despite this, I was in her corner all the way.

I will definitely be reading the sequel. Highly recommended to fans of Tamora Pierce, Cindy Pon, and Sherwood Smith's Crown Duel.

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For more information on Alison Goodman, visit her website.

Book Review: Betsy Wickwire's Dirty Secret

2012-01-20T10:33:00.000-04:00

Title: Betsy Wickwire's Dirty Secret
Author: Vicki Grant
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 9781554681822

Book Source: personal collection

What do you do when you catch your boyfriend and your best friend kissing? If you're Betsy Wickwire, you run. And then you do your best to disappear. You quit your job, destroy your cell phone, and actively avoid any possibility of running into the people who must have known about Nick and Carly, but never told you. And the whole time, you feel like a completely pathetic, idiot loser.

Enter Dolores.

Dolores has green hair, eclectic fashion sense, and no qualms about speaking her mind. Or pushing people around. Before Betsy knows it, she's half of a housecleaning business - the half that gags at the sight of hair clogs and polishes shower tiles with a toothbrush. And steals from her clients. Not their possessions, but their secrets: the cracks and flaws and addictions they keep hidden from their families and the world. The only thing that makes Betsy feel better about her train-wreck of a life is knowing that, underneath their shiny, polished surfaces, other people have problems too.

Everybody has a secret. Even Dolores.

One of the things I love about this book is that Grant so clearly gets what it's like to be a teenager. Betsy's response to her friends' betrayal, and the destruction of her plans for the future, is not always logical or productive, but it's dead on. Grant delicately and believably portrays Betsy's changing priorities and her growing understanding of herself and the people around her.

It's a process that, as in real life, takes some time. At first, Betsy tolerates Dolores, rather than really seeing her. In the first half of the book, I loved the way Grant allows the reader to know Dolores better than Betsy does, and to contrast her behavior and intentions with those of Carly, Betsy's former best friend. My favorite example of this (one of my favorite scenes in the whole book) is on pages 157-158. Betsy's waiting to catch a covert glimpse of Nick when Dolores hijacks her on cleaning business:

I was trapped. It was too late to run. There was nowhere to go. If he hadn't spotted me yet, he would, and then I would die.
I would die in my dirty old pink T-shirt and greasy hair.
Dolores was saying something about the Rau-Chaplins and their mudroom. I was trying to nod or at least not cry. I was tensing all my muscles, my brain, my heart, but I couldn't stop myself from shaking. It was like waiting for the firing squad to shoot.
And then, suddenly, on top of everything, Dolores started jumping up and down, all excited about something. What was she saying? Why was she talking so loud? Could she possibly make this any worse?
If I'd had an motor control at all, I would have kicked her, but I couldn't. I had to just stand there waiting for the guns to go off.
"You're kidding! He's taking you to New York?"
I could hear Nick doing stretches behind me, panting. My skin had gone pebbly with goosebumps. My ears were ringing. Had he noticed me yet? Had he even looked?
"Your parents will crap! Seriously. Do they know he's twenty-five?"
Dolores was looking straight at me, making all these exaggerated expressions. She was like a host on a pre-school program, acting out the word surprised.
"You mean, they don't care? Just because he's a surgeon? Or because he's so rich?"
Dolores took me by the arm. "Yeah. You're right. We better get going. You've got to do your hair, get out of your costume an be at the airport by six."

Grant carries this balance of comedy and tragedy throughout the entire book - even when Dolores' dirty secret is finally revealed.

Recommended to fans of Meg Cabot, Eileen Cook, and Sarah Dessen.

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For more information on Vicki Grant and her books, check out her website or her interview here at Ten Stories Up.

Blood Red Road wins the Costa Award!

2012-01-18T14:13:00.000-04:00

Hardcover

For full details, check out the press release.

Also, the cover of the sequel has been released, and it's quite the departure from the original:

softcover

Sequel

Which cover do you prefer?

Children's Christmas Music For Grown-Ups, Too

2011-12-23T16:46:00.000-04:00

My manuscript is in, and judging by that white stuff outside, someone up there's decided it really is Christmas, after all. Here are some musical mood makers for a snowy season.

I grew up on the Muppets, and thanks to my mother, John Denver, too. This CD is a perfect blend of beautiful melody and classic Muppet humour. My favorite tracks include "The Peace Carol" and "The Christmas Wish."

The soundtrack from The Muppet's Christmas Carol is also guaranteed to bring you comfort and joy!

My friend and I were visiting a children's shop in Banff while this CD was playing on the sample board. We laughed so hard the cashiers started to look a little frightened. There's no better Christmas album for playing in the car.

My favorite track is probably "We Three Bears Full of Oreos Are," due to the lovely lugubriousness of the bears' voices. That said, the line in "Jingle Bells" that goes, "This horse has lost his mind, and I can't make him stop - the seat on this old one horse sleigh is harder than a rock!" always causes paroxysms of glee.

What about you? What are your favorite carols - for kids or otherwise? I'm always on the lookout for holiday tunes, so send those suggestions!

Wishing you and yours peace, joy, and many many giggles this holiday season. Regularly scheduled programming resumes in 2012!

All I Want for Christmas is a Deadline

2011-12-16T17:47:00.000-04:00

That's right, I have one - for a children's book of my own!

I'm absolutely thrilled by this, and also slightly overwhelmed, which means I won't have time to post a review this week. But check in next Friday, when I'll be talking about kid's Christmas music that will delight adults too. No really - if you sing it at the top of your lungs while driving to the library, you can almost forget you have a looming deadline...

Book Review: Shattered Dreams

2011-12-09T16:50:00.000-04:00

Title: Shattered Dreams

Series: Midnight Dragonfly

Publisher: MacMillan

ISBN: 9780312647025

Book Source: review copy from publisher

From the publisher:

Sixteen-year-old Trinity Monsour wants nothing more than to live a normal life. But that isn’t as easy as it seems. Trinity is different. She is special. She sees visions, and for those she’s seen, it’s already too late.

Trinity arrives on her aunt’s doorstep in New Orleans with virtually no knowledge of her mysterious heritage. She begins settling into life at a new school and even starts making friends. But all too quickly her dreams accelerate; twisted, terrifying visions of a girl locked in a dark room. And when the head cheerleader, Jessica, goes missing, Trinity knows she has no choice but to step forward with what she’s seen.

But people believe that Trinity has information about Jessica’s disappearance not because of a dream, but because she is involved. She is kind-of dating Jessica’s ex-boyfriend, Chase, and Jessica did pull a nasty prank on Trinity. Revenge seems like the likeliest scenario.

Nothing prepares Trinity for the dark odyssey that ensues while searching for Jessica, including the surprising romance she finds with Chase, or the shocking truths she learns, not just about the girl who has gone missing, but the past that has been hidden from her.

(begin cover rant)

OK, Art Directors, listen up. This cover, with half a girl and a mysterious glowing necklace? It's SO 2008. Enough now. No really. There had to have been another image that would have worked for Shattered Dreams, especially with a deliciously creepy setting like post-Katrina New Orleans to work with. Maybe the mysterious house near the cemetery, you know, the one that's central to the entire plot?

(end cover rant)

Story-wise, Shattered Dreams has a ton of potential. It's got a great setting. It's got a genuine mystery. And it's got a fish-out-water main character with psychic dreams whom the police suspect of nefarious activities. Unfortunately, there are several things which, I felt, kept the book from fully keeping its promise.

Writing-wise, there are a few turns of phrase I found a little odd. In addition, Trinity's visions bounce her in and out of the current action, and because the transitions are a little rough, I found the result disorienting, rather than illuminating. My biggest concern with this book is that I don't think it would have been possible for Trinity (or the reader) to solve the mystery without the use of psychic powers - there just weren't enough non-occult clues in place for the ending to fully satisfy me.

Shattered Dreams is Ellie James' first novel, and I have a feeling this series is going to get better as it goes along. Therefore, I will probably read the sequel when it comes out next March. In the meantime, fans of Shattered Dreams should check out Jana Oliver and Kelly Keaton.

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For more information on Ellie James, visit her website.

And the Results Are In

2011-12-06T09:57:00.000-04:00

Congrats to Karen Spafford-Fitz, who's won a copy of All Good Children, and to Phyllis Sweetwater, who snagged 26 Tips for Surviving Grade 6.

Thanks to Catherine Austen and her publishers, Orca and Lorimer, for providing the prizes for the draw, and for giving me the chance to discover these great books!

Guest Author: Catherine Austen!

2011-12-01T11:14:00.001-04:00

Today's guest is Catherine Austen, a Canadian author with two brand new books out this fall. 26 Tips for Surviving Grade 6 is a fun, light-hearted romp through the perils of kidhood. All Good Children is a teen dystopian that reminds me a little of Lauren Oliver's Delirium (only better).

Catherine's in the midst of a blog tour, and will be dropping by throughout the day to answer your questions in the comments. And please do comment! I have a copy of 26 Tips and a copy of All Good Children to give away, which means you have two chances to win. All comments must be received by 11:59 PM Atlantic Time, Sunday Dec 4 to be eligible.

LEC: With its episodic structure, 26 Tips for Surviving Grade 6 reminded me strongly of Beverly Cleary and Judy Blume's Fudge books. Were you a fan of their writing as a kid? What influences, literary or otherwise, led you to choose this type of plotting?

CA: I wrote the first part of the book years ago as a self-contained story, and it seemed more sensible to add new episodes with the same characters rather than stretch a story into a novel.

I did like Judy Blume as a kid. I have no recollection of Beverly Cleary’s books (but I have no recollection of much of my early life, so I might have led a Ramona fan club for all I know).

LEC: The story revolves around the friendship of Becky (our everygirl heroine) and Violet (the "super-talented new kid"). Tell us about how you created these characters, and how their interactions are key to Becky's sixth-grade survival.

CA: When my oldest son was in kindergarten, he made a friend who was smart and kind and beautiful and athletic and everybody just loved him – man, what an annoying friend to have! I took that premise and wrote the characters as girls. Once I delved into it as a story instead of a life lesson, Becky’s personality took me over. Or I took over hers. We are a blending of minds, that girl and me.

Friendship is vital for most of us, especially in the savage jungle that is grade six. While Becky’s interest in Violet is mixed with status issues at first, their friendship grows because of genuine caring. They see each other’s flaws and like each other anyway – that kind of friend can help you survive anything.

LEC: I agree - those are the best kind of friends! I've read reviews and articles about other books for grade sixers that are quite critical of authors' decisions to include dating content in stories for this age group. And yet, that was the year a boy first asked me on a date (I didn't actually go on one until I'd graduated high school, but that's a different story entirely). Were you concerned about gatekeeper response while writing about Becky's crushes? Do you think the reason many adults condemn contemporary children's literature is because they don't (or choose not to) remember what it was really like to be a kid?

CA: I do expect some criticism, and I shake my head at it. To say a book shouldn’t show kids this age excited about a date or a cute boy suggests there’s something dirty about those feelings. (Damned Freudians.) This is not the kind of date you went on after high school.

The circus story – Becky out with Scott and friends, being smitten with the acrobat – is based on my sixth grade life. (Alas, I never saw the acrobat again.) I also had a crush on one of my older brother’s friends, like Violet does. These things are authentically eleven.

I don’t think such critics remember what it’s like to be a kid. And they seem to project an adult sexuality onto these scenes - something that doesn’t exist in the text or the characters or the kids they’re based on. (“Those kids must be up to no good,” I can almost hear them mutter.)

The criticism may stem from fear – we don’t want to pressure girls to grow up too fast. I get that. But fear can become paranoia. There is a lot of anxiety and danger in kids’ lives today, but there is a lot of silly innocent fun, too. And kids need that in their novels. They need funny books that show boys and girls interacting goofily as part of young life, and that show older boys and men responding appropriately to crushes. I cannot stress that last point enough. We can’t close the gates on dates and crushes in books like this and just leave kids with gritty stories of predators.

Open the gates and let kids go to the circus, for god’s sake.

LEC: Tip #3 - "Be yourself - unless you're mean and jealous and a total jerk, in which case try to be someone else," - got the biggest giggle out of me. Which one of Becky's tips is your favourite?

CA: Honesty is not the most convenient policy. (That’s a life motto for me.)

LEC: So why 26 tips? Is it purely for alliterative reasons, or is there an inside alphabet joke here, too?

CA: No, there is no inside alphabet joke. (Damn, I wish we’d talked before it was published.)

LEC: Many writers find their niche and stick comfortably within it. You, however, have just released two books that are completely different in age group, audience, subject matter, approach, and tone. I'm curious - did you write them together? And was it difficult finding two such distinct voices?

CA: I didn’t write them together, but it wasn’t difficult finding the two voices. I felt completely immersed in each of them.

I do sometimes think I could use a niche, marketing-wise, but I don’t expect I’ll ever have one. I’m moody.

LEC: All Good Children unfolds in three parts, and at the beginning of each section, you quote children's poetry from the 19th century - a time when children's literature was much less about entertainment and more about teaching kids how to behave. These quotes are a vivid reminder that the more things change, the more they stay the same. Tell us what you think parents really mean when they tell their kids to "be good."

CA: They mean “be easy on me” - don’t cause trouble, don’t demand too much, do what is asked of you and do it well.

Raising children is hard - they have so much energy and so much to explore, and they will take all your time, your money, and your last stick of Kit Kat without saying thanks. There are days when parents just can’t handle any more demands. One shot in the arm and it’s so much easier...

Then, too, it is the role of parents to raise their young to survive on their own in the world, and that often conflicts with real goodness. A compassionate self-actualized critical thinker who can’t hold a job might croak, “Thanks, Mom,” as his last words.

Parents are often conflicted over wanting their kids to be successful (“good”) vs. authentic. But I think there’s something like that in all relationships – with children, parents, lovers, friends – we want them to be who is easiest and best for us, who fulfills our needs and fits our aspirations, instead of who they really are. It’s this horrible controlling thing we do to each other. We have to fight against it. And that’s not easy. (But it’s good.)

LEC: Many books in the teen dystopian category extrapolate an aspect of society so far to the extreme that they're almost comforting, because it's hard to believe things could ever get that bad. It seemed to me that All Good Children takes a different approach. The differences between your society and our own are so small, it's all too easy to envision the future you create. That's what makes the book so terrifying. Tell us how you became interested in behaviour modification, and how it became central to this riveting story.

CA: I took a course on child development a few years ago and one student admitted that she spanked her children. The rest of the class was horrified; the teacher referred to it as abuse. But no one raised an eyebrow when we studied medications commonly used to control the exact kinds of behaviour people used to spank their kids for.

At the same time, I read a news story in the US about a school board that took a family to court to force them to medicate their unruly child. The school lost, but I could easily see how, in a more precarious economic climate where you’re lucky to get in school at all, a school would win.

Cosmetic pharmacology is big business. We live in a medicated world in North America and we are never satisfied. Throw in economic crisis, a widening gap between rich and poor, and a lot of bratty kids raised by today’s toddlers, and who knows what will happen.

LEC: Despite (or maybe because of) his prickles, his trouble-making, and his very smart mouth, I fell in love with Max on the very first page. How did his character develop? What makes him so suited for his rebellious role?

CA: I think Max suits his role because he’s so bright and he loves so hard. He has a great combination of arrogance and vulnerability.

I didn’t have a full grasp on his character until my first revision. He changed age, colour, and habits. His attitude was always there but it was only when I had his language that he became complete and intensely real.

To show how well-educated he is, I got rid of the casual phrases and words from my first draft, replacing them with better, brighter wording because that’s what he is. Max wouldn’t say “got rid of”, he would say “eliminated”. He doesn’t speak like I speak. He is so not-me. He sees things like an artist. He describes things with metaphors. He carries themes of colour and history through his entire story. He loves language, though his wording fails a bit as he falls apart through the book.

Once I had his way of using words, I was right in his head. And I got stuck there a bit - I took on some of his odd vocabulary, started calling my kid Dallas by mistake, saw my life from his perspective as old and dry as dust. It was great.

LEC: The idea of initiative is an important one in this story. Let's say all children in New Middletown received their "vaccinations," losing their incentive, and another 50 years went by. What consequences would you predict for this society? How do you think surviving, untreated adults would respond at that point?

CA: They would regret it because they’d be heading to their own treatment in the old folks’ home by then.

I would hope that the top students left untreated would bring down this horrible dystopia rather than continue it.

Encouraging initiative is central to a free society. Openness and creativity and trial and error and wacky individuality are behind some of the very best things about the USA and it would be disastrous to lose those. They’d be left with nothing but their massive war machine.

LEC: As in 26 Tips, friendship (between Max and Dallas, and Max and Xavier) is a key component of All Good Children. Is this a common theme in your other books as well?

CA: Finding friends, losing friends, lacking friends – they’re in all my stories. I have always desperately wanted one of those fictional friendships that are so close you wonder if the friends are gay at heart, like one of those Sam and Frodo things. (I’d want to be Frodo. Who on earth would want to be Sam?)

LEC: Will Max return in a sequel to All Good Children? What are you working on now?

CA: Yes he will. I’m not quite done it. I’m also working on a horror-comedy called Dead Dogs. And I’m always writing and polishing picture books.

LEC: Thanks for a fascinating discussion, Catherine!

Remember, Catherine will be hanging out in the comments section today, to answer your questions! I'm also giving away a copy of 26 Tips for Surviving Grade 6, and a copy of All Good Children - comment by 11:59 PM Atlantic Time, Sunday Dec 4 for your chance to win!

Countdown to Catherine Austen!

2011-11-28T17:10:00.000-04:00

Don't forget that Catherine Austen will be visiting on Thursday! She'll answer your questions and I'll be giving away copies of both her new releases, 26 Tips for Surviving Grade 6, and All Good Children.

Book Review: The Poison Diaries: Nightshade

2011-11-25T16:04:00.000-04:00

Title: The Poison Diaries: Nightshade
Series: The Poison Diaries
Author: Maryrose Wood and the Dutchess of Northumberland
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780061802423

Book source: review copy from publisher

Nightshade is a direct continuation of The Poison Diaries, and I'm having a hard time figuring out how to review it without completely spoiling volume one. The revelations at the end of volume one are so huge, so shocking, that even providing a synopsis of Nightshade is going to ruin things for you. So let's do it this way.

If you haven't read The Poison Diaries, go do that now. No really, I'll wait. Trust me, it's worth your time.

And now that we're all on the same page (sorry, sorry, but the book puns, they write themselves), I can tell you that Nightshade is even more gothic and unsettling than The Poison Diaries. Jessamine and Weed are placed in impossible situations, forced to make impossible choices, and must confront their own capacities for both good and evil (much like the plants which can both kill and cure...). Nothing but the worst possible thing happens in this entire book.

And I loved it.

I love it when authors are brave enough to push their beloved characters to the limits - when fictional people have to earn their happy endings, just like those in real life do. I like being unsure of whether those happy endings will even happen. And I loved that, while book one was about what brought Weed and Jessamine together, book two is about things that are keeping them apart.

For whatever reason, I found myself convinced that the setting was more historical than it actually is, meaning that the more modern details occasionally pulled me out of the story. In addition, since both Weed and Jessamine's narratives are told in first person, it can take a couple of paragraphs to orient after a switch. That said, I think these books would make terrific classroom reading. They grapple with themes from classic literature, and Nightshade in particular (if you're inclined to read metaphorically), can be viewed as an exploration of the perils of addiction.

Eagerly awaiting volume three...

Previously: The Poison Diaries
The Mysterious Howling
Interview with Maryrose Wood

Guest Author: Michelle Mulder

2011-11-18T10:10:00.001-04:00

Today's guest is Michelle Mulder. Michelle is a world-traveler, a former professional practice medical patient, and author of the Theodore Too Tugboat series. She joins us today to discuss her latest middle-grade novel, Out of the Box.

photo by David Lowes

LEC: For such a short book, Out of the Box has a lot going on. Let's start with Argentina. I understand you married your long-time Argentinian pen pal. Is this how you became interested in the country's history? How did the Disappeared find their way into your book?

MM: My husband loves history. Ever since we were pen pals, he has shared his passion for the history of his country. Inevitably, our discussions return to the Disappeared because no matter how much we discuss it, we can never understand how it happened. How does a country get to a place where its own government actively kills its citizens and goes unstopped year after year? And how do people pick up the pieces afterward? The Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo, whose children were disappeared over thirty years ago, still march every Thursday afternoon at three, demanding information. And countries around the world have similar situations. I think it’s important to know these stories and to think about them because they’re not just stories about other people: They’re stories about us, about humanity as a whole.

These are thoughts I’ve had for years, but when I started writing Out of the Box, I had no intention of writing about Argentina. I wanted to write a Canadian story about Ellie and her relationships with her parents. The more I wrote, though, the more I got bogged down in her stifling family situation. I had to give her an outlet, and the day I was trying to figure out what that escape should be, I was staring at my computer screen in my apartment, and our neighbour—a bandoneón player—began to practice for his next CBC concert. Strains of tango drifted down through the floorboards and wended their way into my story, and that was the day Ellie found a bandoneón in her aunt’s basement.

From there, the segue into Argentine history happened naturally. Ellie would want to know where the instrument came from, and as I wrote that part of the story, all the things I’d learned about the Disappeared and their lost children came flooding back to me. Facundo came into being. At first, I didn’t know what he was doing there, how he could possibly help Ellie feel better about the world when his own story was so tragic, but it all became clear when she realized that he had learned to smile despite the tragedy, something that her own mother, years after her difficult childhood, was still unable to do. In this way, Facundo’s story gave Ellie a key to the story of her own family, and the two fit together in a way I never could have planned.

LEC: Ellie's passion for tango music draws her towards the unusual instrument that's central to the plot. What kind of research did you do in support of the musical aspects of the book? Do you play the bandoneón?

MM: I love tango music for its history, its links to Argentina, and of course for its passion. So it seems incredibly lucky that one of Canada’s finest bandoneón players would move in next door, make beautiful music while I write, and give me wonderful pieces of this story. My neighbour and friend, Jonathan Goldman, was thrilled to learn that a bandoneón had made its way into my book. He’s been playing for years and jokes that his life’s mission is to educate people about this unusual instrument. He was incredibly generous with his time and knowledge and even played at the launch of Out of the Box here in Victoria.

LEC: Ellie's home situation has caused her to become older than her years, in terms of her decision-making processes and sense of responsibility. Tell us how you developed the character of Ellie's mother. Why is she larger than life, while Ellie's father fades a bit into the background?

MM: In some ways, Out of the Box includes elements of autobiography. While I was growing up, both my parents struggled with undiagnosed mental health issues. It took us years to understand that our family dynamics were unusual, and it took me still more years to give up looking for books that reflected my experience and to decide instead to write one.

I was terrified that I didn’t know how to write this book. I was terrified that my parents would hate me or that I would hate myself by the end of it, but in the course of writing, my parents gave me two enormous gifts. The first was permission to write. “This is your story,” they said, “and you need to tell it.” The second was their support and enthusiasm when they read the manuscript right before it went into print. To my enormous relief, they understood that I was not damning them for our difficult times but rather trying to write a book that might have helped me when I was thirteen: a realistic one that showed a kid learning to cope, setting boundaries, and doing what was necessary to feel strong, confident and healthy herself.

As you say, in the book, Ellie’s mother is larger than life and her father fades into the background a bit. Ellie’s father has his own troubles to deal with, but instead of overflowing or lashing out as his wife does, he recedes into the basement. I think this is the only way that Ellie’s mother and father could co-exist, and it adds to the complexity of the situation that Ellie faced. She was abandoned by both parents in different ways, left on her own to figure out who she was and how she wanted to fit into this family.

LEC: Is it wrong that Alison is one of my favorite characters? How do you think the story would the story be different without her? Do you think Alison, in some ways, forms a parallel to the deceased owners of the bandoneon?

MM: Yay! I love that Alison is one of your favourite characters. I like her, too, and I’m happy that she joined the story, even if her presence is marked primarily by her absence. She represents a worldview that’s very different from any that Ellie has experienced. Her optimism and childlike excitement about life encourage Ellie in new directions. We all need people like that in our lives.

You’re right that, in some ways, Alison parallels the deceased owners of the bandoneón. I hadn’t thought about that before, but, yes, all of them represent joy, love, and loss.

LEC: In addition to Out of the Box, you've written two books in Second Story Press's Kids' Power Series. These books are fiction, but based on the lives of real kids who've made a difference in the world. They also have a strong historical background. So does your previous middle-grade novel, After Peaches. What compels you to tell these kinds of stories?

MM: When I was growing up, I didn’t feel like I had much influence in my family, my school, or my community. I’d never heard of kids taking a political stand, and I’ve always admired kids who had the courage to stand up and be counted. I also think that more kids will stand up to be counted if the books they read and the stories they hear encourage them to do so. Story is powerful stuff, but stories can be lost, forgotten, or buried, and when nobody tells them, they lose their power. I like to help keep that power alive, and if I can tell a story that not only honours the people who were involved but inspires and empowers the people that hear it, then I’m happy with what I’ve written.

LEC: Thanks so much for joining us today!

MM: Thank you for your thought-provoking questions, Lindsey. It’s been a pleasure to chat with you.

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For more information on Michelle Mulder and her books, visit her website.

The Catherine Austen Giveaway is a Go!

2011-11-15T14:22:00.000-04:00

Just a reminder that Catherine Austen will be visiting Ten Stories Up on December 1. She'll chat about her two new books and will answer your questions in the comments.

I'm also pleased to announce that Catherine's publishers are providing a copy of each book, which I'll be giving away. Stay tuned to find out how to win! In the meantime, you can find more information about these wonderful books here.

Two by Alison Acheson

2011-11-11T10:00:00.014-04:00

Title: Molly's Cue
Author: Alison Acheson
Publisher: Coteau Books
ISBN: 9781550504309

Book Source: review copy from publisher

All Molly's ever wanted is to be a great actress like her Grand. But Grand has died, and as Molly starts her first high school drama class, she learns that, despite the stories and the dress-up trunk and the photographs of famous people on the walls, Grand never set foot on a stage. The knowledge is devastating, and for the first time in her life, Molly is crippled by stage fright. She loses the lead role in the school play. She can't even go to class. Fortunately, Molly's friend Candace is there to help her find her voice again.

The thing I liked most about this book is the way's Molly's perceptions change throughout the story. At the outset, she sees herself as a star, and that conviction blinds her to realities of her life, her family, and her friends. Learning the truth about her grandmother causes her to question everything, and in doing so, she sees things clearly for the first time. I also liked that every character had some form of creative outlet, some of which were unusual, or downright quirky.

Title: Mud Girl
Author: Alison Acheson
Publisher: Coteau Books
ISBN: 9781550503548

Book Source: review copy from publisher

Abi lives in a house on stilts, set on the bank of a muddy tidal river. It's a precarious house for a precarious life. Her father's out of work, and since Abi's mom left, he can barely form words, let alone be a parent. Abi suspects that her Big Sister may have a hidden agenda. And while she's amazed and thrilled by his attention, Abi doesn't understand why the handsome Jude is more interested in her than in taking care of his two-year-old son. More than anything, Abi needs answers. Why did her mother go away? How can she help her father? Is there any way to drag herself out of the mud and up into the light?

I didn't like Mud Girl quite as much as Molly's Cue, largely because I found the third-person-present tense somewhat distancing. But I really enjoyed the parallel between Abi's environment and her emotional turmoil, and the book's ending - with its unvarnished, real-life messiness - is both heartbreaking and uplifting.

In both books, Acheson captures the power of teenage emotion without becoming angsty. She also does a great job of creating adult characters that are real, flawed people, facing serious issues of their own. Very refreshing to read YA novels that give teen characters freedom to tackle their problems, without resorting to boarding schools or fatal parental accidents!

Molly's Cue is lighter reading, good for younger teens. Mud Girl is both more serious and more mature. Both are good choices for readers who want their fiction certified vampire-free.

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For more information on Alison Acheson and her books, visit her website.

Coming Soon - Catherine Austen!

2011-11-08T15:27:00.000-04:00

Catherine is a Canadian author who's got two new releases this fall, and Ten Stories Up is an official stop on her blog tour.

Mark your calendars for Thursday, December 1. I'll post my interview with Catherine first thing in the morning, and she'll be dropping by throughout the day to answer your burning questions in the comments. In case you need more reasons to tune in, there will also be a giveaway!

For a full listing of stops on Catherine's virtual tour, check out her blog. For more information about Catherine in general, check out her website, from which I've blatantly stolen the following information about her new books.

Becky Lennox wrote the book on getting through grade six, but these aren't the kinds of tips that come from school books or teachers...

Forget social studies, math, and science - this hilarious new novel is about surviving some of the real problems tween girls face in the sixth grade: jealous friends, first crushes, embarrassing parents, and annoying older brothers.

This honest and heartwarming novel follows 11-year-old Becky Lennox through the course of the school year, as she survives one challenge after another - feeling left out, lovestruck, lonely, and loony, but learning a little something each time.

Perfect for girlfriends, comedy lovers, and reluctant readers.

"Living with hope is like rubbing up against a cheese grater. It keeps taking slices off you until there's so little left, you just crumble."

Quick-witted, prank-pulling graffiti artist Maxwell Connors is more observant than the average New Middletown teenager. And he doesn't like what he sees. New Middletown's children are becoming frighteningly obedient, and their parents and teachers couldn't be happier.

As Max and his friend Dallas watch their classmates transform into model citizens, Max wonders if their only hope of freedom lies in the unknown world beyond New Middletown's walls, where creativity might be a gift instead of a liability.

For those who like their dystopias with a rich character sauce and a side of humour.

Reviews

"Strong characterization as well as a thrilling and horrifyingly plausible plot all combine to make All Good Children a wonderful read. Great literature is never limited by its genre." (Montreal Review of Books, Fall 2011)

"[An] imaginative and affecting dystopian novel.... All Good Children is a smart, polished novel, peopled with realistic characters in a well-developed, futuristic world." (Quill & Quire, October 2011)

"Austen's first novel for teens wears its influences proudly...while delivering an entertaining and creepy story." (Publisher's Weekly, September 2011)

"Highly Recommended." (Canadian Materials, October 2011)

Guest Author: Karen Bass

2011-11-04T14:05:00.003-03:00

Today's guest is Karen Bass, retired librarian and author three books for teens. She joins us to discuss her most recent release, the contemporary novel Drummer Girl.

Photo by Kristen Bass

LEC: Your first two books, Run Like Jäger and Summer of Fire, feature modern teens who travel to Germany and are drawn into the history of World War II. In contrast, Drummer Girl is 100% Canadian and 100% contemporary. What prompted you to take your third book in a completely different direction?

KB: I originally wrote Drummer Girl because a publisher was running a contest for contemporary teen novels. I didn't win, but I had so much fun writing the story, and I actually liked the result, that I began what turned out to be a succession of revisions. (This is what happens when you write a very fast first draft.) There is a certain freedom in writing contemporary stories - namely that I don't have to do quite so much research to make sure the setting and related details are right - that it is very appealing. I might have to try it again.

LEC: You mention in Drummer Girl's acknowledgments that you're not a musician. How did Sid become a drummer? Tell us a little about the research you had to do to portray her passion authentically.

KB: Sid had to be coaxed from the shadows. The first thing I knew about her was that she was a tomboy, and when she finally emerged into the light, she was dressed in an oversized black band shirt - that's when she confessed her interest in drumming. (I assume she took form somewhere in the recesses of my mind before making her appearance.) So yes, she made me do some research to get up to speed on drummers. I read how-to books, borrowed "Anatomy of a Drum Solo" with Neil Peart of Rush, checked out all sorts of drumming websites. One of the most helpful things I did was to interview my son's friend who is a drummer. Kaleb answered some pretty strange questions with abundant good humour.

LEC: Throughout the book, you draw parallels between Sid's attitude towards drumming and her attitude towards life. It seems to be that her association with the band is also bookended by parallel disasters - the vehicular death of Fourth Down's original drummer, and the motorcycle accident that causes Sid to re-evaluate what's most important to her. Tell us where this aspect of the story came from.

KB: My stories evolve fairly organically, so I can't say that the bookending was intentional. What I did know is that I didn't want Sid and Taylor to be heavily involved in a drinking/partying culture so when I started exploring why, the idea of knowing someone who died from drinking and driving surfaced, and as I thought about it I realized this could be a way to open the door for Sid's drumming aspirations. I'm pretty sure my subconscious thinks about these things more than I do, because I learned about Taylor's accident the same time Sid did. It intuitively felt balanced to me and it wasn't until the editing process that I saw why. Calamity as a catalyst for change is something that probably shows up a lot in my fiction - I like putting my characters in situations where they are forced to realize what is truly important to them.

LEC: Drummer Girl is a book about consequences - specifically, how seemingly small decisions could have enormous ripple effects. It's also about being judged (incorrectly) by your appearance. How much were these ideas influenced by your own high school experience?

KB: I think authors always insert bits and pieces of themselves into their characters, to greater or lesser degrees. My common ground with Sid was being a tomboy, and being outside that group of cool kids every high school seems to have. My high school self was tall, plain and smart - someone you wanted to have in your group project, perhaps, but not someone judged as worthy in the ways so many teens crave. So much of high school's social aspects seems to be about striving to fit in, and we are often our own harshest judges in that regard. We also sometimes do foolish things to fit in, so yes, in high school I did suffer some consequences from things I did, but not at all in the way Sid does.

LEC: I was the queen of the group project too... What's the most important thing you'd like teens to take away from this story?

KB: Dare I use that old cliche and say it's okay to march to the beat of your own drum? Being unique is not a crime, and your uniqueness is often the very thing that will open doors and take you on wonderful adventures when you are finished high school.

LEC: What are you working on now?

KB: I am striving to finish up revisions on a WWII story set in Alberta. At the same time a few shiny new ideas - a contemporary fantasy, a time travel adventure, a contemporary story - are trying to lure me down their paths. But which one to follow?

LEC: Whichever way you go, I'm sure the result will be worth reading!

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For more info on Karen Bass and her books, visit her website.

Book Review: The Second Trial

2011-10-28T10:17:00.001-03:00

Title: The Second Trial
Author: Rosemarie Boll
Publisher: Second Story Press
ISBN: 9781897187722

Book source: review copy from publisher

From the jacket:

What do you do when your father becomes the enemy of your family?

Danny McMillan never knew that his father was abusing his mother until a night of violence shattered his family forever. Watching in the courtroom as his father is sentenced, Danny struggles with divided loyalties - to his mother on one side and to his father whom he wants to forgive on the other.

After one trial is over, another begins for Danny. Social services and the police convince Danny's mother that they must go into a victim protection program. Danny is asked to leave everything behind - his home, his friends, and the love and support of his grandparents. In a new city and attending a new school, Danny is even given a new name - David Mayer. But who is David? He is someone that Danny does not want to be, living a life he cannot accept. As David, he is pushing boundaries he never would have pushed.

If the normal rules no longer apply, why not break them?

This book is an eye opener. As someone with no direct experience of domestic violence - someone who's never even had a friend affected by it - I had no idea how the Canadian justice system responds to it. Rosemarie Boll knows. She's a lawyer, with over 20 years' experience in family law. As I read The Second Trial, I knew with absolute certainty that the author was portraying truth - a horrible, messy, devastating truth that affects far too many families. In this, her first novel, Boll demonstrates that abuse continues to impact families, long after the abuse itself has stopped.

Much of this impact is revealed through the complex dynamics within Danny's family. Danny loves his mother, but adores his dad. After all, Dad bought him a dog. Dad takes him fishing. Once, Dad took Danny's whole class on the best field trip there's ever been. So what if Danny's sister wasn't invited on any of these trips? It's not like Jennifer wants to catch fish anyway. And maybe it's been a while since they've seen mom's parents at Christmas, but holidays are more fun with just the family anyway.

Danny can't deny that Mom fell down the stairs - Danny found her, and Danny called 911. If Mom says Dad pushed her, it must be true, because Mom wouldn't lie. But it was just a mistake. Dad says he loves her and that it would never happen again. He swore in court. So why can't things just go back to the way they were?

When I was in my late 20s, I read Catcher in the Rye for the first time. Teens all over the world adore this book, which is why I was so astonished by how much I hated it. On reflection, I realized why - I was simply too old to share Holden Caulfield's point of view. The Second Trial is the only other young adult book I've felt too old for. I understood on an intellectual level why Danny wanted so hard to believe that his family would get back together and be happy again. But at the gut level, I just couldn't relate to him. Even worse, I found myself responding to his series of increasingly risky decisions with irritation, rather than empathy. For example, there are several points in the novel when Danny questions his perception of reality, considers the fact that his mother and sister may be telling more truth than Dad ever did, vows to change his own behaviour, and promptly forgets all about it.

That being said, the dark corner of my mind that remembers what it was like to be thirteen suspects my response to this book would have been completely different twenty years ago, and that Boll may know exactly what her target audience is thinking. For that reason, and because the subject of the novel is important in and of itself, I recommend this book to kids twelve and up.

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For more information on Rosemarie Boll and Canadian family law, visit her website.

Book Review: Out of the Box

2011-10-21T10:40:00.000-03:00

Title: Out of the Box
Author: Michelle Mulder
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
ISBN: 9781554693283

Book Source: review copy from author

Ellie's father is a withdrawn workaholic. Her mother is sensitive and emotionally volatile. Thirteen-year-old Ellie is the glue that holds her family together. That's why she's so nervous about spending an entire summer away from home, visiting her free-spirited Aunt Jeanette. Soon after arriving in Victoria, however, Ellie realizes how much she enjoys just being a teenager, despite her lingering worries about the situation back home.

While cleaning out Jeanette's crowded basement, Ellie discovers a bandoneón, an Argentinian instrument sort of like an accordion. Bandoneóns are a key component of Ellie's favorite tango music, and she immediately starts learning to play. Then she discovers money and papers, hidden in the instrument's case. The find launches a search for the bandoneón's original owners, and solving this family's mysteries changes the way Ellie views her own.

The first thing that struck me about Out of the Box was how much Michelle Mulder manages to accomplish in only 150 pages. She balances characters and subplots with the style and dexterity of a world-class juggler, and never does a ball hit the ground. From a writer's perspective, I was hugely impressed by this mastery of craft; as a reader, I felt immersed in a fully-developed world. This is a contemporary novel, containing neither action nor adventure, but it's a page-turner all the same.

Ellie is a sympathetic and relateable protagonist, and her friend Sarah is quirky and delightful. I was also rather fond of Jeanette's partner Alison, whose character is vividly portrayed, despite the fact that she passed away before the story begins. I felt that the bandoneón subplot relied a teensy bit on coincidences, but overall, a credible explanation is provided for the instrument's travels. There is also an author's note giving historical background on the more chilling aspects of the book's Argentinian storyline.

In many ways, Out of the Box reminded me of Jennifer Donnelly's Revolution. There's secret information in the lining of an instrument's case, a historical mystery set in turbulent times, and a contemporary family crisis tying the whole thing together. However, Revolution is targeted at older teens, while Out of the Box works for kids ages ten and up.

For more information on Michelle Mulder and her books, visit her website.

Guest Author: Lena Coakley

2011-10-14T10:14:00.001-03:00

Today's guest is Lena Coakley, whose short story "Mirror Image" is required reading for many an 11th-grader. She joins us today to talk about Witchlanders, her first young adult novel.

LEC: It seems like every other week, there's another article about girls being the only teens that read - or put another way, books only being published for girls. From that perspective (faulty as it may be), male protagonists may seem like a risky choice for a YA writer to make. Why Ryder and Falpian?

LC: To be honest, when I started writing the book, marketing concerns never entered my mind. Of course I wanted to write something that people would want to read, but as a kid I loved so many books with male protagonists—A Wizard of Earthsea, The Book of Three, The Lord of the Rings—it never really occurred to me it was something I shouldn’t be doing. A novel can take years to create—mine certainly did—so as writers we need to be sure our characters are people we want to spend that much time with. Ryder was a character that really fascinated me. As soon as I started to write about him, I knew he could carry a novel. I just had to trust that readers, both male and female, would love him as much as I did.

LEC: And while we're on the subject, why IS there a girl on the cover, anyway?

LC: Goodness, don’t ask me. I’m just the author!

Now that drawn covers are out of favour, it would have been very difficult to feature Ryder because of his unusual racial characteristics: he is dark skinned, but he has blond hair and blue eyes. Because witches are so important to the book, I don’t think it’s inappropriate to have a witch on the cover. I do love the way the cover looks and I think it works; I just hope it doesn’t turn off boy readers who might enjoy it.

LEC: Tell us a little bit about the preparation that comes before writing a fantasy novel. How much world-building do you do before starting to write, and how much develops as you go? How much did you know about the arc of the book before starting?

LC: Because this was my first novel, I spent many years feeling my way along in the dark, writing scene after scene that didn’t end up being used. This was how I figured out all the elements of the book including plot, character, and world-building, so I suppose you could say that there was no preparation at all; I just dove in. I don’t know if I recommend this method—Witchlanders did take me ten years to write!—but I didn’t really know any other way. I still find that I can outline all I want and make as many notes as I want, but I never really know what my story is about until I start writing it, and, more importantly, rewriting it.

LEC: For me, one of the interesting aspects of this story was the idea that the witches may be clinging to a power they no longer deserve. Were any real-world political or religious groups the inspiration behind this theme? If you choose not to answer for fear of smiting, I will understand!

LC: My main character, Ryder, would definitely agree with you that witches no longer deserve their power, but I’m not so sure. They are certainly losing their way. In addition to keeping their people safe, witches are also charged with keeping the cultural heritage of the Witchlands, a trust they betray by withholding or destroying historical evidence that goes against their current teachings. They are literally denying their people the right to know themselves, and that’s certainly something that infuriates me when it’s done today, whether it’s done by banning a book, denying someone the right to an education or by any other means.

LEC: Your secondary characters give a lot of depth and resonance to your story. Will there be a sequel, and, if so, will any of these fascinating people have a larger role to play?

LC: Themes of duality crop up so often in Witchlanders that I think it would be very appropriate to have a sequel! In fact, I would absolutely love to write one more book called Bitterlanders, which would feature Falpian as the main character and Ryder as the secondary main character (a reversal of what we see in the first book.) Falpian’s sisters, who are only mentioned in Witchlanders, would definitely play a larger role, as would Falpian’s father, Caraxus. I also think that Ryder’s sister Skyla might be an interesting love interest for Falpian—but I’m not one hundred percent sure about that.

However, I only had a one-book contract for Witchlanders, and the way publishing works, I will only get a chance to write a sequel if the first book does well. Keep your fingers crossed!

LEC: If we're lucky, everyone who's reading this interview is rushing off to buy a copy as we speak! I hope so, because I, for one, would love to know what happens next.

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For more information on Lena Coakley, visit her website. Better yet, cruise on down to San Diego for the World Fantasy Con, where Lena will be speaking!

Guest Author: Carla Mooney

2011-10-07T15:35:00.002-03:00

Today's guest is Carla Mooney, author of Samson's Tale - a wonderful book for children struggling with serious illnesses.

LEC: I understand that your own son was diagnosed with and treated for leukemia. You've said that this experience got you writing again - how much of your son's story found its way into Samson's Tale?

CM: Some pieces are similar, but other parts of the story came from experiences of other children and patients that we met along the way. I named the main character in the book Daniel after my son, and they share the same type of cancer. Many of the symptoms that Daniel faces in the book such as leg weakness, upset stomach, hair loss were all side effects that we dealt with here. One big difference, however, is that we did not have a dog at the time of Daniel’s diagnosis, so Samson is an entirely fictional character. We have since gotten a dog, named Lily, and she and the real Daniel are best friends!

LEC: I love that you told this story through the eyes of the dog, rather than the boy. Did you know from the start you wanted to write it that way? Tell us how you came to choose the furry point of view.

CM: As I revealed above, Samson is an entirely fictional character. However, I tried to have him represent the thoughts and feelings of the people around a child with cancer (or any other serious illness), especially brothers and sisters, who may be confused and scared about what is happening. The real Daniel has a brother and sister who had many of the same questions and thoughts that Samson had. Making Samson a dog enabled me to show unconditional love during a stressful time. Samson was able to see past the changes in routine and appearance, to the boy he loved. Hopefully, Samson can help children facing similar situations in their own lives.

LEC: You're the Pittsburgh director of Flashes of Hope. Tell us a little about this organization, and why you're supporting it with your time, as well as the proceeds of this book.

CM: Flashes of Hope is a national nonprofit organization that changes the way children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses see themselves through the gift of photography and raises money for pediatric cancer research. Basically, we arrange for professional, award-winning photographers and stylists to come in and have a photo shoot with patients and their families, all free of charge. I became involved in the organization after seeing it and its wonderful pictures at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Pittsburgh didn’t have a chapter, so I volunteered to start one. I love seeing how the children light up during their time in front of the camera. We’ve had quite a few hams, let me say! It’s a wonderful way to take them out of the day-to-day grind of their illness and give them something special. For some families, the photographs are documentation of the strength of their child during treatment or a celebration of reaching the end of treatment. For others, they are a beautiful remembrance of a child who did not win his or her battle.

LEC: In addition to Samson's Tale, you've published fiction, graphic novels, activity books, and educational nonfiction. What are some of the rewards and challenges of each type of writing?

CM: I have done a bit of everything! I like it all, each for its different characteristics. Nonfiction is fun – I’ve always been curious, so I really enjoy researching and learning about new ideas and topics. Plus the schedule of educational nonfiction keeps me focused on the task at hand. For fiction, my favorite part is working on developing new characters and making them feel like living, breathing friends!

LEC: What are you working on now?

CM: I have several nonfiction projects that I’m in various stages of researching and writing. One of them entails some tadpoles in my garage that we are hoping will turn into frogs soon! I’m also working on a middle grade fiction project. With luck, I might finish the first draft of that one by the end of October. I’m excited about this one, I’ve been writing bits and pieces of it over the years, but am finally getting close to the end!

LEC: Good luck with the novel - and the tadpoles!

CM: Thanks so much!

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For more information about Carla Mooney, check out her website. You can learn about or donate to Flashes of Hope at www.flashesofhope.org

Book Review: Kendra Kandlestar and the Shard From Greeve

2011-09-30T10:10:00.000-03:00

Title: Kendra Kandlestar and the Shard From Greeve
Series: Chronicles of Kendra Kandlestar, Book 3
Author: Lee Edward Födi
Publisher: Brown Books Publishing
ISBN: 9781934812389

Book Source: review copy from author

Kendra Kandlestar is twelve now, and her Uncle, the wizard Griffinskitch, has taken her as his apprentice. Kendra wants to master magic as quickly as possible, so she can find and rescue her missing brother. Her new wand is slow to obey her, however, and Kendra is tempted by another source of power - a shard from the cauldron that once belonged to the sorcerer Greeve.

Power is tempting for other Eens too. To secure their own position, the village council forbids animals - like Kendra's friends Ratchet the raccoon and Oki the mouse - to use magic, and takes Uncle Griffinskitch prisoner. Kendra, Oki, and the warrior grasshopper Jinx manage to escape, and begin the quest for Kendra's brother. But every unger, dwarf, and krake in the magical realms seems to be after the shard. And Kendra soon discovers that invoking power and controlling it are two very different things.

The first volume in this series reminded me a little of The Hobbit, and Shard from Greeve feels a bit like the Lord of the Rings - the shard itself gave me a "one ring" kind of vibe. That, however, is where the similarities ended. As always, Födi fills his world with unique and unusual creatures, brought to life through their dialects and the lively artwork that decorates almost every page. While the settings are fantastic, the problems and motivations of the characters will resonate with real-life kids. There's also plenty of humour to balance out the more serious aspects of the story.

Plot-wise, I felt that this installment was a little less focused than Box of Whispers or Door to Unger. I think it's partly because Kendra seemed to make less progress towards her overall goal - to discover what happened to her missing family - than she did in previous books. A number of threads are also left dangling at the end of the story. I almost got the impression that Shard from Greeve was intended as a transitional book, meant to lead into the second half of the series.

Books one and two can be read as stand-alones, but I believe book three will be most appealing to established fans of the series. As before, I recommend Kendra Kandlestar to fans of Angie Sage's Septimus Heap series.

For more information on Lee Födi, visit his website. You can also get a sneak peak at book four, Kendra Kandlestar and the Crack in Kazah, at www.kendrakandlestar.com

Book Review: Drummer Girl

2011-09-23T10:02:00.001-03:00

Title: Drummer Girl
Author: Karen Bass
Publisher: Coteau Books
ISBN: 9781550504620

Book Source: review copy from publisher

Sid's not exactly prom queen material. She loves woodshop, considers baggy jeans and band T-shirts the height of fashion, and would rather be friends with guys than waste time talking about girly stuff. In the eyes of her glamorous cousin Heather, Sid's the ultimate ugly duckling.

But Sid doesn't care, because she knows who she is - a drummer girl. Drummer girls, however, need bands, and there's only one at Sid's high school. It's composed of the most popular - and powerful - guys at school. When they tell Sid she'll have to change her image just to be considered, she knows what she has to do. But when she asks Heather to turn her from a duckling to a swan, Sid has no idea how enormous - and catastrophic - the consequences will be.

High school is a time for figuring out who you are, and how far you'll go to get the things you want. Drummer Girl encapsulates that struggle. As Sid grapples (in some cases literally) with the more serious outcomes of her makeover, she realizes just how much of herself she's compromised to meet someone else's ideal. She emerges from her journey scarred, but stronger.

Sid's choices put her in dangerous situations, and there are a few moments in the later part of the book that struck me as more about the problem than about Sid as an individual. However, Bass does a great job of constructing Sid's world, showing us her background, her life, and her complex relationships with other characters. Since I grew up in the time of After School Specials, I suspect my impression has more to do with personal bias than a flaw in the book itself.

One of the things I really liked about Drummer Girl is the parallel Bass sets up between Sid's approach to drumming and her emotional growth. I suspect there's additional symbolism built into the chapter titles, which are all drumming moves, but as a former flute player, I have no idea what it is. I'm sure that percussion-inclined teens will really enjoy this aspect of the story.

Drummer Girl is a good pick for those who liked Jill MacLean's Home Truths or Susan Juby's Getting the Girl. For more information on Karen Bass and her books, check out her website.

Book Review: The Girl of Fire and Thorns

2011-09-16T13:06:00.002-03:00

Title: The Girl of Fire and Thorns
Series: Fire and Thorns, Book 1
Author: Rae Carson
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780062026484

Book Source: review copy from publisher

From the cover:

Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses. The one who has never done anything remarkable, and can't see how she ever will.
Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king--a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs her to be the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies, seething with dark magic, are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior, and he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn't die young.

Most of the chosen do.

First, let's talk cover art. The one at the top of the post is the North American cover. It's pretty, but if I passed it on the shelf at a bookstore, nothing about it would really grab me. I might pick it up because it's clearly fantasy and I enjoy that, but this cover doesn't demand the attention the book deserves. In contrast, how much do I love the UK version? Well, I'll tell you: enough that when I buy my own copy of this book, I will probably order it from Britain, international shipping costs notwithstanding. It's gorgeous, right? Well, so is this book.

This is a remarkable piece of historical fantasy, and a truly impressive debut novel. The world Carson creates has a sense of depth and tradition - it gives the impression that this is a real place, and that centuries have passed before the current story begins. I have a feeling that if you asked Carson, she'd be able to tell you about every significant event in these countries' histories, and how they've conspired to place the heroine, Elisa, in the predicament she's in.

This same level of thought and detail shines through in the characters. The supporting cast is full of vivid and unique individuals, each with different priorities and agendas. Elisa outshines them all. Her transformation from a self-pitying, helpless child to a fierce, independent, genuine heroine is beautiful to watch. In few novels are plot and character so artfully intertwined.

My only hesitation with this book relates to body image. At the outset, Elisa is fat. She's overlooked and undervalued and she comforts herself with food. By the end of the story, she's strong and fit. This is totally understandable, due to the part where she's forced to walk for weeks on short rations. What worried me a little is that the way Elisa is perceived by others (and perceives herself) changes dramatically as she physically changes. Granted, this reflects a painful and unvarnished reality, but something about it sits uncomfortably with me.

That one quibble aside, I loved this book and was very distressed when I realized I'd have to wait A WHOLE YEAR for the sequel. It's an excellent choice for teens who enjoyed the wonderful Wildwood Dancing. Also an excellent choice for adults who like Jacqueline Carey. But don't give Carey's Kushiel series to your teenager. Seriously. She's brilliant, but NOT approved for young readers.

For more info on Rae Carson and her books, visit her website.

Book Review: The Gates

2011-09-09T09:00:00.000-03:00

Title: The Gates
Author: John Connolly
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 9781439175408

Book Source: personal collection

Samuel's the kind of kid that makes grown-ups nervous - the kind that asks philosophical questions during Show-and-Tell (how many angels can dance on the head of a pin, anyway?) and goes Trick-or-Treating three days early (to show initiative). But then the neighbours (with the help of a few misguided physicists) accidentally open a portal to hell, through which all manner of nasty creatures begin to pour. And when demons start running wild, Samuel's exactly the kind of kid humanity needs on its side.

This book is a riot, and not just the dark-minions-unleashed-on-the-world kind. The forces of evil have never been so funny, and it's exactly the kind of dry, unexpected, tongue-in-cheek humour I most enjoy. There's also a fun blend of magic and science, complete with hysterically explanatory footnotes. Samuel and his trusty dog Boswell are courageous and creative heroes, although the not-so-evil demon Nurd may actually steal the show.

Connolly generally writes for adults, which is probably why I found this book in the general fiction section, next to the author's fabulous (but NOT kid-friendly) Charlie Parker series. Which is a shame, because the entire time I was reading it, my brain was screaming "MIDDLE GRADE!" and I knew the book's intended audience would never find it. Which is why I was so thrilled to discover The Gates is being repackaged with kid-friendly cover art. The new edition released August 30 to a children's section near you. A sequel's also coming in October.

Highly recommended to fans of Terry Pratchett's Tiffany Aching series, Jonathan Stroud's Bartimaeus books, and Maryrose Wood's The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place.

Book Review: Witchlanders

2011-09-02T11:05:00.001-03:00

Title: Witchlanders
Series: Witchlanders Book 1
Author: Lena Coakley
Publisher: Athenium (S&S)
ISBN: 9781442420045

Book Source: review copy from publisher

From the cover:

High in their mountain covens, red witches pray to the Goddess, protecting the Witchlands by throwing the bones and foretelling the future.

It’s all a fake.

At least, that’s what Ryder thinks. He doubts the witches really deserve their tithes—one quarter of all the crops his village can produce. And even if they can predict the future, what danger is there to foretell, now that his people’s old enemy, the Baen, has been defeated?

But when a terrifying new magic threatens both his village and the coven, Ryder must confront the beautiful and silent witch who holds all the secrets. Everything he’s ever believed about witches, the Baen, magic and about himself will change, when he discovers that the prophecies he’s always scorned—

Are about him.

When you read as much fantasy (and YA) as I do, you start to develop certain expectations. The genre has traditions, after all, and most books nod to more than one. Witchlanders doesn't. It defied my expectations at every turn. Which was a little unsettling, to be honest, but also rather spectacular.

For example. I'm not sure who the girl is on the otherwise stunning cover, but the book's protagonist is a guy. Two guys, in fact - the Witchlander Ryder and the Baen Falpian - which I wouldn't have guessed from the jacket copy. More significantly, Coakley's created a richly detailed fantasy world like nothing I've ever read before. And there wasn't any romance. I'm so used to YA having a romantic component that I spent a large part of the book wondering when sparks were going to fly between Ryder and Falpian. I recognize this tells you more about me than the book, but it's unusual enough to be noteworthy.

There's a great supporting cast of characters here, too. Ryder's sister Skyla is a nonsense-free, take-no-prisoners kind of girl who's not afraid to stand up for herself and what she believes in. Ryder's mother is so fascinating, I wished she had a bigger role to play, and the dog Bo is pure awesome. My only real complaint was that the book reads like a prologue for the rest the series, but that's my issue more than a flaw in the story itself. Definitely looking forward to the next one!

Recommended to fans of Graceling, Hilari Bell's The Goblin Wood, or anything by Tamora Pierce. For more info on Lena Coakley and her books, check out her website.

Book Review: The Poisoned House

2011-08-26T11:25:00.002-03:00

Title: The Poisoned House
Author: Michael Ford
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
ISBN: 9780807565896

Book Source: review copy from publisher

Abi is a scullery maid in a lord's home in Victorian London. Since her mother died a year ago, her main concern has been avoiding the wrath of Mrs. Cotton - the cruel and tyrannical housekeeper.

Then the lord's son comes back from war, and it's almost as if he's brought a ghost home with him. As the lord descends into madness and Mrs. Cotton becomes ever more threatening, Abi will have to find a way to decipher the ghost's messages - a way to reveal the secrets hidden in both the house and its inhabitants.

I'm very sorry to have to say I did not enjoy this book. It's a ghost story, but I didn't find it creepy. It's a mystery, but I never felt suspense. The characters never quite came alive for me, and I knew very early in the book whom the villain would turn out to be.

Which meant that, instead of sympathizing with Abi, I was irritated by her chronically bad decisions and kept wanting to smack her for being slow on the uptake. It didn't help that she's a historical character narrating in a modern voice - a major pet peeve of mine.

Other reviewers enjoyed this book a lot more than I did, so it's entirely possible I was cranky when I read it. But if you're looking for teen gothic horror, my recommendation is to skip The Poisoned House and check out Rick Yancey's The Monstrumologist instead. It's spine-tingly and atmospheric, the narrator's voice is spot-on for the time period, and both plot and characters are satisfyingly complex.

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Alternative Opinions on The Poisoned House:

I <3 Reading
Heaven Hell and Purgatory
Popcorn Reads

Two From the Roaring Twenties

2011-08-19T10:27:00.001-03:00

Title: Vixen
Series: The Flappers, Book 1
Author: Jillian Larkin
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 9780385740340

Book source: review copy from publisher

From the publisher:

"Jazz . . . Booze . . . Boys . . . It's a dangerous combination.

"Every girl wants what she can't have. Seventeen-year-old Gloria Carmody wants the flapper lifestyle-and the bobbed hair, cigarettes, and music-filled nights that go with it. Now that she's engaged to Sebastian Grey, scion of one of Chicago's most powerful families, Gloria's party days are over before they've even begun . . . or are they?

"Clara Knowles, Gloria's goody-two-shoes cousin, has arrived to make sure the high-society wedding comes off without a hitch-but Clara isn't as lily-white as she appears. Seems she has some dirty little secrets of her own that she'll do anything to keep hidden. . . .

"Lorraine Dyer, Gloria's social-climbing best friend, is tired of living in Gloria's shadow. When Lorraine's envy spills over into desperate spite, no one is safe. And someone's going to be very sorry. . . ."

PROS:

It's set in a time period where girls and women were exploring their freedom like never before. Which gives the characters all kinds of fun ways to get into trouble!

CONS:

With the exception of a thin veneer of 20s slang, I felt the characters had been lifted from the very modern pages of Gossip Girl. I never quite believed they belonged to the era portrayed.
SPOILER ALERT In my opinion, mafia enforcers are going to use their guns, not their fists. Unless, of course, some ineffectual punching is the only thing that will allow the plot to work out.

Title: Bright Young Things
Series: Bright Young Things, Book 1
Author: Anna Gobbersen
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 9780061962660

Book source: review copy from publisher

From the publisher:

"The year is 1929. New York is ruled by the Bright Young Things: flappers and socialites seeking thrills and chasing dreams in the anything-goes era of the Roaring Twenties.

"Letty Larkspur and Cordelia Grey escaped their small Midwestern town for New York's glittering metropolis. All Letty wants is to see her name in lights, but she quickly discovers Manhattan is filled with pretty girls who will do anything to be a star. . . .
Cordelia is searching for the father she's never known, a man as infamous for his wild parties as he is for his shadowy schemes. Overnight, she enters a world more thrilling and glamorous than she ever could have imagined-and more dangerous. It's a life anyone would kill for . . . and someone will.

"The only person Cordelia can trust is Astrid Donal, a flapper who seems to have it all: money, looks, and the love of Cordelia's brother, Charlie. But Astrid's perfect veneer hides a score of family secrets."

PROS:

Voice-wise, this book feels a lot more authentically historical.
Not surprisingly, from the author of The Luxe series, there were some fabulous descriptions of 20s fashions.

CONS:

A firm focus on romance meant, to my mind, that the plot potential of the awesome setting (jazz, booze, and gangsters, oh my!) was never fully reached. There were a few "really?" moments in this one, too.

I don't think I enjoyed either book enough to read the sequels, but I understand Libba Bray's at work on a series set in the 1920s. Since I really enjoyed her Gemma Doyle trilogy (despite not actually liking any of the characters) I think I'll hold out for that one. Unfortunately, my sources tell me book one won't be released until Fall 2012. Then again, since my TBR pile is taller than me, that's probably a good thing!

Guest Author: Jill McLean

2011-08-12T16:43:00.002-03:00

Today’s guest is Jill MacLean. Her middle grade novels - The Nine Lives of Travis Keating and The Present Tense of Prinny Murphy – have been nominated for numerous awards. She recently sat down with me to discuss her first young adult novel, Home Truths.

Photo by Ginny Coombs

LEC: Bullying is a theme of your middle grade books, as well as in Home Truths, which you’ve said developed from a desire to tell a bully’s story. What is it that draws you to this kind of subject matter?

JM: I’m obsessed with the topic, really, and I believe we write from our obsessions. How else would we find the passion needed to carry us through a project? That being said, it wasn’t my conscious intention to follow this theme; in my first novel, Travis Keating, the bully’s character came from nowhere. Hud was a “regular bully,” I guess you’d say. Then in Prinny Murphy, Prinny faces a group of girls called the Shrikes who threaten to post an incriminating photo of her – they’re cyber bullies.

I became energized by the idea of telling a story from the point of view of the bully, rather than his or her victim. My original plan was to write about Hud, but the publisher felt a bully’s story would be a teen novel, and since the first two books in the series were middle grade, it couldn’t happen. Fortunately, that’s when Brick appeared.

LEC: As far as I’m concerned, Home Truths would not have worked if Brick’s character weren’t so compelling. How did you develop him?

JM: I usually spend at least three months thinking about a story before I start to write it. I call this my “broody” phase – after hens brooding over their nests! I use big notes on an unlined artist’s pad. There’s no structure, really, I just add things as I think of them. I consider the character’s histories, their parents, everything that’s happened to them up to the point the story begins. “Context” is a cold-blooded word for it, but that’s what I’m looking for.

Margaret Atwood says before you can write, you have to know everything that’s in your character’s bureau drawers – Does he keep his socks tidy? Are there Playboys under his bed? – even though most of this never makes it into the book.

I know I’ve done enough when my characters start talking to me, when I wake up with scenes in my head. I start to write without reference to my notes. Even then, I learn things about my characters as I go along. For example, I had no idea that Brick would turn out to be such a builder (of wood piles and walls). I think what works for me is that I write at the boundary between intellect and instinct – this lets my characters surprise me the way real people do.

LEC: What do you think makes Brick so sympathetic, even when he’s not likeable?

JM: My publishers were quite concerned that he wouldn’t be. The book opens with a scene where Brick is bullying another kid, and they wanted me to change it because they worried no one would want to read about him. For a while, I played with a quieter opening scene between Brick and his sister Cassie in their kitchen, showing their relationship. But I came to realize that a bully is what Brick is, and that the reader should see that up front. Fortunately, I was able to talk the publisher into agreeing with me!

Immediately after that, we see an interaction between Brick and his father. I hoped that this hint of complexity in Brick’s story would draw readers in.

LEC: Brick’s home situation – his abusive father, his indifferent mother – shows how he’s become who he is. The aspect of his character that was most interesting to me was the contradictions – how he can be so protective of his little sister but at the same time attack other kids. How he doesn’t see the parallels between his own behaviour and his father’s. Can you comment on this?

JM: Something I learned through writing poetry is that it’s often about paradox – holding two contradictory truths at the same time and knowing that both are valid. The contradiction is the truth, I think. As far as Brick goes, his central conflict is that he hates his father, while at the same time desperately wanting his father’s love.

I don’t really know what happened to Brick after Home Truths ended. I hope that he’s grown enough to recognize the violence in himself, and that he’ll be able to break the cycle.

LEC: Brick needs to solve his family problems before he can “cure” himself of bullying. Karate is instrumental in both of these transformations. Where did this concept come from? Did you actually take classes yourself?

JM: No – I’m 70 after all, and was afraid I’d put something out of joint! I watched videos and read books and got permission from a sensei to watch classes so I could capture the sensory details. This sensei also read the karate pages of the manuscript for accuracy, which was fortunate. He told me that Brick had learned too much too fast and that the story should focus on basic self-defense instead of “real” moves. This feedback really improved the story – because I knew that Brick, at 14, wouldn’t be able to truly overpower his father, he ended up having to use his brains as well as his more limited strength.

As far as where it came from, I know a child who was bullied, and learning karate gave him confidence. Brick develops this same physical confidence through karate and through his construction projects, and that gives him the emotional strength to challenge his father.

LEC: I understand you requested that your characters’ faces not be shown on the covers of your books because it restricts the reader’s imagination. Can you comment on this?

JM: I think it helps kids identify with the character if they are allowed to develop their own idea of what that person looks like. You’ll notice I give very little physical description of the characters in my books, too. To be honest, I don’t actually know what Brick looks like, but maybe someday I’ll meet a real-live teenager and recognize him at once.

I don’t remember who said it, but there’s a quote about the only true war being the war on imagination. Children are too often casualties in this war.

LEC: You recently returned from TD Children’s Book Week Tours. What was it like to meet the kids that have read your books?

JM: Quite scary, actually. I never thought I could stand up in front of a group of 70 kids. I was terrified of the grade 8’s, but they were wonderful. Many kids told me they liked the book because it was realistic – that Brick had a real problem and that there was no easy solution.

This was a real relief for me, because Home Truths was a dark and scary book to write – a real risk. I was hugely anxious before it was released, because I didn’t know what I’d done or how the story would be received. It’s so wonderful that both kids and adults seem to like it.

LEC: I certainly did! To finish up today... I know you don’t like to talk about your works in progress, but is there anything you’re willing to tell us about your next book?

JM: It’s called Nix Minus One!

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For more information on Jill and her books, visit her website.

Thirteen Reasons Why - For Free!

2011-08-08T12:59:00.000-03:00

The first review I ever posted on this blog was for Jay Asher's Thirteen Reasons Why, which if you haven't read already, go do RIGHT NOW.

Better yet, go visit Musings of A Restless Mind, where my friend Ishta is giving away a copy as we speak.

Cantastic Authorpalooza 2011 - Final Winners

2011-08-06T18:06:00.000-03:00

As promised, all commenters on the Cantastic Posts were re-entered to win the books I had left. And the winners are:

Andrea Mack

Yolanda Ridge

Kristen Best

Ishta Mercurio

Deb Marshall

Ruth Ohi

Please email me at lindsey (at) foxtalk (dot) ca with your addresses and I'll get your books in the mail! And please note - all of the prizes in this round were re-draws. If I don't hear from the new winners by August 13, I'll donate the books to the local library.

Now that Cantastic Authorpalooza has officially ended, I'd like to thank all the fantastic authors and illustrators who took time out to participate. Thanks as well to all the authors and publishers that donated books for the giveaways. We love you for all you do!

Book reviews and interviews will resume their normal schedule next week. But don't despair - there's always Cantastic Authorpalooza 2012!!

Last Chance for Cantastic Prizes!

2011-08-04T15:17:00.000-03:00

Don't forget, I've got more books to give away this Saturday! Comment on any Cantastic Authorpalooza post to win. Entries must be in by 11:59 PM tomorrow night and all commenters - including previous winners - are eligible to win.

Cantastic Winner of the Special Extra Giveaway!

2011-08-02T12:22:00.000-03:00

I'm pleased to announce that Claire Eamer has won the draw in the Special Extra Giveway!

Remember, I'll be giving away more great books this Saturday, August 6, so continue commenting on the Cantastic interviews - all commenters, including previous winners, are eligible.

Cantastic Guest Author: Norah McClintock

2011-08-01T10:00:00.000-03:00

Today's guest is Norah McClintock, author of award-winning mysteries for teens. She's one of my favorite recommends for reluctant readers.

LEC: Please describe your typical working day.

NM: Typical day? Is there such a thing? I wake up, usually with a cat draped across me, have a cup of coffee, and read a couple of daily newspapers – it’s very important to keep up with what’s happening out there. Then I get up and work all morning. Sometimes I work all afternoon. By work, I mean that I sit in front of my computer and write. Sometimes I spend the afternoon reading – also very important. Then I go to the gym or take a bike ride (at this exact moment, my left elbow has a couple of screws in it and my left arm is in a brace, the result of an incredibly stupid bike accident) or a long walk (so far a pretty safe hobby). I visit the public library (my favourite place in the whole world) several times a week to stock up on books. The evenings are my own, unless I have a pressing deadline.

LEC: You've said that you write mysteries and crime novels because you love reading them. What inspired you to write them for teens, instead of the larger adult market?

NM: Boy, there’s a question I get asked all the time. The answer? I don’t know. A character defect perhaps. Whenever I get an idea, I find myself 15 or 16 again, wondering how I would muddle my way through a serious predicament at that age. Life is simpler somehow before experience starts to produce wrinkles, worries, and shades of black and white. It’s also more difficult in that so many experiences when one is young are first-time experiences and one has less certainty that, indeed, life will go on. One also tends not to have perspective or the sense of proportion that comes with age and lack of perspective can make problems scarier and experiences sharper and possible. Also, I was an avid reader when I was younger (I still am) but found it hard to find books that I felt truly reflected real life. The mysteries that I read (and, I admit, enjoyed) always had an air of unreality about them (Nancy Drew, anyone?). I try to write the kind of book I wish I could have read when I was a kid.

LEC: Speaking as a bookseller, it's hard to find mysteries for teens, never mind good ones (if anyone doubts it, five Arthur Ellis Awards is probably a sign yours are among the latter!) What other writers do you recommend to the kids for whom you can't write fast enough?

NM: Anyone who is looking for mysteries for young adults should ask the librarian at school or the local public library branch. It’s amazing how much they know. Other good sources of information are the websites of organizations like the American Library Association and the Canada Library Association, both of which run awards programs. The lists of nominees and winners are always great starting points. In Canada, there is also the Canadian Children’s Book Centre. And, of course, there are online blogs and sites that feature reviews of books for young adults, often by enthusiasts.

LEC: John Connolly, my favorite writer of adult mysteries, says that "every writer's life has a light heart and a dark heart to it, and if it is the dark heart that gives birth to all that is worthwhile, then it is the light heart that makes such acts of creation bearable." Please comment on this idea in the context of your own stories.

NM: Hmmm. Well, there is certainly a dark side to my character, my life, and my writing. How else to explain that I deal with death and other dire situations? I am also fascinated by how people get on with their lives after experiencing tragedy. Sure, some people fall into despair. But most of us get up when the sun rises again and manage, somehow, to make it through the next day. And for those who care to look or have eyes that are open to seeing and ears that are open to listening, joy and hope exist, often in the tiny things like a clear day, the smile of a stranger, the purr of a cat (that does it for me every time), and the daily proof of the adaptability, generosity, and goodness of most people who are, after all, in the same boat as us.

LEC: Cat purr works for me, too! Describe your best moment as a writer - a memory or experience that keeps you going on days you feel like giving it all up.

NM: There isn’t really a best moment, just a lot of terrific moments. These are always the time when I feel like I have a real grip on the characters or the story and what I am thinking comes out on the page the way I want it to. I imagine it’s a lot like painting a picture and succeeding in getting onto canvas the picture that one sees in one’s head. This is the very best part about writing. It’s why I do it – and why I will never stop.

LEC: What question have you always wanted to be asked about your work, but no one ever has? What is the answer?

NM: I think I’ve heard every question there is: Do you base your books on people you know (yes in the sense that I use characteristics, mannerisms, etc., that I have observed, and no, in the sense that I don’t put real people in my books); are you a millionaire (I wish!); why don’t you make your books into movies (it doesn’t work that way; someone has to want to make my books into movies); what’s your favourite book of all the books you have written (that’s like asking me which is my favourite child, and no mother can answer that); how do you choose the covers for your books (I don’t; the clever people in publishing do that); where do you get your ideas (everywhere; getting ideas isn’t the problem – having the time to turn all of them into books is); do you ever suffer from writer’s block (not so far, knock on wood); who is your favourite author (I have too may to name). If anyone has a great question, send it along and I’ll be glad to answer it.

LEC: Thanks, Norah, and best wishes for rapid healing!

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For more information on Norah and her books, visit her website. And don't forget to comment - you can still win the "regular" and the Special Extra Giveaway!

Teen Winners!

2011-07-30T11:30:00.000-03:00

Happy long weekend to all, and especially to this week's winners:

Karen Spafford-Fitz

winner of an autographed copy of Blink and Caution

Yolanda Ridge

winner of Blood Red Road

Congratulations! I'll get your prizes in the mail.

The Cantastic fun has not quite ended! First, for your chance to win a hardcover copy of the special edition of Rilla of Ingleside, enter the Special Extra Giveaway by commenting on this post. You've got until 11:59 PM July 31 to enter.

Second, Norah McClintock will be joining us on Monday!

Third, as I've not yet heard from any of the picture book winners, I'll be re-drawing for their prizes August 6. Rebecca Kool has also donated a copy of Flycatcher Boy for this final giveaway. All Authorpalooza commenters will be eligible - comment on any of the interviews for your chance to win. Comments must be in by 11:59 PM August 5.

See you Monday!

Cantastic Guest Author: Moira Young

2011-07-29T08:02:00.000-03:00

Today's guest is Moira Young, author of the debut dystopian novel, Blood Red Road. As regular readers will know, this book blew me away, and I'm on a personal mission to make it a bestseller.

LEC: Please describe your typical working day.

MY: Oh dear. Well, I’ve now got deadlines, so I’m having to learn to be much more disciplined. Writers have to write regularly, day after day, even when they don’t feel like it. Perhaps especially when they don’t feel like it. I can’t work from home – too many distractions – so I rent a room at the back of the hairdresser’s up the road. There’s no internet and not even a window to stare out of. Word counts help. I aim for at least 1,000 words a day when I’m writing a first draft. I can do that in four or five hours. Revision, which is what I’m doing at the moment, is a different thing altogether. I’m putting in regular work days, 9 to 5 with an hour for lunch. I’m getting better, but I’ve got a long way to go. If I had less time available, I expect I’d be far more efficient.

LEC: Saba is one of the most compelling characters I've encountered in years. Tell us how she came to be, and how you developed her thorny, unflinching, utterly magical voice.

MY: Her name came first. That was the easy bit. She was never called anything else. Her character and voice took much longer and were only completely revealed in my final drafts. It took me from the autumn of 2006 to late summer 2010 to get a first draft of what would become Blood Red Road. During that time, I tried to tell the story I was chasing – a girl living some time in the future goes in search of her stolen brother – in various ways: in an ice world, in a biosphere, third person narrator, dual viewpoints, first person with Saba as an 8 year old, then a 12 year old. None of these versions worked and the story remained maddeningly out of reach. I didn’t enjoy the process at all and ended up with a lumpy, muddled mess that was actually three different books. I had no idea how to make something of it and was in despair, really. Then a wise friend – herself an experienced and fine writer – pointed out that revision meant just that: a re-visioning of the story. She advised me to start with a blank page. To start all over again. Even greater despair, but I did what she said. And one day, as I sat there, staring at that blank page, I heard Saba’s voice. She started to talk and I began to write down what she said. She arrived, pretty much fully formed, having somehow crawled out of the wreckage of that first draft. Of course, there was much polishing and changing as she and I went along – mainly because I wasn’t a good enough listener and tried to interfere too much - but that’s how she appeared.

LEC: In many ways, Saba's perception of her siblings forms the core of Blood Red Road. While Saba's adoration of her brother Lugh launches the quest and the action, I found her relationship with Emmi far more interesting. Please comment on the importance of this relationship and the way it develops throughout the story. Will Saba's perception of Lugh undergo an equally dramatic change in book two?

MY: The development of the relationship between Emmi and Saba is the main thing that humanises and educates Saba. That and her relationship with Jack, who never hesitates to let her know what he thinks of her behaviour. When they set off after Lugh and Saba offers her hand to Emmi, it’s the first time in their lives that this has happened. A small thing, but hugely significant. Another moment is on the Desert Swan as they approach Hopetown. Without thinking, Saba lifts her chained hands so that Emmi can slip underneath and hug her. There are other instances, too, but any time the two sisters have physical contact, it links them as the same flesh and blood, even though Saba doesn’t realise that this is what’s going on. Their shared experience of loss and adversity binds them together ever more strongly as the story develops. It will be interesting to see how things evolve when Lugh steps back into the family in book two. He remains a cipher, really. We only have Saba’s word for what he’s like and she’s not exactly an unbiased reporter. I have my own ideas about what might happen, but I could well be wrong.

LEC: Describe your best moment as a writer - a memory or experience that keeps you going on days you feel like giving it all up.

MY: I’ve had so many extraordinary experiences with this book that I feel like I must be dreaming it all. I have a little framed picture that hangs in the hallway outside our bedroom. It’s a sketch of Saba and Emmi leaving Silverlake, with their burning home in the background. Ridley Scott drew it while he was talking on the phone to his producer about the book.

LEC: What aspect of your writing have you always wanted to talk about, except no one's ever asked you?

MY: I haven’t talked much about my writing at all before now, so everything is new.

LEC: When will book two be available? Can you give us any hints about the plot?? Not that we're impatient or anything.... If you can't comment on the coming sequel, please tell us about Ridley Scott and his plans for the movie! (fangirl squeee)

MY: You’re frightening me! All I can say at this point is that book two picks up where Blood Red Road left off. It’s a direct continuation and is scheduled to come out some time in 2012. As for the movie, Ridley Scott’s producing team, Scott Free UK, have brought a great screenwriter on board. His name is Jack Thorne and he should have a script for us some time in the autumn. They’ve also been at the Cannes Film Festival - basically a trade fair, although admittedly more glamorous than most - to promote their slate of projects in development, which includes Blood Red Road. It’s listed on IMDB for 2014, but who knows? Many books are optioned for film. Relatively few ever make it onto screen. Movies are an expensive venture.

LEC: Well, I hope it works out, because it would be amazing. Thanks so much for joining us today!

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For more information about Moira Young, visit her author pages at Random House and Simon & Schuster (moirayoung.com belongs to someone else). And don't forget to comment - further to my mission to help this book succeed, I'm donating a copy of Blood Red Road for this week's giveaway.

Cantastic Guest Author: Tim Wynne-Jones

2011-07-28T07:37:00.014-03:00

Today's guest is Tim Wynne-Jones, whose very first novel won a $50,000 prize in 1980. Since then, he's written dozens of books, spanning all age ranges, and received countless more awards and honours. Somewhere in there, he also found time to critique a short story of mine when I won a high school writing contest.

LEC: Please describe your typical working day.

TWJ: When I'm working full tilt on a novel I try to get to work early, about 6:00 AM and work on through until noon, when I have lunch, with a coffee break along the way. Then I'll work another couple of hours or so in the afternoon, depending on how it's going. Sometimes I'm pooped by 2:00 PM, other times I can work another hour or two if the work is going well, but I seldom get beyond 4:00. If I do the writing gets worse and worse. I bring myself down to earth by washing dishes, which I love, and then cooking dinner, which I love even more. It grounds me.

LEC: You've published books for every age group. What is it about the YA category that appeals to you as a writer, and some of the advantages and disadvantages of writing for teens?

TWJ: Well, I'd sure like to figure out sixteen! It's such an incredible time in one's life, scary as hell and yet full of promise. If you could only convince yourself you were going to do half the things you dream of doing. I've sworn for years that my teenage life was Hell on Earth. But recently, I reacquainted myself with one of my best buddies from high school and he has the diaries and letters to belie my faulty memory. Apparently we did have some fun! Or maybe that's all he bothered to write about. Anyway, there's a sixteen-year-old skulking around inside me (occasionally bumping into my eleven-year-old self) and it's nice to talk to him down the tin can telephone of my old age.

LEC: As well as writing your own books, you seem to take a lot of enjoyment from helping other writers learn and grow. Did anyone provide this kind of mentorship for you when you started out?

TWJ: No. I knew no writers when I was starting out. At least not as mentors or writing friends. I did work for a publisher in the graphic design department so I met writers but not in the capacity of fellow writer. There were no writing circles, as far as I knew. So my great mentors were such people as Graham Greene and Richard Brautigan and Kurt Vonnegut -- the people I was reading at the time. The best way to learn how to write is to emulate someone you deeply admire.

LEC: Your books have received many awards throughout the years, but you've just become one of Canada's nominees for the 2012 Hans Christian Anderson Award - the "little Nobel". What was your response when you heard the news?

TWJ: I was blown away. The award is not well known to the general public but in our world it's pretty special. To be even mentioned in the same breath as people like Paula Fox, Astrid Lindgren, Tove Jansson, Eleanor Farjeon, David Almond, or Maurice Sendak is already a great honour.

LEC: Describe your best moment as a writer - a memory or experience that keeps you going on days you feel like giving it all up.

TWJ: There have been many; I've been very lucky. I've had a chance to travel and do readings or teach in Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Italy, the United Kingdom and all over the United States. I've read in every province and territory and met wonderful people in all of these peregrinations. I've also been fortunate enough to win prizes and such. But do you know what the very best thing of all is -- the thing that keeps me going? It's that heady feeling you get when you've been wrestling with a new novel and it's been really hard slogging and then you get to a place where it's finally rolling along and you know you're going to be able to go the distance. That's what I love the most about being a writer. I love second drafts! I just live for them.

LEC: Me too - they're so much better than first drafts! What question have you always wanted to be asked about your work, but no one ever has? What is the answer?

TWJ: I wish somebody would ask me if I meant everything I wrote. The answer is yes.

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For more about Tim and his books, check out his website. And don't forget to enter for the giveaway - Tim's donated an autographed copy of Blink & Caution.

Cantastic Guest Author: Robert Paul Weston

2011-07-27T09:33:00.043-03:00

Today's guest is Robert Paul Weston, author of E. B. White Read Aloud Honoree Zorgamazoo and Dust City, which was nominated for a teen Edgar Allen Poe Award. He once wrote a 30,000 word novel in a single weekend, and one of his former writing students calls him "deeply intelligent, and at the same time very humble. And very nice!"

photo by Kristof Arasim

LEC: Please describe your typical working day.

RPW: I'm a morning person, I find the briefer the route from dreams to the page, the better. There may be a lesson there. I rent an anonymous grey cubicle at The Toronto Writer's Centre, so I go from bed and breakfast, walk to the Centre and get down to work. I write until lunch and after that, I dabble, mostly trying—and failing—to recapture the energy of the morning. Somewhere between 3 and 5 in the afternoon I abandon the effort as hopeless. Occasionally, if I'm feeling inspired, I return to something after dark, or just before bed.

LEC: Free verse has become a popular form for teen novels, but I'm not aware of anyone else who's written an entire novel in rhyming couplets. Please tell us a little about the joy and challenges of writing Zorgamazoo.

RPW: It was mostly a challenge. Nearly all the joy came at the end. The problem I had was knowing exactly what needed to happen, but not being able to write it down. A very frustrating situation to find yourself in—over and over again. Even something as simple as getting a character to walk through a door could take days. If I couldn't find words to rhyme or jive with the rhythm (Zorgamazoo is roughly written anapestic tetrametre), then I'd have to abandon the line.

LEC: Dust City is inspired by Little Red Riding Hood, though told from the perspective of the big bad wolf's son. What is it about fairy tales that attracts you as a writer, and what about them do you think appeals so strongly to teenagers?

RPW: I can't say I'm a enormous fan of fairy tales. I wrote Dust City less because I love them and more because I was struck by how different the originals are from the versions many of us grow up with. While writing the novel, I was drawing more on hard boiled detective fiction than anything else. Fairy tales were merely the jumping-off point. As for the connection teenagers may feel with fairy tales, it may have something to do with a similar realisation—those years being so much about making discoveries about the world. The fact that Disney bowdlerised the original Grimm tales is one such discovery, perhaps. I also think fairy tales are deep, elemental stories that pervade any culture. Adolescence is an elemental time in anyone's life.

LEC: In a recent blog post, you commented on your loathing for spoilers, specifically in online book reviews. A related problem for writers is how to retell a story everyone knows - a story which could be considered "spoiled" from the outset - while still maintaining a sense of suspense. Can you comment on ways that you, and other authors, have avoided this potential pitfall?

RPW: Roughly speaking, there's two ways writers overcome this hurdle. One, they retell a story from the point-of-view of a minor or neglected character. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead by Tom Stoppard, for instance, or Marget Atwood's The Penelopiad. In those cases, the suspense is derived from characterization. Secondly, you can start with the premise that the original was wrong. Opening with, "now let me tell you how it really went down..." is a good way to create suspense. In my case, I wasn't trying to retell any particular fairy tale. Instead, I treated the Grimm stories as history and asked myself, if medieval Europe was really like that, what would a modern day New York look like? Then I was free to create my own story with its own internal mysteries.

LEC: Describe your best moment as a writer - a memory or experience that keeps you going on days you feel like giving it all up.

RPW: Wow, that's a hard question. I don't think there's a single moment, no matter how wonderful, that on its own is enough to keep me going. Most of all, what keeps me writing is a belief that storytelling is a uniquely human pursuit. Please bear with me for a moment. I'd say that more than any other life form, language is our thing. What's language but a series of symbols and abstractions. By that measure, pushing the boundaries of language is a great celebration of what it means to be human. Fiction is like the ultimate expression of language, taking all these little symbols and putting them into an order that is the ultimate abstraction—a story. I almost feel like I have a biological obligation to my species to write them down. Of course, I realize all of that sounds crazy, but what can I say? It keeps me going.

LEC: That doesn't sound crazy at all, but maybe it's because I loved The Science of Discworld II: The Globe. The authors make a very compelling argument that language evolved purely so humans could tell more complex stories! What question have you always wanted to be asked about your work, but no one ever has? What is the answer?

RPW: Don't know if I've a burning desire to hear this question, but no one has ever asked me if the "runcible spoon" in chapter fourteen of Zorgamazoo is a direct homage to the nonsense poetry of Edward Lear.

The answer is: Yes, it is.

LEC: Thanks, Rob!

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Update on the Special Extra Giveaway!

2011-07-26T15:31:00.000-03:00

I have chosen a prize for the SEG - a hardcover copy of the special edition of Rilla of Ingleside. Among other features, it contains 6000 words that were included in the original edition, but cut out of the paperbacks we've been reading all along. Don't forget to comment on yesterday's post for your chance to win.

And don't forget to comment on this week's interviews, as well - I've got more great prizes to hand out this coming Saturday!

Cantastic Guest Author: Vicki Grant

2011-07-26T08:24:00.000-03:00

Today's guest is Vicki Grant, former advertising writer, former television writer, and current writer of award-winning teen fiction. I understand she's also an excellent Scrabble player; as someone who has yet to win a game, I find this very impressive.

LEC: Please describe your typical working day.

VG: I don't have one. I TRY to get out and exercise as soon as I get up just to clear my head and I TRY to write in the morning but life often interferes. I never write longer than four or five hours because both my back and my brain go numb by then. As a remedy, I'm considering getting a treadmill set up with a keyboard and monitor (a la Arthur Slade) to write while walking - but we'll see. Treadmills are kind of ugly and I do like sitting in our sunroom, looking out over the garden. I don't want a big piece of machinery marring the view.

I try to write the first draft quickly ("try" is one of my favourite words, as you may have noticed...) to keep the process fun and the ideas new. I always read what I've written out loud and edit as I go. By the time a so-called first draft is off to the editor, I've read it so many times that I've committed most of it to memory.

LEC: Humor is a genre that tends not to get much respect from readers (and occasionally writers) of "serious literature." What appeals to you about comedy, and what role do you think it plays in your books?

VG: Even in my 'funniest' books, my main characters are dealing with some difficult issue in their lives. Some have too much family responsibility, some are feeling left out or alone or overwhelmed. These stories would be pretty grim if they were just about kids slogging through their problems. A little bit of humour makes it easier for me to explore the serious subjects without, I hope, losing my readers. Besides, many of the people I know who've lived through the hardest experiences are the funniest. Humour's how we often cope in real life too.

LEC: I hear your not-so-secret ambition is to write a musical. Have you worked out a plot? What style of music are we talking? Can I reserve tickets now?

VG: I'm planning to base it on what I hope will be my next book - a mystery/love story set in Halifax during the Second World War. The early 1940s was a very exciting time to be in the city. Halifax was considered to be the most important port in North America and servicemen (and some women) from all over the world were stationed here. What makes it particularly interesting for me is that these 'men' were as often as not teenagers. As a YA writer, my first job is to put my characters in peril in a more or less realistic way. Halifax at war seems ready made for that!

LEC: I would definitely read that book! Right on the heels of its Red Maple win, Not Suitable For Family Viewing has been nominated for The Stellar Award. What's it like to be recognized in reader's choice awards, compared to all your other honours?

VG: It's great for a book to be 'worthy' but it also has to be readable and appealing to the young adult market. Winning a reader's choice award reassures me that a certain number of teens have actually enjoyed my book. They're not just reading it because they have to.

LEC: Describe your best moment as a writer - a memory or experience that keeps you going on days you feel like giving it all up.

VG: Several years ago just after The Puppet Wrangler came out, I got a very chatty email from a girl in India. I was surprised she'd read the book and asked her where she got it. She told me that Canadian friends of hers liked it so much, they typed and emailed the entire book to her. I didn't get the royalties from the sale of another book but it did give my ego a boost.

LEC: What question have you always wanted to be asked about your work, but no one ever has? What is the answer?

VG: "What's your secret to writing such enormously popular books?" I don't know the answer yet...

LEC: Well, if you find out, let us know!

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For more about Vicki and her books, check out her website. And if you live in the Halifax area, I happen to know that the Bayers Lake Chapters has autographed copies of Not Suitable For Family Viewing in stock!

Completely Unscientific But Totally Cantastic Poll, With Special Extra Giveaway

2011-07-25T08:16:00.000-03:00

Norah McClintock has a broken elbow and hasn't been able to type, so she won't be joining us today, but promised to send her interview as soon as she can. Hopefully early next week, but speaking as a currently fractured person, we can cut her some slack.

In the meantime, why don't we chat? Today's topic: Who was your favorite Canadian author when you were an actual kid, and why? Current kids are welcome to play too.

And just to make it interesting, all commenters on today's post will receive one entry in a Special Extra Giveaway (SEG) for a Cantastic prize which I have not yet selected, but promise will be worth it. As this is an SEG, previous winners are also eligible.

Deadline to comment for the SEG is 11:59 PM Atlantic Time, July 31, 2011. Now go discuss!

Middle Grade Winners!

2011-07-23T07:25:00.000-03:00

Congratulations to the winners of this week's draw:

SallyMC

winner of Empire of Ruins, by Arthur Slade

Debbie M

winner of Trouble in the Trees, by Yolanda Ridge

Anonymous - July 22, 12:37

winner of Dog Walker, by Karen Spafford-Fitz

Stephanie G

winner of Dog Walker, by Karen Spafford-Fitz

Send your mailing address to lindsey at foxtalk dot ca and I'll ship your prizes off to you! And special thanks to Karen, Orca, and HarperCollins Canada for supplying this week's swag.

Special note: Some previous winners have yet to send me their addresses. If I don't hear from you by July 31, I'll draw new winners from a combined pool of all of this month's commenters.

Cantastic Guest Author: Danika Dinsmore

2011-07-22T10:00:00.001-03:00

Rounding out middle grade week is Danika Dinsmore, author of Brigitta of the White Forest, which has one of the most gorgeous covers I've ever seen. The next book in her Faerie Tales from the White Forest series comes out March 2012.

LEC: Please describe your typical working day.

DD: This is the perfect question for me because I'm constantly reworking my personal schedule to keep myself focused!

I try to write every day. I like the momentum and staying inside of Brigitta's world. If more than 2 days go by and I haven't written, not only do I get anxious, it's harder for me to get back inside the story.

Let's see . . . I wake up, drink coffee, do some journaling and a little "personal growth" reading. I've just started doing yoga so I try to get some in before I head off to my "cottage" (an ex-garage that I turned into an office). I generally write for a few hours or until it just feels good. I'm editing my 2nd book right now, so I try to edit 10-12 pages per day. When I'm working on a first draft I write about 5 new pages per day.

When I don't have teaching commitments, I organize the rest of my day on index cards. Every task goes on a card related to that project. I do this b/c if I get an idea in the middle of doing something else I don't want to get distracted. So I throw the task on the right card and get refocused.

I go through the cards and prioritize projects. (I recommend anyone working from home listen to David Allen's seminar "Getting Things Done Fast" - that seminar changed my life in terms of being able to organize my personal time.) Then I go through as many cards as I can per day. Project cards include: social media campaigns, marketing/branding, planning for upcoming events, curriculum development, grant writing, blog posts, work for my boutique film production company, etc.

(Then I find out when my husband is leaving work so I can clean up, figure out dinner, and get out of my pajamas by the time he gets home. lol.)

LEC: The last time you visited was before Brigitta of the White Forest had been released. How has the book been received, and what can we expect from the sequel?

DD: The book has been very well received by parents, teachers, and children alike and I am grateful for every new fan I get. I work very hard at making myself as public as possible. All writers know how challenging it is to market themselves. I have found that meeting my audience in person is the best way to keep them excited and interested.

The 2nd book, The Ruins of Noe, picks up just after Brigitta's apprenticeship has begun. The White Forest is in danger again as the Elders have lost touch with the Ancients. Brigitta and High Priestess Ondelle travel to the old faerie ruins together in search of answers. No elemental faeries have been to the ruins since they were moved to the White Forest almost 1,000 years before. Without giving TOO much away, they discover that there are faeries that were left behind (!) and get caught in the middle of two warring faerie tribes.

The Ruins of Noe is slightly darker and a bit more mature. I found this organically occurring as Brigitta and I grow up together (she as a character and me as a writer).

LEC: You have a great deal of experience in the screenwriting/film industry, which is probably why your live action book trailer looks so much like a real movie! Tell us a little bit about creating the trailer. What was it like to see real live kids dressed up as your characters?

DD: Thanks! We had very little money and had to be creative. I'm lucky that I know so many people in the industry, because they all pitched in for the love of the project.

To make the trailer I did think in terms of a movie trailer. I picked out "scenes" from the book and created a story board, then spoke to a prop person to make sure it could all be done within our budget. Then I imagined the music I wanted and a dear and talented friend scored it for me. She did a superb job.

An actor friend really wanted to play Hrathgar, so that was already set, but we held auditions for the two faerie sisters. During the auditions, we knew immediately that these two girls were who we wanted. I sent the girls copies of the book so they would understand their characters. What was the most fun for me was simply seeing how much fun THEY were having playing Brigitta and Himalette.

We shot it all without sound (except for Hrathgar's line) and added sound FX and voice over afterward. This cut down on the costs and made the shoot go faster. The setting was perfect because I live in BC and the trees are magnificent. We shot everything very close-up so we could "cheat" shots and use small spaces (like my editor's livingroom!) and minimal lighting. We had the wings made by a costumer and the eyeball puppets by an amazing prop designer we were completely lucky to have on our team. He also made the stone sprite.

LEC: You've recently completed a month long book tour - 26 events in 27 days! You've already posted about some of your experiences on your personal blog. What other stories can you share?

DD: The entire thing was a great learning experience. Some of it humbling. There were a few sparsely attended readings and I learned just how difficult it is to get strangers out to hear an unknown novelist read! The school visits were by far the highlights of the tour. I have a background as a spokenword artist and an educator, so I'm not shy about getting up in front of 200 kids.

I also taught Imaginary Worlds workshops for smaller groups of kids and those were really well-received. They were a lot of fun for me, too, as children never cease to amaze and surprise me with their creativity.

One of my favourite stops on my tour was my old elementary school in Concord, CA. I hadn't been on that campus for about 30 years. Needless to say, there were no staff or teachers who had been around when I went to school there. They had me do two assemblies so that the entire school could meet me, and then teach an Imaginary Worlds workshop to some of the brightest 6th graders I have ever met.

I was so happy to see how the school had grown and what a positive atmosphere it had. It's nice to know that my old school is in good hands.

LEC: Tell us about your best moment as a children's book creator - a memory or experience that keeps you going on days you feel like giving it all up.

DD: One of my favourite moments was after one of my workshops. Lunchtime was next, so after the kids had gotten their books signed, they tore out of the room as kids usually do. I stuck around to chat with the teacher. When I left the classroom, however, a dozen kids were sitting up against the wall outside the building reading Brigitta. To see so many kids with their noses buried in my book on a perfect sunny day just tickled my heart.

The teacher later said she'd never seen that happen before and took a photo of it. I must get my hands on it. I think it definitely would keep me going on those days where I feel like an untalented hack in a sea of geniuses.

LEC: How well I know that feeling! What question have you always wanted to be asked about your work, but no one ever has? What is the answer?

DD: Um...

Question: Can we option your book as a movie?
Answer: Yes!

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For more about Danika and her books, visit her website.

Cantastic Guest Author: Yolanda Ridge

2011-07-21T10:00:00.000-03:00

Today's guest is Yolanda Ridge, author of Trouble in the Trees and the forthcoming Road Block. I have a weird suspicion that Yolanda and I were separated at birth - for starters, we both have BSc's and very nearly did our graduate studies in the same lab. It's been delightful getting to know her while preparing today's interview.

LEC: Please describe your typical working day.

YR: I wish I could but there is really no such thing as a typical working day for me! Sometimes I’m awake at 5:00 in the morning, ideas running through my head, so I get up and write for a few hours before my kids wake up. When I’m on a deadline, I work at night after they go to bed but it’s a slog – I’m usually pretty brain dead by then! Mostly I work when my twin boys are in preschool, which was two hours a day, three days a week until summer started… and now it’s nothing at all! It will be interesting to see what happens when they start full day kindergarten this fall. I’m looking forward to having more writing time but I’m not sure I’ll be able to use it as productively as I do now… with so little time, I’ve really had to be focused!

LEC: Trouble in the Trees is your first novel. In your experience, what's the biggest challenge for a debut novelist in Canada?

YR: My biggest challenge has been promotion. I’m not sure this is unique to being a debut author in Canada, with all publishers cutting back on marketing, but it is hard because the book buying population is small. I feel fortunate that my publisher sells in the United States and does some marketing, but there is still a lot of responsibility left to the author in terms of social media and publicity. Connecting with people, on the internet or in person, takes a lot of energy and it’s hard to know what is going to be productive. I have done the lonely book signing….

(if you don’t know what I mean, check out this hilarious video on youtube)

… and I’ve wasted a lot of time on the web. But I’ve also connected with a lot of supportive readers and writers in cyberspace and done some wonderful author visits.

LEC: That video is one of my favourites - so painfully true! One thing that must help with promotion is that your book has received very positive reviews, especially for a first novel. Do you think your previous technical writing experience prepared you, or hindered you, in finding your middle grade voice?

YR: I have no doubt that my technical writing experience helped me in terms of organizing and structuring my novel. It also prepared me for the process of editing and revision. As for the voice, I really have no idea where that came from. I may have been channeling my 11-year-old self (some of my family thinks the voice is mine) or stealing from the young friend who gave me the premise for Trouble in the Trees. But I don’t think the voice is really true to anyone but Bree, my main character. It wasn’t until I tried writing middle grade that I had a character come to life for me the way Bree did. Her voice was so loud and clear in my head that I felt like I had no control over it at all.

LEC: I love it when that happens! The theme of the novel is doing what you love, even if people tell you not to. Does this central idea come from the relatively unusual path you've taken towards becoming a children's writer?

YR: Good question! I wish I could say yes… but really, I had no idea how much I would love writing fiction for children until I tried it. And to be honest, I probably never would have pursued it if I’d known how hard it was going to be (that’s one big difference between me and Bree!). It was a path I started following (blindly at first) as a stay at home mom who spent a lot of time at the library reading books to my boys. I’d always dreamed about being a travel writer (and a chef, and a mail delivery person…) but as I started reading children’s literature and revisiting the books of my youth, I was flooded with ideas that I couldn’t ignore. By the time I realized how bumpy the path to publication was going to be (when I first started collecting rejection letters for my picture book manuscripts) I was already hooked… so I guess at that point I did decide that I had to keep doing what I loved, even if I wasn’t getting the feedback I wanted. Okay, so maybe the answer to your question is yes, even though I never thought of it like that before – thanks for asking!

LEC: Describe your best moment as a writer - a memory or experience that keeps you going on days you feel like giving it all up.

YR: My best moment was definitely the day Sarah Harvey, my editor at Orca, called to say that they were going to publish Trouble in the Trees. Since then, there have been many great experiences (holding my book for the first time, seeing my picture in the paper, doing a joint book launch with authors that I’ve admired for a long time…) but none of them keep me going on the days that I feel like giving up. What really keeps me going is how miserable I feel when I’m not writing. It’s like I have all this creative energy that weighs me down if I’m not doing something with it.

LEC: What question have you always wanted to be asked about your work, but no one ever has? What is the answer?

YR: If you could pick any setting for a book, what would it be? A sailboat, because I’d like to spend a year sailing around the world with my family doing research. Writing books set in Canada is important to me (Trouble in the Trees takes place in Vancouver and in the follow up book, Road Block, Bree travels to Ontario) but I’d also like to learn about other cultures and places and know them well enough to write about them authentically.

LEC: Sounds like fun. Thanks, Yolanda!

YR: Thank you for Cantastic Authorpalooza! I've enjoyed reading your interviews with the other authors and it's been fun answering your questions.

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To learn more about Yolanda and her books, check out her website. And don't forget to comment - Orca has generously donated a copy of Trouble in the Trees for this week's giveaway!

Cantastic Guest Author: Karen Spafford-Fitz

2011-07-20T10:44:00.000-03:00

Today's guest is Karen Spafford-Fitz, author of the middle-grade novel Dog Walker. In between her own writing projects, which include a second middle-grade book and a young adult work-in-progress, Karen finds plenty of time to support new and emerging writers.

LEC: Please describe your typical working day.

KSF: While this might not sound like I’m actually working, my writing day begins with my morning trail run or walk. Frequently ideas occur to me and story problems resolve themselves in my head while I’m on the trails. By the time I return home, I am itching to start the more conventional “butt-to-chair” part of my writing day.

As a compulsive reviser, I spend much of my day revising ideas and rewriting portions of my manuscripts. I sometimes write onscreen although I push away from the computer and work with hard copies when the words aren’t flowing quite as well.

I generally have just one main writing project underway at a time although as new ideas occur to me, I take breaks for freefall writing about characters, dialogues and scenes that might work their way into subsequent manuscripts. I also allot time for researching markets and checking out events in the writing community.

LEC: Dog Walker is your first novel. What other kinds of writing did you do before making the transition to kid's book author?

KSF: My first career was as an elementary and junior high teacher. For those eight years, I wrote a lot of curriculum materials, student anecdotals, teacher memos and report cards.

After my daughters were born, I wanted a home-based career so I began working as a freelance writer. I accepted a wide range of writing projects, including ad copy, catalogues, quarterlies, client websites and periodical writing.

An educational publisher then contracted me to write educational software and I wrote curriculum-based, levelled reading material for students in grades five and six. This was a turning point for me as I not only discovered how much I enjoy writing for young people, but I was surrounded by an inspiring group of children’s writers. When that project ended, I began writing middle-grade and young adult fiction almost exclusively.

LEC: I understand that you thought you were writing a teen novel, but your publisher, Orca, told you otherwise. What's it like when a project turns out to be something totally different than you thought it was going to be? Do you find that the middle grade voice is the one that comes most naturally to you?

KSF: Yes, Dog Walker had an early identity crisis! I initially wrote the story for older teenagers. When I submitted it to Orca’s young adult editor, he felt the story was better suited to middle-grade readers and he passed it internally to the middle-grade editor.

The transformation from YA to middle-grade novel then began, and it was actually more seamless than one might think. The biggest change was that my 17-year-old protagonist had to become a few years younger. But I had come to know Turk very well and I had no difficulty imagining him as a 14-year-old junior high student. His character did not change in the process, nor did the essence of the story, although some of the content had to change. For example, the party scene in the original version was a high school beer bash, which I rewrote as a loud birthday party with some nervous dancing and minor food-fighting. I can honestly say that I came away even happier with my middle-grade novel than with what I had initially proposed as a YA story.

In terms of voice, middle-grade to early young adult feels most natural to me. I credit my teenaged daughters and hundreds of grade eight students for that!

LEC: Describe your best moment as a writer - a memory or experience that keeps you going on days you feel like giving it all up.

KSF: I’m lucky to have had many wonderful experiences with students, teachers and colleagues. But I will tell you about one “best moment” that happened a few years ago when I was working on a young adult story in my studio.

I had worked on this particular manuscript for over a year and I was convinced I was finally nearing completion. I was ecstatic—until several hours later when I realized that not only was I no closer to finishing it, but I had backed my character into a complete corner. I was twisting my hair into knots and grinding my teeth and on the brink of a colossal meltdown when my 16-year-old protagonist paid me the most wonderful visit. I could practically feel Tanner tap me on the shoulder and whisper into my ear, “Karen, it’s okay. I just haven’t told you everything yet.”

He then went on to tell me all I needed to know to complete his story, and I had my most magical writing afternoon ever.

That is one of several experiences that keeps me coming back to my stories—even when writing seems so hard that I should instead pursue a career licking stamps or folding underwear.

LEC: I think most writers do a lot of stamp licking and laundry folding anyway! In your experience, what's the biggest challenge for a debut novelist in Canada?

KSF: That’s a tough one, but I think the biggest challenge is finding a market for one’s writing. After having invested the huge amount of time and care that’s required to craft a story, it’s horribly disheartening to find that the Canadian market has again shrunk such that you have fewer markets to submit to than you thought. I realize this situation does not just affect debut novelists, but I think it takes a heavier toll on those who have not yet had the opportunity to get their work out there and to prove themselves professionally.

LEC: What question have you always wanted to be asked about your work, but no one ever has? What is the answer?

KSF: I am often asked, “Did you always want to be a writer?” [Answer: Gosh, no!] But, no one has ever asked me, “What did you first want to be?” Let me explain…

I grew up on a farm and before I was old enough to go to school, my dad used to take me to the local salesbarn with him. Someone was always kind enough to offer me a seat in the front row so I could better see the massive sows and fiery bulls and astonishingly pink piglets waiting in the wings. To this starry-eyed four-year-old, it felt like I had stepped into the most charmed arena imaginable.

But the magic truly happened when the auctioneer, in his beautifully, semi-demented voice, began spinning pure wizardry with his marvelous incantations. Clearly I was not the only one to think so, because a glorious parade of animals immediately unfolded before me with the charmed beasts responding to the spells coursing from the auctioneer’s lips. And I knew then and there that all I ever wanted and needed in this world was to become an auctioneer myself.

It’s been many years since I’ve visited a salesbarn and my early dreams of being an auctioneer have long since evaporated. But I never lost the sense that words can be pure magic. That spoken—or written—with courage, conviction and honesty, words can change and create wonderful new worlds. I think that is why I now work as a writer.

LEC: That is a fantastic story! Remind me to tell you someday about my own small-child adventures at the salesbarn....

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You can find Karen at Orca, or on her soon-to-be-developed author website. And keep the comments coming - Karen has donated TWO autographed copies of Dog Walker for this week's draw!

Cantastic Guest Author: Alma Fullerton

2011-07-19T10:00:00.008-03:00

Today's guest is Alma Fullerton, a writer who's not afraid to tackle tough topics for any age group. Her middle-grade novel Libertad was a finalist for both the Governor General's Award and the TD Canadian Children's Literature award. Her most recent release, Burn, brought me to tears.

LEC: Please describe your typical working day.

AF: I don't have a typical working day. I work different shifts in my day job so when and where I write or illustrate varies. The only thing that's typical for me is getting up around 6 am and going to bed around 1am (Until I went part-time at my day job last Sept. That 1am was 2am or 3am).

LEC: I can't imagine functioning on so little sleep, never mind trying to be creative! You've written for teens and middle graders both. What's unique about, or attracts you to the middle reader age group?

AF: I write for teens, middle grades and also younger children. I should have a picture book out in the next couple of years. I don't think there's anything that attracts me to the age groups I write for specifically. It's really the plot or the characters that set the age of my books. Sometimes the idea comes first sometimes the character.

LEC: All of your books are written in verse, rather than prose. What are some of the challenges of this format? What are the rewards?

AF: In the Garage has both verse and prose but the challenges with verse is that you have to choose your words very carefully. You can't use filler words because the story needs to be told in full with the least amount of words. I can easily throw down 10,000 prose words in a day - and have where I might only be able to write 500 - 1000 good verse words. Verse tends to be very powerful and often grabs the reluctant reader because of all the white space. Being dyslexic myself it's important for me to try to target those kids.

LEC: There's a quote on your website: "Children live through situations every day that adults won't let them read about." The topics in your books definitely qualify. What draws you to this "edgy" subject matter, and why do you think challenging books matter?

AF: I carry a marble with me at all times to remind me of why I write for children. If roll it across the room, in the few minutes it takes to get to the other end, I'll know approximately 24 children will die of malnutrition, 6 from the lack of clean water, 50 as a result of war, 8 from abuse, neglect or murder, 500 children will be raped or sexually abused, and over 800 children will be bullied (these are only the ones coming forward) either on or off the school yard. My marble represents the one child in this world that will finish a book, learn about some kind of injustice in the world and eventually do something (even small) to change it or themselves for the better. If I can reach that one child, then I have done my job as an author.

LEC: Describe your best moment as a writer - a memory or experience that keeps you going on days you feel like giving it all up.

AF: This connects directly to the question above for me because my best moment as a writer was when a teen from a remedial class in a high school emailed me and asked me to come talk to her class about writing and my book In the Garage. I was told it was the first book she'd ever read - either for school or for herself (and it was on her own). The teacher told me before reading it the girl acted out frequently with violence but after finishing it she did a total flip. I don't know if it was that she connected with something in the characters, saw something in her world a different way, or was just the fact that she was able to read a full book but whatever it was it changed her for the better. She's now a college graduate. Stuff like that makes it all worth while.

LEC: Wow. I am officially humbled and inspired. What question have you always wanted to be asked about your work, but no one ever has? What is the answer?

AF: I don't know that there is a question I haven't been asked :)

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For more information on Alma and her books, visit her website.

Cantastic Guest Author: Arthur Slade

2011-07-18T10:00:00.000-03:00

We're joined today by Arthur Slade, who won the Governor General's Award for his middle-grade horror novel, Dust. He's just wrapped up his genre-bending series, The Hunchback Assignments, and may be single-handedly responsible for the growing treadmill desk craze.

LEC: Please describe your typical working day.

AS: I get up at 6 AM and go down to my office and turn on my treadmill desk and begin writing. Okay, I know the treadmill desk part will sound odd to most readers but it's the way I've been writing for the last two years (I blogged about it here, for the curious). I usually check email and post on Facebook and Twitter (trying not to get sucked into either). Then, on a good day, I will write until about noon. I rarely do any writing after noon (unless there's a deadline), instead I save that "slow brain" time to do more online outreach and research (and childcare).

LEC: You've written for teens and middle graders both. What's unique about, or attracts you, to the middle reader age group?

AS: Sometimes I feel that the older we get the less we allow our imaginations to grow. That age group has the most active imaginations in the universe (if only we could bottle the energy and the ideas) and so I try to tap into my "young" self and remember what it was like when everything was so new and exciting. And then I try to channel that energy towards my writing.

LEC: Your early books deal with ghosts, monsters, mythology, strange weather... Why did you decide to add steampunk to the mix? How does The Hunchback series compare to your other books?

AS: The steampunk was really a natural progression of my interests as a writer. I have always enjoyed history (especially Victorian) and have a deep love of science fiction, fantasy, and horror. So The Hunchback Assignments was a way to take all of these interests and meld them together. It is probably the most fun I've had writing, being able to visit my favourite classics and add the elements that I loved to read as a youth. So in many ways I see connections between Dust (a horror novel) and Megiddo's Shadow (a history novel) and The Hunchback Assignments. I don't think I could have written this series without first writing those books. Each taught me lessons about how to compose different elements of their respective genres.

LEC: With Modo's adventures drawing to a close, what can you tell us about your next project?

AS: I'm never quite sure what will be next, but I do have the notes for a novel tentatively titled Flickers that is set in Hollywood during the 1920's. It has something to do with silent horror movies that are used to....oh, I better stop there.

LEC: Describe your best moment as a writer - a memory or experience that keeps you going on days you feel like giving it all up.

AS: Two moments come to mind. One is winning the Governor General's Award for Dust. Being in Rideau Hall in such a ceremony was surreal and having being chosen for that award by my peers was an especially nice pat on the back. The second would be hearing the audience scream at the Red Maple (or Silver Birch) awards. 1000 readers excited about reading and yelling at the tops of their lungs for their favourite authors. Who wouldn't enjoy that?

LEC: What question have you always wanted to be asked about your work, but no one ever has? What is the answer?

AS: How has heavy metal influenced your writing? No one ever asks that. I'm not sure why. The answer: Iron Maiden's storytelling heavy metal made me a better writer. And a little deaf. : )

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For more info on Art and his books, visit his website and blog. And special thanks to HarperCollins, who've donated a copy of The Hunchback Assignments III: Empire of Ruins for this week's giveaway!

Cantastic Nonfiction Winners!

2011-07-16T08:19:00.000-03:00

Congratulations to this week's winners:

Ishta Mercurio

winner of Traitor's Gate

Deb Marshall

winner of Champions of Women's Rights

Ishta and Deb will also receive Let's Go and The Nature Treasury bookmarks, courtesy of Lizann Flatt! Ladies, contact me with your shipping addresses and I'll get your prizes in the mail.

Monday, Arthur Slade joins us to kick off Middle Grade Fiction week! And I've got another pile of great books to give away, so be sure to comment on next week's interviews for your chance to enter. Check out contest rules and the full interview schedule at the Cantastic Authorpalooza page.

Happy weekend!

Cantastic Guest Author: Moushumi Chakrabarty

2011-07-15T10:00:00.000-03:00

Today's guest is Moushumi Chakrabary, author of two books in the popular Amazing Stories series. Fighting for Women's Rights is the story of Anna Leonowens - that's Anna from The King and I. Mouishumi's new book, Champions of Women's Rights, tells the stories of other great Canadian women who fought for social justice.

LEC: Please describe your typical working day.

MC: I generally spend the morning researching and writing, with frequent tea/coffee breaks. Sometimes, I break off to read some of the library books I may have on my desk. I would like to say I am very disciplined about writing a set number of words every day, but that would be stretching the truth!

LEC: As a non-fiction writer, research is a big part of your job. How do you know when it's time to stop researching and start writing?

MC: While researching, I wait for the point when I get really excited with the subject. I jot down the relevant information and dig in some more. There is no buzzer that goes off when I actually start with the writing but I believe it is the moment when you know you just can't put off writing any longer. That said, I find a deadline is a fine thing to have hanging over your head if you have trouble beginning.

LEC: Hey, without deadlines, no undergraduate student would ever write a paper! Your first two books are biographies of women's rights activists. How did you become passionate about this subject? Women in North America are comparatively well off compared to those around the world - why do you think Canadian kids still need to hear these stories?

MC: The very fact that girls and women in Canada have a sense of entitlement today is due to the groundwork put in by these fiesty women who lived so many years ago. I believe it is important for Canadian kids to know how hard won the road to this 'freedom' has been. Certainly North American women are better off than their sisters in many parts of the world, yet their struggle for equality, choice and acceptance continues. I am passionate about this topic because I think a society grows greater largely with the upliftment of its women.

LEC: You're currently branching out from nonfiction to YA novel writing. Will the same ideas and themes inform your fiction as well?

MC: I do have a penchant for women's stories, being a woman and mother myself. My YA novel features a girl who refuses to accept what has been doled out to her. She stands up for herself and makes her own way. I find this quality very attractive and plan on developing this thread in my writing.

LEC: Describe your best moment as a writer - a memory or experience that keeps you going on days you feel like giving it all up.

MC: Oh, there's plenty of days when I do feel like chucking it all - I won't deny that! On such black days, specially after rejections, I look at the covers of my books and resist the urge to just call an employment agency and take up a job. I have had some really precious memories related to writing. One I remember particularly - when my first effort was published in the local newspaper when I was 14!

LEC: That would work for me, too! Thanks for joining us today!

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For more about Moushumi and her writing, visit her blog. And special thanks to Formac Lorimer, for donating a a copy of Champions of Women's Rights to this week's giveaways!

Cantastic Guest Author: Joan Marie Galat

2011-07-14T10:00:00.000-03:00

Today's guest is Joan Marie Galat. Joan's writing career began when she landed a newspaper columnist's position at the age of 13. Her Dot to Dot Astronomy books for kids are popular on two continents and possibly across the galaxy!

LEC: Please describe your typical working day.

JMG: As a writer of astronomy books, you may guess I am not a morning person. I groggily wake up, stumble about getting ready to face the day, and turn on my computer. Steaming hot chocolate in a Tasmanian devil mug gives me enough energy to launch into work.

When researching and writing a book, I begin by editing my last page. This is my warm-up to full-speed writing. By the time I’m done fixing yesterday’s work, I’m raring to create something new and start writing fresh material.

By lunch time, I’m ready for a break and try to get outside—barring rain or weather below 25 degrees. Sometimes school presentations, speaking engagements, artist residencies, commitments to teaching writing, or other circumstances keep me away from my desk. When that happens, I usually end up writing late at night when it’s nice and quiet.

LEC: As a non-fiction writer, research is a big part of your job. How do you know when it's time to stop researching and start writing?

JMG: Research can be exciting but also frustrating. Invariably the answer to one question leads to more questions and more research. Wildly curious, I can easily lose myself in the thrill of discovering exciting facts that are not commonly known.

At the same time, I don’t feel productive if I don’t complete a certain amount of copy by the end of the day. I know it’s time to stop if continuous digging does not lead to new facts. It’s time to start writing when every source I check reveals identical information.

LEC: What's the most interesting fact your research has revealed that DIDN'T make it into one of your books?

JMG: I knew the answer to this question right away! Like my other astronomy-mythology books, Dot to Dot in the Sky, Stories of the Planets was designed to fit a 64 page format. I collected a lot more interesting facts than could fit, including this fascinating bit about Pluto. “During the coldest 124 years of Pluto’s orbit, its thin atmosphere turns to frost and falls to the planet’s surface.”

Isn’t that cool?

LEC: That is cool - in both senses! Your Dot to Dot in the Sky series has been very successful, due in part to its unique combination of astronomy and astral mythology. Which of these myths is your favorite, and why?

JMG: My favorite myth, called The Son of the Sun and the Daughter of the Moon, can be found in Dot to Dot in the Sky Stories of the Moon. The Sun wants his son to marry the daughter of the Moon, but the Moon is not impressed. She says something along this vein:

“No way! You Sun people are no good. You’re never home at night and you barely show up in the winter! That’s not good enough for my daughter. Besides, she is promised to Luminias, leader of the Northern Lights. His lights shine in the summer as well as the winter!”

Being compared to the aurora outrages the Sun! He creates a terrible storm and the Moon realizes she must hide her daughter away. But the Sun’s son does not give up his quest to marry the Moon’s daughter.

LEC: Describe your best moment as a writer - a memory or experience that keeps you going on days you feel like giving it all up.

JMG: One of the most exciting moments was upon the release of my first book—Dot to Dot in the Sky, Stories in the Stars. A number of authors with new titles, including myself, gave ten minute presentations at an Edmonton Children’s Literature Roundtable event. After the speakers were done, attendees could purchase books. All my book’s stock at the event sold, which was nice, but what was so rewarding was seeing people who truly know and appreciate children’s literature show such an interest in my book.

I also love it when children come up to me after an author visit and tell me that they write too or that they love my books. Once a librarian told me a girl who rarely participated in class was so excited about my pending school visit she couldn’t stop talking about it. There are lots of feel-good moments when you interact with children.

LEC: What question have you always wanted to be asked about your work, but no one ever has? What is the answer?

JMG: I can’t think of one, perhaps because I have been asked a lot of questions since my first book was released in 2001. I would like people to know I offer presentations to audiences anywhere on Earth— via Skype!

Here are a few frequently asked questions from school visits:

Do you want to travel into space? I would like to orbit the Earth but don’t want to go to another planet.

Are your books translated into other languages? My first three Dot to Dot in the Sky titles are translated into Korean.

What’s your favorite constellation? Corona Borealis—the Northern Crown. Its bright stars are meant to represent sparkling jewels but to me they look like a great big smile from a happy face!

LEC: (embarrassed to admit she can only reliably recognize Orion)

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For more info on Joan's books, or to arrange one of those Skype visits, check out her website. She also contributes to the Canadian science writer's blog, Sci/Why.

Cantastic Guest Author: Lizann Flatt

2011-07-13T10:00:00.000-03:00

Lizann Flatt published her first short story in Owl magazine when she was just 13 years old. Since then, she's authored ten nonfiction books for children and a number of shorter pieces. A former editor of Chickadee, and current volunteer representative for SCBWI Canada East, Lizann helps emerging writers find their way.

LEC: Please describe your typical working day.

LF: On a typical day, after I get my kids off to school, I sit down at my computer. I go through my emails and try to make it a fast look to see if anything's urgent. Then it's writing or researching depending on the project I'm working on. At lunch I read blogs, check in with Facebook, look at Twitter, and all that. I try to finish what I was working on for the day by 2 or 3pm because by then I have to get back to thinking what I have to make for dinner or where I have to get the kids to, which pile of laundry I need to tackle, that sort of stuff. I might get back to emails later in the evening. I always feel like I never get enough done.

LEC: I don't think I've ever had a day where I felt like I got enough done! As a non-fiction writer, research is a big part of your job. How do you know when it's time to stop researching and start writing?

LF: It depends on the type of writing. If it's creative nonfiction, when I can see the shape of the story I start to rough out the draft manuscript. Or what I mean is once I understand the fact(s) I put in some sort of really draft placeholder text. For example, for a book series I'm doing now I needed things animals do in the fall. So I researched that and a variety of other things that would happen and blocked out the book by animal and its related action. Once I'm happy with that I write the words. For whales, I knew they migrated but I wanted to play on the "w" sounds to use the words 'warm' and 'water' but I had to be sure the whales were swimming to warmer water not cooler water at that time of year. And what kind of whale exactly? So I found out it was factually sound for humpbacks and that became the line: "Do you think wales would race to a sunny warm place?" with the direction to illustrate humpback whales.

If it's educational nonfiction the writer is usually given a detailed outline so it's already got a structure for me to work with. I write and research more in a step fashion, so I research enough to get an overall idea of the topic, where sources are, broad strokes, etc. Then I start with the first subtopic and write about it, then research another subtopic and write about it. For this type I know I have to cover the subtopic within a set number of words so that's what I do, writing long at first and then cutting. If there are introductory or concluding spreads I write those last.

LEC: What's the most interesting fact your research has revealed that DIDN'T make it into one of your books?

LF: I don't know if I could pin it to one fact. There's a lot of interesting stuff I can't put in my nonfiction picture books because of the young target age group and tight word count. But one fact that comes to mind is that in the early 1900s cars powered by electricity, steam, and gas were all in use, but I had to keep it to gas powered in Let's Go! because that was the technology that continued to be popular to today (so far at least). I also found it fascinating that bicycle clubs made some of the first road maps and were huge advocates for better roads. But I couldn't put that stuff in either.

LEC: Let's Go! was chosen for the TD Grade One giveaway in 2009, meaning kids all across the country received a free copy. Did you visit schools in conjunction with this giveaway? What was it like to meet the recipients of your book, and what impact do you think the giveaway program has on kids?

LF: Yes, I got to do a tour with the book's illustrator Scot Ritchie for the Giveaway program. We went to 5 cities in southern Ontario and did something like 11 or 12 presentations in schools or libraries in 5 days. Doing the presentations with Scot allowed us to show the kids both the writing side and the illustration side of making a book, and we could really show how both worked together to tell the story. Meeting such a large number of kids in a short period of time was amazing. I can't say enough good about the Giveaway program. When you see how thrilled those kids are to get a book of their own you know this program is connecting with them. It gets them excited about books and reading and literacy in a personal and meaningful way. They're sharing the same story with each other, and then they can share that with their families. They're also part of something national in scope, and it says a lot about how we as a nation value literacy if kids all over the country get this special book.

LEC: Describe your best moment as a writer - a memory or experience that keeps you going on days you feel like giving it all up.

LF: Oh boy, don't I have those days! I'd have to say it was during the Giveaway tour when some of the classes had done a unit on transportation and had created their own posters about vehicles and they were eager to show those to us. One boy got up in front of his class and read Scot and I his own transportation story. Seeing his smile as everyone clapped and knowing that he could see how writing his own story mattered was so very moving. As a writer you sit and create alone so to see how your words can touch a reader is fantastic, a little daunting and humbling, but really inspiring.

LEC: What question have you always wanted to be asked about your work, but no one ever has? What is the answer?

LF: I've always wanted to be asked if I'd sell one of my manuscripts for a healthy six figures. Of course I'd say yes. Ha ha!

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To learn more about Lizann and her books, visit her website.

Cantastic Guest Author: Claire Eamer

2011-07-12T12:14:00.000-03:00

Today, Claire Eamer joins us all the way from Whitehorse. In addition to her award-winning nonfiction books for kids, Claire writes for adult and children's magazines. Once in a while, she even makes things up - her short story "Ice Pirates" will shortly be appearing in Tesseracts Fifteen: A Case of Quite Curious Tales.

Photo by Tim Kinvig

LEC: Welcome, Claire! Please describe your typical working day.

CE: My working days are highly variable! Besides writing non-fiction books for kids, I also write science articles for kids and adults, fiction, and a lot of contract writing and editing, so my day really depends on what project I'm working on. Most days, however, start with lots of coffee and a prolonged browse through email, Facebook, news sites, Twitter, and an assortment of newsgroups. Since I work from a home office in a relatively remote corner of the country, all those things keep me in touch with colleagues and issues that interest me. Love the Internet!

After that, I might work on research, writing, editing a report, or tracking down an interview subject. Or I might meet with a client. Or I might have coffee or lunch with a writer friend and have a writerly conversation (always very invigorating). Or, I'm ashamed to say, I might goof off and read something purely for fun. There really is no typical day, which is a major reason why I like my job.

I tend to move around the house when I'm working, too. I'll start the day reading emails on my iPod and progress, later in the morning, to the treadmill desk I've set up with my main computer. When I get tired of that job or that room, I'll curl up on a couch with a smaller computer or a notepad and, possibly, research materials. And coffee. Coffee is important!

LEC: As a non-fiction writer, research is a big part of your job. How do you know when it's time to stop researching and start writing?

CE: I stop researching and start writing when the deadline looms close enough to send waves of panic my way. I love doing the research and I always think I can dig up just one or two more lovely facts to add to the story, so deadlines are my friends.

LEC: What's the most interesting fact your research has revealed that DIDN'T make it into one of your books?

CE: So many!!!

Medieval banquets, the kind a king or great noble might arrange: In movies and books, great platters of food arrive at the table, steaming hot and delicious. In reality, the kitchen was in a separate building from great hall, because of the risk of fire, so the food would probably have arrived already cooling and possibly even rain-soaked after being carried across an open courtyard.

The eyes of whirligig beetles, which live at the surface of ponds, are divided in two, with one pair of eyes designed to see in air and one pair in water.

Pikas, the little rabbit-relatives that live above treeline on mountains, can store up to 20 kilograms of plant material each in holes and "haystacks" to tide them over the winter.

Lots of animals rely on getting water from their food -- partly because the digestive process itself actually creates small amounts of water through the oxidization of protein and fat. (The chemistry was too hard to explain in the short space available, so it didn't make the final cut of Lizards in the
Sky.)

LEC: Most of your books for kids share a common thread - the weird and wonderful and extreme of the animal kingdom. Traitor's Gate is something entirely different. How did this book about doorways come to be?

CE: I have actually done a fair bit of writing about history for adults, and it's one of my interests. The idea for Traitors' Gate and Other Doorways to the Past -- looking at the history of a place by focussing on the people who passed through its doors -- came from Colleen MacMillan, the associate publisher I work with at Annick Press. She knew I was interested in history and travel (as she is), so she mentioned the idea and we tossed it around a bit. I then went off to think about candidate doorways and came back with a proposal involving a number of doorways around the world. We tinkered a bit with the mix of places, times, and continents before settling on the eight doorways in the book. So it was a combination of the publisher's idea and my interpretation of that idea.

LEC: Describe your best moment as a writer - a memory or experience that keeps you going on days you feel like giving it all up.

CE: Oh, I never feel like giving it all up. I love learning new things and then telling other people how amazing and fascinating they are.

That being said, I remember fondly my first book signing for Super Crocs and Monster Wings. It was at Mac's Fireweed Books, Whitehorse's excellent and very supportive indie bookstore. The first people to bring a book for signing were a young mother -- First Nation, as it happens -- and her very shy seven-year-old son. She told me they had borrowed the book from the library and he loved it so much that she had to read it every night at bedtime. Finally, she bought him his own copy so that the library could have its book back. That was awesome and amazing and very pleasing for an author!

LEC: What question have you always wanted to be asked about your work, but no one ever has? What is the answer?

CE: I can't think of anything. I don't actually like talking about my writing much. I prefer to do it. Also, if I talk about a story too much (fiction or non-fiction), it feels as if I've written it already and I lose my enthusiasm.

LEC: Well, thank you for making an exception for us!

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For more information on Claire and her books, visit her website. She is also the inspiration behind Sci/Why, the Canadian science blog.

And don't forget to comment - Claire has donated a copy of Traitor's Gate for this week's giveaway!

Cantastic Guest Author: Helaine Becker

2011-07-11T10:00:00.000-03:00

Kicking off Nonfiction Week is Helaine Becker. In addition to an extensive list of award-winning nonfiction titles, Helaine writes teen fiction, middle grade fiction, and picture books. Her latest picture book - A Porcupine in a Pine Tree: A Canadian Twelve Days of Christmas - was my favorite holiday release last December.

LEC: Please describe your typical working day.

HB: I am not a morning person so I get up kinda late, eat brekkie, then settle into my cozy kitchen chair with my dog Ella at my feet. I write with only one break for a quick lunch til around three. Then I call it quits and go to the gym.

LEC: As a non-fiction writer, research is a big part of your job. How do you know when it's time to stop researching and start writing?

HB: I think I might work differently than many other nonfic writers. I only do minimal research up front – enough to know my topic. But then I start writing, and I research as I go, topic by topic. I don’t understand how you separate the two processes – writing and research – because sometimes when I’m writing, I realize a question has arisen in my mind that I don’t know the answer to. So I have to stop and research it. Since that happens so often, I just skip the prelim research, knowing I’ll have questions anyway during the writing.

LEC: What's the most interesting piece of information your research has uncovered that DIDN'T make it into one of your books?

HB: Oh gosh, there’s so much. I tend to write long, so a lot winds up on the cutting room floor, even really good stuff. Maybe the fact that when boys hit puberty and start smelling, they simultaneously lose the capacity to smell their own stink. The smelly chemical, adenosterone, blocks the ability to detect it in men. Anyone with a teenage boy will find this fact a revelation.

LEC: Anyone who's been around a teenage boy at all, I suspect! Your recent nonfiction title, The Insecto-Files, won the Lane Anderson Science Writing award, and was short-listed for the 2011 Hackmatack reader's choice award. How does winning an "official" award compare to winning the recognition of actual kids?

HB: Winning the Lane Anderson Award was the best because it came with a big fat cheque. But knowing real live kids like my books is pretty sweet too.

LEC: Describe your best moment as a writer - a memory or experience that keeps you going on days you feel like giving it all up.

HB: The day I held my first trade book, Mama Likes to Mambo, in my hands….winning the Silver Birch Award the first time I was nominated, for Boredom Blasters…having kids hug my knees and tell me they lovelovelove my books…and every single time a publisher says “yes!” it feels like winning the lottery.

LEC: What question have you always wanted to be asked about your work, but no one ever has? What is the answer?

HB: “You are so talented and have so many great ideas – how come a foundation hasn’t sponsored you with a $100,000 per annum stipend to let you continue writing without constant anxiety? Will you let us fund you?” The answer of course would be “Yes please.”

LEC: I'd like to sign up for that deal, too! Thanks Helaine!

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For more information on Helaine Becker and her books, visit her website. You can also find Helaine on the Canadian kid's science blog, Sci/Why.

Canatastic Picture Book Winners!

2011-07-10T09:56:00.004-03:00

Picture Book Week has ended, and it's time to give away books! Thanks to the generosity of Annick Press, Kids Can Press, and Deb Marshall, we have enough prizes for three winners this week.

Winners were chosen in the traditional fashion here at Ten Stories Up. I wrote the commenter's names on slips of paper, balled them up, and offered them to my cats as toys. The first three names to get the Paw of Approval won. And they are:

Phil Johnston
winner of Chicken, Pig, Cow and Chicken, Pig, Cow and the Class Pet

Debbie Redpath Ohi
winner of Stanley's Party and Making the Moose Out of Life

Anonymous (July 6, 7:42 AM)
winner of Big Bear Hug and The Couch Was a Castle

Winners, please send your mailing addresses to: lindsey at foxtalk dot ca and I'll get those books in the mail!

Starting tomorrow - Nonfiction Week! We've got another round of fantastic people lined up, and of course, more prizes.

Stay Tuned for Tomorrow's Giveaway

2011-07-09T20:31:00.002-03:00

I had a very, very lengthy argument with Blogger today. It was under the impression that my account was run by both myself and an organization, which is ironic, because I do in fact run that organization. Which you'd think would mean I could access everything problem free, but NO.

Winners of the giveaway will be announced tomorrow. To make up for this random technical glitch, you can comment until midnight tonight for a chance to win.

I sincerely hope all cyber-glitches are now resolved and the rest of the month will be nothing but smooth and awesome!

Cantastic Guest Author: Rebecca Kool

2011-07-08T10:00:00.001-03:00

Today's guest is Rebecca Kool, a globe-trotting, scorpion-braving grandma who published her first children's book at the age of 65. Talk about being young at heart!

LEC: Please describe your typical working day.

RK: A broad view of my working day includes: thinking, researching, talking, a power nap, reading, walking while thinking....word count fluctuates day by day.

LEC: You moved around a great deal as a child, and your love of travel has carried forth to this day. What role did books play in your childhood? Did you find, as I did, that imaginary people were the most reliable of friends?

RK: I was smitten with travel at the age of 5 on-board a ship out of New York bound for Guam where my father was stationed. This is post-war, late 40s. Mom and my younger sister were confined to the cabin with sea sickness so I used that opportunity to chat up as many people as would listen to my “story”, which was a wee bit exaggerated but far more interesting than the reality in the cabin. Books always brought me comfort; I could go to familiar characters who were always there for me, faithful and reliable friends.

LEC: Your debut picture book, Fly Catcher Boy, was inspired by the time you spent living in Japan. Indeed, it was even written with a Japanese audience in mind. What is it about the story that you feel Canadian kids respond to?

RK: When I was 50 I ran away from home (Victoria, BC) to follow a dream —to live and travel in a foreign country. Japan chose me. Three separate Japan-related incidents pushed me in that direction; I took a risk and a deep breath and jumped into the adventure of a lifetime. Friends took me under their wings and helped me settle. One of the first jobs I had was giving “theme” parties for young children; in this case, Easter. Living in a predominately Buddhist country, I knew there would be some challenges with sharing the real meaning of Easter but in the end the kids were more interested in the egg-in-the-spoon relay race!

Time and again I would hear from parents and teachers alike “we need bilingual books that we can read to our children...to help them get used to hearing English words before they begin school.” Originally I wrote Fly Catcher Boy for those moms and kids. Once back on North American soil publishers liked the story but didn't have a market for it. Once I changed the text to English with Romanji sprinkled throughout I connected with the right publisher at the right time.

I believe Canadian kids respond to the book because they like the story and they can learn to speak a few Japanese words right away. They love to say oishii (delicious), drawing out the “i's”. Kids respond eagerly to learning about another country's culture and language. In the end it's what helps make them better global citizens.

LEC: I see you were a participant in the 2010 NANOWRIMO (National Novel Writing Month). What age group was your novel for? How did the experience of writing a novel compare to that of writing a picture book?

RK: My NANO novel is actually an adult memoir of my six years living, working, and traveling in Japan. I feel hesitant using such a lofty word like memoir to describe an isolated part of my life but for the time being that's what I'm calling it.

How does it compare with a picture book? Picture books are also hard work. I know people think because there are fewer words it must be easier. Not!

LEC: Tell us about your best moment as a children's book creator - a memory or experience that keeps you going on days you feel like giving it all up.

RK: I will never forget my first event at the North Vancouver Public Library, October 2009. Each author had a table; some authors had piles of books, colouring pages, props, etc. I didn't even have a book! My publisher was waiting for her partner to rush first books to several waiting authors. First photo shows me with a goofy look on my face, staring down at my “baby”, in awe of how beautiful and shiny she was.

I had prepared a “cool game” for the kids...using chopsticks to pick up plastic flies.... so my table was buzzing with screaming kids trying to win prizes. The day ended with a mess of flies and chopsticks littering the floor and one very, very happy new author.

LEC: What question have you always wanted to be asked about your work, but no one ever has? What is the answer?

RK: I can't think of one thing! When my husband and I do presentations “kamishibai-style” the adults in the audience are interested in the fact that Fly Catcher Boy is based on real characters and real experiences. They are delighted to hear that Fly Catcher Boy's Kenji is really my husband, Takeshi, as a boy. That disclosure then leads to the cat, our Tama, who we adopted in Mexico after we left Japan; he really did catch flies.... and anything else that flew! Parents always left with a smile....and their children clutching a book.

Late 2010 we launched storytelling kamishibai-style and have been doing it ever since. Kamishibai means “paper/street theatre” and depicts old-style storytelling in Japan from the 1930s until television became available in the 1950s. If you go to my website, www.rebeccakool.com you will find a link to a Youtube video where you can watch a 2-minute clip on how kamishibai works.

LEC: Very cool! And best of luck with your future projects.

Technical Glitch and Contest Reminder

2011-07-08T06:46:00.000-03:00

I'm not sure what happened, but Blogger saved Nicholas Oldland's interview as a draft instead of scheduling it to post yesterday. However, it's up now, so check it out!

Later today - Rebecca Kool! And don't forget, you have until midnight tonight (or technically, tomorrow morning) to leave a comment and be entered into this week's draw.

Cantastic Guest Author: Nicholas Oldland

2011-07-07T10:00:00.002-03:00

Today's guest is Nicholas Oldland, author and illustrator of Big Bear Hug and Making the Moose Out of Life. With their humor and engaging illustrations, his books are some of my favorite bedtime recommends.

LEC: Please describe your typical working day.

NO: Writing and illustrating books is only part of my job. I also create drawings for kid's pajamas and clothing for a company I own called Hatley. Every day after I drop my children off at school I head to my office in downtown Toronto. Once I’ve arrived and I have settled in I pick up my pen and I spend my entire day drawing. It’s as simple as that: I draw, I draw and I draw some more.

LEC: You began your career as an illustrator by designing characters for children's pajamas? How did you transition from this to writing?

NO: I thought it would be a great idea to write a book that you could take to bed with a pair of pajamas I had designed. It made perfect sense to me because in my house like many others putting on your pajamas, climbing into bed and reading a book is a nightly ritual.

LEC: When you're working on a new book, what comes first, words or pictures? How do they work together to influence the final product?

NO: The first step is the idea. They often come at unexpected times so I quickly write it down so I don’t forget it. I let it sit for a while to be sure it's a good one and then when the time is right I try and write the story out in its entirety. While I am writing I draw simple sketches. Once I have the whole story written and sketched, it’s a process of going back over and over again until both the words and the drawings are finished.

LEC: Being a scientist by training, I love the ecological undertones of Big Bear Hug. As a writer and a reader, I love the humour in both your books even more. What roles do you think theme and humour play in children's books? How does they contribute to a finished story that both kids and parents are willing to read again and again?

NO: It’s my opinion that a good book should relate to both the parent and child. Because it’s the parent that does the reading I want my book to be the one that the parent likes to read and doesn’t see it as a chore. The best books always seem to tackle more complicated ideas and they also tend to resonate a little more with the child.

LEC: Tell us about your best moment as a children's book creator - a memory or experience that keeps you going on days you feel like giving it all up.

NO: I’ve never thought of giving it up because I love drawing so much. My most memorable moment was when I came up with the idea for Big Bear Hug. When I had the idea of a bear who loved to hug trees and saves a forest by hugging a lumberjack I knew I had a great idea for a book. The rest is history.

LEC: What question have you always wanted to be asked about your work, but no one ever has? What is the answer?

NO: I don’t know this is my first interview. Once I’ve done a few more interviews I’ll know.

LEC: Wow! Well, thanks so much for doing your first interview here!

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For more about Nicholas Oldland, visit his profile at Kids Can Press, or hey, buy some pajamas! And special thanks to Kids Can Press for donating copies of Nick's books for this week's giveaway.

Interlude

2011-07-06T16:57:00.000-03:00

I'm sorry to announce that Sheree Fitch won't be able to join us today. With luck, she'll visit before the month is out.

Tomorrow: Nicholas Oldland, author of Big Bear Hug and Making the Moose Out of Life!

Cantastic Guest Author: Ruth Ohi

2011-07-05T10:00:00.003-03:00

Today's guest is Ruth Ohi. Ruth has illustrated 53 picture books, 12 of which she also wrote. These include the popular Chicken, Pig, Cow series and my personal favorite, The Couch Was a Castle.

Ruth has been nominated for a number of awards, including the Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award and the Governor General's Award. She's also a 2011-2012 writer-in-residence for the Toronto District School Board.

Photo courtesy of Debbie Ridpath-Ohi

LEC: Thanks for joining us, Ruth! Please describe your typical working day.

LEC: Wow, does that ever sound familiar (especially the panic part!). Okay. You're both an author and an illustrator. When you're working on a new book, what comes first, words or pictures? How do they work together to create the final product?

RO: The words come first. From a happening. And my emotional response to it. The draft can sit for many years with me pulling it out occasionally to add another few lines, reworking bits. There are scratchy doodles. In the margins and squished up in corners of the page. I write by hand. As I write, pictures are in my head that are ever changing, fluid, sometimes animated as if in a movie. If a manuscript (always typewritten for a publisher) is accepted, then I begin planning pictures. I tweak words, adjust images—try and find the perfect partnership between the two. My Fall 2011 book, “Chicken, Pig, Cow and the Class Pet” came from fears of being in a new environment for the first time without parents—can the playclay critters survive without Dog watching out for them? This book idea came from two lines that I deleted in a previous manuscript.

LEC: One thing that's notable about your books is your choice of "unusual" animals as characters - there's not a bunny in sight! How did you know that guinea pigs and chickens were the way to go? Other than humans, what's your favorite species to draw?

RO: The whole guinea pig gang evolved from sketches that I did of my daughters’ pet guinea pigs and Russian hamster. At the time I was working on the book, “Clara and the Bossy” where the characters were all humans. But the more I sketched our fuzzy family members, the more I liked the idea of using fur over flesh. I found that using animals freed up the characters. Appearances didn’t define the characters as much as actions and personality and for the bullying book, “Clara” that was perfect.

The characters, Chicken, Pig and Cow are based on three plasticine figures that my eldest created.

I don’t think I have a favourite species. I like the variety and challenges of drawing everything from bugs to broncos to brachiosaurs to a combination of all three. Important biographical note: I like drawing things that don’t begin with ‘b’ as well.

LEC: Your Chicken, Pig, Cow series has just been optioned for television. Tell us how this came about, and whether you'll be involved in the production of the show.

RO: I was very excited to get the phone call from Annick Press telling me that there was serious interest in seeing “Chicken, Pig, Cow” animated. The whole television series process is fascinating and I am enjoying every step. I’ve signed on as a creative consultant which means I’ll see things as they develop, be asked for feedback and make suggestions, but ultimately, I don’t have the final say.

LEC: Tell us about your best moment as a children's book creator - a memory or experience that keeps you going on days you feel like giving it all up.

RO: There are lots of best moments. People have been so generous with their enthusiasm for the books. When a young person brings me a battered copy to sign and the parent tells me how much they love the book—it’s tough to top that. I’ve had teenagers bring in books that they had when they were younger—that’s awesome. Having a student approach me after a presentation to let me know that they were so psyched about making stories that they’re going to write a book as well or that they’re working on page 62 of their story and why haven’t I ever written a book that long—wow, and good question!

LEC: What question have you always wanted to be asked about your work, but no one ever has? What is the answer?

RO: What’s the single most important factor that has helped you in your career?

Family. Good friends. People who believe in me. Couldn’t do it without them.

(Okay, sorry , that wasn’t a ‘single’ thing was it? Good thing no one officially asked yet...)

LEC: It's an excellent answer, either way. Thanks again for joining us, Ruth!

RO: Thanks, Lindsey!

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For more info on Ruth and her books, visit www.ruthohi.com And special thanks to Annick Press, for donating several of Ruth's books for this week's giveaway!

Cantastic Guest Author: Linda Bailey

2011-07-04T10:00:00.000-03:00

Kicking off our celebration of Canadian authors and illustrators is Linda Bailey. Linda is the author of the Good Times Travel Agency books for middle readers. Her Stevie Diamond mysteries have won two Arthur Ellis Awards. Linda is also known for her picture books, including When Addie Was Scared and the delightful Stanley series. She's been featured on the OLA Best Bets List - Top Ten Canadian Picture Books - six times, and holds numerous reader's choice awards.

Linda and Sophie

LEC: Welcome Linda! Please describe your typical working day.

LB: I don't think I have a typical working day. Or rather, I have two kinds of working days. At this stage of my career (19 years published, 24 books), I do a lot of speaking as well as writing. I speak at schools, libraries, festivals and conferences. Therefore, many work days are highly social, and built around travel and speaking. Fortunately, speaking engagements tend to “clump” nicely in the spring and fall. This leaves winter and summer available for the other kind of work day — solitude, with visits to the "inner world" of story. On those writing days, I spend most of my time (9 to 5) at my computer, aside from dog walks, chores and meals. I try to avoid phone calls, lunch dates, etc. Best would be to "unhook" entirely from the electronic world. Sometimes I have the gumption to do that.

LEC: You've published books for middle graders as well as early readers. How does your writing process differ for each? What's special about picture books that keeps you coming back to them?

LB: Hmmm. Interesting question. I like them both. Long form and short form. A novel provides a larger “canvas” to tell a bigger story; it’s a chance to let the words flow, unrestricted. A picture book, in contrast, must be told in as few (and as perfect) words as possible. This is not to say that a picture book can't or shouldn't have wonderful language. On the contrary -- a picture book text is intended to be read aloud; it should "sing" on the page and roll off the tongue. It should be as rich and precise (and concise) as poetry. A picture book should also be visual enough to trigger an illustrator's imagination. One of the reasons I keep coming back to picture books is that I happen to have a strong visual imagination. I can "see" pictures in my mind, and I often write text that depends on graphic information and narration. I cannot, however, create the actual art. Fortunately, I've been paired with fabulous illustrators who do that amazing other half.

LEC: The majority of your books, including the delightful Stanley series, have been illustrated by Bill Slavin. Tell us about the collaboration between author and illustrator that develops after so many projects together. How is working with him now different than it was the first time?

LB: The first time Bill and I worked together was on the Good Times Travel Agency series. Those books were a combo of graphic novel, time-travel adventure story, and historical information. Textually and illustratively, they were a huge challenge. Fortunately, Bill Slavin and I were on the "same page" in our imaginations. The ideas, characters and stories began with my research into the various eras in the books (middle ages, ancient Egypt, etc.), but Bill always "got it" immediately. With his interest in comic-book art and his vast experience in illustrating non-fiction, he was the perfect partner. Note, however, that we didn't actually "work together." I wrote the text and sent it to an editor, who edited it and sent it on to Bill. There were lots of backs-and-forths on historical accuracy and so on. But Bill and I never actually sat down together. People are surprised to hear this, but it's typical of how picture books are created -- the author writes, then the artist illustrates. After the Good Times series ended, Bill Slavin and I co-created Stanley's Party and four other Stanley books. Again, we did not actually “work together.” Note: I must add that I certain do know Bill now. He and I are invited to the same festivals and conferences. He's a great guy and has become a very good friend.

LEC: You've said your dog Sophie is your real life Stanley. Other than providing inspiration, how does Sophie contribute to, assist with, or interrupt your writing life?

LB: A dog is a great writing partner. Quiet but companionable. Sophie agrees with all my ideas and thinks I'm swell. When I'm writing, she watches me adoringly until she falls asleep from the sheer delight and thrill of it all. Her only interruption is when she realizes that -- gosh, we're not getting out much! Then she strolls over and plops her head on my lap. I understand enough "dog talk" to get the message. She's saying, "Hey! You! Get up off that couch. Let's go for a walk." And we do.

LEC: Describe your best moment as a children's author - a memory or experience that keeps you going on days you feel like giving it all up.

I think this would have to be the moment when things just click. The moment when the writing “comes together,” and finally, finally, finally, you have solved that messy plot hole in the novel, or found the pitch-perfect ending for the picture book. That wonderful feeling of “YES!” If it came once, it will come again. I count on it.

LEC: What question have you always wanted to be asked about your work, but no one ever has? What is the answer?

What is the “perfect dream book” you would love to write?

My perfect dream book would be funny, and it would also be poignant and have depth and resonance. In other words, it would make the reader laugh and cry. It would make the reader forget everything else. It would have a terrific story that pulled the reader pell-mell through the pages. It would also have a far-from-perfect protagonist who could inspire identification in the child reader and become a beloved “friend.” It would be remembered by the reader many years later, in adulthood. One day, perhaps, it would be read by the reader to his/her grandchildren. That would be my perfect dream book.

LEC: That would be my favorite book too!

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For more on Linda and her books, visit www.lindabaileybooks.com And stay tuned this Saturday - courtesy of a donation from Deb Marshall, we'll be giving away a copy of Stanley's Party.

Cantastic Authorpalooza About to Begin!

2011-07-01T20:44:00.001-03:00

Happy Canada Day everyone! Next week we kick off our month of interviews. The following picture book authors and illustrators will be dropping by:

Linda Bailey

Ruth Ohi

Sheree Fitch

Nicholas Oldland

Rebecca Kool

Don't forget, we'll be having a giveaway on July 9. To enter, comment on the interviews all week. Full details can be found on the event page.

Book Review: Lost Voices

2011-06-24T13:22:00.113-03:00

Title: Lost Voices
Author: Sarah Porter
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 9780547482507

Book Source: review copy from publisher

Luce is an orphan, living in Alaska with her abusive, alcoholic uncle. One night, he assaults her so brutally that she's convinced she's dying. Instead, she begins a new life: as a mermaid.

Luce is adopted by the local tribe, and discovers that every mermaid was once a neglected, abused, or abandoned girl. And they haven't become lovely, frolicking sea creatures - they're creatures of vengeance, using their voices to sink ships and drown the humans on board. Luce isn't sure this is the right thing to do, but she can't resist the joy that singing gives her. Her vocal talent carries its own risk - the tribe's leader is the mermaid with the best voice, and Queen Catarina doesn't want competition.

Then the tribe finds a yacht with a girl on board - Anais, who becomes their newest mermaid. Anais is not what she seems, however, and Luce soon finds herself at the centre of a conflict that threatens to tear her newfound family apart.

The descriptions in this book are wonderful - it's clear that Porter's given a lot of thought to what it would be like to have a tail and live under the water. And I love that these girls are not just mermaids, but sirens - the idea that the powerless become powerful enough to wreak their vengeance. However, it's a very non-specific vengeance that assumes all humans are evil. This is obviously untrue, and sets up Luce's conflict - is she taking a justified revenge on the abusers of innocents, or murdering innocents? By doing so, has she become a bigger monster than her uncle was?

I found that this very interesting question was a little overshadowed, however, by the sheer quantity of other mermaids, all of whom are named but very poorly developed. The traits they do display (sinking ships aside) aren't very admirable - the behaviour of the teens towards the younger mermaids (called "larvae") is pretty reprehensible. My sympathy for the tribe plummeted after Anais (whom I couldn't help but picture as a sociopathic cheerleader) arrived, which made it harder to stay involved in the story. Especially because Luce spent a lot of time in tortured contemplation, but not actually doing anything.

I'm also still wondering why abused and abandoned boys don't become mermaids, a question which the book never resolves. For this reason, and the fact that the ending felt like a sudden stop rather than a resolution, I'm glad that Lost Voices is the first book in a trilogy.

As is likely obvious, this is a very dark book, and will probably appeal to older teens. Sarah Porter doesn't seem to have a website, but you can check out her interview at Book Rat.

Guest Author: Lauren Oliver

2011-06-17T15:36:00.023-03:00

Today's guest is Lauren Oliver, New York Times bestselling author of Before I Fall and Delirium.

* WARNING - This interview contains spoilers about Before I Fall *

LEC: Before becoming a full time writer, you completed a Masters in Fine Arts and worked as an editorial assistant at a publishing house. For the aspiring authors in the audience, how did these experiences contribute to your success? If you had to choose, which one would you recommend?

LO: Getting my MFA taught me, among other things, how to listen to and accept criticism; it also taught me when to reject criticism, which is equally important. My experiences in publishing provided me an invaluable number of industry contacts, and editing taught me how to build a story structurally and mechanically. I think working in publishing was more helpful for my current career, although I loved pursuing my degree in creative writing.

LEC: Before I Fall struck me as intensely character-driven, while Delirium seemed as much about ideas as people. Delirium is also book one in a trilogy. Do you find that different kinds of books have different needs? How do those differences affect your writing process?

LO: Interesting. Of course I felt that to some extent I was trying to explore different themes in my two books; but in another way, I felt as though both books were grounded in the evolution of their protagonists. In some ways, Lena and Sam actually share a very similar emotional trajectory. I think that transformation is what's most interesting to me.

LEC: In both books, there's a richness and depth to your characters that really brings them to life. I think part of it has to do with they way Sam and Lena often compare their emotional responses to current events to incidents in their childhoods, giving the reader a genuine sense of background and existence beyond the story. How much of your characters' biographies do you plan in advance, and how much arises as you write?

LO: Thank you! Much of it comes to me when I write. I find that getting to know a character is a little bit like getting to know a person in real life. First you see only the superficial things about them--looks, etc--and it is through the process of interacting with them, engaging with them, that you uncover their secret preferences and old stories and quirks and habits.

LEC: It seems that to be commercially successful these days, teen books have to be "high concept" - based around an idea that's inherently intriguing. Your books definitely meet this criteria, but in my opinion are also "literary." By which I mean they're both beautifully written, and at their core, about something - something thought- provoking and wrenching and messy. What comes first in your writing process, plot or theme? How do you strike the balance?

LO: I think characters usually come first. My books usually come from a desire to explore a series of questions--how do you make a mean girl? How do you unmake one? What would a world without love look like?--and from, simultaneously, the needs of a narrator who begins speaking to me, telling me her story.

LEC: The ending of Before I Fall is powerful, poignant and inevitable. Even so, it caught me by surprise, because I believed that Sam had earned a happy ending and wanted her to have it. When did you know that your story demanded its tragic resolution? Was it difficult to write, compared to an easier, more typical positive outcome? What impact did you hope this ending would have on readers?

LO: I actually wrote the prologue and the epilogue first, before beginning the remainder of the book, so I would know who Sam was at the beginning and where she needed to end up. From the start, the ending was implicit in the structure of the story. I never considered ending it a different way, and it struck me as the most meaningful--and thus joyous--way the book could have ended.

LEC: The ending of Delirium is satisfying and complete. Was it originally intended as a stand-alone novel? What can you tell us about the next book in the series, Pandemonium (Feb 2012)?

LO: I was hoping it would become a trilogy but I didn't know, absolutely, that my publishers would want me to continue it as a series. And the only thing I'll tell you about Pandemonium is...read it! :) It's a very different novel, in a way, and Lena is a very different girl. I will say that the book takes place in two different time frames, which is cool.
LEC: Thanks for taking time out to hang with us today!

Announcing Cantastic Authorpalooza 2011!

2011-06-15T14:48:00.001-03:00

As regular readers will know, one of my missions is to showcase the amazing work of Canadian children's book creators. To that end, I announce Canatastic Authorpalooza!

This July, I will post interviews with 20 authors and illustrators. Each week will have a theme - picture book, middle grade nonfiction, middle grade fiction and young adult.

Interviews will run weekdays from July 4-July 29. Every Saturday following the interviews, I will draw winners from the commenters on that week's posts. Prizes will include books and/or other goodies donated by the featured authors, and occasionally, by other folks who love good books (hi Deb!).

I'm still nailing down the guest list, but confirmed participants include:

Ruth Ohi
Linda Bailey
Sheree Fitch
Nicholas Oldland
Claire Eamer
Lizann Flatt
Joan Marie Galat
Arthur Slade
Alma Fullerton
Karen Spafford-Fitz
Tim Wynne Jones
Nora McClintock
Moira Young
Vicki Grant
Robert Paul Weston

Stay tuned for more details, and tell all your friends - it's going to be a great month!

Book Review: Samson's Tale

2011-06-10T14:17:00.001-03:00

Title: Samson's Tale
Author: Carla Mooney
Illustrator: Kathleen Spale
Publisher: Story Pie Press
ISBN: 9780984217829

Book source: review copy from author

Samson is worried about his boy. Daniel was in the hospital, and even though he's home now, the grown-ups are acting strangely. Daniel can't play with Samson the way he used to, or go for walks, and Samson has no idea what "chemotherapy" means.

What Samson does know is that Daniel is still Daniel - and it's a dog's job to be whatever his boy needs.

Cancer is a difficult subject for any age, but it's especially challenging to craft a children's book about a child with cancer. How can an author explain leukemia and the effects of chemotherapy without lecturing or bogging down in details? How can an author be honest, while still leaving room for hope? Mooney's solution is to tell the story through the eyes of the patient's pet, and it works brilliantly. The reader is given basic information on leukemia when Daniel talks to his dog, and shown the consequences of the disease through the changes in Samson's routine. Filtering the story through the the dog's perspective provides poignancy while preventing the tone from becoming too frightening.

Hats off to the illustrator as well - there's a wonderful synergy between words and images here. For example, Daniel's favorite stuffed animal is a smaller version of Samson, while Samson has a miniature boy. I especially like the images about learning to play catch in a new way - Samson's got a car in his mouth, and Daniel holds the remote control.

It's tragic that books like this one have to exist at all, but since they do, it's lovely to find one that's about more than just the disease. And Samson's Tale is, at bottom, a sensitive and touching portrayal of the relationship between an ordinary boy and his source of strength - his loyal dog.

Samson's Tale is available through Amazon.com and independent bookstores in the United States. Thirty percent of the proceeds from the book go to support Flashes of Hope, an organization that raises money for pediatric cancer research.

More information on Carla Mooney and Kathleen Spale is available at their websites.

Book Review: Blood Red Road

2011-06-03T13:52:00.003-03:00

Title: Blood Red Road
Series: Dustlands, Book 1
Author: Moira Young
Publisher: Random House
ISBN: 9780385671835

Book Source: review copy from publisher

I'm going to use the synopsis from the publisher and save my energy for raving:

In a wild and lawless future, where life is cheap and survival is hard, eighteen-year-old Saba lives with her father, her twin brother Lugh, her young sister Emmi and her pet crow Nero. Theirs is a hard and lonely life. The family resides in a secluded shed, their nearest neighbour living many miles away and the lake, their only source of water and main provider of food, gradually dying from the lack of rain. But Saba's father refuses to leave the place where he buried his beloved wife, Allis, nine years ago. Allis died giving birth to Emmi, and Saba has never forgiven her sister for their mother's death.

But while she despises Emmi, Saba adores her twin brother Lugh. Golden-haired and blue-eyed, loving and good, he seems the complete opposite to dark-haired Saba, who is full of anger and driven by a ruthless survival instinct. To Saba, Lugh is her light and she is his shadow, he is the day, she is the nighttime, he is beautiful, she is ugly, he is good, she is bad.

So Saba's small world is brutally torn apart when a group of armed riders arrives five days after the twin's eighteenth birthday and snatch Lugh away. Saba's rage is so wild, that she manages to drive the men away, but not before they have captured Lugh and killed their father.

And here begins Saba's epic quest to rescue Lugh, during which she is tested by trials she could not have imagined, and one that takes the reader on a breathtaking ride full of romance, physical adventure and unforgettably vivid characters, making this a truly sensational YA debut novel.

Let me tell you - sensational? Understatement.

A common weakness of dystopians is that authors tend to fixate on a single aspect of society, which becomes the framework for the entire book. As a consequence, many aspects of the world's functioning go unexplained, even while the story is about the world itself. That's not the case here. The world-building is complex and subtle and completely convincing. Details are added as they become relevant, without confusing or overpowering the reader. While Young never reveals how her world came to be, it's clear she's considered its inner workings in every detail. I could practically smell the dust, and yet, the plot isn't about the world, or a character striving to bring it down. Like Restoring Harmony (which I also love), this is a story about people that just happens to have a dystopian setting.

So let's talk about the people.

Saba is prickly and strong and conflicted and determined and a little bit scary. Her voice may be challenging for younger readers because she's not well acquainted with grammar, but its very roughness adds to its authenticity. The book's secondary characters are also fascinating and fully realized, and a certain dashing rogue by the name of Jack has skyrocketed to the top of my literary boyfriends list. I tore through this book, not just because the plot was fast-moving and suspenseful (which it is), but because I desperately cared about the characters.

This book is better than The Hunger Games. It's better than Divergent. It's better than any dystopian novel I've ever read, written for any age. And every time I think about it, Tina Turner starts belting out We Don't Need Another Hero in my head.

Buy it. Read it. Tell all your friend about it. Make this book a bestseller. It deserves it.

Book Review: Cold Case

2011-05-27T13:44:00.000-03:00

Title: Cold Case
Author: Julia Platt Leonard
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 9781442420090

Book Source: review copy from publisher

When Oz heads to his family's restaurant early in the morning, he's expecting to get a head start on the day's work. He's not expecting to find a dead man in the freezer.

As if that weren't enough, it turns out the victim was a reporter. A reporter who, ten years earlier, wrote an article accusing the father Oz barely remembers of selling nuclear secrets to the enemy. Somehow Oz's mom and older brother Dave never got around to mentioning there may have been a traitor in the family, but when Dave becomes the police's prime suspect in the whistle-blower's murder, Oz becomes determined to get to the bottom of both mysteries.

For a mystery to work for me, the author has to provide a plausible reason why an ordinary person is investigating the crime, as opposed to the perfectly good police officers, private investigators, and lawyers that might be hanging about. In the case of mysteries for kids and teens, there's also the issue of whether a kid of that age could reasonably get away with all the things they have to get away with to come up with an answer the cops didn't find. Cold Case didn't satisfy these criteria for me. Yes, Oz's mom is out of town and his brother's in jail, so no one's keeping much of an eye on him. And yes, his best friend Rusty is a girl handily obsessed with forensics. But Oz is only 13 (a fact I discovered when I did some online digging - I couldn't find reference to an age or grade level in the book). And somehow I just never quite believed it.

I also felt the book tried to do a little too much - murder in the family restaurant is plenty story enough without adding nuclear espionage. I found I wanted both aspects of the story to be explored in more detail, which was strange, as the book is nearly 300 pages.

On the plus side, the plotting is suspenseful and quick-moving, and because Rusty's character plays a major role, the book will appeal to girls as well as boys. In addition, because most of the violence occurs off-stage or is only lightly described, Cold Case is appropriate for, and will probably appeal most to younger teens.

If you're looking for light summer reading, this isn't a bad way to go. If you're looking for a mystery with more depth, or for older teens, I recommend Shine or Jennifer Donnolly's A Northern Light.

Book Review: Rage

2011-05-20T09:52:00.000-03:00

Title: Rage
Author: Jackie Morse Kessler
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 9780547445281

Book Source: review copy from publisher

Missy's parents ignore her, her sister hates her, and her ex-boyfriend is determined to humiliate her. But she's got a way to deal with that. Missy can control any emotional pain by inflicting a physical one - by cutting. Control is a tricky thing, however, and when she cuts a little too deep, she gets an unexpected visitor. Death.

He's not there to collect her, but to hire her. There's an opening in the ranks of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, and Missy, with her barely-controlled rage and intimate knowledge of blades, would make a perfect War.

I loved the idea of this book, but found myself disappointed by the reality.

I felt that Missy was defined by her disorder - a "cutter-slut" to use her classmates' label - rather than being a fully-rounded individual who happens to cut. Since I saw her as a placeholder for an issue rather than a person, I never developed an emotional interest in her character.

I'm also ambivalent about the story itself. At first I read it literally - as an urban fantasy in which the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse are real, and Death's recruiting teenage members. Except that the Horsemen didn't seem to have a purpose beyond that recruitment (there was no real training or preparation for the end of the world, which I was expecting). And the Missy-as-a-horseman story didn't seem to mesh with the Missy-as-a-teenager-tormented-by-her-classmates plot line.

Then I had an epiphany - perhaps, I thought, Kessler is being really sophisticated, and the entire book is one enormous metaphor for the psychology of kids who cut. This seemed to fit, because War is the anger, and by cutting, Missy is flirting with Death - the figurative one and the anthropomorphic one (who's described as a rather charismatic hottie with Kurt Cobain tendencies). The metaphor theory fell apart though, because Missy's state of mind at the end of the book isn't compatible with her actions under this framework.

I read this book two months ago and I've held off on reviewing it in hopes I'd figure it out, but I have to confess, I still don't know how Kessler intended her story to be read. Therefore, I'm not sure I'd recommend the book. Self-mutilation is a growing issue for teens, however, and I suspect Rage will find its audience.

For more information on Jackie Morse Kessler and her books (including Hunger, the first installment in this series) visit her website. Note as well that a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the book are being donated to the non-profit foundation, To Write Love on Her Arms.

Book Review: Divergent

2011-05-11T13:33:00.000-03:00

Title: Divergent
Series: Divergent, book 1
Author: Veronica Roth
Publisher: HarperCollins
ISBN: 97800620604808

Book Source: review copy from publisher

In the Chicago of the future, society is divided into five factions, representing five key human characteristics: Abnegation (the selfless); Candor (the honest); Amity (the peaceful); Erudite (the intelligent); and Dauntless (the brave). Sixteen-year-olds must choose between the faction they were born to and trained for, or the faction the testing identifies as their best fit. If they choose their family's faction, they may live the rest of their lives knowing they're denying who they truly are. But those who change factions never see their families again.

For Beatrice, the choice is even more complicated. According to her results, she's a Divergent - someone who could belong to multiple factions, who can't be clearly pigeonholed. In a world where everyone has their place, it's a terribly dangerous thing to be....

One of the advantages of the dystopian genre is that it allows writers to explore big questions, and that's definitely the case with this book. The "thinking" parts, however, in no way interfere with the story, which is taut and wholly absorbing. I loved watching Beatrice navigate a strange and deadly new world, and was as interested in the secondary characters as I was in her. My only quibble is that, while we're told several times that being Divergent is a Very Big Deal, Tris's unusual nature plays a very small part in the story. This is a minor issue however, and I'm definitely on board for learning more about Divergence in the sequels.

A lot of comparisons have been made between this book and The Hunger Games. Both have a romance component (I personally prefer Beatrice's love interest to Katniss's). In my opinion, Katniss has a stronger, more immediate voice - I found Beatrice a little bit detached - but they're both active, well-rounded heroines worth cheering for. Beatrice's world is more complex, and I really enjoyed the philosophical questions Divergent raises. The action and suspense is more evenly distributed in The Hunger Games, but last fifty pages of Divergent are truly nail-biting. In other words, I don't think there's a clear winner here, so I'm going to reserve final judgment until I've read all the books in both series.

I recommend Divergent for any fan of the dystopian genre, and indeed, for any teenager who's struggling with the question of who they're going to be. If you need help with that, or just want to start a conversation, check out the faction quiz on the Divergent Facebook page - I did NOT expect to come up Amity!

For more info on the Divergent series, visit Veronica Roth's blog.

Book Review: The Poison Eaters

2011-05-06T15:49:00.000-03:00

Title: The Poison Eaters and Other Stories
Author: Holly Black
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 9781442412323

Book Source: review copy from publisher

The Poison Eaters contains short stories in a range of genres - pure fantasy, urban fantasy, folk tale, and horror - and in a range of styles and voices that showcase Holly Black's talent as a writer.

I didn't finish it. I got about halfway through and realized that despite the high quality of the writing, I hadn't enjoyed a single story. And then I came upon this quote, from her unicorn tale, "Virgin" -

"Seriously," she said. "Reading that stuff would depress me. People like us - we're not in those kinds of books. They're not for us."

- and knew it was a sign.

Because whoever Holly Black is writing for, it's not me. I just don't get her.

I don't identify with her characters and her subject matter is both edgier and just plain weirder than tends to appeal to me. That being said, tons of people (including my fellow bookseller Dawn), love Holly Black, so this is clearly a personal taste issue. For those who do want to give her a try, her teen fiction is all of the 15+ variety, and would probably appeal to people who enjoyed Nina Malkin's Swoon.

For more information on Holly Black and her books, visit her website.

Book Review: Wither

2011-04-29T11:09:00.067-03:00

Title: Wither
Author: Lauren DeStefano
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
ISBN: 9781442409057

Book Source: review copy from publisher

From the publisher:

"By age sixteen, Rhine Ellery has four years left to live. She can thank modern science for this genetic time bomb. A botched effort to create a perfect race has left all males with a lifespan of 25 years, and females with a lifespan of 20 years. Geneticists are seeking a miracle antidote to restore the human race, desperate orphans crowd the population, crime and poverty have skyrocketed, and young girls are being kidnapped and sold as polygamous brides to bear more children.

"When Rhine is kidnapped and sold as a bride, she vows to do all she can to escape. Her husband, Linden, is hopelessly in love with her, and Rhine can't bring herself to hate him as much as she'd like to. He opens her to a magical world of wealth and illusion she never thought existed, and it almost makes it possible to ignore the clock ticking away her short life. But Rhine quickly learns that not everything in her new husband's strange world is what it seems. Her father-in-law, an eccentric doctor bent on finding the antidote, is hoarding corpses in the basement. Her fellow sister wives are to be trusted one day and feared the next, and Rhine is desperate to communicate to her twin brother that she is safe and alive. Will Rhine be able to escape--before her time runs out?"

Let's start with the cover art, because the designers really knocked it out of the park on this one. I love the way the circles on the cover, which are spot varnished* for extra impact, draw attention to the wedding ring, the caged bird, and the girl, who looks as though she's collapsing in upon herself. The lines connecting each symbol are a great touch, and these motifs are repeated in the interior of the book as well.

Unfortunately, for me, the cover was the best part. It's not that the book's bad - in fact, there are things about it that are very good. Yes, some of the supporting characters are a little flat, but the author portrays some very realistic dynamics between them. In particular, the relationship between Rhine and her unwanted husband - who's completely innocent of the realities of his world, and therefore impossible to hate - was complex and convincing. Despite this, I never really got swept up in the story, and while there's nothing I actively disliked about it, I'm not sure I enjoyed it enough to bother reading the sequels.

A lot of this is probably me, as I seem to be getting as burnt-out on dystopians as I am on paranormal romances (and despite the lack of supernatural beings, there are definite paranormal undertones here). I'm certain a lot of teens will love this series though, and if you're looking for a book that will break someone gently out of their vampire rut, this would be a good transition to a new genre.

---

* Thanks to fellow bookseller, graphic designer, and good friend Mel for telling me what a spot varnish is.

Book Review: Shine

2011-04-23T11:07:00.000-03:00

Title: Shine
Author: Lauren Myracle
Publisher: Amulet Books
ISBN: 9780810984172

Book Source: ARC from publisher

Cat's been pushing people away ever since it happened. Her community, her family, her friends... even Patrick, her best friend, who also happens to be gay. When Patrick is brutally attacked in an apparent hate crime, everyone, including the sheriff, seems to think it's little more than what the boy deserved. And certainly nothing anyone in their small southern town would have had anything to do with.

The easy explanation isn't one Cat can accept, however, and if no one is going to look for answers, she'll do it herself. She owes Patrick that much. But the more questions she asks, the more she realizes that she's not the only one with a secret. And the truths she uncovers will change her perception of the people she's known her entire life.

First, let's talk covers. This one is absolutely gorgeous, but I think it does the book a serious disservice. A customer was browsing the day after the book released, and I mentioned that Shine was really really good. She gave it a fleeting glance and replied, "I'm pretty sure I already read that one." The problem is, the cover is reminiscent of a thousand paranormal romances littering the teen shelves (not to mention the classics that have been repackaged to appeal to Twilight fans). Consequently, I'm concerned that the cover, stunning though it is, is going to be a turn-off for people who are sick of vampires, and who might not take the time to skim the jacket and realize that Shine's as far from Twilight as Forks, Washington is from Tennessee.

Which I would hate, because Shine is a beautifully written, deeply atmospheric, thought-provoking book that deserves a wide readership. It weaves issues like homophobia, class bigotry, drugs, various types of assault, alienation, loyalty and love into a taught mystery that's highly suspenseful and impressively layered. It's not always comfortable to read, but you'll find it impossible to stop.

Shine's a fifteen-and-up kind of book, but would make excellent classroom reading. It's also a good pick for fans of Canadian YA mystery author, Norah McClintock.

For more information on Lauren Myracle and her books, visit her website.

Book Review: Jurassic Poop

2011-04-15T13:47:00.000-03:00

Title: Jurassic Poop
Author: Jacob Berkowitz
Publisher: Kids Can Press
ISBN: 9781553378600

Book Source: library

That's right. It's an entire book about fossil feces - more formerly known as coprolites. And what a book it is. As the jacket blurb says, "Funny and informative, Jurassic Poop is flush with amazing facts, stories, and activities."

The puns, they write themselves - and I'm pretty sure Berkowitz uses most of them. His tone throughout is light and funny - I'd call it tongue-in-cheek but under the circumstances that's a pretty disgusting thought - and perfectly suited to his middle-grade target audience.

There's a lot more to this book than scat jokes, however; it's full of wide-ranging and totally fascinating information. Berkowitz covers everything you never knew about fossil doo - its formation, its discovery, and the identification of its sources. He then goes on to discuss some of the wealth of information that can be gained by studying it. The book also contains profiles of scat scientists and several activities - including a recipe for scent-free coprolite crafts.

Still not quite convinced? Jurassic Poop won the 2007 American Institute of Physics Children's Book Award. And when I hear giggling in the 9-12 nonfiction section at the bookstore, it's usually a sign this book's getting browsed.

For more information on Jacob Berkowitz and his books, visit his website.

Book Review: Home Truths

2011-04-07T12:31:00.000-03:00

Title: Home Truths
Author: Jill MacLean
Publisher: Dancing Cat Books
ISBN: 9781897151969

Book Source: review copy from publisher

Bullying's a common subject in kids and teen books, but Home Truths is the first book I've personally read that's told from the point of view of a bully. It's a risky choice - sort of the YA equivalent of Thomas Harris' decision to write Hannibal from the point of view of a serial killer. But while Hannibal was a spectacular failure for me - was Harris really asking me to sympathize with and cheer for a conscienceless and twisted mass murderer? The whole time I was reading, I felt like I needed to bleach my brain - Home Truths is entirely successful.

It's summer in eastern Nova Scotia, and fourteen-year-old Brick MacAvoy is doing everything he can to make money. He needs to save every penny so that the second he turns sixteen, he can move away. Away from his verbally and physically abusive father. Away from a mother who won't defend him - who clearly never wanted children in the first place. Away from his little sister Cassie, too, but she'll be alright without him. After all, Brick tells himself, his father never hits Cassie.

Brick never hits at all. Tripping's not the same, is it? Or twisting a kid's arm? Or shying a rock or two at the neighbour's dog? Brick's nothing like his father. Is he?

Brick's voice is completely absorbing - even at the outset of the novel, when his character is far from admirable, he's genuine and sympathetic. When he begins to recognize the truth about himself and his home life, and starts seeking change, he becomes even more compelling. His efforts are flawed and not entirely successful, but he's honestly trying, and that's all any of us can do. As I read, I found myself cheering for Brick, as engaged in his struggles as if he were real. To my mind, that's about the highest compliment a book can be paid.

Home Truths is a powerful, suspenseful story about redemption, and while it's complex and sometimes difficult to read, it lives up to its name - it rings true. An excellent book for classroom use, I'd also recommend Home Truths to anyone who enjoyed Before I Fall, Thirteen Reasons Why, or A Separate Peace.

For more information on Jill MacLean and her books, visit her website and blog.

Book Review: Crime Scene

2011-03-31T13:14:00.002-03:00

Title: Crime Scene: How Investigators Use Science to Track Down the Bad Guys
Author: Vivien Bowers
Publisher: Maple Tree Press
ISBN: 9781897066560

Book Source: library

There are a ton of children's forensic books on the market - including "bookstore" books and those produced for school libraries, over 100.

I've read more than 30 of them.

Many of the books available are clearly written, well laid out, and accessible to kids. Many contain enough gruesome details to capture the attention of even the most videogame-jaded twelve-year-old. Many of them are scientifically accurate. Many of them read like they've used each other as primary reference sources.

That's why Vivien Bowers' Crime Scene was so refreshing to me. It's got lots of sidebars to help pull readers into the text. It's got both illustrations and photos, including some rather creepy step-by-step pictures of a facial reconstruction. It's error free, and it's full of information I didn't find anywhere else, particularly in the extensive "Computers and Crime" chapter.

Other topics include:

trace and toolmarks
forgeries
fingerprints and DNA
forensic dentistry and anthropology
entomology

The book is detailed enough to serve as a reference in report writing, but lively enough to read for fun. It's even got activities and mysteries kids can solve, using the techniques outlined in the text. This one gets a definite recommend.

For more information on Vivien Bowers, visit her website.