BC Book Prizes – Books for Children and Teens

Some fabulous books this year and congratulations to the winners:

Sheila A. Egoff Children’s Literature Prize:

Blood Red Road
by Moira Young, Publisher: Doubleday Canada Publishing Group

Christie Harris Illustrated Children’s Literature Prize:

When I Was Small, by Sara O’Leary and illustrated by Julie Morstad; Simply Read Books

For full list of winners in every category, visit the BC Book Prizes Website.

Happy Reading!

I can imagine how elated these authors are feeling this morning. I imagine them dancing around their living rooms and walking through the next few days on air! Enjoy your wins!

 

The Kamloops Young Writer’s Festival – an Inspiring Event

Further to my previous post about the Kamloops Young Writer’s Festival:

On Thursday morning Norma Charles, Lee Edward Fodi and Lori Sherritt-Fleming piled into Norma’s van and headed for Kamloops. We stopped at my favourite café in Hope, The Blue Moose, because it’s impossible to pass Hope and not give into my craving for their fair trade, delicious coffee and chocolate chunk brownies. All of us indulged before heading up the very wet and cold Coquiahalla Highway. We made great time, possibly because when you put four writers in a van, there is never a lack of things to talk about.

We arrived at the Thompson River University around 4 and what a lovely campus. We were treated like stars – put up in lovely suites and pampered by the teachers and volunteers with a wine and cheese and snack reception. I can’t say enough about these volunteers and the huge amount of work they put in to make this weekend such a success for all of us.

On Friday Morning my helpful colleagues made sure I limped into the Clock Tower on campus on time – these torn tendons are really slowing me down. I had two seminars to teach, each just over two hours long and despite some issues with technology (nothing new about that for me), my morning class got off to a great start and just got better and better. We focused on character in both the morning and afternoon classes with some fun YouTube vids dispersed throughout.

Every student in my classes, whether they were in grade twelve or grade seven put all of their creative energies into the exercises I’d designed for them and the results were impressive and incredible. I know for a fact that some of these kids will be tomorrow’s great writers. Because of their high level of interest and participation, the day flew by and pretty soon all of us were back in Norma’s van and heading toward home; a happy and exhausted group.

As we approached Hope, we came upon Crystal Strangahan and KC Dyer by the side of the road.

As can be seen from the looks on their faces, they too had been chatting the whole way and somehow missed that sign just outside of Merritt that says something like: You will not find a single gas station between here and the end of the world.

We didn’t keep driving, but they had Roadside Assistance and within the hour we all met up again at the Blue Moose for more tasty calories and a group debrief about the great time we had in Kamloops.

Big thanks to all of the students, the staff and the volunteers. I was thrilled to be a part of this festival!

I’m Excited for the Kamloops Young Writer’s Festival

Today I finished up my creative writing workshops for the Kamloops Young Writer’s Festival and I’m really excited about the two workshops I will be leading for older teens. For fun, I’ve put together a powerpoint with some great vids, along with some really creative and fun interactive exercises all designed to help the students with any current projects they might be working on, whatever their chosen genre.

Talking to Students and teaching creative writing –Satisfying!

Roadtrip! On Thursday morning, Norma Charles is picking my up, then we will scoop up Lee Edward Fodi and Lori Sherritt-Flemming, grab some java and hit the road, arriving in Kamloops in time for the Welcome Reception, that involves wine, cheese, nibblies and good conversation. Altogether, there will seven of us running workshops to cover both elementary and secondary students. Here is the list of presenters and I’ve seen most of them in action, so I know the kids are in for a treat. Prepare to be amused and creative!

Elementary

Lee Edward Fodi
Lori Sherritt-Fleming
Norma Charles

Secondary

Denise Jaden
Crystal Strangahan
Julie Burtinshaw
Susan Buis

In the meantime, I’ve got a toothache because I got a crown today and my torn tendons continue to force me to hobble around in an ankle brace. I’m hoping Kamloops will distract me from the world of hurt

New York Press Accepting Submissions Now

greatweatherformedia.com is a brand new press looking for writers:

“We’re looking for innovative, quality writing from fearless writers everywhere in the
world. Poetry, fiction, creative nonfiction and genres as-yet unnamed are welcome.”

Check out their website – they are accepting submissions now! This might be the opportunity you are looking for!

Julie Burtinshaw Interveiw With Be The Media

Check out this interview I did with for the podcast, radio show, “Be The Media,” on Vancouver Island.
It’s titled the Wired Author and is full of good information for authors and readers alike.
Enjoy

This was only one of the great things I got to do while on my retreat on Vancouver Island – unfortunately, I tore out some tendons and returned home in an ankle brace and walking with a cane… argh….

Friday was the Second Anniversary of the BP Oil Spill – Vacation Land? Yes According to BP

Audubon is asking that everyone acknowledge this day by walking to work or carpooling or hoping on your bike or taking transit.

They are dedicating this week to “taking action to restore the Gulf to health, to help prevent future disasters, and to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.”
From their email:

The Gulf Still Needs Us
The birds, other wildlife, and local communities along the Gulf are still struggling to recover. The full impact of the disaster is yet to be known. What we do know is this: billions of birds migrate through the Gulf region every year. It is home to a vast diversity of wildlife and, of course, millions of people. We owe it to the people and the wild creatures of the Gulf to:

Make sure BP’s fines are dedicated to restoring the Gulf ecosystem;
Apply the lessons from the disaster to future drilling endeavors; and
Work as a nation to reduce the need for drilling by cutting our fossil fuel use.

This message is especially important to those of us in BC who are determined to not see oil tankers in our pristine coastal waters. The images of the BP oil spill remain burned in my mind, and as disturbing as they are, I hold on to them because I know that Joe Oliver, and the Alberta and Harper government have a huge PR machine and are spending countless dollars on pushing the Endbridge Project through.
We can’t let this happen, and if you need a reminder as to why, think BP.

BP gave 30 million to their PR campaign…and continue to lie to people around the world: BP Oil Spill Two Years Later

Day Three Bethlehem House Writer’s Retreat

I am feeling very good about the work I am getting done here and now feel fully prepared for my workshop at the Kamloops Young Writer’s Festival as well as my panel discussion on publishing at the Symposium of Manitoba Writer’s coming up in May. What a difference peace and quiet makes to my output, both quality and quantity. I’m very grateful for this opportunity to work in such a lovely setting.

Because it is Earth Day, I wanted to talk a little bit about the meals here at Bethlehem House and more importantly, the philosophy behind those meals. Since the Retreat Brochure says it best:

The culinary services at the Centre are central to supporting a nourishing environment for persons on their spiritual and or professional paths. In season, much of the Centre’s organic produce is harvested directly from our own garden. Nourishing the body/soul by sharing a meal is an essential part of any gathering at the Centre with food respectfully prepared by our Red Seal Chef.“

I didn’t know what that was either, until I Googled it, but what I did know right away and without the help of a search engine, was that the meals here have been really, really good. My kind of food – a large, fresh salad at both lunch and dinner, a variety of vegetarian and non vegetarian proteins and mouth watering deserts – my favourite so far, the most delectable chocolate mousse and after a full day of writing, I need something sweet and made from scratch.

Breakfast: oatmeal, fruit, toast and cereal – good brain food for a day of writing.

The Dinning Room with a View at Bethlehem House

I really appreciate that everything is composted and recycled here and eventually added to the garden – great stewards of the earth!

There is a monastery a property over with a great little gift store and a  collection of comical llamas. Unfortunately, by the time we found out about this, it was closed  

 

We leave tomorrow, but I hope to return at some point. This has been a fantastic few days away from the noise and interruptions of the real world. Recommended