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I was born in a police station. And not just any police station - I was born in the largest operational police station (or having more-cells-than-any-other-police-station) in all of Europe.
Surprised? Well, the building was actually an historic London hospital at the time I was born, and was converted to a police station a few years later. Still, it makes a good conversation-starter. The writer in me is dying to use it in a story one day.
My first book was a ten-page homemade crafty job called The Lonely Christmas Tree. I wrote and illustrated it when I was eight years old.
As a teenager, I was totally in love with Andrew Ridgeley from Wham (if you’re thinking, who’s that? then you weren’t around in the 80’s).
At thirty-seven years old, I still have a baby tooth that hasn’t fallen out. According to J. M. Barrie (the author of Peter Pan) this means I haven’t officially grown up. Guess that’s why I write for kids…
My all-time favourite food is a good cookie (slightly burnt on the bottom).
Share My Favourite Books
Alias Grace, by Margaret Atwood
Atonement, by Ian McEwan
Fall on Your Knees, by Ann-Marie MacDonald
Frankenstein, by Mary Shelley
Fugitive Pieces, by Anne Michaels
Moonlight on the Avenue of Faith, by Gina B. Nahai
The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan
Wuthering Heights, by Emily Bronte
Visit Links I Like
My Facebook Fan-page - Drop by and say hi!
Torkidlit - the incredible Toronto Middle Grade and Young Adult Writers Group
The Dundurn Group - my YA publisher
Penguin Canada - my Quizmas Series publisher
Books and Writer’s Community - a great forum for writers
The Writers’ Union of Canada - “The Tribe”
CANSCAIP - Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers
Ontario Arts Council - fantastic funding organization for Ontario artists
Ontario Library Association Forest of Reading Program - great books and super kids make this a really fun program!
Check Out These Great Resources For Writers
Author Helene Boudreau offers advice on structuring your novel here
The Writers’ Union of Canada offers FAQ on getting published here
Some tips from The Organization of Book Publishers of Ontario here
Got your manuscript rejected? Don’t give up! Read this article
Do you want to write for kids? Packaging Your Imagination offers a series of fabulous writing workshops every November in Toronto. Learn more here
So you want to write a picture book? Read some wonderful advice from author Mem Fox here
Eleven things you need to know about writing, according to the uber-talented and award-winning Tim Wynne-Jones, can be found here
Writers looking for daily diversions PLUS an endless fountain of resources, advice and industry information should check out Toronto writer Debbie Ridpath Ohi’s fabulous website here
Online Resources for Young Writers
Scholastic Canada offers a wonderful resource for kids who want to start writing here
KidsWWrite is an e-zine for young writers and readers. Check it out here
TeenLit offers a forum for teens to post and discuss their writing. As well, it offers some sound advice and a helpful online workshop. Read about it here
Award winning children’s author, Marsha Skrypuch, offers some fabulous tips for beginning writers here
A great BBC article with some advice for young writers can be found here
Young Writers in Ontario
The Vaughan Public Library hosts the Early Harvest Competition for young writers. Read more here
The Toronto Public Library hosts the Young Voices Competition for teens in Toronto. To learn more, click here
The Hamilton Public Library hosts the Power of the Pen Writing Competition for teens. More info here
Want to take your writing to the next level? Brantford, Ontario’s Book Camp is a great place to start. Just click here
Battling the Bullies
Kids Help Phone - 24/7, anonymous, free help is here
YA author Mitali Perkins lists 35 YA novels that deal with the issue of bullying here
YA Authors Against Bullying Facebook page - where authors and readers come together to put an end to bullying is here
Barbara Coloroso’s helpful tips on bully prevention can be found here
YA author Carrie Jones blogs about her experience being bullied here