In my excitement, I had forgotten about all the political protests that are wracking the state of Wisconsin and especially the capital Madison, where I went to collect my award! On Saturday they were expecting a hundred thousand people to march on state legislature, a white building with a cupola that looked a bit like […]

It must be odd to hear the phrase alhamdu lillah (all praise is for God) after such a statement, but I really do mean it. Life is not just filled with glory moments! It’s also filled with mundane annoying moments. After 23 years, my dryer broke down. So we decided to upgrade both the washer […]

Ever see the circus performer spinning plates on the end of sticks? I feel like that. There was one in particular I saw, who actually had a kind of rack with different plates spinning on top, and while he set up other aspects of his performance, he’d go back and give a plate that was […]

They sent out the press release and now I can say that I’ve won the GOLDEN KITE award for picture book text!!!! The news has literally left me numb. I’ve been numb since Wednesday evening, when I first found out. This morning I woke up and thought, “Wow, I really did win the Golden Kite […]

If you want to avoid future disaster, make sure you READ the dates of the presentations you’re supposed to go to accurately! Omigosh, I am such a chucklehead! I almost gave a teacher librarian a heart attack with my carelessness. It clearly said Wednesday February 23rd on the booking notice. I clearly wrote it down under […]

Did my first skype presentation the other day and while it will never replace being there in person, it went very well indeed, and is definitely something most authors should consider offering. I had read some advice on skype visits that included look into the camera, not at your screen, to maximixe effectiveness. I had […]

but completely different!” That was the verdict from one of the toughest critics I’ll ever face,  one of my daughters! She was talking about the sequel to Wanting Mor. All three of my daughters, having grown up with me in the book writing business, can see right through it and are extremely hard to please, and […]

Well, well, well, it seems as though I didn’t over prepare! I think I actually spoke for about an hour. I’m embarrassed really! I felt so totally surprised when after forty minutes I was allowed to go on, and on, and on. My hubby would have said I was babbling, but then he’s got extremely […]

Of the Canscaip News!!! Many people might be too young to know the song I’m referring to. (It’s Cover of the Rolling Stones by Dr. Hook here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Ux3-a9RE1Q ) I know, I know, it’s an odd choice! I mean only mostly industry people know about Canscaip and the newsletter it produces. Who cares if I get […]

I had a gig today. It was at the St. David’s Anglican church, in their parish. It was just north of Donlands Ave. and Bloor, a real Muslim neighbourhood! Just up the street was Wilkinson Ave. P.S. where I’ve presented at so many times, but this was for the Mosaic Storytelling festival. I didn’t think […]