Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Hartt-Snowbell at CANSCAIP launch

Twenty children’s authors, whose books were published in 2006, participated in CANSCAIP’s annual mass book launch on February 2, 2007.  This exciting event was featured at The Ontario Library Association Super Conference at the Metro Toronto Conference Centre.  Napoleon author Sarah Hartt-Snowbell had the pleasure of standing before the masses to present her dynamic five-minute infomercial, touting “Vivian Untangled”.  The program was topped off with a photography session, book-signing and schmooze-fest.  What a great experience!

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

lian goodall is writer-in-residence

lian goodall has joined the SWAT (Students, Writers, and Teachers) team as Writer-in-Residence at St. Basil the Great School in North York. The program is made possible through an exciting new partnership between the Toronto Catholic District School Board and Now Hear This!, the outreach arm of Descant magazine's Arts and Letters Foundation. goodall will be at the school once a week for twelve weeks, leading curriculum-related workshops in Mrs. Corradi's Grade 9, 11 and 12 English classes on topics such as non-fiction, monologue and short-story writing. The fun-filled twelve weeks will pass quickly and take her right up to the muchly anticipated birth of her son at the end of May!

Forest of Reading Gala "Blast-off" with Peggy Dymond Leavey

The Forest of Reading gala "Blast-off" at the Ontario Library Association's Superconference (MTCC, Toronto, Wed. Jan. 31) was just that. Between 30 & 40 children's authors and illustrators, all nominees for the Blue Spruce, Silver Birch, Red Maple or White Pine reading program awards, were led into Constitution Hall and introduced to 1200 wildly cheering young fans from Kindergarten to Grade 12. Napoleon Publishing's Peggy Dymond Leavey was one such honouree. When else does a lowly children's author get to be treated like a rock star? Later, the participants were all kept busy autographing and chatting with the students. After the school buses had gone, the wine and cheese reception gave everyone a chance to meet each other and the members of OLA's Forest of Reading committee. The next day a number of authors returned to do book signings for the librarians visiting the trade show; needless to say, an event in a much lower key.

"Telling Our Stories" writing contest



Napoleon author Brenda Chapman was one of five judges for the Telling Our Stories writing contest, sponsered by the Federation of Ontario Public Libraries.

The Honourable James K. Bartleman, Lieutenant Governor of Ontarios was the Honorary Patron for the contest. The Honourable Caroline Di Cocco, Minister of Culture was a guest speaker and Paul Todd from TVO was Official Spokesperson, and Pierre Granger from TFO was also a presenter.

Brenda is pictured with LG Bartleman and Suzanne Culp of the OPL, who was the Task Force Chair.