Made it into the Economist & Sun!

I was so excited to open my Economist & Sun today and find this (just in time for Halloween!!!)


A really nice article. Thanks to the journalist Keely Grasser! HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Lunch Launch 2009!

Today was the first in a series of launches for my new novel Ghost Ride! I presented the book to a captive lunch-eating audience of some 200 intermediate students at Castlemore P.S.--what fun!

Why Castlemore? Well, for starters the teacher-librarian, Grace Wong, is amazingly supportive.

Last year she had me present to the entire junior and intermediate divisions and I sold a whack of books! Also, a few students lingered after the presentation to chat and when I mentioned I'd love a trailer for my new novel--well, they actually agreed to create one for me all on their own! Check it out! So when the time came to choose a school venue for a launch--Castlemore was the way to go! Even the now grade 9 students who created the trailer came back to their old elementary school for the launch! I was so excited to see them and thank them again.

The local newspaper, The Economist & Sun, even dropped by--can't wait to read the article!

Now recently I've been following a discussion about book launches--all the dos and don'ts. One thing I can say for sure, is that free food--especially treats--is the greatest lure! Though this was totally an optional event and all these students showed up of their own accord, I can't honestly say just how many showed up for me and my book or how many showed up for the free treats!!!! (Peanut-free, of course!)

They're Here!

They're here! They're here! (jumping up and down) My author copies of Ghost Ride arrived this past week and the first thing I did was take a good, long whiff! Nothing like the smell of new books hot off the press--especially when they're yours! I feel like I've been living and breathing this novel for the past three years. It took me 8 months to write, 8 months to find and agent, 8 months to find a publisher and 8 months to hold in my hot little hands. When I stop and think about it, that's kind of weird. I think 8 will be my new favourite number! Launch details coming soon!

Quest for Gingerbread...

I love gingerbread. What can I say? Something about the spices--you can never have enough cinnamon in your life. I've been making gingerbread cookies since I was a kid. I remember trying several recipes and then settling on one that was published in the Toronto Star in 1982. I still have the original newspaper--now decrepit yellow, edges frayed, and covered in stains of various spilled ingredients.

One year, I actually constructed the sleigh--reindeer and all!

But now, here's the thing. Ever since I started teaching near the Village Grocer, I've been obsessed with their gingerbread cookies. They are the best ever. Not only are they true works of art, they taste awesome! I have tried no less than four recipes recently--some of which I had to toss the dough. DH thinks I've gone mad and perhaps he's right, but I desperately want the recipe! So. How does one go about asking a baker to divulge their culinary secrets? It would be like asking a magician to tell you how their tricks work. Strictly taboo.

Soooooo, here's my idea. I go to the store once a week for the next, oh, say, several months. Each time I buy a cookie and ask, "Is there nutmeg in this? Because I'm allergic to nutmeg..." Next time, "Is there cardamom in this? Because I'm allergic to cardamom." "Is there brown sugar in this? Because I'm allergic to brown sugar..." Slowly, but surely, I will amass the ingredients. Is this a great plan, or what???

At this point you may join DH in thinking I've lost it, but I've actually tried this twice. White sugar, not brown sugar and no cardamom. The third time, I felt I had to vary my tactic lest they begin to suspect a gingerbread spy in their midst. I said, "My mother and I are having this huge argument. I hope you can settle it. She says you use sugar beet syrup. I say molasses. Can you please tell me who's right?" Worked like a charm. Molasses. No sugar beets.

I think I've been writing too many zany scenes in my new WIP. Am I beginning to act like my MC or even worse, am I in denial that my MC is actually ME???!!!