Author Visit News for the week of January 16, 2007

[Authors Booking]

Dear Teachers and Librarians,

As we look forward to the OLA Superconference, we are reminded of the many hours of work that it takes to organize this kind of event.  Authors' Booking Service extends a HUGE thank you to all involved in this venture!

Be sure to check out which of our authors will be at the Superconference, immediately following the New Member notice. Also check out our Meet the Author column and and other newsy bits.
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Authors' Booking Service is thrilled to announce the addition of two new members!

Werner Zimmerman of Guelph, Ontario is best-known as the illustrator for Jean Little's books, Listen Said the Donkey, and Pippin The Christmas Pig. He has written and illustrated a number of books, including Snow Day and the Alphonse books. Werner is an informative and amusing presenter who takes audience participation to new levels. To book Werner for your school, simply hit "reply" to this email.

Toronto biographer Anne Dublin of Toronto is a former teacher and current librarian. Her book, Bobbie Rosenfeld: The Olympian Who Could Do Everything received the IODE Violet Downey Award and the Canadian Jewish Book Award, as well as numerous other honours. Her newest book, June Callwood: A Life of Action, is receiving rave reviews, most recently in the Globe & Mail and CM.
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Authors' Booking Service members at the OLA Superconference  

Here's a quick rundown of which ABS authors will be participating at the OLA Superconference.  We look forward to meeting many of you there!
 
Peggy Dymond Leavey, Nancy Belgue, Marsha Skrypuch, LM Falcone, Curtis Parkinson, John Wilson, and Frieda Wishinsky will all be part of the Forest of Reading Gala "Blast-Off" on Wed. Jan 31st from 12:00 to 2:30.

Frieda Wishinsky will launch the Canadian Flyer Adventure series on Thursday, February 1st with an autographing and giveaway of Beware, Pirates! School librarians are invited to enter the "Win a Beware, Pirates! Book Launch" contest. Come meet Frieda, who will autograph books in true pirate style!

Marsha Skrypuch will conduct a session on "Writing Camp for Adults" on February 1st.(10:40 a.m. session 411)

***Valerie Sherrard and Marsha Skrypuch will conduct a joint presentation titled "Dos and Don'ts of Author Visits" also on February 1st. (3:35 p.m., session 620.)

Liam O'Donnell will be signing copies of the Max Finder Mystery Collected Casebook at the Owlkids booth on February 2nd from 9:30 - 10:00 am.

Jo Ellen Bogart will be taking part in the CANSCAIP group book event on February 2nd at OLA, talking about Out and About with the Big Tree Gang.

Peggy Dymond Leavey will be one of the Silver Birch authors signing at the NBS booth.

Marsha Skrypuch will be one of the Silver Birch authors signing at the NBS booth. Her slot is on Friday, February 2nd, from 11:30 to 12:00.

James Bow will be part of the CANSCAIP 2006 Launch Party celebration on Friday, February 2nd, from noon until 2pm, talking about The Unwritten Girl.

Marsha Skrypuch will be part of the CANSCAIP 2006 Launch Party celebration on Friday February 2nd, from noon until 2pm, talking about Aram's Choice and Kobzar's Children.

Matt Beam will be sitting in support of his new YA title, Earth To Nathan Blue (Penguin), from 11 a.m. to noon on Friday, February 2nd.

Anne Dublin will be signing her new biography, June Callwood: A Life of Action , Fri. Feb. 2, 11.30 a.m., Kate Walker & Co. booth.

Marsha Skrypuch will be signing her anthology, Kobzar's Children at the Fitzhenry & Whiteside booth.

Marsha Skrypuch, Helaine Becker and teacher-librarian Sharon Armstrong will conduct a session called "Advocating for Support: A Two-Pronged Approach" at 2:10pm, Friday February 2nd. This session reveals fresh ways to lobby for support for school libraries.

Marsha Skrypuch will be part of a poster session on Kidcrit, a free online writing critique group that has seen outstanding success of late. Friday February 2nd from noon until 1. For more information, see Scott McDonald's article on Kidcritters in the Jan/Feb edition of Quill & Quire.

*** Following the Superconference, Valerie Sherrard will remain in Ontario and will be available for school and library bookings from February 5 - 9. Please hit reply to this message to book Valerie for this time period.
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Meet the Author --

2007 Silver Birch Nominee: Gail Nyoka

Mella and the N'anga: An African Tale

Novelist and playwright Gail Nyoka started writing plays after becoming involved with Children's Stage Lakefield, near Peterborough. When she moved back to Toronto, she continued as a playwright and won the Chalmers Canadian Play Award, Theatre for Young Audiences in 2000. She decided to expand the story, set in long-ago Zimbabwe, and this became a novel for eight to thirteen-year olds.  

Ms. Nyoka loves to travel and has lived in England and Wales, and various places in Ontario, including Lakefield, Hamilton, Ottawa and Toronto. She was born in Trinidad and recently visited Egypt.

Gail currently lives in Elora, Ontario and is working on a new young-adult novel which is partially set in Ancient Egypt. She is also in the process of writing a new play for young audiences, based on the novel The Heaven Shop by Deborah Ellis. This will be produced by Theatre Direct. Please hit reply to this message if you would like to book Gail for a school visit.

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OUT-OF-PRINT BOOKS FOR SALE:

Check out our complete list of out-of-print titles -- signed copies available directly from the authors!  For a complete list of books, go here.

A new addition to this list is Anne Dublin's Written on the Wind, $9.00 shipped anywhere within Canada.

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Have you checked out the Educator Resources on our journal?
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Congratulations to Gillian Chan, whose Dear Canada novel, An Ocean Apart: The Gold Mountain Diary of Chin Mei-ling , has been nominated for the BC Red Cedar Award!

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Authors available for readings outside of Toronto -- January & February!

Helaine Becker-- Jan 15 to 24, Feb 13 and 1. Helaine also has one session open in the Ottawa area Feb 22/23, flight from Toronto has already been paid for.

Robin Muller -- Barrie January 24 & 25.

Kathy Stinson -- Kitchener January 30, February 6, 13 & 20.  One morning reading after recess each of these dates.

Gail Nyoka -- (Silver Birch 2007 nominee) - Elora and 200k radius: January 15 - 31 & February 5 - 28

Robin Baird Lewis -- Cambridge - Feb 12 & 15 (afternoon) 13 (all day) and 16 (11:00 am - 2:00 pm.)

Nancy Belgiue -- (Silver Birch 2007 nominee) - Sarnia, Windsor, Kingsville, Leamington

James Bow -- Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph, London, Hamilton, Avon Maitland

Karen Krossing -- Southern Ontario

Celia Godkin -- Kingston, Ottawa

Peggy Dymond Leavey -- (Silver Birch 2007 nominee) Trenton, Belleville, Coburg, Oshawa

Deb Lougheed --  Gravenhurst, Bracebridge and Owen Sound

Curtis Parkinson -- (Silver Birch 2007 nominee) - Bancroft, Gravenhurst, Ottawa

Shane Peacock -- Trenton, Belleville, Oshawa

Marsha Skrypuch (Silver Birch 2007 nominee) - Brantford, London, Hamilton, Collingwood

Cora Taylor -- Sauble Beach

Gillian Chan -- Dundas, Ancaster, Brantford, Hamilton, Burlington, Oakville

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Authors available for readings in Toronto and surrounding area - January & February!

Edo Van Belkom -- Toronto and surrounding area, January 15 - 19

Peggy Dymond Leavey -- (Silver Birch 2007 nominee) - in Toronto Jan. 29 & 30 and February 2.

Nancy Belgue -- (Silver Birch 2007 nominee) - in Toronto Jan. 29 & 30

Frieda Wishinsky -- Toronto and surrounding area January 16, 17, 18, 23, 29 and 31; February 12 to 16

The following authors are generally available for Toronto during January & February: LM Falcone (Silver Birch 2007 nominee), Natale Ghent, Robin Muller, Liam O'Donnell, Robert J. Sawyer, Martin Springett, Jan Thornhill, Matt Beam, Deb Lougheed, Helaine Becker, Gillian Chan, Marsha Skrypuch, James Bow.

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For a complete list of our authors, please visit here and click on links to individual names.

Do you have questions, comments or suggestions about this service?  We'd love to hear from you! It's easy to contact us. Our email is: authors.boo...@gmail.com

You can also simply hit reply to Author Visit News and your message will come to our inbox.

All the best,

Marsha & Valerie
--
Authors' Booking Service
Connecting Canadian Creators and Educators

If unable to reach us here, please contact Marsha at mar...@calla.com or Valerie at val...@nbnet.nb.ca