Jill Murray and too much Caffeine!
Authors Booking Service
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Need more information on one of our members? Details about presentations, publications and fees are just a click away! Visit www.authorsbooking.com and click on Our Presenters.
LAST CHANCE!!! Michael Kusugak is available in various parts of Ontario, Nov 15 – 24.
LAST CHANCE!!! Linda Bailey is available in the GTA on November 25.
In this issue:
Jill Murray and too much caffeine!
New releases
News
OLA Nominee Updates
Personal Glimpses of Robin Baird Lewis and Andrew Larsen
Member Availability
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Jill Murray is unable to do anything casually. Having already mined one-time hobbies, breakdance and singing, for her YA novels, Break on Through and Rhythm and Blues, she’s now working overtime to suck all the fun out of coffee and video games, for use in future projects. Is nothing sacred?
“No,” says Murray, tossing back another espresso. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to beat this level. I’m on a deadline.”
“It’s not that the research isn’t fun,” Murray assures. “It’s just that it’s more important that the results be fun in the book and for the reader. I’m not destroying the fun, I’m moving it around.”
So far this year, Murray has shuffled the fun from Montreal, to Panama, Ethiopia, and Los Angeles, sometimes sharing it with remarkable projects like Habitat for Humanity Ethiopia, and Helaine Becker’s Air Lift to LA (Access Books). She has also rolled it into classrooms, where students have been observed laughing and writing feverishly after getting over the initial shock that they will be made to dance first.
Murray’s idea of fun will next be seen in Toronto and Ottawa, before returning home to Montreal for a well-deserved winter nap.
Visit Jill’s page on our site for information about her fees, publications, presentations and more: http://authorsbooking.com/2043/authors/Jill_Murray.html
Jill offers discounts for multiple sessions at one location. Jill will be in the Ottawa area on Dec 1, and the GTA on Dec 2 & 3. Contact us today to book this energetic, entertaining author!
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New Releases
Valerie Sherrard: The Glory Wind. Gracie is unlike anyone Luke has ever met – fun, imaginative and full of life. But when the truth about her mother’s past challenges small town values, Luke learns that friendship can come at a cost. Set on the prairies in the 1940s, this is a story of loyalty, loss and redemption.
Eric Zweig: Twenty Greatest Hockey Goals. Every hockey fan remembers certain goals that stand out from all the others. But if one had to name just 20 as the greatest ever, what would they be? Author Eric Zweig serves up a list of memorable hockey moments that is sure to provoke heated discussion. (Written for adults, but suitable for advanced readers.)
Veronika Martenova Charles: Easy-to-Read Wonder Tales for ages 5-8
The titles in the series are:
It’s Not About the Rose! (Beauty and the Beast stories)
It’s Not About the Hunter! (Red Riding Hood stories)
It’s Not About the Pumpkin! (Cinderella stories)
It’s Not About the Crumbs! (Hansel and Gretel stories)
It’s Not About the Apple! (Snow White stories)
These books for early readers, in which child narrators tell different multicultural versions of a familiar, well-known fairy tale. Written in short, easy phrases with plentiful illustrations, the series lends itself perfectly for doing comparisons of the tales. A fine companion to Veronika Martenova Charles' series Easy-To-Read Spooky Tales.
Lesley Simpson: The Hug has been re-imagined as a board book with illustrations by Yayo.
Martin Springett / Isobel Springett: Kate and Pippin. The true story of a Great Dane named Kate who adopted an abandoned fawn when it was three days old. Two years later they are still together. Gorgeous photographs tell the tale of this unusual “mother and daughter” relationship.
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NEWS
Janet Wilson has a new slideshow presentation based on her acclaimed nonfiction book Our Earth: How Kids are Saving the Planet. Children concerned about Earth’s fate are inspired by true stories of peers around the globe who are taking action. Janet also talks about creating her artwork for Our Earth and can include an art lesson.
While on a recent trip to Newfoundland, Martin Springett visited a school at the Conne River Mi’gMaq reserve. Before his presentation he was greeted by the students, who performed two traditional songs and dances. As the first author/illustrator ever to visit this community, Martin was moved and honoured by this display of aboriginal culture.
OLA NOMINEE UPDATES
We are pleased to welcome nominees Terry Griggs, Kate Jaimet and Kathy Clark to our list. Click here for a direct link to our growing list of nominees:
http://authorsbooking.com/2043/2064.html
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A Personal Glimpse of Robin Baird Lewis and Andrew Larsen
Creative people who choose not to plough a singular furrow often delve into a vast range of skill sets. Over the past 30 years Robin Baird Lewis has coped with the epilepsy and diarrhoea of Newfoundland dogs, dealt with the angst of over 3000 adolescent art students, and considered many strange and wonderful client requests, including one for a large nude portrait of one fellow’s girlfriend ... for Christmas ... phoned in December 23. That commission was tactfully refused.
Blue Spruce Nominee Andrew Larsen began telling stories as a preschooler when he co-starred in a series of plays in his best friend’s basement. The plays were loosely based on Tarzan. They were made up on the spot. Some shows were brief. Some lasted entire afternoons. Some went on for days. Andrew and his co-star charged a modest admission fee. They served water with straws during the many intermissions that punctuated each production. The success of these shows gave Andrew the storytelling bug. They also allowed him to indulge in his passion for collecting hockey cards.
Alas, years have passed and the hockey cards have all been either traded or lost. But the storytelling continues. Andrew still finds himself making things up on the spot. One of the wonderful things about doing presentations is that they’re a little like a performance. Andrew doesn’t serve water with fancy straws anymore but he still likes to put on a good show.
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MEMBER AVAILABILITY
Contact us today about booking ANY of our Ontario members for the coming school year!
Elliot Moose creator Andrea Beck is available in London for half a day on either December 9th or 10th.
Silver Birch winner Robert Weston is available in Oakville on Feb 15th, 2011.
Jo Ellen Bogart will be in Ottawa and has dates available April 18 and 20, 2011.
Helaine Becker will be in the Ottawa area several times this school year and will waive travel costs for full day bookings (4 sessions). Contact us to be placed on Helaine’s waiting list.
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OUT-OF-PROVINCE AUTHORS coming your way!
Contact us to be placed on ANY of our out-of-province members’ waiting lists and we’ll notify you when they make plans to visit Ontario.
Jill Murray will be in the Ottawa area on Dec. 1, and in the GTA on Dec. 2 & 3.
Multiple session discounts and NO long distance travel costs!
Sigmund Brouwer will be in Ontario for school and library presentations January 25 – 29, 2011.
Silver Birch Non-Fiction Winner 2010 Larry Verstraete will be in Ontario for the OLA Super Conference in February of 2011 and is available for school visits at that time.
Métis children's and YA novelist Jacqueline Guest will be in Toronto at the end of April 2011 and is available for visits at that time.
Lois Peterson: Silver Birch Express Nominee for The Ballad of Knuckles McGraw will be in the GTA May 9-15, 2011.
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Marsha & Valerie
We respond to all e-mails quickly. If you haven't had a reply within 48 hours, your message has probably not reached us. In that case, we welcome you to contact either of us at home. Valerie Sherrard: val...@nbnet.nb.ca or Marsha Skrypuch: mar...@calla.com