Just discovered these cool illustrations, done by Khanh Nguyen http://khanhart.blogspot.com/to accompany my story, “A Library Cat”, in R.E.A.L. Magazine – the acronym stands for Read Everything And Learn, and the magazine is a literary magazine for young Canadian readers. Their site is here: http://www.realkidsmag.com/🙂  This talented illustrator really captured the Dickensian feel of the story – can’t wait to get my author copies in the mail! Creating things with people I’ve never met still makes me giggle:)

Jacob sent me a couple of pictures from Sudan – he’s there because of the independence vote taking place this week. Mr. Clooney specified the photo could only be used in relation to Wadeng Wings of Hope, Jacob’s non-profit foundation. It’s a strange situation because Wadeng is receiving 40% of online sales of the book, in addition to sharing my royalties, but Red Deer Press would not be considered a non-profit agency. Hmmm…

We’ve always joked about the book going to “Hollywood”, so this is really funny. Mr. Clooney is in Southern Sudan as part of a team that has installed a satellite surveillance system to guard against any improprieties in the independence vote this week. I read today that 60% of the population of Southern Sudan has to vote in order for the vote to stand; hope that happens! I know the people have been pouring into Juba by the thousands. I’m pretty sure “impossible”, as a word, doesn’t exist in Jacob’s vocabulary, which is part of the reason he’s the strong person he is today. Wonder if he enlisted Clooney’s help for Wadeng Wings of Hope while chatting with him today? I was speculating that I’m probably about the age Jacob’s mother would be if she was still alive – I’m so proud of him, not only as a friend, but in a maternal way, too. Hope she’s able to see her little Jacob now. as he works to make his dream school come true!

I was thrilled yesterday to receive a succinct promo blurb (early Christmas present) from Deborah Ellis, prolific Canadian author of novels about children living in crisis. She’s raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for various causes through her books, and her making time to read HARE and offer her support really means the world to me. When I originally contacted her about this project, I described myself as a Deborah Ellis wannabe – we’re the same age, and although we’ve never met, I’ve been strongly influenced by her writing.
“An important and well-written story. Jan Coates takes the reader deep into the lives of children dealing with the uproar of war and terror – a strong reminder that the world needs to do better.”Deborah Ellis, December, 2010
Hope we can all work together to create a kinder, gentler, more peaceful world in 2011, and beyond! Happy Holidays!

The longer I’m in this writing business, the more I realize there are writing opportunities beyond traditional trade publishing. Last fall, I received a call from JLS, a Korean English language school, with offices in British Columbia, asking if I’d be interested in writing some books for use in their schools. Their curriculum is completely story-based, which is very cool! Since I worked for four years as an ESL tutor, I said I was very interested, and over the next few months, I wrote six stories for them. I received the first two books in the mail this week, and I’m very impressed with the quality – both the lay-out/design and the illustrations. They hire illustrators from all around the world, so it’s funny to have created these books together without ever having any communication with the illustrators themselves. As well, a book I wrote two years ago, a non-fiction ESL comprehension book, QUEBEC STORIES, will now be published in the summer of 2011 by Editions de l’Envolee.

Thanks to Atlantic Books Today, which ran a two-page feature interview with Jacob in their magazine insert in the Chronicle Herald and Globe and Mail last week. Very well done and great publicity for both Wadeng and Hare. Merci! The book still hasn’t made it to Chapters shelves (grrrr…), but it is available at Woozles, The Inside Story in Greenwood and The Box of Delights in Wolfville, as well as online through Wadeng.org and other sources. As well, I’ll be signing copies with The Box of Delights at the Wolfville Farm Market this coming Saturday, Nov. 27th.

I’ve visited a few schools lately, thanks to the wonderful Writers in the Schools program, offered through the Writers’ Federation of NS. One morning in early September, schools apply to have writers visit them through WITS; the writer’s daily fee is shared by the school and the WFNS. As a writer, it’s an amazing opportunity to get feedback from young readers and spend time with your audience.
I’ve visited Lockeport Elementary, Sackville Centennial Elementary and Wolfville School recently; other than reading Rainbows in the Darkto younger students and debuting my writing PowerPoint, I’ve also had my first chance to read from A Hare in the Elephant’s Trunkto students in grades 5-7. As always, when you’re standing in front of 30 or 40 young people, there’s bound to be some shuffling and whispering, but by the time I get to the second page of the passage I’m reading, I’ve got everybody’s attention. In fact, I started to laugh after I finished reading to one group of grade 6 students last week; I could see on their faces that they were so with Jacob and his friends as they struggled to cross the River Gilo, thousands of miles away in Ethiopia, and I think I was in shock to see that happening as a result of words I had written. I tried to explain to them that I’ve read the words so many, many times, and it’s such a treat for me to watch people react upon hearing the words for the very first time. I’d actually like to have a chance to listen to somebody else read a passage sometime, just for interest’s sake. The students asked very thoughtful questions and were enthusiastic about the book and extremely curious about Jacob Deng. When I have time, we do a shared sensory writing activity that’s easy and fun – for them and for me!
Overall, WITS visits are a highlight of my writing life; I’m happy I also spend some time in schools as a substitute teacher so I’m well aware of the busy school environment. I’m always grateful to the teachers, staff and librarians who host my visits because I know how tough it is to get everything else done in the run of a day, let alone taking on something extra. 🙂

A couple of pictures taken at the book launch by Cheryl Chen of Red Deer Press. I’ll try to post more on my pictures page. Thanks, Cheryl!
Thanks to everyone who attended my session at the provincial school librarians’ conference in New Glasgow on Friday. I thoroughly enjoyed myself and so appreciated your feedback and interest:)

Jacob and I were overwhelmed by the support of the almost 200 people who attended our launch at St. Mary’s University Wednesday evening. Friends came from Tatamagouche, Amherst, Truro, New Glasgow, East Dalhousie, and, of course, Wolfville. Dr. Dodds introduced us, Woozles sold every book we could scrape up, Kojo provided wonderful atmospheric music, Jacob spoke from his heart (and without notes) with his usual passion, and I managed to read without stumbling too much. Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone for your support and friendship; I hope the novel will contribute a few bricks to Jacob’s dream school in Sudan. Thanks also to The Kentville Advertiser, CBC Halifax and Breakfast Television for your interest and coverage.

As well as being available in bookstores, the novel can be purchased from Wadeng Wings of Hope, Jacob’s charitable society: http://www.wadeng.org (please see link in my Blogroll to the right…)

Red Deer Press is very generously donating 40% of sales through Wadeng to the foundation.
Next week, I’ll be visiting Lockeport Elementary School through the Writers in the Schools program and also presenting at a provincial school librarians’ conference in Pictou County. Today, I’m writing!:)

I’m reading SIX MONTHS IN SUDAN, an account of James Maskalyk’s time in Sudan with MSF. Before I even began reading the book, I had to digest this quote from American author, Joan Didion, part of a commencement address at the University of California, 1975:

“I’m not telling you to make the world better, because I don’t think that progress is necessarily part of the package. I’m just telling you to live in it. Not just to endure it, not just to suffer it, not just to pass through it, but to live in it. To look at it. To try to get the picture. To live recklessly. To take chances. To make your own work and take pride in it. To seize the moment. And if you ask me why you should bother to do that, I could tell you that the grave’s a fine and private place, but none I think do there embrace. Nor do they sing there, or write, or argue, or see the tidal bore on the Amazon, or touch their children. And that’s what there is to do and get it while you can and good luck at it.”

Profound advice, succinctly put; although not phrased so beautifully, it’s advice I often find myself trying to give my own kids. Unfortunately, they don’t always receive it as gratefully as I think they should…

One of my favorite things about reading is coming upon gems of wisdom the author has woven into the story, often only as a single sentence, but a sentence I find myself reading several times, marveling at its profundity (I’ve never written that word before, but it’s perfect!). I don’t think I’ve acquired that skill yet, but it’s something to work toward.

So, I just spent about 3 hours trying to design a book launch poster/invitation:
Book Launch Invitation Sept 13
The publicity person at Red Deer Press will send me an invite/poster sometime soon, but I have to admit I like playing around with this type of thing, so then I’ll have two options!