THE STORIED LIFE OF A.J. FIKRY

On June 29, 2016June 30, 2016 By janlcoates4 Comments

I don’t often read “adult” books these days; in fact, I sometimes get impatient with adult novels and their detailed descriptions when maybe fewer words might have sufficed. (ie. tighter editing)

But I just finished The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry (Gabrielle Zevin, 2014), and it’s one of those perfect books – just the right length, just the right emotional heft, it’s set in an independent bookstore, it’s full of insightful lines (the ones you stop to re-read several times) and I even love the cover. Each chapter begins with a synopsis of a favorite short story of A.J. Fikry’s, recommendations to his teenage daughter, a foundling left in Island Books one day. Now I want to read those stories, too!

Some of my favorite lines:

“Remember that a fine education can be found in places other than the usual.” (p. 27)

“There ain’t nobody in the world like book people.” (p. 254)

“We aren’t the things we collect, acquire, read. We are, for as long as we are here, only love. The things we loved. The people we loved. And these, I think these really do live on.” p. 251

“I like talking about books with people who like talking about books. I like paper. I like how it feels, and I like the feel of a book in my back pocket. I like how a new book smells, too.”(p. 255)

For sure I’ll be looking for other titles by Gabrielle Zevin. Have you read anything lately that swept you away?

Family love – and Ollie takes flight!

On May 10, 2016May 10, 2016 By janlcoates14 Comments

Generally, I get a little nervous for book launches – you never know who will be able to make it, if anybody! This time around, I had my entire family to help out, and it was wonderful! Don, Liam and Shannon cooked up a Mothers’ Day/Book Launch surprise for me, and the kids flew in from Toronto for a gloriously perfect three-day weekend. There’s no better gift – if your kids live away, you know what I mean!

13199419_10154767233504186_676542386_o — Bachman’s Beach, Lunenburg County, NS -having both Liam and Shannon show up on a surprise visit from Toronto – best Mothers’ Day gift ever! Thanks, Don!

13214436_10154767234974186_2145263091_o — Dock in – check! Liam and Charlie.

And, thanks to The Box of Delights Bookshop, friends and family, SKY PIG is officially launched, and Ollie has taken flight. It’s really fun to read this book aloud, but I need to work on my piggy snorting…

P1010553 — Door prize, courtesy of daughter Shannon, who was also photographer.

P1010536 — Friend, neighbour, and on book launch days – craft lady and publicity manager, Karen – she’s the best!

P1010541 — Piggy cookies – it got easier after I’d decorated the first few dozen – they were a hit!

P1010549 — I don’t know too many people with small children these days, but I’m grateful to the keen parents who bring their kids to book launches.

SkyPig_LookInside_1 — Here’s Ollie (and Jack)!

Thank you to everybody who supports me, as both a writer and a human being – after having a new book out for four consecutive years, I’m starting to feel a little guilty asking people to come out and help me celebrate – but it truly means a lot to me when you do, both in person or in spirit through sending along your good wishes. I hope you have a good friend, like Ollie’s boy, Jack, to help make ALL your dreams come true!

Welcome Ollie and Jack!

On April 17, 2016 By janlcoates2 Comments

SkyPig_BookLaunchPoster_Web_LR We’d love to see you on Saturday, May 7th, 11:00 am, The Box of Delights Bookshop, Wolfville, NS!

St. Simon’s Island, Georgia – on my mind…

On March 31, 2016April 1, 2016 By janlcoates2 Comments

Well, it’s the end of the month, and I’ve been busy relaxing and procrasti-writing on St. Simon’s, not thinking about my blog, so here’s a little photo essay – truly, this is the most relaxing place I’ve ever been. Love it!

P1010464

Easter goodies, Georgia style (no problem filling the pews in the churches here, unlike in NS)

P1010460 — ready-made business for Don, in case we decide to stay…

P1010401

Most people here have a dog; some (lucky) people have a pig.

FAMILY PHOTOS – BEST-BEFORE DATES?

On February 29, 2016March 1, 2016 By janlcoates8 Comments

So I spent most of Sunday going through old family photos, and I do mean old. My grandmother as a girl in the early 1900s, my parents as children in the 1930s/40s, and of course, my own sweet self as a toddler in the early 60s. nance and me I’m happy to say I was ruthless in choosing what to keep, what to chuck, but I still came close to filling a 300-picture album! That’s my dad and his dad, Gramps Mingo, in the header (our two dogs are also in the picture but cropped out by WordPress).

So many of the ones I kept have meaning only for me; my kids barely knew any of their great grandparents, and my parents died when my kids were still pretty young. But it was a cozy way to spend a spring-like February afternoon. I love seeing the adults from my childhood as kids, and looking at the pictures reminds me that I’ve always been loved – lucky me!

One thing I like about old pictures is seeing the familiar (but fading from memory) places I spent time/lived as a kid – things like the (now retro) kitchen curtains, furniture we had forever, backyards, swing-sets, animals, dolls, etc., including Polly, the beloved “chocolate” baby I requested the Christmas I was two (my dad wrote the letter to Santa for me, and it was included (and saved) in today’s treasure trove/purge).

Last Christmas, we scanned a couple of hundred pictures of our kids and put them on USBs for each of them, although, of course, we kept all the actual photos, too. I have a big closet shelf heaped with photographs, some in albums, lots in boxes, envelopes, all randomly organized. They’re precious to me, but I suppose they must have an expiry date – I’m hopeful a few might make their way into the hands of future generations (if my kids decide to have kids, that is).

How do you deal with photos (pre-digital, that is)? Got a few favourites?

frosty words to warm your heart

On January 30, 2016 By janlcoates2 Comments

So, I feel like I have to write at least one blog post every month, even when I have nothing to say (which is most of the time). Since we had our third major (and beautiful) snowfall yesterday, this morning I started reading some winter poems, including these. I wonder what Robert Frost would think if he could have known that so many school kids over the years (like me) would be committing his oh-so-familiar words to memory. And that’s a random frosty puppy picture of Charlie in 2012:)

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Wandering and Wondering through 2015

On December 29, 2015December 29, 2015 By janlcoates5 Comments

As I’ve been sitting around eating chocolates, drinking coffee and enjoying having both kids home for the holidays, I’ve also been reflecting on 2015, a busy year for me, especially in terms of writing. I did lots of wandering (14 trips by air, thousands of kilometers – a few too many, I think – Cuba, Georgia, Vancouver, Surrey, Port Coquitlam, Port Moody, Toronto, Maine, Ottawa, etc.) and plenty of wondering, marveling at sights I saw, things I heard. I met hundreds of readers, and lots of writers, too, including Alice Priestley, the illustrator of my first book, Rainbows in the Dark (2005).

In May, one of my favorite moments was seeing the mountains in British Columbia, a glorious sight I hadn’t seen since 1981. Stunningly beautiful! Another favorite, as part of TD Book Week, was arriving at a Sikh private school, donning a bright orange headscarf (which clashed with my pink shirt), before being greeted enthusiastically by a hundred smiling five and six-year-olds, several asking if I really had written If Dogs Could Talk, one of my books with Caramel Tree Readers. So sweet.

P1010166 — With fellow juror (and new friend:) Rachna Gilmore.

In December, I had dinner at the Governor General’s house, Rideau Hall, in Ottawa, and got to enjoy the company of many of Canada’s literary luminaries, briefly. In the lead-up to that Literary Awards ceremony, as part of the jury (with David Poulsen and Rachna Gilmore), I had the privilege of reading 148 Canadian novels published for young readers in 2014/15. There’s a lot of talent in our midst!

My newest book, The King of Keji, came out from Nimbus in June, I wrote (and read) pretty much every day all year, and saw my first (and possibly last) coy-wolf while loving being artist in residence at Fool’s Paradise, former home of Canadian artist, Doris McCarthy, overlooking the Scarborough Bluffs.

Fool's Paradise - a perfect reflection. — Fool’s Paradise – a perfect reflection.

2016 looks like it will be a less busy year, but before 2017 arrives, I’m hopeful of finding homes for the two novels I think I’ve finally finished polishing (possibly, maybe, hopefully…). And, of course, lots of new ideas to start getting down on paper. Also, Sky Pig (with intricate plasticine illustrations by Suzanne Del Rizzo) will fly out from Pajama Press in April, 2016.

Sincere thanks to YOU for being part of my year; I hope your 2016 will be pleasantly busy, full of good health and cozy time spent with those who matter most to you. Take good care of yourself, and I hope to see you again next year!

Propping up a saggy middle – writer-style…

On November 26, 2015 By janlcoates4 Comments

Yeah, so this isn’t about support hose, girdles or Spanx. I’ve been reading up on plotting and pacing, trying to figure out how to move things along more efficiently in my writing (ie. get rid of the boring parts). If I had a choice, I’d take character development over plotting any day. Sadly, there is no such choice as both are essential elements. So, here’s the list I keep taped to my desk:

PLOTTING ADVICE – INCREASING TENSION IN YOUR NOVEL

COMPLICATE THINGS; ADD APPREHENSION
THINK OF CHARACTERS AS ACTORS ON STAGE – IS WHAT THEY’RE DOING CAPTIVATING?
RAISE INTERESTING QUESTIONS, CAUSING READERS TO WANT ANSWERS
BUILDING TENSION IS LIKE INFLATING A BALLOON, SLOWLY BUT SURELY, UNTIL IT THREATENS TO POP
FORESHADOWING
PRUNE SCENES DOWN TO THE ESSENTIAL BITS
ANTICIPATION (OF GOOD AND BAD THINGS); POSTPONE THE RESOLUTION
INCLUDE MORE PROMISES TO SET UP THE READER’S EXPECTATIONS
DON’T MAKE EVERYBODY TOO NICE (yikes!)
THINK OF FLAWS THAT CAUSE CONFLICT/OBSTACLES TO GOAL
FLUCTUATING EMOTION
CHANGES TO THROW THE PROTAGONIST OFF BALANCE
WHAT IS THE PROTAGONIST’S (OR YOUR READER’S) WORST FEAR?
UNEXPECTED TWISTS – OPPOSITE OF WHAT’S EXPECTED
LET YOUR PROTAGONIST HAVE SECRETS SHE KEEPS
ANGER/HURT BETWEEN CHARACTERS
BAD STUFF THAT HAPPENS QUICKLY
GO THERE – LET YOUR PROTAGONIST HIT ROCK BOTTOM
ALWAYS GIVE THE READER A REASON TO TURN THE PAGE (ESPECIALLY AT CHAPTER ENDINGS)

I read a lot of articles, but many of these ideas came from C.S. Laskin’s site, a valuable resource for writers, found here: http://www.livewritethrive.com/resources/ Thank you!

I hope you might find some of these ideas useful. It would be easier if we could just buy Spanx for our words – I suppose that’s one of the editor’s roles:) And if all else fails, read your work aloud to your dog, my best audience. Thanks for reading, and happy plotting!

Read 148 Novels in 4.5 months? Yup.

On October 28, 2015October 29, 2015 By janlcoates10 Comments

FINALLY, the winners of the 2015 Governor General’s Literary Awards were announced today. Huge congratulations to Caroline Pignat, who won her second GG for her beautiful book, The Gospel Truth. Along with Rachna Gilmore and David Poulsen, I had the privilege of being on the peer assessment committee for the Children’s Literature (Text) Award this year. As part of that task, we each read the 148 novels submitted for consideration – all between mid-April and the end of August. More than one book a day, and many were 300+ pages. What an incredible (and somewhat intimidating) learning experience!

Never having done this before, I had no idea how I would go about choosing from such a fine collection of books. But as I read, certain books simply emerged; their characters, stories and words all stayed with me long after I’d finished reading. I went to our Ottawa meeting in early September naively believing it would take only a couple of hours for the three of us to discuss the short-listed books and come to a consensus re the five finalists and one winner.

I was wrong.

It was more like ten hours of intense discussion and debate that left both my brain and body exhausted, but I think we all left the room feeling like we’d done a good job. We also collaborated on this brief, yet hard-to-write, jury statement:

Caroline Pignat’s The Gospel Truth is the powerful and poignant story of 16-year-old Phoebe, a slave girl in 1858 Virginia. Written in lyrical and elegant free verse, it is an unflinching look at the brutality of slavery and Phoebe’s struggle for freedom and truth. Ultimately, this is a story of hope.

We weren’t allocated sufficient words to mention that the story is told in six different voices. The other four finalists, all of them excellent books, are Young Man With Camera (Emil Sher), We Are All Made of Molecules (Susin Nielsen), Are You Seeing Me? (Darren Groth), and Audrey (Cow) (Dan Bar-el). Congratulations to one and all. There sure are a lot of amazing children’s authors writing brilliant, diverse books in Canada today. Happy reading!

Libraries, Old and New; WOTS

On September 28, 2015 By janlcoates12 Comments

One of the (increasingly) few memories I have from my pre-school life is of waiting for my fifth birthday so I could get my own library card. You had to be five, but you also had to be able to print your own name! The library in my hometown of Truro, Nova Scotia in 1965 was an old wooden structure, and the children’s department was at the very top of a very steep set of stairs – I remember the excitement of climbing those stairs, wondering what treasure I’d take home that day. Sadly, I couldn’t find an image of that library online, but this is my hometown (Wolfville, NS) library now, formerly the train station, back when we had trains! I’m a frequent visitor.

Last week, I finally got to see the new Halifax Central Library while I was there reading The King of Keji at The Word on the Street. It’s stunning, as you can see. So spacious and open inside with sweeping staircases, comfortable seating, very kid-friendly, there’s a coffee shop and you can even check out your books yourself by scanning your card and the book barcodes. Librarians are some of my favourite people (especially the fabulous women at the Wolfville Library!), and I feel like that social interaction is a huge part of the library experience for so many people; hopefully the scanning option won’t eliminate that for those who aren’t in a hurry.

And a shout-out to the MANY volunteers who organized and delivered an excellent Word on the Street experience for one and all at the Halifax Central Library last weekend. This was the first year WOTS was run entirely by volunteers, and it seemed very well thought-out and lots of people came out to show some love for local books, writers, booksellers (yay, Woozles!) and literacy. Thank you!