My (ahem) Twenty-first book!!

“There are rules for what I’ve done.  

Specific punishments for 

crimes against friendship.”

Laren Olivier knows the rules, but her attraction to a friend’s ex-boyfriend is strong.  She tells herself that if only they can keep their romance a secret, no one will get hurt.  But Laren is not the only one with something to hide.

Thus begins a year long journey through secrets, lies, exposures and betrayals.  Somehow, Laren must find a way to reconcile who she is with what she’s done.  At the same time, she finds herself struggling with a discovery so shocking it rocks the very foundation of her world.  

 

This, my 21st published book, was written twice.  The first version was prose, but, I was not entirely satisfied with the voice.  Eventually, and with the blessing of my longsuffering editor, Christie Harkin, I tackled it again, only this time in a free verse format.  

I would like to acknowledge, with sincere thanks, the support of Canada Council, which made it possible for me to complete this project. 

 

Miss Wondergem's Dreadfully Dreadful Pie

Miss Wondergem's Bakery, coming quite soon!

In fact, it will open tomorrow at noon!

There's a brand new bakery in town and no one could be happier about it than Myrna, Verna and Bradley McGrew.  As much as they love their mother, the McGrew children can't help but dread what comes out of her kitchen - and with very good reason!  For example:

Her cookies and muffins and pies were so hard

That they used them for building a fort in the yard.

Miss Wondergem's arrival promises to solve this problem, and the children waste no time in presenting themselves at the bakery the very first day it opens.  Unfortunately, Miss Wondergem's pies are more than a little unusual, and the children are in for a most unpleasant surprise.

The charming artwork for this picture book is by Wendy J. Whittingham, who truly brought the story to life with her illustrations.  Readers will enjoy meeting, not only the children, their mom and Miss Wondergem, but also the McGrew's family pet, a delightful hedgehog named Spike.

Testify

“Before you judge me, there are two things you should know about why I did it.”

Shana Tremain is a good kid. She knows right from wrong and she’s never been in any serious trouble. But when her best friend, Carrie, comes to her for help, Shana agrees to break the law to save Carrie from a molester. She even feels good about it — for a while.

Then trouble starts. Someone in their group of friends is stealing from the others. As she searches for the truth, Shana uncovers evidence that raises a terrifying question: Has she made a horrible mistake?

Faced with the reality of what she’s done, Shana finds herself trapped in a web of her own lies and deceit. Can she convince the right people that she’s telling the truth now? Either way it’s clear someone is going to pay a terrible price for her crime.
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Reviews for Testify

 Quill & Quire  

CM Magazine 



Free Teacher Resource Guide Available Here:


Testify: Teacher Resource Guide

The Glory Wind

How it happened.

The news was just on in the background that evening - I was in the other room, and only caught a snatch of a story that probably lasted less than half a minute.  It made no particular impression, but the next day it had created the beginning of an idea that would bloom into The Glory Wind.  And this is often how it is.

About the story.

Luke Haliwell must come to terms with the prejudices of his 1940's prairie town when Gracie Moor and her mother move in next door.  Gracie is unlike anyone Luke has ever known, but when the town discovers that Gracie's mother is hiding a shameful secret, Luke learns that friendship can come at a great cost.

Published by Fitzhenry & Whiteside, this story is in bookstores now.

I loved writing The Glory Wind.  I hope you will love it too.

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News Updates for The Glory Wind

Winner of the 2011 Geoffrey Bilson Historical Fiction for Young People Award

Winner of the 2011 Ann Connor Brimer Award

Winner of the Bronze Medal in the

2011 Independent Publisher Book Awards, Canadian Regional

Shortlisted for the Canadian Library Association

2011 Children's Book of the Year

Shortlisted for the 2011 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award

Ontario Library Association Best Bets List for 2010

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A few reviews of The Glory Wind:

Kirkus (starred review)

CM Magazine

Atlantic Books Today

Curled Up With a Good Kid's Book

*****

Accomplice

Lexie Malton has a secret.  Her ex-boyfriend, Devlin, is now a heroin addict living on the street, and only Lexie knows that she's the one who put him there.

Even worse, Lexie's guilt makes her give in to Devlin's demands for money time after time, even though she understands how dangerous his drug use is.

Lexie finally finds the strength to stop enabling Devlin.  But when Devlin seeks treatment for his addiction, Lexie finds herself drawn back to him, never guessing what a dark and deadly path she has just chosen.

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This was an interesting story to write.  Even though my work background has brought me in contact with today's drug culture, I discovered that I knew very little about heroin use. What I learned during the course of my research truly shocked me. 

Accomplice is one of two debut novels in Dundurn's new Keystone Series of high interest stories for reluctant readers.  The other is Marina Cohen's Mind Gap.  You can find Marina's blog in the list on the upper left of this page.  I've written a second story for the Keystone Series (and hope to write others).  It's called Testify, and it will be published this August.

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In bookstores now, Accomplice has been reviewed in:

Quill & Quire

CM Magazine

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As requested!

A friend recently admonished me for not keeping her updated on my new releases. She pointed out that it's difficult to keep track of all my books.  I can hardly argue with that when I have to look up details myself on a regular basis.

So, this posting is for that friend, and for anyone else who'd like to be able to access a full list of publications and the year they came out.  I'll update it whenever a new book is forthcoming, and again when it actually comes out, even if I've also blogged about that book. 

Picture Books

Miss Wondergem's Dreadfully Dreadful Pie (Oct. 2011)
Wendy J. Whittingham, Illustrator

There's a GOLDFISH In My Shoe! (2009)
David Jardine, Illustrator

There's a COW Under My Bed! (2008)
David Jardine, Illustrator

Middle Grade Novels

Driftwood (fall 2013)
The Glory Wind (2010)

Tumbleweed Skies (2009)

Young Adult Novels

Counting Back from Nine (2012)
Testify (August 2011)

Accomplice (2011)

Watcher (2009)

Speechless (2007)

Three Million Acres of Flame (2007)

Sarah's Legacy (2006)

Sam's Light (2004)

KATE (2003)

Shelby Belgarden Mystery Series

Searching for Yesterday (2008)

Eyes of a Stalker (2006)

Hiding in Plain Sight (2005)

Chasing Shadows (2004)

In Too Deep (2003)

Out of the Ashes (2002)


Non-Fiction

Vanessa Hudgens: Superstars Series (2010)

Tumbleweed Skies

A motherless girl, a grandmother who cannot forgive, an injured magpie and a warm prairie summer ...

Tumbleweed Skies takes place in Saskatchewan during the 1950s.  Ellie Stewart, whose home is in Moose Jaw, finds herself having to spend the summer in the fictional town of Weybolt after her father is laid off from his regular job and is forced to take a temporary position as a travelling salesman.

From her first glimpse of the farm that will be her home for the next months, Ellie senses that she may not be particularly welcome.

"I could tell right away that this wasn't a house that wanted me."

The beautiful cover of this book is the artwork of David Jardine. 

This is my first book for this age group, and it was thrilling to write from the perspective of a child this age.  I hope that readers will enjoy meeting Ellie.

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News Updates for Tumbleweed Skies

Shortlisted for the Ann Connor Brimer Award, 2010

Shortlisted for the 2011 - 2012 Saskatchewan Diamond Willow Award

Shortlisted for the 2011 - 2012 Hackmatack Award

Shortlisted for the 2011 - 2012 Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award

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