The first follower transforms a lone nut into a leader. –Derek Silvers Have you ever wanted to get something creative going in the classroom but faced resistance? How about during a staff meeting? It’s not always easy to entice others to take a risk or do something extra. Collaboration with staff, students and community makes […]
Teaching is Contagious Read More »
Teaching is the subject of a lifetime and I have been reading, planning and obsessing about it since my first Montessori school job in 1995. When a librarian quit a Toronto District School Board assignment in October 1996, I became a public school librarian/French teacher in a tough, funding-assisted school. The learning curve was so steep,
Creative Teaching & Writing Read More »
Excuse the mess. I’m working on importing previous blogs and updating this site to be of use to Teachers, Librarians and other educators.
Over morning coffee recently, I started thinking about the Beat Poets and cut-up poetry and choose-your-own-adventure books and hyperlinked fiction. There had to be a way to turn Internet surfing into a kind of ‘experience art.’ I was thinking about what I could create if I had the technical know-how, when I started writing a
My first Slam! Poetry as experience art, delivered as performance art Read More »
I just made the deadline to submit a story to The Exile Book of New Canadian Noir. Wish me luck as this anthology, edited by Claude Lalumiere and David Nickle is sure to attract a lot of submissions. My other news is that I have started editing my latest novel, Hot Old Ladies Club. I
New Canadian Noir & a French Exchange Read More »
I’ve set a goal to write the first draft of my new comedy in the month of April. It features an ensemble cast with earthy magic at the core of the premise and enough fun and games to call it screwball. “Hot Old Ladies Club,” is about a ladies book club where a deal is
Following my adventures in Peru, I spent a week in Quebec with a four French tourists. My friend, the parent of my high school exchange partner, is a remarkable woman who skis in the Pyrenees and who enjoys travelling all over the world. I spent an athletic week with them, hiking through snow on snow
Skiing Le Massif De Charlevoix Read More »
I will be spending most of the month of February in Peru, socializing with my sister-in-law’s family and friends and learning as much Spanish as I can. As a Canadian, I have French but my Spanish so far is just what I’ve picked up here and there from hobby courses or books. Time to get serious!In the
This year I’ve decided to concentrate on writing short as well as long. I’ve been writing a crazy number of new stories, not all of which will see a polished draft. Many of them are the usual 2000 word length but I’ve been writing some very short ones as well.If you are interested in short
Writing Contests & Writing Boot Camp Read More »
I will be reading a published story “Wild Caving” and my poem “Fallow God” from the Urban Green Man Anthology at Can-Con (Spec Fic Convention) in Ottawa, Canada on Oct 5-6. If you plan to attend, I will also be involved in the NaNoWriMo panel. I hope to see you there! EDGE is holding an online book launch
Urban Green Man Online Book Launch, Can-Con Readings and NaNoWriMo Panel Read More »