Want to Hang Out With Me? Upcoming events include this awesome bookstore sleepover for three lucky winners at Mabel’s Fables in Toronto:
And a writing workshop & signing at Chapters Waterloo on March 23rd from 1-3pm.
Where to Get Signed Books
If you’re in Toronto, there are now signed copies at the following locations:
-Mabel’s Fables
-Another Story Bookshop
-Chapters Runnymede
-Chapters John and Richmond
-Indigo at The Eaton Centre
-Indigo Bay& Bloor/Manulife Centre
-Indigo Yonge & Eglinton
Are you wearing pink today?
Pink Shirt Day is a great anti-bullying initiative inspired by the actions a group of grade nine students who decided to show their solidarity for a student who was being picked on because of a fashion choice. This kind of harassment is sadly not unusual, but the massive student response is. I am a big fan of student run, grass-roots initiatives like this one.
When I was writing Words That Start With B I knew I wanted to give my character Benji a strong friend (Clarissa) and support group (Mattie and Michael) to help him deal with his own bullies. My hope is that children will see themselves in my characters- whether they are the bully, the bullied, or a bystander- and recognize that things can get better, they are not alone, and most of all, that anyone, anywhere can affect change. And wouldn’t you know it? The cover is pink! Spooky!
To support Pink Shirt Day and anti-bullying awareness, I am donating a COMPLETE set of my books, including Words That Start With B, Love is a Four-Letter Word, and the brand new Days That End in Y. Tweet, share, or like this post to enter!
Contest open to Canadians only
After months of not-so-patiently waiting, I am thrilled to announce the winners of the video contest and share their wonderful creation, inspired by my book Words That Start With B, here! From River Oaks PS in Oakville: Jessica, Albert, Ashley, Devon and Elijah:
Congratulations to everyone for such clever, imaginative, and faithful imaginings of Words That Start With B. Film editing is a complex and collaborative business and I am impressed with the amazing quality of your results! I can’t wait to meet you!
More contest news!
Toronto fans, you could win a Benji and Clarissa inspired sleep-over party at Mabel’s Fables! Think trivia, movies, popcorn, friendship bracelets, and yours truly! Yes, I will be rolling out my sleeping bag and joining the fun. Visit the store and pick up a copy of Days That End in Y for more information!
My third book, the final in the Clarissa and Benji series, Days That End in Y is available in three weeks! I can barely contain my excitement. I’ve already received my author copies from Scholastic Canada, look how pretty:
Doesn’t the blue make you think of summer? Doesn’t Clarissa look just ever-so slightly more mature and angsty? Aren’t you so excited to find out what happens before she starts high school?
Also, look how nice all three books look together. Don’t you want all three for your bookshelf?:
In honour of Waiting on Wednesday I’d love for you to add Days That End in Y to your Goodreads shelf, 50 Book Pledge bookshelf, pre-order online at Amazon, Indigo, or at your local bookstore. Also, stay tuned for some giveaways, when you could win a brand-spanking new copy of Days That End in Y OR the whole trilogy! i still can’t believe that I wrote a trilogy, but there they are, three books with my name on them!
Somebody pinch me!
You still have time to enter my book trailer contest! Create a fun, short video celebrating the Clarissa and Benji books and you could WIN!
All video submissions must be received by January 15th, 2013.
GRAND PRIZE WINNER:
1. The winning video will be revealed here on the blog as the OFFICIAL TRAILER. It will also be posted on the Scholastic Canada website.
2. I will visit the winner’s school to lead some writing workshops and personally thank the winner/winner’s class.
3. The winner will receive a prize pack from Scholastic Canada valued at $100.00.
4. The winner’s classroom and library will receive a signed set of my books (WORDS THAT START WITH B, LOVE IS A FOUR-LETTER WORD, and DAYS THAT END IN Y).
THREE RUNNERS UP:
1. These winning videos will also be posted on the blog.
2. Runners up will receive a prize pack from Scholastic Canada valued at $25.00
Ready to enter? Email vikki.vansickle@gmail.com for a registration form.
FOR TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS
-Group and individual entries are eligible
-Great project for students in grades 4-8 studying media, digital literacy and integrated arts programs
-Excellent opportunity for lit groups, book clubs or reading circles
-Possibility of winning an author visit for your school AND books for the classroom and library!
GETTING STARTED
First of all, get your hands on a copy of WORDS THAT START WITH B and LOVE IS A FOUR-LETTER WORD!
Click here to read an excerpt from WORDS THAT START WITH B
Click here to read an excerpt from LOVE IS A FOUR-LETTER WORD
-Check out some of the book trailers on the Scholastic youtube channel to get some ideas
-Think about your favourite movie trailers. What do you like about them? How can you apply these elements to a book trailer?
-Consider dramatizing your favourite scene from one of the books.
-Imagine a new or deleted scene from one of the books.
-Create a slideshow of images that remind you of the series, accompanied by a voice over of one of the characters.
These are just a few ideas to get you started. Remember the sky’s the limit! I can’t wait to see what you come up with!
I’m holding a book trailer contest for kids in grades 4+. The winning trailer will be the OFFICIAL trailer for Days That End in Y (due out in February) and the winning filmmaker will get all sorts of fun stuff like signed books, a prize package from Scholastic Canada, and his/her school will win an author visit from me!
For inspiration I thought I would give some examples of really cool trailers.
WHO COULD THAT BE AT THIS HOUR?
It helps that this book has awesome graphics from Seth, which are perfect source material for an animated trailer. This is also a great example of an effective and simple voice-over.
INSURGENT
This is a simple concept, extremely well done. No actors, no voice over, just images and music in a perfect combination. I know it got my heart racing!
THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN
This one always makes me tear up a little. I blame the haunting cello in the background. Again, this is a very simple concept, featuring still artwork and quotations.
THE SELECTION
Here is an example of a live action trailer, featuring actors. What I love about this trailer is that it gives a sense of the book while not actually being a scene, requiring actors to memorize lines, perform stunts, or do anything too crazy. Simple and effective!
For more tips, hints, and trailers visit:
The Director’s Cut -Check out some book trailers made by students!
Scholastic Videos in the Stacks- Check out some book trailers from Scholastic US!
Book Trailers for Readers - Check out some book trailers made by a librarian in the US!
October is my favourite month. It’s pumpkin pie, salted-caramel hot chocolate, and boots season. The air smells like woodsmoke and apples and everywhere you look the leaves are shirking their uniform greenness and letting their colours show. Plus their are two fantastic holidays, Thanksgiving and Halloween! Feasts and costumes! Who doesn’t love October?!
So it figures October would have some pretty rocking events to look forward to:
1. My Book Trailer Contest!
If you’re a follower of this blog you will know that I am holding a book trailer contest to celebrate the release of DAYS THAT END IN Y (February 2013). The contest is open to students in grades 4+ , so if you’re a teacher, librarian or parent who knows some kids who are good with a camera, check out the rules here or email me for more info!
Contest closes on January 15th, which gives you plenty of time to get those cameras rolling!
2. Girls Without Hats Benefit Concert + Jon Klassen Book Launch
This event is going to literally rock. It is a benefit concert for one of my fave organizations Girls Rock Camp Toronto, featuring local female musicians and Girls Rock Camp alum; Jon Klassen, one of my fave illustrators* who just so happens to be launching his new book THIS IS NOT MY HAT, and me, as a seriously starstruck host.
In addition to all of those awesome guests, there will be a silent auction with wicked prizes! AND it’s being held at The Gladstone! Throw in cupcakes and this is seriously all of my favourite things in one snazzy event. Whatever am I going to wear?
Such a cool event can only be organized by Small Print Toronto. Check out the website for more info and come join us on Wednesday, October 24th, 7pm, Gladstone Hotel (1214 Queen St West)
1. Another Story Workshop!
Another Story is a wonderfully eclectic and curated bookshop in Toronto that specializes in socially conscious literature. Now that I am a Junctionite, Another Story is practically in my neighbourhood.
I was thrilled to be invited to host a Saturday morning kid’s book club. I will be talking about the writing process and why it’s important to be honest, even when it makes you (or other people) uncomfortable. If you are under 14 and want to drop by (or if you know any young budding writers) please come on down Saturday, October 27th, 9-10am, Another Story Bookshop, 315 Roncesvalles Avenue.
*Remember when my she-roommate made me a custom mug with Jon Klassen’s swing dancing cats on them? Click here to refresh your memory
Calling all book-lovers and budding filmmakers in Grades 4 and up!
Create a fun, short (no longer than 2 MINUTES) video celebrating the Clarissa and Benji series and you could WIN a school visit from me AND a library of Scholastic books valued at $100!
DETAILS:
Contest runs from October 1st, 2012 to January 15th 2013. All video submissions must be received by January 15th.
ONE GRAND PRIZE WINNER winner and THREE RUNNERS UP will be announced on February 1st 2013.
GRAND PRIZE:
1. The winning video will be revealed here, on the blog, as the OFFICIAL book trailer for DAYS THAT END IN Y. It will also be posted on the Scholastic Canada website.
2. I will visit the winner’s school* to lead writing workshops and deliver the prize.
3. The winner will receive a prize pack from Scholastic Canada, valued at $100.
4. The winner’s classroom will receive a signed set of my books (WORDS THAT START WITH B, LOVE IS A FOUR-LETTER WORD, and the brand new DAYS THAT END IN Y).
THREE RUNNERS UP:
1. These videos will also be posted on the blog.
2. Runners up will also receive a prize pack from Scholastic Canada, valued at $25.
Visit the Book Trailer Contest page on this blog for more info and ideas.
*Open to all provinces except Quebec
I am thrilled to announce that Scholastic Canada will publish my third novel, DAYS THAT END IN Y in February 2013.
Here are some things to look forward to: fireworks, Little League baseball games, old high school yearbooks, bicycle missions, doggie drama, a wedding, at least three major misunderstandings, and as always, a few surprises.
This will be the final book in the Clarissa and Benji series,* which is very bittersweet. I adore Clarissa and company and in many ways I feel like I could write about them forever. However, I consider the books to be a middle school arc and there was a clear end in sight (ie: high school). I am sad to let them go, but happy with where I left them. I hope readers will agree!
STAY TUNED for an exciting contest opportunity which may well bring you fame and fortune- or at the very least, some free books, a workshop with yours truly, and internet super-stardom. Intrigued? More info coming in early September! Teachers and librarians you will DEFINITELY want to check back!
In the meantime, look for the French edition of Love is a Four-Letter Word, entitled <A comme amour> this fall!
*If anyone can come up with a better series name, I am all ears. The Word Books? Clarissa Chronicles?
Tuesday was quite possibly the most beautiful day we’ve had yet this summer- sunny, breezy, tolerable humidity- and I was happy to spend it in picturesque Beeton at the New Tecumseth Public Library!
There is lots of love about NTPL, including historical artifacts related to the city’s bee-keeping history displayed around the library, but this quilt caught my eye:
Not only does it feature a bookshelf, but it was created and designed by a local quilting group for display AND fundraising purposes. Patrons can make a $35 donation to the library and have their name embroidered on one of the book spines. What a great idea! Take a closer look here:
Don’t you love that book worm!?
The fairly new Teen Advisory Group at NTPL has been hard at work coming up with cool programming ideas and the writing contest was hugely successful! I was incredibly impressed with the originality, emotion, and sophistication of the works. They were truly a pleasure to read. Congrats to the winners and thanks to everyone who came out to support young artists and the library. A special thanks to Patti, Julie & Scott who were invited me to take part and treated me like a queen all day long.
Take this poster, for example. I love this poster. Not only does it feature Snoopy* working away on his blue typewriter (just like mine!), but is certainly nice to be referred to as a ‘celebrity’ judge, bringing me one step closer to becoming a sassy but fair judge on American Idol.
As if I wasn’t flattered enough, check out the snazzy t-shirts they had made up, modeled by the hard-working TAG team of NTPL posing with yours truly.
*I love all things Snoopy and Peanuts. Being from a town called Woodstock you kind of have to.
