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martha attema was born on a dairy farm in Friesland, one of the northern provinces in the Netherlands. In 1981, martha immigrated with husband, Albert and three children to Canada. In 1995, she published her first novel, A Time to Choose. This war novel set in Friesland and deals with the Resistance and won the Blue Heron Book Award. Since this initial success martha has written numerous books for young people. For more information, visit marthaattema.com.
Dan Bar-el was born in Edmonton, grew up in Ontario, got lost briefly in Manitoba and now resides in Vancouver. Each year, Dan gives numerous presentations in schools and libraries across North America both as an author and as a storyteller. He takes great delight in opportunities to travel, see new places and visit with young readers. Visit his website at www.danbarel.com.
Andrea Beck is the author/illustrator of the popular book series and TV show, Elliot Moose. Andrea is known for creating earnest characters that inhabit a world of warmth and friendship, appealing to children and parents alike. Beck studied at OCAD, York University and the University of Toronto and began her career as a toy designer. Her award-winning designs were featured in Canadian media and sold from coast to coast. Later, reading to her children, Beck was inspired by picturebooks and she began to write. Beck lives in Unionville, ON, with her two sons, her beagle Tillie and about 30 goldfish in the backyard pond. For more information, visit www.andreabeck.com.
Marsha Blacksmith is an educator and First Nations language and culture facilitator at Manitoba First Nations Education Resource Centre Inc. She is from Cross Lake, Manitoba.
Patricia Bow has been reading ever since the local library opened its magic doors for her and writing since she was old enough to hold a crayon. She uses a computer now instead of a crayon, but the thrill of the story hasn't changed. She writes what she loves to read: fiction with a strong flavour of the strange and mysterious, anchored by down-to-earth heroes.
Gail Bowen is the author of the bestselling mystery series featuring Joanne Kilbourn. Winner of both the Arthur Ellis Best Novel Award and the Derrick Murdoch Award for Lifetime Achievement from the Crime Writers of Canada, in 2008 Bowen was named “Canada’s Best Mystery Novelist” by Reader’s Digest. She was selected as one of "The 100 Most Popular Contemporary Mystery Authors" for an upcoming Library Unlimited reference book. For more information, visit www.gailbowen.com.
Michael Bradford was born in 1975 in St. Albert, Alberta. He has worked as a grass cutter, waiter, pizza-delivery boy, literacy teacher, elementary-school vice-principal and published poet. Button Hill is his first novel. He lives in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, with his wife and two children. Visit www.michaelbradford.ca for more information.
Constance Brissenden, BA (University of Guelph), MA (University of Alberta, theater) wrote a number of books with her partner, Larry Loyie. A nonfiction writer and editor of more than 14 books of history and travel, she was a writing instructor in Simon Fraser University's Writing & Publishing program for 18 years. In 1993, Larry Loyie and Constance Brissenden launched the Living Traditions Writers Group to encourage writing in Indigenous and other communities. A lifelong freelancer, Constance Brissenden continues to write, edit and teach writing and theater.
Halie Bruce is a member of the 'Namgis First Nation of northern Vancouver Island. She was called to the Bar in 2008. Her practice areas include Aboriginal law, family law, child welfare, fisheries law, Indigenous laws and governance, and Aboriginal business law. She has devoted part of her practice to restorative justice, including writing Gladue Reports for bail, sentencing and appeal courts in British Columbia. Halie co-edited Box of Treasures or Empty Box? Twenty Years of Section 35.
Anne Laurel Carter is a multi-award-winning author of books for children, including Under the Prairie Sky (Orca 2004). When she's not writing, she's reading. Anne lives in Toronto, Ontario, where she works full-time as a teacher-librarian.
Norma Charles has written numerous books for kids, including The Accomplice, nominated for the Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize. Norma has been a teacher and a teacher-librarian and has taught Creative Writing at UBC. For more information, visit www.normacharles.ca.
?strong>Deborah L. Delaronde-Falk?/strong> is Métis and lives in central Manitoba on a cattle ranch along the western shores of Lake Winnipegosis. She honours her Métis heritage by writing and publishing under her maiden name. Deborah’s twelve published stories (with the exception of ?i>Friendship Bay?/i> and ?i>The Rabbit’s Race?/i>) focus around Métis protagonists with story situations that she hopes will convey the way of life of the Métis people in both a historical and contemporary context. ?i>Louis Riel’s Day: The Fur Trade Project?/i> is Deborah’s twelfth book. Deborah was the first recipient of the Beatrice Mosionier Aboriginal Writer of the Year Award in 2015.
Sheila Egoff discovered the public library in her hometown of Galt, Ontario, at age eight, more than eighty years ago. Her love of books led to a life devoted to the promotion of children's literature and librarianship. Many of today's children's librarians credit Sheila with instilling in them a philosophy of librarianship that values literary quality and bringing books to each and every child.
Élisabeth Eudes-Pascal is a highly acclaimed artist and illustrator and was a finalist for the Governor General Award for Children’s Book Illustration. She was three years old when she first saw her mother draw. Ever since that magic moment, she never stopped creating art. She lives with her husband in Montreal, where she helps intellectually challenged people of all ages draw and paint, loves chocolate almost as much as drawing, and, like Bubbie on her scooter, cycles around town on her bike.
David Kanietakeron Fadden is an Akwesasne Mohawk artist who was born in Lake Placid, New York, and grew up in Onchiota. He is the grandson of Tehanetorens.
Marianne Ferrer was born in Venezuela and immigrated to Canada in 1998. After attending Dawson College in Montreal, Quebec, for illustration and design, she completed her education in graphic design at the Université du Québec à Montréal. Her style is characterized by its charm, delicacy and depth. Marianne lives in Montreal, Quebec.
Elizabeth Gatt was born in London, England, and has an MA in graphic design from the Central School of Art and Design. She worked for a number of years at the Natural History Museum in London and began illustrating children's books after her two children were born. Elizabeth now lives in Burlington, Ontario.
Christy Goerzen holds a Master of Arts in Children's Literature from the University of British Columbia. She has worked as a book reviewer, copywriter, marketing consultant, television writer, bookseller, university instructor and writing mentor. Born and raised on the West Coast, Christy lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, with her family and two funny cats.
Born a stone's throw from the English Channel in Bognor Regis,Jo Hammond emigrated to the Sunshine Coast of BC, Canada in 1967 on a 6,000 ton freighter, sailing with a cargo of Rolls Royces, Robertsons' Marmalade, and Cutty Sark Whisky. Jo lives in an orchard by the sea just outside Gibsons with three cats and a vast collection of music.
Brian Harvey is a scientist and writer. He holds a PhD in marine biology and specializes in conservation of aquatic biodiversity. Brian’s first nonfiction book for a general audience, The End of the River, was published in 2008. He is currently finishing a second nonfiction book about sailing around Vancouver Island and is working on several fiction projects. Brian lives in Nanaimo, British Columbia. For more information, visit www.brianharvey.org.
Brenda Hasiuk is an award-winning short-fiction writer whose work has appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies. Her first novel, Where the Rocks Say Your Name, was nominated for the Carol Shields Winnipeg Book Award and the McNally Robinson Book of the Year. She lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the coldest major city on earth, with her husband, author Duncan Thornton. For more information, visit www.brendahasiuk.com.
Katherine Holubitsky's first novel, Alone at Ninety Foot, (Orca Book Publishers), won the CLA Book of the Year for Young Adults and the IODE Violet Downey Book Award. She has also written Last Summer in Agatha, The Hippie House and The Mountain that Walked, all published by Orca. Katherine lives in Edmonton, Alberta.
Jesse T. Hummingbird is a Cherokee artist who has won awards for his paintings at major shows across the country. He most recently won the best of division for painting at the Heard Museum Indian Market and second place in painting at the SW Arts Festival in Indio, CA. In 2017, he was selected by the Cherokee Nation as a Cherokee National Living Treasure.
Frances Itani has published numerous books, including Requiem, chosen by the Washington Post as one of 2012's top fiction titles of the year; and the #1 bestseller Deafening, which won a Commonwealth Award, was shortlisted for the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award and was published in 17 territories. Frances is a Member of the Order of Canada and is a three-time winner of the CBC Literary Award.
Kate Jaimet is an author and journalist who recently began a freelance career after many years as a daily newspaper reporter for the Ottawa Citizen. Kate lives in Ottawa, Ontario. More information is available at www.katejaimet.com.
K.V. Johansen has Master's Degrees in Medieval Studies and in English. She has held the Eileen Wallace Research Fellowship in Children's Literature and received the Frances E. Russell Award for research in children's literature in 2004. Johansen received the Canadian Authors' Association 2006 Lilla Stirling Award; she has had fiction titles nominated for the Silver Birch Award, the Diamond Willow Award, shortlisted for the Canadian Association of Children's Librarians Book of the Year for Children Award, and included on the Ontario Library Association's "Best Bets Top Ten List" and VOYA's "Best Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Horror" list. For more information, visit www.pippin.ca.
Kathy Kacer has won many awards for her books about the holocaust for young readers, including Hiding Edith, The Secret of Gabi’s Dresser, Clara’s War and The Underground Reporters. A former psychologist, Kathy tours North America speaking to young people about the importance of remembering the Holocaust. For more information, visit www.kathykacer.com.
Voice of the Valley is Sheena Koops' first novel. She is an author who has stuck to the old adage "write what you know" and that faith has served her tremendously well. Sheena Koops teaches high school and lives with her family in the historic Qu'Appelle Valley, Saskatchewan.
An avid reader of Grimm's fairy tales as a child, Ingrid Lee enters the world of the imagination with ease. She herself has made sandy shapes on many beaches over the years. And always, she says, she has trouble leaving them to fend for themselves at the end of the day. She lives in Toronto, Ontario, where, in addition to writing, she teaches art and English.
Diane Carmel Léger grew up in the Acadian village of Memramcook, New Brunswick. For 20 years, she lived in Victoria, British Columbia, where she taught French Immersion and wrote books in French and English. Diane has left the West but a little part of herself stayed behind in the virgin rainforests of Vancouver Island where her family was involved in saving some of the world's tallest trees. Diane has toured schools in Canada and the United States since 1991. For more information, visit www.dianecarmelleger.com
John Lekich is a Vancouver-based author and freelance writer whose work has appeared in Reader's Digest, the Los Angeles Times and the Hollywood Reporter. A former West Coast arts correspondent for The Globe and Mail, he is the recipient of ten regional and national magazine awards.
Wendy A. Lewis is the author of several stories and books. Her collection Graveyard Girl received the Canadian Authors' Association Vicky Metcalf Award for excellence in young adult short fiction. Wendy loves to visit schools and libraries to talk about the writing process and conduct creative writing workshops. She lives in Uxbridge, Ontario with her family.
Carrie Mac's first novel The Beckoners won the Arthur Ellis YA Award, is a CLA Honour book. She is available for school and library presentations, and has been known to hold the interest of a couple hundred teens where others have failed. Maybe it's the tattoos. For more information, visit www.carriemac.com.
Isabelle Malenfant has a bachelor's degree in graphic design, but never worked in the field because she fell in love with illustration first. She likes to mix mediums such as watercolor, pastels and charcoal to create poetic and sensitive worlds. Isabelle has illustrated more than a dozen children's books, including Maggie's Chopsticks (Kids Can), which was awarded the Christie Harris Illustrated Children's Literature Prize. She was born in northern Quebec, between gold mines and lakes, in the city of Val-d'Or. Isabelle currently lives and works in Montreal, Quebec, with her little family.
Carol Matas is an internationally acclaimed author of over thirty-five novels for children and young adults. Her best-selling work, which includes three award-winning series, has been translated into Spanish, Japanese, Taiwanese, Turkish, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, German, French, Indonesian and Russian. Her work has won numerous awards, and has been twice nominated for a Governor General's Award. More information is available at /www.carolmatas.com
Dianne Maycock has always wanted to write books about animals. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Elementary Education from UBC and a combined Master's degree in Adult Education and Counselling from the University of Toronto. She has visited every Canadian province except for P.E.I., as well as most of the countries in Europe. Dianne lives in Vancouver, British Columbia with her family and is available for school presentations.
Shaunessy M. McKay is a Mi’kmaq of Eel Ground First Nation. She received a BA in Native Studies and English from St. Thomas University.
Victoria Miles is the author of numerous award-winning books for children, including Old Mother Bear, which received a Henry Bergh award from the American Society for the Protection of Animals. Victoria lives in North Vancouver, British Columbia, with her husband and two daughters.
Rachelle Anne Miller studied at NSCAD University, where she earned her Bachelor of Design in 2002. She worked as a graphic designer for several years before deciding to venture out as a freelance illustrator. Rachelle's art has been featured in various international magazines and websites. Her work can be seen in children's books, greeting cards, craft supplies, children's room decor, tech accessories and more. For more information, visit www.rachelleannemiller.com
Irene Morck is an accomplished author and trail-rider. Her first book with Orca, Tough Trails is based on many of her adventures riding in the Rocky Mountains. Irene lives on a farm with ten mules, one horse and her husband.
Antoine Mountain has received many awards for his art, community activism, and athletic achievement. Mountain is currently completing a PhD in Indigenous Studies at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario but will always call Radelie Koe (Fort Good Hope), Northwest Territories home.
Born in Calgary, Mary Elizabeth Nelson has been both a teacher-librarian and a language arts teacher. She wrote her first book at age four. She has four children and three grandchildren and presently lives and writes on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.
Karen Nesbitt works as a high school counselor near Montréal, Québec. The mother of two teenagers, Karen spends most of her days immersed in teen culture. She lives with her husband and children in Pierrefonds, Québec. Subject to Change is Karen's debut novel.
Cynthia Nugent is a nationally recognized and award-winning children's book author and illustrator. Her first book, Mister Got To Go, is now considered a Canadian classic. All of her books have been on the Canadian Children's Book Centre's Our Choice lists. Cynthia lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, with her Yorkshire terrier Emma. More information is available at www.cynthianugent.com.
Sylvia Olsen is the author of many books and has been nominated for and won numerous awards. She has spent most of her life living in theTsartlip First Nation, where her children and grandchildren now live. Sylvia usually writes for children and young adults about the place between cultures where Canada's First Nations and settlers come together. She is also a storyteller who loves to work with young people to help them find their written and spoken voice. Sylvia is the mother of four and grandmother of seven. She lives in North Saanich near Victoria, British Columbia.
Shane Peacock is an award-winning novelist, playwright, journalist and television screenwriter. His bestselling series for young adults, The Boy Sherlock Holmes, has been published in ten countries in twelve languages and has found its way onto more than forty shortlists. For more information, visit www.shanepeacock.ca.
Waubgeshig Rice is an author and journalist from Wasauksing First Nation on Georgian Bay. He has written three fiction titles, and his short stories and essays have been published in numerous anthologies. His most recent novel, Moon of the Crusted Snow, was published in 2018 and became a national bestseller. He graduated from Ryerson University’s journalism program in 2002 and spent the bulk of his journalism career at CBC, most recently as host of Up North, the afternoon radio program for northern Ontario. He lives in Sudbury with his wife and two sons.
Karen Rivers is the author of fourteen novels, mostly for young adults. Her books have been nominated for a number of awards, including the Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize and the Silver Birch Award. Karen lives, reads and writes in a yellow house near the beach in Victoria, British Columbia, and can almost always be found online at www.karenrivers.com..
Darlene Ryan has been writing for as long as she can remember and was the 2006 poet recipient of the Dr. Marilyn Trenholme Counsell Early Childhood Literacy Award. As Sofie Kelly, she writes the best-selling Magical Cats mysteries. She lives with her family in Fredericton, New Brunswick. For more information, visit www.darleneryan.com.
Shelly Sanders has worked as a freelance writer for almost twenty years. Rachel's Secret was inspired by Shelly's grandmother, a Russian Jew who fled to Shanghai to escape the ongoing pogroms.
Richard Scrimger is the award-winning author of twenty books for children and adults, and has written for television and print media. His fiction has been translated into a dozen languages. The father of four children, Richard is used to being confused, misunderstood, and laughed at. For more information, visit www.scrimger.ca or follow him on Twitter @richardscrimger.
Andrea Odessa Smith, M.Sc., ABD is currently completing her doctorate in Healthy Policy at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario.
Trina St. Jean grew up in northern Alberta but later moved to pursue degrees in psychology and education. She also has an MFA in Creative Writing from Vermont College. She now lives in Calgary where she teaches ESL and enjoys strategically evading grizzlies in the nearby Rockies with her husband and two daughters. Blank is Trina’s first novel.Visit www.trinastjean for more information.
Ted Staunton divides his time between writing and a busy schedule as a speaker, workshop leader, storyteller and musical performer for children and adults. Ted lives in Port Hope, Ontario. For more information, visit www.tedstauntonbooks.com.