Blog
Writing Fiction for Children and Youth – University of Calgary
My online course Writing Fiction for Children and Youth will be running online in May and June at the University of Calgary. Writing for children and youth is a rich and vibrant global market. The focus is on writing fiction for readers aged 8 to 12 years. Students examine the writing process from initial concept to finished work including turning ideas into stories, story structure, developing characters, creating outlines, and the importance of editing and revision. Registration is available here at the University of...
read moreWriting Descriptions
I’m honoured to now be a Contributing Editor at Write By The Sea, where you’ll find all sorts of helpful resources for writers with new materials added to the library regularly. The latest post is all about writing descriptions. This is also an excerpt from my book The Children’s Writer’s Guide 2, and you can learn more about the post...
read moreFoothills Young Authors Conference
This weekend, I’ll be a presenter at the Foothills Young Authors Conference, being held at the Holy Trinity Academy in Okotoks, just south of Calgary. I’ve been a presenter at this event before and it’ll be great to be back. I was a regular presenter at several different events over the years, as well as a regular visitor to schools across Canada for presentations, workshops, and Author in Residence programs. This kind of thing stopped happening during the pandemic, but there’s been renewed interest recently at events...
read more“An imaginary friend, a mystery, and time travel? How could I resist?”
“An imaginary friend, a mystery, and time travel? How could I resist?” “Flashback is a fascinating Young Adult book that pushes the boundaries of imagination: the Grail for every science fiction and fantasy reader.” “Right from the very first sentence I was engaged, and I could not wait to find out what happened next. The book was thrilling and it kept me on the edge of my seat.” “Flashback is an action-packed adventure perfect for middle grade readers. Young readers will enjoy the plot-driven story...
read moreWriting Fiction for Children and Youth – University of Calgary
My online course Writing Fiction for Children and Youth will be running online in May and June at the University of Calgary. Writing for children and youth is a rich and vibrant global market. The focus is on writing fiction for readers aged 8 to 12 years. Students examine the writing process from initial concept to finished work including turning ideas into stories, story structure, developing characters, creating outlines, and the importance of editing and revision. Registration is available here at the University of...
read moreWhat’s it all about? An excerpt from The Time Traveler’s Guide
“The Time Traveler’s Guide is a great resource for any writer wanting to improve their craft.” Chapter One: What is time travel? Time travel is defined as taking place when there is movement between specific points in time. This is achieved in the same way that objects and living things move through space. In fiction, this kind of travel is made possible by the use of a time machine, device, or method. While nothing is carved in stone, I tend to think that time travel involving machinery or some kind of technology should be...
read moreWriting Fiction for Children and Youth – University of Calgary
My online course Writing Fiction for Children and Youth will be running online in May and June at the University of Calgary. Writing for children and youth is a rich and vibrant global market. The focus is on writing fiction for readers aged 8 to 12 years. Students examine the writing process from initial concept to finished work including turning ideas into stories, story structure, developing characters, creating outlines, and the importance of editing and revision. Registration is available here at the University of...
read moreWhere Do Ideas Come From?
I’m honoured to now be a Contributing Editor at Write By The Sea, where you’ll find all sorts of helpful resources for writers with new materials added to the library regularly. The latest post is all about where ideas come from. This is also an excerpt from my book The Children’s Writer’s Guide, and you can learn more about the...
read moreWriting Historical Fiction – Alexandra Writers’ Centre
6 Weeks | Wednesdays | Begins May 7, 2025 | 1pm-3pm MT Historical fiction combines the events of the past with characters and stories from the writer’s imagination. This course examines the art of writing historical fiction and the need to fully immerse yourself in a particular time period to make your storytelling more believable. Learn how to write effective, authentic and appealing historical fiction and how to turn your ideas into compelling stories. Understand what defines historical fiction and different historical time periods, create...
read moreWriting Fiction for Children and Youth – University of Calgary
My online course Writing Fiction for Children and Youth will be running online in May and June at the University of Calgary. Writing for children and youth is a rich and vibrant global market. The focus is on writing fiction for readers aged 8 to 12 years. Students examine the writing process from initial concept to finished work including turning ideas into stories, story structure, developing characters, creating outlines, and the importance of editing and revision. Registration is available here at the University of...
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