Standing at the edge of my life

Here I am standing at the edge of one of the seven natural wonders of the world, The Grand Canyon.

The wind blows strong here and it's jaw droppingly beautiful. Everyone waits, camera poised, for the sunset. Then the whole sky glows and the clouds become eerie wisps but the canyon turns too dark.

You have to keep the moment perfectly in your heart instead of on your camera.

Sylvia McNicoll Public School

The other day there was a message on my answering machine. "This is Jane Doe from Halton District School Board..." (Jane Doe is being used to protect the identity of the real caller)

My first thought: Ah, Hunter, what have you done wrong. Gee I hope you're okay.

"Your name came up..."

Second thought (the authors reading this will appreciate this line of thinking): Yay, they're hiring me to talk at a professional development day. Mortgage payment, score.

"...because there's a school opening in the fall ...

third thought(still thinking like an author here): Oh a school visit, okay half a mortgage payment. Still it's nice to be asked.

"...and we want to name it after you."

What? No really. The message said to call back immediately. How long had I been gone for?

Of course when I returned the urgent call, Jane Doe was gone so I had to wait, gobsmacked, tidying 'cause you shouldn't have a messy kitchen if someone's going to name a school after you.

Crazy thoughts come into your head. You feel like you should write your memoirs and/or die fairly soon. You feel like you should be a better person. That afternoon I returned my grocery cart from the other end of the strip mall where I had originally parked to go to the bank.

Immature thoughts too: wow, think of all the cool personalized stuff that will be available.

Sylvia McNicoll mugs, Sylvia McNicoll hoodies, Sylvia McNicoll pens--I'll try to buy some of those if they come available.

Jane Doe finally called back and it seems there are three other names in the running, can't remember any others but Dundas Heights.

No I don't think I'm famous enough or all that worthy but, yes, I feel honoured. I drove by and took a photo of the potential Sylvia McNicoll Public School. No matter what it's called, in my heart it will always be mine.

You're Welcome Bruce T Lindley Grade 4

Favourite kids' quote of the thank you card:

"Lots of people may think you're not a professional author, but I think you rock."

And just how many ways are there to spell author wrong!

I love kids' thank you notes. All the authors I know must get them. And each must be told that her/his book is the best. Ah the enthusiasm! Just keep reading kids.

Visiting Bruce T Lindley School

"Are you used to being up at this hour?" the teacher asks me. It may be because I've agreed to her offer of a coffee, explaining that I haven't had my required third of the morning yet. Up until this point, I thought I had been competently connecting my Macbook to the LED projector.

My mixmaster hair is styled messy deliberately. Costs a lot of royalties to keep it this way.

My face is fully made up, teeth brushed etc. It's 9 a.m. and by now I've looked at a couple articles for the magazine I work for, copy edited a chapter of a basketball novel my Norwegian publisher wants to look at (hey I'm losing a whole writing morning to this class), fed my grandson Hunter breakfast and made his lunch, double checked to make sure his homework went into his backpack, walked the dog and packed up all my author visit gear. I know people in 9 to 5 jobs do a lot of stuff in the morning but still I can't help wondering about the public perception of the writer's life from her question. Or her perception of me.

"Oh yes," I answer. "I am an early riser." The first image of my Powerpoint presentation rises up on the screen with no difficulty at all. Ha! I think. When we first approached the idea of me visiting the teacher cautioned me that she knew nothing about technology and that I might be "on my own" getting the projector and computer to communicate.

I should add, we first approached the idea three days prior when Hunter told me I was expected.

The 21 students were a captive audience. Yes, I took the entire first period English as they may have hoped since their book review presentations were due that morning. We all had fun.

The teacher gave me a lovely plant which I will post a photo of a little later when I try my new camera on it.

That afternoon I continued editing articles for Today's Parent Toronto and matching up my basketball novel in text form to the book it was published as. While I walked the dog in between, made supper, went to aqua fit etc, I only put the laptop down at 10:30 p.m.

And here it is 6:30 a.m next day and I'm up and at it again. "Are you rich?" one of the grade fours asked me.

"Not in the way you think I am," I answered.

Still Milking the Award

Here's a photo from Creative Burlington awards night. I'm in the middle. Barbara Orr (writer) is on your left and Don Ford(The Burlington Post)is on the right. They presented me with my award, performing the opening-of-the-envelope-with-the-winner ceremony.

As in all the arts, merit is not always rewarded fairly. The real successes in a writer's life have to be measured internally. Certainly, I have my share of fan mail to show me that my stories have connected with my audiences. I have two readers(that I know of) who have gone on to foster many guide dogs as a result of reading the Bringing Up Beauty Series. A girl with an eating disorder wrote me over Walking a Thin Line.

A waitress spontaneously hugged me because her daughter had read Grave Secrets the night before after one of my school visits, her first book ever. There have been so many great testimonies to emotional responses to my stories.

I guess I'm listing these non-trophies because I'm feeling unhappy with my commercial success of late. I love all three of my jobs, writing novels for kids, editing Today's Parent Toronto and spending time in schools as an "artist in education" or as a visiting author.

But I would like the option of donating more to charity, paying off my mortgage as well as handing out down payments to my wonderful kids who give me so much joy. Or taking a friend to lunch and paying the tab.

Instead, I'll take another moment to savour this award as I sip from my cup of coffee this morning, watching the sunrise. Ahhh.

Award winning can be fun

Just before Halloween, Andrea Gordon of Burlington Public Library forwarded me a notice about this literary achievement award. With the recommendation letter of another writer Gisela Sherman, I dutifully submitted my CV and an excerpt from my favourite book so far, Last Chance for Paris.

I also forwarded the notice to my daughter and what fun, both of us became finalists along with a communications writer named Bobbi Smith.

It was time for Burlington to vote for their favourite.

I'm not sure if anyone read our excerpts or if we just

got all our friends to vote for us. Creative Burlington drew

1,500 votes which was amazing for a first year event.

A few weeks ago our artist statement was video taped and we got an "artsmatter" t shirt. The rest of you can buy one for $15 from creativeburlington.ca.

Last Thursday, I won the event. My camera chose not to work so you won't see me grinning along side of our new mayor Rick Goldring. But here is the the plaque. Because there was a great silent auction full of theatre and dinner certificates, I pretty much spent my whole award.

No paying off my mortgage early, I'm afraid.

Still how nice to be so celebrated. Thanks to all for voting and for their congratulations.

CANSCAIP OLA Book Launch

Despite an awful publishing climate out there, the seventh annual CANSCAIP Ontario Library Association book launch drew over 30 applicants this year. We cut our list down to 23 and had a tremendous launch Friday February 4. This photo obviously doesn't show all our plucky quick witted presenters.

You can't keep that many writers in one spot when there are so many librarians, publishers and books out there for them to visit. Still at least all of these have their eyes open. Congratulations to all of them. Good luck with your books.

Science North and Macleod Public School

Why go to Sudbury in January? I love Sudbury any time of year but especially in the winter. I skated on Lake Ramsey and enjoyed the Imax Festival. This time I enjoyed a personal tour of the renovations and will be excited to return in the spring and see the Rescue Animal exhibit and the all Canadian Born to be Wild Imax film of lions.

During the week I taught a great bunch of grade five writers in Macleod Public School. They wrote terrific poetry and wonderful stories but there are new privacy rules in place. Out of respect for these, I can't publish photos or even snippets of their wonderful work. But it was a lot of fun writing with them. What a lucky writer I am.

The Residency that Got Away

Every Canadian YA writer I know applied for the Writer in Residence position at North York Library and it should be easy to hate the winner of the post Allan Stratton, especially since he'd only written a couple of YA books and wasn't a member of CANSCAIP.

But then I read Chanda's Secret and wanted to applaud.

When I contacted him to try to get him to join CANSCAIP, I instead persuaded him to speak at the January meeting.

How generous of him to say yes and he spoke about the luck involved in getting the book into a movie. The happenchance of being at the right place in the right time which kind of convinces me that it's okay for a writer to go out once in a while and not keep there fingers to the keystone, so to speak.

Over dinner he told me about his residency and how much he enjoyed it. So despite all logic I applied once again, this time for the children's writer residency at Osborne Public Library. Hopefully, something good will come of it.

A Decade at CANSCAIP

Lena Coakley was a fabulous executive administrative for CANSCAIP but she's also a talented writer. We bought her picture book On the Night of the Comet and were mesmerized by the story. Lena made a dedicated pursuit of an American agent as she wrote a fantasy. This fall The Witchlander will come out and Lena's decided to devote herself to writing rather than other kids' writers.

January was her last meeting and here she is hugging CANSCAIP's vicepresident Karen Krossing goodbye.

It was the only shot that I could capture them together, if ever so briefly. Good luck, good fortune and many great books Lena.

Mortie's Wild Dog Party

Am I trapped in a Linda Bailey picture book? After icing the yule log, I gave Mortie a bath in preparation for his party. That's right, HIS party. We were invited to Pawsway Appreciation Night.

As part of my other job, features' editor for Today's Parent Toronto, he had joined me for the opening of the Pet Discovery Centre at the Harbourfront. He generated more press interest than any of my novels.

We were on television

together and in the newspapers.

Three years later, he had to look his best for a return visit. After his towel-off, he hid under the bed and refused to come out. I used my stern voice. "You have to look good. They'll probably take your picture again," I explained as I brushed him.

Talk to the paw. Mortie was not happy with me. After a tedious drive downtown, though Mortie forgave me. And yes the press trained their cameras on him again.

He loved meeting the other dogs. His tail hardly stopped wagging. Except for some reason he took a dislike to Sasha the Malmut. Maybe he was jealous of his Santa coat. Although there were plenty of water dishes around and lots of human treats, Pawsway forgot the dog snacks.

I felt a bit guilty sneaking Mortie bits of my grilled cheese and pear sandwich. As for the "So you think you can dance competition" I think Mortie could do just as well as the dog dancers. He has just as good a sense of rhythm and responds equally well to the rattle of the treat bag.

Maybe next year.

Kids in the Hall

Real writers can work anywhere. Proof positive are these students from Brier Park School in Brantford. The signal from the router couldn't get through to the computer lab/stage although the thunder of the basketballs could. So we tried in the hall. Sometimes when I squatted down to help them, I wasn't entirely sure I could get up again. But I did and we had a great week.

On the final day we celebrated by reading poems and stories and acting out skits in front of keen parents.

This will be the last school visit for 2010 and it was a terrific way to end the year. Congratulations to Mrs Genge, Mr. Sturgeon and Mrs. Coulis for hosting it.

The School Where Revenge on the Fly Actually Takes Place

This week I visited Central Public Junior School

in Hamilton to perform my writing workshop.

I also read to them from Revenge on the Fly, a story about 12 year old William Alton, an Irish boy who emigrates to Canada in 1912 and ends up participating in the Hamilton Spectator Fly Catching Contest in order to avenge the deaths of his mother and sister. This story takes place at Central Public. Yes it's a very old school.

I love reading to the kids anyway, gives me a break from yelling at them. Just kidding. But think they enjoyed having a story set at their schoo.

Meeting a Famous Author

Working with 50 grade 7 students in the morning and 40 grade 8s in the afternoon proved no greater challenge than working with 30 kids at a time. Except when it came to one on one editing, that went out the computer screen since we had to divide the groups into two to type up their stories and poems.

Also my training as writer in electronic residence helped as I needed to read 90 stories in one night. Okay and my SRA training in grade 4 (speed reading for content but the initials stand for Scientific Research Associates).

In my last Artist in Education Stint, one of the teachers suggested I include more physical movement in the workshops so that's my new challenge. Instead of passing around stories, the students now need to get up and shift seats. If I could get taller desks, they could walk on the spot while writing the way Art Slade and the other treadhead writers do.

The first challenge is always getting students to write on task when they're in such a social atmosphere. Next time I must try playing classical music to blanket over ambient noise.

I miss the kids at St. Joseph School in Acton.

Beauty Returns--Book Trailer Part Deux

Readers would probably be shocked at how much research goes into a work of fiction. When I wrote A Different Kind of Beauty and Beauty Returns, I needed to get into the head of a blind 16 year old boy so I interviewed some blind people. I hate the way that sounds and could write instead "visually challenged" or something else but it would all suggest that I'm interviewing the handicap instead of the person. And it's the people details in which a writer is really interested.

I met Angela Wice and she helped shape Kyle immensely by sharing the sounds, smells and feelings along the path of losing losing your sight and then somehow gaining a new vision.( for example she let me test my bloodsugar level exactly the way diabetic Kyle would.( I became a regular at her coffee house where musicians often visited to showcase new work. I became a fan.

When I write stories, I know I need music in my character's lives but can't really afford the time or money to purchase rights to songs. I believe after seven words of a quoted song you need to get permission. So I write caricatures of songs. They're shorter with bits of verses and minimal refrain so that a book reader gets a sense of the music but doesn't get bored.

Kyle's Lullabye in Beauty Returns is one that Angela helped me develop into a real song. I have sung it at the OLA launch of the story and at various author visits (one in a grade 9 prison).

Angela consented to sing it for the book trailer and my son Craig filmed it yesterday. The moment the first note left her mouth I felt so touched. A creation of mine had reached a new tangible level for me.

More poignant too because Craig and Eireann's baby Violet was there and cooed all the way through it. I also loved how three artforms were cooperating to produce something totally different. It will be awhile till Craig can put this all together. His daytime job at Emotion Pictures keeps him busy and I know he cherishes his family life in the hours he has left. But I also know it will be a masterpiece t.

Author Visit to Clarington Library

First a two hour drive on a clear sunny day with no traffic at all. A good omen. Then at noon an interview with a journalism student, Nancy Ellis. Her story on me counts for 25% of her final grade, a replacement for a midterm. No pressure. She has to tape the interview.

I do this a lot with younger kids usually. No one's ever gotten lower than a B, no worries Nancy.

Hurray for Laura Martin, the hospitable librarian who hooks me up with a large cup of butter pecan coffee and a private room for the interview. Sample question: best advice someone's ever given me on writing. Best is such a hard judgemental word. Recently we had Vicki Grant speak at CANSCAIP and she said something about her best ideas being very close to her worst ideas.

That resonated with me. What about the best advice I can give a young writer. Explore your likes and dislikes and find yourself. Then connect what you find to your work. That goes for all young people not just writers.

Nancy can't stay for the talk which is in the adjoining city hall chambers. Gorgeous like a techno courtroom. The two techies provided to me swore off on my Mac--although helped get me some sound to my trailer.

Three classes of Grade 8s from Vincent Massey sat on two levels facing me. They are terrific. I would guess there are some good writers in the crowd judging from their thoughtful participation. Plus I have some superb actors perform my scene from Last Chance for Paris. Appropriate aws for cute puppy shots.

We all had a good time. I enjoyed a visit with Laura who previous hailed from a Manhatten Library. Then she gave me a souvenir library bag and pen.

Now what would make this all perfect would be to hear that Vincent Massey will now read my books and that Nancy goes on to earn an A+ and quotes me to future writers.

Teachers grabbed some writing tip sheets and the kids hiked back with them to school.

I drove off into the rushhour traffic.

Filming the trailer for the Beauty Series

Why film a trailer for a series of books that has already been out for awhile? Does a book have any value once it's off the boxstore bookshelf?

Certainly in the past, kids' books had a shelf life of over ten years. Of course most bookstores don't have enough shelves. But now everyone can order online. Why did I want a trailer?

Because it's fun for me to put some creative energy into a project this way and I like working with my kids.

Here's my son filming random shots of dogs who resemble Beauty 1, the black Lab, Beauty 2, the Chocolate Lab (he will actually be played by Buster, Beauty's real brother) and Magic, played by Grand Torino. When I asked his owner for permission to film him, she told me she had read Bringing Up Beauty in grade 6 and in grade 7 had started fostering guide dogs with her family as a result. When I wrote that Buster was Beauty's real brother, you probably thought "hey Beauty is a fictional dog." However, his foster owner is also a fan of the Beauty series and she's raised several dogs for Canine Vision Canada. The last dog was born into a B litter, meaning the pups all get names starting with B. For the first time she was able to have her own Beauty she told me.

And Beauty sent me a Christmas card. Does a book have any value once it's off the boxstore bookshelves? Of course it does.

Shooting Covers for Dying to Go Viral

Last Tuesday Dying to Go Viral sold to my favourite publisher in Norway, Sweden and Finland. Hurray!

After a few cover attempts failed for the Canadian publisher, my husband Bob shot the cover for Last Chance for Paris. Turned out to be my favourite cover of all time. This time I thought

I would try to give him first crack. My niece Kelly is the perfect age to play the 14 year old character Jade who dies in the first chapter when she "skitches" on a Mustang while riding her skateboard. Of course for the shoot, we couldn't have the Mustang driving. Then we'd be as stupid as the boy who attempts to capture this video for youtube in the story. So the car is parked and we hope for the designer to add the illusion of movement.

I like to get more creatively involved with my books. I'm an idea person so I can write good copy for back blurbs, I took scriptwriting for a year so I can envision and write scripts for booktrailers and I work at a magazine part time so I can think of how I'd like a cover to look at least conceptually. The actual colours and design, well really that's up to the visual professionals. But I also like to stretch creatively using the talents of my family. Traditionally publishers don't like authors to suggest or submit illustrations. And they may not like us submitting potential photos. But who knows maybe they will love it. For more photos of the skateboarding cover shots, see this url

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcnicollphotography/sets/72157625009561933/show/

Last Chance for Paris--the book trailer

It occurs to me that while I posed some photos of the filming of the video, I never posted the finished product. My son did the shooting and editing. He's a talented videograper/editor who works for Emotion Pictures.

Will everyone buy a second and third copy of Last Chance for Paris? Maybe not. But my family working together creatively makes me happy. In the meantime, the autographed book is available at A Different Drummer's on Locust Street in Burlington.

Writing Lakeshore Public School

Wednesday is dialogue day. Middle of the week, by now students might be tired of writing stories. They've done description and character so they need something light and fun. So I get them to write scripts and act them out. The grade 5/6s at Lakeshore were great script writers and wonderful actors. We laughed a lot and had a great time.