Ontario Library Association Super Conference 2019

Look out people, Flatlanders are coming to town  

...erm... 

to the Ontario Library Association Super Conference 2019!

Hmm. I need to work on the slogan. Doesn't roll of the tongue, does it. Maybe a song? A riddle? Or what about a limerick!

Ahem.

Portage Avenue Collides with Yonge Street

by 

Jodi Carmichael

There once were three writers from Winnipeg.

They really liked to pull your leg

But their jokes soon fell flat
Even rhymed cat with kitkat
And got bonked on their heads with a shillelagh. 

Think I'll stick to novels.

Let me get straight to the point. Three Manitoba authors will be signing books at the Ontario Library Association's Super Conference the last week of January to showcase prairie talent and to represent publisher, Great-Plain Publications. Anita Daher, award-winning author, presenter and The Writers Union of Canada Vice-Chair, will be arriving old school, via ViaRail. The second award-winning author to make the trek is a contender in the Forest of Reading once more, Colleen Nelson. She'll be climbing aboard Westjet with me for a quick flight from Winnipeg to Toronto.

I'm signing copies of Family of Spies: Paris
at booth #421 on Friday at 10:30 am!

Next up: Family of Spies: Paris Bookmarks!

Are we ready? Yes we are.

I am in full-on marketing mode:

• Designing business cards
• Printing marketing sheets for my presentations
• Preparing a binder of speaker testimonials 

I'm also mulling over questions like:

*Can I bring back list books for teachers to look at?

*Should I bring some sort of marketing piece - maybe a postcard with a blurb about my middle grade fantasy manuscript, A Time of Peril? Is that tacky or is that being a smart business person?

*And of course, most importantly...

what should I wear? 

I strongly feel a new outfit is in order. 

Nothing like new clothes confidence to set the day off right.

And now that I have my priorities in order it is back to writing

Rise of the Dark Faeries

Spooky, yes?
This middle grade novel follows A Time of Peril
and precedes,
Return of Dragons

Please pop by, say hello and pick up some fabulous novels from Manitoba authors. 

We'll be at the Publishers Group Canada's booth #421!

And Two Makes it Real

"The only thing harder than getting your first book published, is getting your second book published."

I heard that ages ago, long before my first book was complete, years before it was even published. Once I began submitting manuscripts to editors and agents, I thought of that saying and grumbled, "I'd love to have that worry."

The reality of it hit me like a concrete wall of self-doubt as I started the submission process all over again with my second novel. The "no's"  arrived by post and email and those same feelings I had in my early days of writing descended, coupled with a new worry...

What if I was a one hit wonder?

What if Spaghetti was a fluke? A bit of good luck? Was it possible all I had in my was one good story?

My normally positive attitude was almost flattened. Almost.

The reason I was able to continue submitting, revising, and rewriting was because I made a few very smart decisions a few years ago. (I make many ridiculous decisions on an ongoing basis, so when my choices work out, they're quite a whoopdeedoo to me.)

The first brilliant thing I did was take a writing workshop led by Anita Daher. Not only did I learn more about writing in those eight weeks than I had in the previous eight years, Anita became my first writing mentor and a great friend. And to boot,  I met the most amazing circle of writers.

That's when I made my second most stupendous decision. I stuck with those talented women and we formed a writing group - a sisterhood of sorts. Seven years later, "The Anita Factor" is still together, meeting every second Thursday at McNally's, supporting each other through the dark hours of self doubt and celebrating each other's glory days of publications and award nominations.

Sheldon Oberman

The second wise move I made was to apply for The Sheldon Oberman Mentorship Program run through The Manitoba Writers' Guild. When I was accepted, I had no idea that I would be fortunate enough to be paired with Carolyn Gray, then Executive Director of The Guild and incredible playwright. Under her guidance, I ditched fourteen of my darling chapters, replacing them with better written, faster paced scenes that actually contained plot! Yes, plot peeps. Every story needs one.

The final thing I did was listen to my inner voice. The voice that sometimes is hard to hear over the busyness of daily life. The voice that gets pushed to the bottom of my to-do list of laundry, work, and kids' soccer practices.The voice that knows me best.

I think it may be my ego. Or id. Or conscience? 

(Yes, that is a Finding Nemo reference. Of course.)

I'm not a student of Karma, or meditation, or Disney movies, so I'm not sure what it is called. But, whatever it is, that little voice that knows both my wildest dreams and worst fears, said to me long ago, "You can't stop writing, so don't ever try, sister." 

Even though that wee voice has whispered, chanted, and even shouted those words, for over a decade now, I have tried to stop writing. On occasion. But only when it all seemed too hard, the rejection hurt too much. However, abstaining from writing, not losing myself in the story-worlds of my imagination, hurt even more.

So, I've stopped the stopping and I just kept on writing. because only if you're writing and polishing your words can the good stuff happen, like having my second book, Forever Julia, picked up by Great Plains Publications in 2015. And man, two published books is the perfect way to squash self-doubt.

In fact, it makes me wonder what three books would feel like...

             Forever Writing

Too Grateful?

diggingwithdarren.com

Is it possible to be too grateful? To give too much thanks for all the good in your life? Can appreciation go wrong? Maybe.

Maybe the risk is not being sincere enough with your “thank yous.” I think the problem lies with your chompers. Your pearly whites. Yes, that’s right your teeth. Not following me?

Let me explain. When you smile, in appreciation, your grin should always reach your eyes, crinkling the corners.

No eye crinkle = no sincerity. All surface and no depth. Big hat, no cattle. You get my drift, right?

I know I’ve blogged my gratefulness before, thanking my family, my friends, my teachers – heck I even thanked my neighbourhood! I got gratitude oozing from me, I tell ya’!

The closer I get to the launch date of my book, the more people I meet who want to help see it succeed. So I now have another round of thank you’s.

Ahem, are you ready? Top up your coffee. Add a shot of bailey’s while you’re at it. (No worries, I won’t tell.)

Thank you to Drew, my husband extraordinaire, who wouldn’t allow me to quit writing when I dramatically announced, “All hope is lost. I’m burning all 243 of my writing notebooks and getting a real job - one that pays cash.”

To my friend, mentor, writer, all round amazing human being Anita Daher for convincing me Spaghetti was ready to submit to publishers. I thank you. And then listening to me moan, groan and fret over possible rejections as we jogged around the track at The Rehfit Centre. (Okay, so she fast walked and I jogged to keep up. Unimportant details.)

Many friends have given me support and encouragement but I have to tip my hat (it's large, brown, and floppy) to two incredible women. I've known them since our children were babies. There's something special about the mom friends you make when your kids are that young - a bond of friendship forms that is hard to duplicate.

Karen Kernaghan, introduced me to speech pathologist, Ramona Thompson. Ramona teaches social skills to kids with Asperger’s and was excited to hear about my book, Spaghetti is NOT a Finger Food and Other Life Lessons.

Trish Wainikka, put me in touch with her dear friend, Melissa Harju, who is a board member of Asperger Manitoba. We had an instant connection and shared our hopes and dreams for AS children.

A ginormous thank you goes to my publisher Rana DiOrio of Little Pickle Press. She took a leap of faith with me – an unpublished author from the heart of the Canadian prairies – and in doing so has opened my eyes and mind to the world of eBooks, social media, and the global possibilities for Connor’s story.

My final thank you is for Little Pickle Press’ blog book tour guru, Dani Greer of the Blood Red Pencil Blog. She has given me sage advice on blogging, the future of eBooks and how to better market myself. Our first half hour phone call extended to an hour and a half as we discussed books, the universe and everything, leading me to joyfully conclude I have found another kindred spirit.

There are so many more people I could thank, but I’ve learnt that often less blog = better blog (thank you Dani.) I’ll save my appreciation for those kind souls for another time.

Oh, wait! I almost forgot. Just one last shout out.

Thank you to the scientists who discovered the healthy benefits of chocolate.
I owe you one!

Powerful Words

One open mike night simply wasn’t enough. I had to do it again. This time I read at the Manitoba Writers’ Guild/ Writers’ Union of Canada holiday mingle event, this past Wednesday evening.

My friend, mentor, critique group name sake, and holiday mingle organiser, Anita Daher, suggested I come out to mix, mingle, and read a piece of my work. I survived my last public reading, so I thought, “Why not?”

And, I reasoned, I need to network with other writers. After all, it’s “not what you know, it’s who you know.” Right?

I knew the reading time limit was three minutes, so I practised throughout the day. Not to make sure I could squeeze it all in; my chapter was short, the dialogue quick and snappy, but because I am by nature a speed talker. When worked up, my speech is almost comical. I say almost, because I do have some pride. Thus, I practised slowing down, so my three minute section didn’t condense itself into a one minute rant of rapid-fire, squirrel-speak.

Naturally I arrived 30 minutes early, so I wouldn’t have to rush in at the last minute all disoriented and jumbled. Of course I parked in front of the wrong building, which I realised with only 5 minutes to spare. I drove my rusty van, a la Dukes of Hazard, and careened through the streets of The Old Market Square, hastily parking with two wheels on the curb.

“Meh,” I pondered briefly, “They won’t give me a ticket for parking too close to the curb, will they?”

I raced to the building, found the correct meeting room, and introduced myself to as many fellow writers as possible. We had lively conversations about writing, conferences, and our publishing histories. I did it. I networked!

Sadly, I can’t remember a single name. I blame the panic that over took my brain when I realised I was in a room crammed full of published authors. And not just any published authors. Most of these authors wrote poetry, literary fiction and as my writing pal, Gabe helpfully pointed out, these writers wrote for the “A word.” Yes, you guessed it - adults. Gulp. This is the point where I commenced with Lamaze-style shallow breathing.

Flooded with a sense of foreboding, I scurried to the microphone when Anita called my name. I death-gripped my folio and swallowed every nervous thought. Would they like my young adult novel? Would they find it trivial or amateurish in comparison to their own writing? Taking a deep breath, I began reading my first paragraph as follows:           

     Panic.  Disbelief.  Denial.  Humiliation.

     No, No, No!  This can’t be happening. This can not be happening! 

And then I heard it. My words connected with my audience. My last line hung in the air, as a woman at the back of the room crashed to the floor. She passed out. Not once, but twice.

Was it that bad, I worried, that she lost her senses? Oh, yeah and is she okay?

When the paramedics arrived they clarified it wasn’t my words that knocked her out cold, but the Hawaii-hot room temperature.

Once the ambulance whisked her away, we opened a half dozen windows, and milled around for a few moments until Anita, our thoughtful hostess, returned to the mike. I figured she’d call it a day, but no, it was back to business and she called me up to finish.

Although I was full of trepidation, I got up to read again. I scanned the faces staring back at me, looking for the weakest link. Who would fall next? They all seemed solidly settled in their seats, with friendly (and healthy) smiles, so with hands shaking and gut churning, I began again.

Honestly, I don’t remember reading and I couldn’t hear anything over the echo of my pounding heart. I was too focused on keeping my pace from slipping into the speedy rodent-zone.

So, how did it go?

Gabe and Anita said everyone laughed in all the right places and for a bunch of talented poets and writers of the “A word”, what else could I ask for? Oh, and most importantly no one else was rendered unconscious.

Sweet, sweet success.

P.S. And yes, the fallen writer was quickly released from hospital with simple heat exhaustion and a minor case of embarrassment.