Family of Spies Launching Spring 2018!

It's official!

Family of Spies will launch in spring 2018!

I am extremely happy to have another book published with Great Plains Publications under their new teen and middle grade imprint, Yellow Dog Press. Partnering with editor Catharina de Bakker on Forever Julia was a dream and I can't wait to work with her once more.

Soon I will start revisions, which will take me into November/December and in the mean time discussions around cover designs begin.

Book covers are always important, but with this age group they can make or break book sales. This week I am meeting with McNally Robinson who have graciously agreed to discuss what makes a middle grade cover pop off the shelf.

Then to plan the book launch. 

Spy theme? 

Yes please!

Forever Julia Launched!

Forever Julia Launched! 

What an event and what a night.

All those happy, smiling faces of family and friends staring back at me!

You have my thanks. 

Forever. 

Jodi

Mom decorated our Prairie Ink table in colours to
 match the book cover.
Of course.

Chef Geoff and I, giddy as fools.

This is truly Cake Art.

The night started with dinner in Prairie Ink restaurant where I was surprised by this book cake. All due to my mom and Pastry Chef Geoff.

It looked too good to eat, but we still found a way to gobble it up!

Suzanne and Mel; two of The Anitas.

My dear work peeps. xo

This was my smile for 3 days prior and 3 days following
the launch. (My face still hurts.)

The original "Anita", mentor and friend.

Karen McKim of Macdonald Youth Services

Lady Gray. I adore you.
My Forever Julia Dramatuge.

Cross eyed excitement.

"I want this moment to last...forever!"

Standing room only!

Week two, going strong;
thanks to the support of Winnipeg Readers!

Forever Julia at #1 out of the gate!

Again, my thanks for your continued support. 

See you again for the launch of...

Ford and Ellie: Family of Spies

(I just have to finish writing it!)

Organization vs Chaos: Creative Minds Unite

It is good to be different. It makes us each unique and stand out from the crowd.

I knew that my brain was like a swirling mass of thoughts, ideas, and never complete to-do lists, but never have I had the chance to "see" how my brains sorts and categorizes things so visually.

Until yesterday.

For 4 solid hours my dear pal and incredibly talented children's book writer and artisan, Christina Janz and I crafted buttons onto my soon to be stale-dated book marks for my book launch this Thursday.

(Yes. I am Scottish to the core and the thought of wasting those book marks was driving me squirrely.)

What a genius idea!

And like all my great ideas, it came to me at 2 a.m. a few weeks ago.

Button those suckers up, just like the book cover, I thought. 

Genius! Unique! One of a kind! 

Then my old pallie Monsieur Procrastination moved into our spare bedroom and stayed until mid day Sunday, when I packed his briefcase and released him into the Park out front.

This is when the reality of my sewing ability came crashing head on into my grandiose Buttoned Book Mark plan. 

9 down, only 91 to go. Captain, we have a problem...

One hour in, and 9 book marks later, I knew I had a problem, so I did what all self respecting authors do, I posted my troubles on Facebook, looking for a laugh and hoping for insights on how to increase my production time. 

What I didn't expect was an offer of help!

Best Invention Ever.

And thank goodness for Christina and her natural artistic talent and her deft use of a needle! And to boot, she introduced me to this fantastic little gizmo that threads your needle for you! What a gift for a 45 year old who is one prescription away from purchasing progressive glasses!

Once we had completed our sweat shop fun crafting morning, I noticed something peculiar as I began counting bookmarks. I started with Christina's pile, and blazed through her beautifully fanned out collection. Then I looked at my share. It was a tad bit more difficult to count as it appeared my side of the table been hit by a wind storm. Needles, button bags, and bent paper clips littered my chaotic pile.

"Look!" I said. "This is the perfect visual of our minds. Your bookmarks are a picture of organization, mine are a frenetic chaotic minefield!" 

Or something to that effect.

Yet, both of us are creative souls with imaginations we feed with writing, reading, and long hours spent day-dreaming up new worlds filled with "what-if" scenarios.

Three cheers for differences! 

And organization! 

And of course to chaos, who runs my creative mind! 

Blast Off to the Forever Julia Book Launch!

Thrilled to see this end cap!

Look out world! Forever Julia is launching next week at McNally Robinson Booksellers! 

There will be a wee introduction, a quick reading, chardonnay and Shiraz on hand, and even McNally's most famous Imperial cookies! Somehow they will work their magic and morph my book cover into a yummy treat.

Forever Julia hanging out with
Empty Cup and Enslavement!
Go Anitas, Go!

Now remember, peeps, Forever Julia is a far cry from Spaghetti is NOT a Finger Food. Forever Julia is intended for audiences aged 13/14+, but your children are welcome to attend and hang with my girls, who will be model citizens enjoying every facet of the evening, sitting quietly, with ankles crossed, in the audience.

Or they will run like feral children through the store, acting like McNally's was built for their entertainment alone.  

My money is on the wild animal option.

I am donating $1 from every book sold at McNally's from April 16th to May 7th to Macdonald Youth Services. Macdonald Youth Services will be on hand at the launch to share information about the important work they do with at risk youth in Winnipeg. Please consider MYS, if you are looking for a new charity to support. The boys and girls they support are our neighbours and our community members, who desperately need love, kindness, guidance, and compassion. 

Hope to see you on Thursday, April 16th at 7:00pm 

in the Atrium of McNally Robinson Booksellers!

(1120 Grant Avenue)

Devious Mind in Need of a Poker Face

All I can say is, "WOW!"

This is the Forever Julia kit Great Plains Teen Fiction sends to book reviewers, journalists, book bloggers, and librarians. My pal, co-worker, and Pembina Trails School Division's Educational Media/Library Consultant, Heather Eby brought the kit to work today so I could hold the Advanced Reading Copy. (Heather has a very fancy title because she is a literary queen, reading more books a year than anyone I know. Yes, that's right; she's a librarian's librarian.)

Holding the printed copy of Forever Julia was such a thrilling moment, I overheated and nearly slipped into delirium, taking every ounce of my constraint not to slip this ARC into my purse and slink away. 
Yup, I contemplated stealing my own book. I am devious that way.
However, since I have zero poker face, I wouldn't have gotten far, plus I kept walking around the school like this:

Worst thief. Ever.

Next step:

Book Launch at 7:00 pm on April 16th at 
McNally Robinson Booksellers.

Hope to see you there!

Yes, there will be wine. And books. And excitement. 

And possibly balloon animals.

(Okay, no balloon animals, but for sure wine
& a bookstore full of excitement.)

Spaghetti Launched at McNally's!

My smile swallowed my face. So happy.

It happened. My ultimate writing dream came true this past Saturday.

I said it in my launch speech and I'll say it here again, for every Winnipeg writer having their book launch at McNally's is as exhilarating as being a chocolate addict and winning a golden ticket to Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory.

We began with running the incredible book trailer, followed by The Drew's introduction of me. He brought

The Drew. xoxo

gales of laughter when he remarked that he had been a fan of my body of work for years and then tears when he closed with his pride in my accomplishments.

When I then stood behind that podium and saw all those faces smiling back at me, I had a full Romper Room moment. All I needed was that monstrous mirror she held and it would've gone a little like this;

"I see Sarah and Thomas and Daniel and Emma and Melody and Neve. I see Lauren, and Brynne, and Kaiya and Signy and Ella. Oh look, it's Abi
and Katya and Laura. And is that Wren and Karissa and Shay and Tait, too?"

Hello Peeps! You all Came!!!

Really, I could go on like that for hours. No jokes. But honestly, with every new face I saw, I felt a surge of joy.

The Hartmichaels on Another Grand Adventure.

McNally's, the finest Independent Book Store in all of the world, went above and beyond.

They moved book shelves out of the way to expand our space, served the most scrumptious chocolate chip cookies a kid could ever ask for (even better than mine, I've since been told), and tolerated my rambunctious children as they raced through the children's department as if it were their second home as it is mine.

Apparently watching your mom sign books for an hour and half is 100% Dullsville, when you're 8 and 12.

And McNally's graciously allowed us to sell Spaghetti book posters as a fundraiser for Asperger Manitoba. Anne Kresta was in attendance and was able to disseminate important information about the services and support that Asperger Manitoba Inc provides to Manitoban families.

My thanks to all who showed up, if not in body, but in spirit - you made me feel like the Queen of Books.

To my publisher Little Pickle Press for designing a book I am proud to call my own, with Lesson Plans, book marks and posters to accompany it - what else could I ask for? You are stupendous.

Now, about that next book...

Spaghetti Launches Today!

The day has come. The day I have dreamt of since Little Pickle Press offered to publish my book..

The Book Launch for Spaghetti is NOT a Finger Food and Other Life Lessons.

When I first signed with Little Pickle, the marketing strategy was to launch digitally first, see if we had an audience, and follow with a print book if deemed appropriate. Our plan was to wait until we had a sufficiently large school order down in the states and then we'd start our first print run.

But Connor's story was a hit and ba-blam! Rana pressed the print key and voila 5,000 copies of my beautifully illustrated book were ready within days.

Joff Schmidt and I.

Yes, my outfit matches my book cover.

I started this morning with an interview on CBC Radio with Joff Schmidt. We talked about writing, kids, and Asperger's Syndrome.

Our chat, as far as I could tell, was going extremely smoothly, until a flock of runners in bright yellow t-shirts stopped to wave wildly at us through the ginormous window that faces the studio. Exactly what a person with my focus issues does not need when on live radio.

Might as well have been a tap dancing purple unicorn or an elephant sized squirrel juggling cannon balls outside that window.

Thankfully, Joff is a pro and helped me redirect my attention back into the room.

So here are the deets for today!

McNally Robinson Booksellers.

When: 2:00 pm - in the Atrium

There will be cookies, punch, coffee, tea and water. Oh, and of course paper books aplenty. And to support Asperger Manitoba Inc, McNally's is allowing us to sell book posters at the launch, with all proceeds benefiting AMI. Have I mentioned before how much I love McNally's? And what about my publisher, Little Pickle Press, who generously donated hundreds of posters?

Now it's time to get myself book launch ready. New blue and green outfit. Check. Painted matching blue toes. Check. T-Rex the Gecko earrings. Double-check!

Hugs,

Jodi

Spaghetti at #5 on McNally's Best Sellers List!

Celebration Carmichael Style

The Drew never lost faith in me, even when I had.

Last night, we had a fun filled evening at Boston Pizza. We were celebrating the arrival of the paper version of, Spaghetti is NOT a Finger Food and Other Life Lessons.

Here's a tribute to my most amazing family. If it takes a village to raise a child, it takes a family to nurture a writer.

Thank you so much.

I love you all to the moon and back. 

 

Sarah is so excited, that she  keeps offering free copies to her friends.

Emma's 2nd grade class was my fist Beta audience.

Without my mom. there would be no book. She enrolled me in my first writing course.

Judith babysat so that I could go to writing conferences & workshops.

My dad spent hours supporting me on my blog book tour, posting comments as we toured the world wide web.

Our new favourite bedtime story.

 

The Book's in the Mail

"©2012 Little Pickle Press reprinted with permission"

Just got the great news.

My book has left the printer and is heading across North America to arrive at my front door. Maybe as soon as tomorrow!

I can hardly wait to hold it. To slide my fingers across it's glossy cover, opening the book to the dedication page - to read it out loud to my family. Pretty sure the tangy smell of the ink will jellify my knees.

Yes, only a true booky would swoon at the scent of a freshly printed book.

I may even take my book out for a cocktail to celebrate. Maybe a Cosmo or Manhatten in some cozy fireside lounge in the charming Old Market Square section of downtown Winnipeg.

Uhm, sorry. I got a little carried away.

What we will have, is a night out Carmichael-Style. 

Family dining ala Boston Pizza. 

Brimming bowls of Bugs n' Cheese for the girls, the feature special for The Drew and I and icy cold cokes for us all. That's just the way The Carmichaels roll, baby. (Yes, we've been watching too many Cake Boss reruns.)

Of course, the evening will be topped of by "an all hands on deck" Happy Dance in our living room before bed.

And just guess what our bedtime story will be.

Available for order at McNally Robinson
Available for order through Little Pickle Press

How do you celebrate family achievements? I'm looking for suggestions.

(It's time to push beyond insect-shaped pasta and pizza.)

 

Spaghetti Dinner a Success!

Charlene and I, with a visit from Gavin.

What a night!

Charlene Walberg, President of Asperger Manitoba Inc, and I were overwhelmed with the incredible turnout for our 1st Annual Spaghetti and Potluck Dinner.

We planned for 85 and served over 150, running out of cutlery and plates! The Drew ran to Safeway to replenish our supplies so we could feed the starving masses.

Ok, so maybe they weren't starving, but still they devoured the scrumptious spaghetti and tasty treats.

DeLuca's pasta was DeLicious!

I need to extend an enormous thank you to Rosanna Deluca-Poole, of DeLuca's Specialty Foods for her generous donation of the best spaghetti I have ever tasted. 

My Rocking Book Trailer.

I was too busy to actually eat at the event, but I scarfed down a mounding plate of spaghetti once I got home. (I did not, however, morph into a cavewoman and dump any noodles on my head, Ala Connor.)

The evening went off without a hitch - beyond the mid event supply run.



Sarah & I getting crafty with signage

All thanks to Charlene, her husband Ryan, my husband Drew, my great friends Brenda and Laura and all my parents - especially my mom who thought of every last detail.

Mom, organizing the troops

And of course to Charlene's son Gavin and my girls Sarah and Emma who helped prep the tables and the kids craft section.

6 year old McKenna's picture she drew for me.  

We sold close to 40 posters, that were donated by Little Pickle Press, making $300 for Asperger Manitoba. 

Again my thanks to Rana DiOrio and her whole team for supporting not just me as a Little Pickle Press author, but also Asperger Manitoba and by extension the Aspergers' community in Manitoba.

But the best part by far?

Nearly blew a gasket, dreaming up witty messages!

Meeting so many incredible kids; Tait, McKenna, David, Alex, Gavin, Sam, Agustin, Cooper, Eric,and Carter. I know there were more, but I lost my paper with all the names written on it. I am a bit disorganized that way. Frustrating, but true.

I hope to see them all again at the book launch in spring, and I'll make sure to include their names when I blog about it!

I was able to squeeze in two readings and the kids had lots of questions for me when I signed their posters.

Looking out to the packed room and seeing my friends and family smiling back at me was my dream come true.

The Best Dad. Ever.

My fellow Anita, Pat.

The Original Anita.

My PR guru pal, Tish.

It takes understanding, compassion, and acceptance to build an inclusive community and this was a much appreciated way for you to show your support. 

Cyber Hugs for you all!

Meeting wonderful people, always makes me happy.