**** Open Book: Toronto – Proust Questionnaire
Friday, October 7th, 2011I recently filled out the Proust Questionnaire for Open Book: Toronto. I was in a cheeky mood. I like it. You can read it by clicking here.
**** Chapters Indigo guest blog for Star Academy: Dark Secrets
Monday, October 3rd, 2011My friends at Chapters Indigo asked me to write a blog entry about Dark Secrets, the funny/scary sequel to my first novel, STAR Academy. You can click here (that grey bit) to go to their site, read it and comment on it. And I hope you will!
**** STAR Academy sequel Dark Secrets released!
Tuesday, September 13th, 2011Tuesday is not usually a big day for me. Pleasant, but nothing special. An “in between” day, if you will. But today is an exception, not just because it’s the new season of the Rick Mercer Report, but also because Dark Secrets, the sequel to my first novel, STAR Academy, has officially been released. It has been an interesting process writing the sequel. When I began the first novel, I had no specific plans for another, though I thought the characters and the concept had legs for a series, and wondered about pitching it as such. When the manuscript for book one was finished, my literary agent, Marie Campbell, suggested that we suggest it as a one-off while “leaving the door open” for subsequent books. So I was thrilled when a contract offer came back from Random House/Doubleday, with the specific condition that they would sign the first book if I agreed to write a sequel. My first thought was, “Go ahead, twist my arm…”
But unlike with the first novel, I had no specific plot planned out for the sequel. So it required substantial woodshedding to sort out where I wanted the characters to go. I humbly felt that I had set the bar very high for the first novel, and there was (I can say now) that sophomore jinx fear. Plus, some of my favourite characters were gone. The plot of STAR Academy demanded that I dispatch three of the most colourful, iconic characters that I had created. I have to admit, I mourned their loss, just as much as I had delighted in the process of getting rid of them in book one. And where was there to go, since I had wrapped everything up rather neatly at the end of the first novel?
Well, almost…
There were some intentionally unresolved issues in STAR Academy, and these became the spinal column of the new book. And though I lost some of my favourite characters, the vacuum created by their absence gave me the chance to create some new ones, who, if they never became pals (they were too prickly for that), were certainly formidable frenemies. And as before, there was lots of opportunity to satirize contemporary culture and government. As for Amanda and Derek, I had huge fun developing them and their relationship. Enough said there. You’ll have to read the book to find out exactly what transpired between them. So… long story short, STAR Academy II, Dark Secrets, is done, and, dare I say it, I think it may actually be better than the first book…
But don’t take my word for it. You can read an excerpt here. And that’s just the first few sardonic pages. It gets… more complicated. Love to hear your thoughts.
**** You’ve watched my shows… you’ve read my books and articles… and now you can complete the experience by ADOPTING me!
Tuesday, September 6th, 2011Yes, it’s official. I’m up for adoption. I should have done this decades ago… found myself a nice family that could set me up with a remittance, a ticket into skull and bones, or at least a wine cellar to inherit. But this is the next best thing, and it’s for a good cause, the Word on the Street literary festival. Click here for more details of how I can be yours, albeit on a pleasantly temporary basis.
STAR Academy reviewed in FernFolio!
Thursday, August 18th, 2011Just as Dark Secrets, the sequel to STAR Academy, is about to hit the shelves this coming September, I’m happy to see that the original is still generating some favourable reviews, like this one in FernFolio. Click here to read it.
Gemini nomination for Jimmy Two Shoes!
Thursday, August 4th, 2011Jimmy Two Shoes has just been the nominated for a Gemini Award for Best Animated Series!
New Battle of the Atlantic book with Scholastic
Saturday, June 25th, 2011I have just been commissioned by Scholastic Inc. to write an historical novel set in World War 2 during the Battle of The Atlantic. This story has special resonance for me because three of my maternal uncles served in the Royal Canadian Navy on convoy duty and played an active part in the struggle to defeat Hitler’s U-Boats. Based loosely on the experiences of several real-life teenagers, my novel will follow the adventures and tribulations of a small-town kid who enlists and finds himself in the teeth of one of the toughest, highest-stakes battles ever fought. It’s incredible what people so young went through, and I’m looking forward to getting started on my research, especially speaking with veterans and hearing their stories.
Toronto The Word on the Street 2011 appearance
Friday, June 17th, 2011Just received the happy news that I have been invited to read from my upcoming novel, STAR Academy: Dark Secrets at the 2011 “The Word on the Street” book and magazine festival in Toronto. I will be appearing Sunday, September 25th in the Children’s Reading Tent. Ideally, I would read under the covers with a flashlight, but I suspect that won’t be possible since it will be daytime. But that would be the right atmosphere for the new book. It’s scarier than the first one, and Amanda, Derek, Sanjay and Evelyn really have to use their wits to avoid being munched on by monsters. More deets to come.
Production Wrapped on Finding Stuff Out! Cheese Touch Kid has new role as host!
Thursday, June 16th, 2011Just wrapped the studio sessions for Finding Stuff Out. It’s a new series for TVO that combines comedy and some very cool science. I co-created it with Jonathan Finkelstein, the genius behind numerous smart, funny kids’ series, including Street Sense, Popular Mechanics For Kids, Prank Patrol, and In Real Life. Our host is an up-and-coming young comedic actor, Harrison Houde. If you don’t know him now, trust me, you will. Actually, you may already have seen him as Darren Walsh the original cheese toucher in Diary of A Wimpy Kid. Click here to view it. That clip gives just a small indication of what Harrison is capable of. He’s also a gifted musician and songwriter, as you’ll see when the show hits the small screen this September.
Some non- Jimmy Two Shoes news – STAR Academy sequel “Dark Secrets” almost ready to hit the shelves!
Tuesday, April 26th, 2011Yes, it’s true: the sequel to STAR Academy is just about ready to make its way into bookstores (and all those virtual places that books arrive from nowadays as well.) After two long years of writing, re-writing, and re-rewriting, I have completed the final draft of the STAR Academy sequel, “Dark Secrets”, and am spending the next couple of days proofreading the “galleys” (which are large-ish sheets of paper that look like the book) before it goes off to the printer.
Meanwhile, here is the cover art, and a link to the pre-order site at Chapters Indigo, a major bookseller here in Canada. If you know the first book, you’ll be aware that there is a lot of tongue-in-cheek humour and a big dose of satire along with the sci-fi. The second book continues my love of wry comedy, but uses much more white-knuckle (aka scarifying!) action-adventure and some extremely creepy monsters…
If you like Jimmy Two Shoes, I think yer gonna like this!
