Looking back on 2015
This is a new website, and that calls for new news. But just so I don't start off with nothing, here's a recap on how 2015 treated me on the writing front:
• The biggest and best things was that my new book, named The Match Girl for now but likely to end up something else, was accepted by Orca Books for publication! It will be a long wait – late 2016 or spring 2017 – but I know they’ll do as great a job with it as they have my other books. Along with wrestling with this story, I’ve had some other interesting writing experiences: • I had a great time speaking to a creative writing class at Trent University about plotting YA books. It made me really think about how we develop and keep control of storylines, and I actually learned a lot just by preparing for my visit. The talk afterwards carried on into a nearby coffee shop — it is very heartening to me to meet these young, passionate and curious readers and writers! • I also got to visit a library-based teen book club, to talk with them about Shapeshifter. It was so much fun to jump back into Irish mythology with them and talk about the challenges of turning an ancient tale into a modern story that I might be tempted to try my hand at it one more time. • I wrote my first picture book. It’s a fairy story (as opposed to a fairy tale, I suppose). It’s in the hands of my friend who’s an illustrator, and once he’s worked his magic we’ll be ready to see if we find it a publisher. • I’ve had the chance to edit a number of novels – both adult and YA – and it’s made me more conscious of the subtleties that divide good writing from so-so writing. That has to be good for my own writing – right?
