What's in that hat?

It's time to write a post about the first of two new kids' books coming this fall. The new picture books is "Mr. Zinger's Hat," with illustrations by Dusan Petricic. I've really enjoyed reading this story to audiences of adults and kids over the last couple of years, I guess because it's really a story about storytelling. Because it's not old Mr. Zinger's hat itself that's important, but the story that seems to be stirring inside it. Mr. Zinger himself was inspired by one of my favourite writers. (I won't say who, but he shouldn't be too hard for some people to figure out.) Even as an old man, this writer was busy making up stories and he used to walk around the courtyard of his apartment in New York for exercise and inspiration. My story is a kind of fantasy, then; what if I'd met the writer when I was a boy? What might have happened?

When the party's over

It was a fine time at the Forest of Trees awards last week. The day began with some rain but sure enough the sun came out for the ceremony. (Jan Andrews was the winner of the Silver Birch Express Award.)

The first photo is of two of the posters put up for kids to sign with messages for the author. Mine's on the left, Monica Kulling's is on the right. (Thanks, Monica, for sending me the photo.) Pretty nice! The second photo is from the workshop on the banjo that I gave. My friends Rachel (fiddle) and Conny (guitar) are playing a couple of tunes with me. I'm on my homemade banjo. It was a good time. (Thanks to teacher Jane Mundell for the photo.)

The Trees are coming, the Trees are coming!

Last month I had a great tour of northern New Brunswick, ending up in Moncton for the spectacular Hackmatack Awards ceremony. I was up for 'Jacob Two-Two on the High Seas' and no, I didn't win. But I'm used to that. And the winner, Hugh Brewster, was a very worthy choice. I also got to spend a little time with him and he's a very swell person. He actually writes about important things. And coming up next week are the Forest of Tree awards. I'll be down at Harbourfront on Wednesday, duking it out for the Silver Birch Express Award. My nominated book is "Banjo of Destiny." I'm doing a workshop as well and have roped in two musician friends, Conny and Rachel, so we can play a couple of tunes on fiddle, banjo, and guitar. They're pros, so only I'll be nervous! In other news, I'll soon be posting the cover image of my new kids' novel on the bog here. And my new picture book, for that matter. Some of you may have read the post about my upcoming book of short stories (an adult book, this), 'My Life Among the Apes.' It was supposed to come out in April but has been delayed. I'll post the new pub date when I have it.

New story collection coming soon(ish)

Although my last five adult books have all been novels, I've never stopped writing short stories. Some have taken me over a decade to finish, others less than a year. They've benefited from the editorial eye of several journal publishers but now at last they'll live together under one cover, where they belong.

"My Life Among the Apes" will be published by Cormorant Books. The pub date has been delayed a couple of months, to May, and I hope that date sticks. In the meantime, here's the cover.

By the way, I continue to love reading stories as well. At the moment I have collections by Annie Proulx, Ann Packer, William Trevor, Anton Chekhov, Haruki Murakami, and Amy Jones by my bed.

Have to love the Willow tree

I've always loved willow trees, maybe because there's a giant one in the next-door neighbour's front lawn of my parents. (My parents have always complained about its little leaves everywhere.) So I'm naturally pleased that "Ella May and the Wishing Stone" has been nominated for a Shining Willow Award. The award is voted on by kids in Saskatchewan.

Here's the link:
http://www.willowawards.ca/nominated-books/2012/shining-willow

I remember driving across Saskatchewan a couple of times with my brothers when I was about 19 years old. I loved the landscape, those endless planted fields and that big sky. We didn't stop long in towns or cities but I had a good impression of Saskatoon. And we also stopped in the town (what was the name?) where the film version of "Who Has Seen the Wind?" was shot. Time to go back!

Want to write a picture book? Join us!

Once again I'm teaching my course on writing picture books for the University of Toronto's Continuing Studies department. It's on Monday nights 6:30 to 9, for eight weeks, starting next week. Everyone will, I hope, have a couple of manuscripts written by the end. And everyone will have had a good time.

More info at:
http://learn.utoronto.ca/courses/writing-for-children-picture-books

A new story

A new issue of the literary magazine Taddle Creek has just come out and its theme is music. There's a story of mine included, "Dreyfus in Wichita." Like many of my stories, it has taken me a long time to finish--perhaps ten years--so I'm rather glad it's done. The title refers to a full-scale musical that is written by the protagonist, a grade-school music teacher.

Taddle Creek is a terrific mag, far more inventive and lively than most literary journals. You can find it on the magazine stand of better bookstores. They've also got a website, of course: www.taddlecreekmag.com.

By the way, several years after I first drafted the story I discovered that Sholem Aleichem wrote a story called "Dreyfus in Kasrilevke." I took this as a good sign.