Profile in 'Canadian Children's Book News'

Thought I'd mention that there's a profile of me in the new edition of the 'Canadian Children's Book News.' Thanks to CCBN for considering me a worthy subject. And no, that handsome gentleman on the cover isn't me. Oh yes, I might also mention that 'Mr. Zinger's Hat' has just been named an Ontario Library Association Best Bets 2012, a selection of the year's 'top Canadian' books for kids. A tip of my own hat to the OLA!

Announcing the launch of my own imprint, Big Wheel, and some new ebooks

For some time I have wanted to bring back into print several of my earlier titles. Two of them were published by houses that went bankrupt, something that happens all too often in Canadian publishing. Others have simply gone out of print. A couple of publishers wanted to pick them up but other pressing financial crises swept those plans away. And so after much hemming and hawing I have finally taken the plunge. My own publishing operation, Big Wheel, has just released three ebooks--two novels and a book of stories that have been among my best reviewed titles. And the good thing is that I am able to offer them for a mere $4.99 each, half or a third of what they would usually cost. The books are available on all readers so if you're looking for a good book (can I say that about my own work?) at a good price, fire up your Kindles, your Kobos, your Nooks, your ipads, and your laptaps

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Year End Lists

The end of the year brings out the need for list-making. And this year a couple of books have made it onto year end lists. The new picture book, "Mr. Zinger's Hat," appears on the Toronto Public Library First and Best List, an annual short-list of books recommended for parents to read to their kids. Thank you, TPL. And the short-story collection "My Life Among the Apes" can be found on Open Book Toronto's Holiday Reading Guide 2012. It certainly is nice to be noticed by your own city.

Sandra Alland book launch this Wednesday

I keep meaning to write about my experience over the years as a (very) small press publisher, but that longer piece will have to wait. For now, let me invite you to the launch of Sandra Alland's "Naturally Speaking." The publisher is Espresso Books, the chapbook imprint of paperplates books. The editor for this one has been Rebecca Comay; Bernard Kelly did the design; and I am handbinding the 150 copies in paper wrappers. (Together, we three are the three-headed beast that makes up Espresso.)

The price is a mere $12. Please see the poster for other information about this fascinating little book of poems conceived (in Sandra's words) at the "intersection of disability poetics, computer software, queer feminism and translation."

"My Life Among the Apes" on Amazon.ca Best 100 Books of 2012

http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/1770860878/ref=s9_simh_gw_p14_d0_i1?pf_rd_m=A3DWYIK6Y9EEQB&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r=1KJ12P0P7CBRBCH7SH8B&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=1375923922&pf_rd_i=915398

"My Life Among the Apes" gets a starred review in 'Quill & Quire'

"Cary Fagan...is a writer whose critically lauded books regularly attract the notice of prize juries. He deserves an audience to match those plaudits. With any luck, "

My Life Among the Apes," which earned a spot on the Scotiabank Giller Prize longlist--will deliver that broader readership. The volume's ten stories are, without exception, splendid yarns, told with the practised ease of a natural storyteller." *Vit Wagner, "Quill & Quire," November 2012. (See the whole review at http://www.quillandquire.com/reviews/review.cfm?review_id=7831).

Pulling some reviews out of the hat

Here are some early reviews of the new picture book, "Mr. Zinger's Hat." * "'Mr. Zinger's Hat' is a wonderful story about the shared process of creating. The illustrations by Dusan Petricic are beautiful and expressive. Four Stars." --CM Magazine. *"The magic of discovering a story from within--within a hat, within a heart, within one's imagination--is extraordinarily fulfilling. Inspiring." --Canlit for Little Canadians. *"Here is a magical children's book that will stir the imagination of young readers anywhere in the world. Delightful." --"Spirituality & Practice". *"I love this story. I love the encouragement of imagining, of sharing the wonder of stories, and creating your own. It's just a lovely, lovely thing." --"UrbanMoms.com