Just Say Yes!

My book Fighting for Gold is out! It is about the 2006 Sledge Hockey Team and how they won fought the odds to win gold at the Paralympics in Turin. The guys on the team are amazing. I am thrilled I was able to meet them and write about them. I have talked to lots of children at lots of schools about this book and they are always enthralled.

Also, I finished up edits on Home Ice. This is a book about the 46 players who attended the 2010 Men's Hockey Orientation camp in August. Why they were picked for the camp? Will they make the team? This book will be released on November 17th, just in time for Christmas.

Last weekend I spoke at the "Just Say Yes" conference in Ottawa and what a fantastic conference. The positive energy has fueled me for the entire week and I know will continue to carry me through. I spoke on Fear and how to fight your fears to accomplish your dreams. I coined my talk "Fear is a Four-Letter Word." Cassie Campbell was also there and her motivational talk was awarded with a standing ovation. The range of speakers was pretty amazing, (NY Times Bestselling author Peggy McColl was also speaking and she was funny and honest), and I left the conference totally charged. Next year this conference is being held in Calgary so...make sure, if you're somewhere in the area, that you attend. And if you're not in the area then save your points and take a trip to Calgary. You will have a blast!

Happy Halloween

It's that time again--Halloween. I love Halloween. I heard a radio talk show yesterday--Adler On-Line--and the host Charles Adler was talking about how some school board in Toronto wanted to now call Halloween--Orange and Black day. Give me a break. Why do some people always have to take the fun out of everything. Halloween is a fun, fun day for kids and adults so why is there this big push to ruin a good thing. Why? Why? Why? If we're having fun it's not a good thing? Charles was hilarious as he talked about how this was ridiculous to take away Halloween. By the way, he has a great show. He is by far my favourite talk show radio host. Anyway, all of you out there, HAVE A GREAT HALLOWEEN. I will not be calling this Orange and Black Day-- I'm sorry. And if my children had to go a school that decided to do that--I would write Halloween all over their costumes. And when I have grandchildren one day I will be encouraging them to go Trick or Treating. My kids are now teens and I miss going trick or treating with them. Yes, I was the mother who dressed up and took the kids out. I loved it! So much fun. And what is so wrong about fun???? Let's stop being so bloody politically correct and just enjoy ourselves for a change.
Okay, so I've been travelling a lot and touring schools with my books. I had such a wonderful time at all the libraries and schools I visited. And many, many, many schools had HALLOWEEN decorations all over the walls. Yeah!! Pumpkins and scary ghosts and black cats. The schools were amazing and I do love the children. One funny story was at Diamond Willow School in Ponoka. Maureen Bell, the librarian, was introducing me and told the children that I was married to someone sort of famous in Canadian hockey. Then she asked, "Does anyone know who that is? Think of her last name." A lovely child put up his hand and said, "Don Cherry."
Well, I thought I would pee my pants laughing. Kids do say the darndest things.
So thank you to all the schools who invited me to come and speak, I'm always grateful and I always love talking and meeting students. It is a great part of my career as a children's author.
AND HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE.

Website Woes

Hi Everyone, Sorry for the long delay in blogging and updating my website but summer was busy...and now my website is doing crazy things and won't let me update. I'm working on getting it fixed. How was your summer? It's hard to believe we're back at it.
My daughter left for school in the States at the end of August and, yes, I shed many tears. I miss her a lot but I talk to her a often so that makes it easier. And she's coming home for Canadian Thanksgiving. My second daughter is in grade twelve and I think I'm smothering her to make up for the loss. Not too worry, she'll tell me to back-off if I get too close! My son is in hockey try-outs and that is stressful for sure. If any parents are reading this and you have kids in hockey try-outs, I'm here to listen. And for all you kids out there trying out, do your best. I always tell my son, try your hardest and then see what happens. Because, really, what else can you do.
I'm going to have a busy month in October. Because I can't seem to update my presentations page here are the dates of my school visits:

October 6th- E.G. Wahalstrom School in Slave Lake
October 7-10th - Peace Country Tour
October 20th - Manning Elementary School in Manning
October 21st - Ridgeview Central School in La Crete
October 22nd - St. Mary's Elementary School in Fort Vermillion
October 23rd - Fort Vermillions Public School
October 24th - Buffalo Head Prairie School
October 26th - Diamond Willow Middle School in Ponoka

Okay, so I'm booked in October but give me a shout if you want a school visit after October. I'm heading to Switzerland at the end of September but most schools don't book that early in the school year anyway.
The eighth book in my hockey series, HOLDING, will be out September 18th, after much delay. It was supposed to be out in the spring but there was a hold up at the printers.
And my Sledge hockey book is in revisions. There's a great documentary coming out on CTV about the sledge hockey players. Look for it this fall. The title is SLEDHEAD.
What else?
Did I tell you I hate website troubles. Oh yeah, I sort of did at the beginning of this e-mail.
I'll try to get them solved so I can update my website for you.
Until then.
Take Care!

Long time!

Sorry to have been so long with the posting but...to use a really bad expression, where does the time go? My daughter graduated grade twelve and is leaving in the fall, my son graduated from grade nine and is heading into high school. And he's my baby. My middle girl is going into grade twelve so she has one more year. Although, I've been told by many parents that kids these days don't leave forever. The continually return to the nest--to use another bad expression.
So many things in the news lately. One is the family in Calgary found dead in their home in Dalhousie. And in the home was a 30 year old woman who was just renting from this family. How sad. How horrible. How will her parents cope. I think, what if that was my daughter. She was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Why? And why did the man snap. He must have snapped. What makes that happen to someone? From all the reports, he sounded like a good guy. I guess in some way, we're all capable of snapping. What an absolutely frightening thought. And then to top it all off, a one-year-old girl lived through this mess. She was spared. I think about her, and what she will be like when she gets to be 14 or so and is completely aware of what her father did to the rest of her family. A family she will never have, never get to know.
Okay...so this tragic incident has caused many of us to think. Then we have Paul Bernardo back in the news. The guy is still a psychopath but he's alive while many others are dead. And his lovely ex-wife Karla, from what I've read, is living somewhere in the Caribbean and has a baby boy. Another baby who when he gets to be 14 will say, "Mom, I heard something about you today." Does she think he will never find out?
Paul Bernardo in his interview said, "I made a few mistakes." I made a few mistakes!!! Is that what Karla will tell her boy. "I made a few mistakes."
How do that couple get to live after they took so many lives?
Okay, so this is a depressing blog.
Sorry. When the weather gets nicer here in Calgary, I'll think happy thoughts.

Price of Passion

Canada lost to Russia 5-4 yesterday in the World Championships in Quebec City. The game went to overtime and Russia scored in overtime. Canada was leading 4-2 going into the third period. This is called devastation for the Canadian players and fans. I was in Halifax for two of the games and know how passionate the players and their families and all the Hockey Canada staff are about their game. Plus the fans. Canadians love their hockey. My hubby was there the entire time and know he still has that morning-after sick feeling. But it's because he's so passionate about the game and about his job. Yeah, he works a ton of hours, but he does so because he loves his job and the crazy game of hockey. When people say things to me like "your husband is gone so much how do you stand it?" I say, "he loves what he does and how can that be a bad thing." He's here when he needs to be here. He has balance.
Now the thing is--when you're passionate about something you put yourself out there to be rejected. The Canadian players, coaches, management staff put themselves on the line.
And so do people in the arts!!!
I know about rejection too. I'm a writer. Yes, I've published eleven books to date but none of that guarantees me anything. I still get rejected. Over and over. But I can't stop writing and I certainly can't stop ideas and characters from entering into my thoughts. I still get excited when a new idea just mysteriously pops into my mind. And sometimes those crazy ideas end up being good ones and sometimes they don't or sometimes the ideas just take time to become good.
I think passion in life is so important. My kids have all found something that makes them feel fantastic and I think that is great. Their passion has so much significance in their lives. And they don't want to veer off and head down the wrong path because the cost is so great. They will lose what they love to do--what they are passionate about. But passion has that price. I've seen them lose or not be successful in auditions. I've seen them cry.
And I've cried. I used to cry when I got rejections. And I got a lot, let me tell you. I don't cry much anymore because I know I'm not going to stop writing. And I know another idea is just around the corner. That would be insane to quit!!! I love what I do too much.
My agent has moved out of the literary agent business and I'm now agentless. So I guess I'll be getting the letters of rejection in the mail now. And when I get into the mood to try and find a new agent--I think I'll fly solo for the summer- I'm sure I'll be rejected over and over until I find one. That's the writing world. If you want to read a passionate writing blog you should read eidtor Cheryl Klein's. She's at CherylKlein.com. From her blog you can tell she is so passionate about editing and writers. I love reading her blog because the passion oozes from her words. And she has such good words of advice for writers. It's obvious that she loves books.
Okay, so find what you're passionate about and do it. But the trick is to make sure while you are being passionate to have a life too. Hmm. Am I making sense. Sometimes, I need to step back from my computer and go outside and garden or exercise and I always make sure I'm there for my children. Of course, when I'm there for my children I'm listening to pick up ideas. Okay, so I don't really have a life!!!
And I've definitely babbled long enough.
My heart is healing from the loss yesterday.
My heart will heal from all my rejections.
And those guys will still play hockey, and I'll still write.
Onwards.
Find what you love to do and do it.
And this is not a Nike ad.

My daughter's graduation

My daughter graduated last night from grade twelve. Did I cry? Of course. How could my baby be 18 already, leaving high school, and leaving home in September. I don't get it. I've had her for 18 years now, known her whereabouts just about every minute of her day, and now, well, she's her own amazing person. Doing her own things, living her own life. She's leaving next year to go to the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in LA. Okay, so I'm crying again. She won't live in our house next year!
I watched stunned as she walked across the stage in her cap and gown. That was the morning. Then the afternoon was spent getting her hair and make-up done and putting on her beautiful dress. She went with the short style. We gathered as parents to drink champagne and watch our not-so-young children climb into the limo-bus. There were twenty-eight in my daughter's group who were celebrating together. The girls looked fabulous in their dresses and up-dos and the guys looked fabulous too in their suits and ties. Many I'm sure have never worn a tie before. Okay, so more tears are flowing, just remembering. To be perfectly cliched and write like Peanuts Snoopy from the comics; All in all, it was a beautiful night. (I think he says it was a dark and stormy night.) My daugher gave the toast to the teachers at the dinner and, of course, I cried through that. I thought she was amazing. She talked about being scared but being ready to move on.
Really???
Is she really 18? Is she really old enough to be finished grade twelve?
Can you tell, she's my first to leave the nest?
Yikes.
Didn't she just start kindergarden?
Okay, okay. I'll be quiet.
Sniff. Sniff.

What's calories among friends!!!

Well, the funeral for Ed Chynoweth was yesterday. Today I ran into a friend and she asked how it was and I said, "Great!" Then, I thought, did I just say a funeral was great. But it was great. I cried and I laughed. Ed was a character, larger than life, and we celebrated his life, just like he would want us to do. Hubby and I went to Ed's nephew's house afterwards for a dinner and there was so much food and drinks and wonderful conversation. All good times with Ed. But then the Chynoweth family is from Saskatchewan and there is no way anyone from Saskatchewan would have a party with not enough food. They feed and feed and it is wonderful. Their hospitality was terrific. I loved Cheryl, Ed's nephew's wife, when she said, "What's calories among friends?"
I laughed and took another chocolate square.
Ed was a wonderful man.
We celebrated his life.