June 12, 2017 was Loving Day and marked the 50th Anniversary of the United States Supreme Court decision to end all anti-miscegenation laws that still existed in sixteen U.S. states. This decision meant that Black and white couples could legally marry without being arrested, charged, or thrown in jail.  The law was changed thanks to the love and persistence of Richard and Mildred Loving who were part of a famous court case called Loving vs. Virginia.  There have been 2 movies about this couple-- one for Mr. & Mrs. Loving, ABC television in 1996 starring actress Lela Rochon and the Academy Award-nominated Loving (2016).  

Then there is also this HBO documentary film called The Loving Story from 2011.

Books have also been published about the Lovings' story including two non-fiction children's books including The Case for Loving: The fight for Interracial Marriage by Selina Alko, Sean Qualls and Selina Alko (Arthur A. Levine Books, 2015) and Loving vs. Virginia by Patricia Hruby Powell, illustrated by Shadra Strickland (Chronicle Books, 2017).

I think that it is important to remember, revere, laud, and commemorate the Lovings alongside other Civil Rights leaders.  Let us remember the sacrifices that everyday people like the Lovings have made to change the laws but also to rewrite history and the future.  It is wonderful to have books like these to share with our children as they too may have an intercultural and interracial family.  It is also important for us to create dialogue around our diversity and how we can live in harmony and in a diverse world.  We acknowledge that there are still many people today who cannot marry without experiencing social injustice and discrimination not only in the world and communities but also in their families.  Also, many young readers grow up in multiracial, multicultural, multilinguistic, and multifaith homes.  These children need to see reflections of their lives on the written page too.  Hopefully, these diverse books and my upcoming picture book Malaika's Winter Carnival (2017) can normalize but also depict the diversity within all families in the world.

For this week's post, I share from my #100daysto40 Instagram series.  Please read on.​

Day 76: Keep your love life private. If you are a frequent reader of my Instagram or Facebook posts, you will know that I share a lot of things about myself (a little too much if you ask my mother). However there are some areas of my life that I do not discuss openly and one of these is my love life. Because I write mainly for children and I also teach young people, it is particularly wise that I don't discuss my love life on social media. Some may call it prudish or paranoid but I am pretty sure no one wants to hear about Dr. Seuss', Robert Munsch's, or Judy Blume's love lives as juicy as they may be... not unless you're an adult who grew up on their work and would be interested in their bios but certainly not for young readers researching their fave authors on the internet. I know J. K. Rowling has shared some of her struggles with divorce, miscarriage, and mental health and I applaud her but I have different circumstances. First, I am a newly published author. Second, I am a Black woman who grew up in a workingclass immigrant household which comes with a lot of early lessons of "being twice as good to get half as far" and "don't mess with your job". (I'm proud and benefited from many of the values my parents taught me.) Even though I'm university-educated and technically middle-class, I don't have certain privileges. One of these is knowing how an action can be perceived negatively coming from my Black female self but more benignly from someone else. We see this in the media all the time. I don't want to oversimplify this conversation and say it's only about race because it's not. It's also tied into gender as well as archaic views of what it means to be a teacher. It may sound restrictive but I've found a happy medium/space that works for me and, for now, there is no expose about my love life. But who knows? One day, I may publish my romantic writing under a pseudonym or a slightly fictionalised autobiography. In the meantime, I choose to stay mum on this one.

Although I've been writing and publishing books in children's literature, for the past few years, I have been tossing a travel-related book idea around in my head for a while too (and slowly working on it, this past week I wrote my first 13 pages in 12 Times New Roman font, double-spaced). Fastforward to July 2016, after taking a weeklong workshop at Voices of Our Nations Arts Foundation (VONA) with Faith Adiele and Bani Amor at University of Miami, travel writer Ernest White II invited my class to submit our pieces to Panorama: The Journal of Intelligent Travel.  I was very interested.  Finally, a new travel journal focused on diverse voices and perspectives like my own. After my travelwriting workshop, I attended the Essence Festival in New Orleans, Louisiana. This article that I wrote was inspired by a photo taken on that trip (below). You can read my article here. 

APRIL/MAY 2017
NADIA’S NOTABLES NEWSLETTER
Greetings,
 
I am so pleased to share some updates and news with you.  It has been quite an eventful last few months.  From travels to Egypt and Sri Lanka to moving to Dubai to participating in the Abu Dhabi Book International Book Fair (ADIB), April has certainly been busy.  This newsletter combines news over the last 2 months.  I am also looking ahead to connecting with many of you as I return to Canada for July and August 2017. 
 
In this issue:

1. Sneak Peak in Malaika’s Winter Carnival
2. Scholastic Canada Malaika’s Winter Carnival Paperback & Book Clubs
3. Americas Award Honourable Mention and Lesson Plan (again celebrated this week)
4. 2017 Best Book by Bank Street College of Education (again celebrated this week)
5. Booking Dates in Canada and US in Summer 2017, February 2018
6. Highlights from Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIB) Wanna Read?
7. Kwame Alexander Coming to Town
8. Feel Your Tempo online interview by Dorian Rogers of Rooftop Rhythms
9. What am I working on?
10. Writing tips of the month
11. Important dates

 ​
​1. Sneak Peak in “Malaika’s Winter Carnival”
​Although winter carnival is almost a year away, you can now view pages of the upcoming sequel to Malaika’s Costume on Amazon and Goodreads.
 
Malaika is happy to be reunited with Mummy, but it means moving to Canada, where everything is different. It’s cold in Québec City, no one understands when she talks and Carnival is nothing like the celebration Malaika knows from home!
 
It will be available in stores near you on September 1, 2017.  Please stay tuned for book launch dates and details in Canada and the United States.
 
Check out the preview pages here on Amazon here. 

2. Scholastic Canada Malaika’s Winter Carnival Paperback & Book Clubs
​With the launch of Le Costume de Malaika (the French translation of Malaika’s Costume in January this year) by Scholastic Canada, I am happy to say that the partnership is continuing on.  In addition to Malaika’s Winter Carnival being released in hardcover on September 1, 2017, the book will be released paperback version in English and French as part of Scholastic Canada’s Book Club in December 2017.  The Book Clubs are an international book-buying club which provides weekly catalogues for students to buy books.  Children all over Canada will have an opportunity to purchase their own copy of Malaika’s Winter Carnival through the book club or travelling book fair.  My sister and I grew up buying books through the Club.  As a teacher, I have definitely participated in promoting the club with my students.  This all helps to provide more access for these books which is super exciting.  Stay tuned!

3. Americas Award Honourable Mention and Lesson Plan
​I am very pleased, excited, thrilled, amazed, humbled, proud, happy, and in awe to share news about two wonderful and recent honours that Malaika's Costume has received.  I am still so grateful with how Malaika's Costume has been embraced in so many circles.
 
I am still reveling in the Américas Award 2017 honourable mention for Children and Young Adult Literature that my book Malaika's Costume received this week. It was presented by the Center for Latin American Studies at Vanderbilt University. The announcement was made on April 30 in Lima, Peru. Out of the over 70 books received, #malaikascostume was 1 of 2 honourable mentions in addition to the 2 actual winners of the awards. Congratulations to the other authors! You can see the video clip of the presentation.  Here is the lesson.

As a children's book author AND teacher of Caribbean-descent, I am thrilled, amazed, and impressed with the beautiful "Malaika's Costume" lesson plan designed by Erin Lierl at Tulane University. They did an excellent job! I know some of you are already using Malaika's Costume in your classrooms and organizations so please share with teachers in your life. Parents please share this with your child's teacher.   
 
The announcement was made at the 2017 Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP) which is in Lima, Peru on April 30, 2017.  

The awards are administered by the Consortium of Latin American Studies Programs (CLASP) and coordinated by both Tulane University’s Stone Center for Latin American Studies and Vanderbilt University’s Center for Latin American Studies.  For more information, click here.

4.  2017 Best Children’s Book by Bank Street College of Education
My first picture bookMalaika's Costumewas selected as one
of the 2017 Best Books of the Year by I am thrilled about this especially since I held my Malaika's Costume New York City Launch at Bank Street Bookstore in May 2016.  I appreciate Bank Street's support of this work.
​
"The Children's Book Committee was founded more than 100 years ago to help parents, teachers, and librarians choose the books that children will find captivating and transforming.

"One of the most comprehensive annotated book lists for children, aged infant-16. The Committee reviews over 6000 titles each year for accuracy and literary quality and considers their emotional impact on children. It chooses the best 600 books, both fiction and nonfiction, which it lists with annotations, according to age and category."

5. Booking Dates in Canada and US in Summer 2017, February 2018                                                   
I have decide to continue teaching overseas in 2017-2018 with a new destination which I hope to announce soon.  In the meantime, I will still continue to promote my books and connect with authors and literary scenes at home in Canada, US, and overseas.  Please contact me if you would like me to do a book talk, school visit, presentation, or panel discussion.  I am available in July 2017 as well February 12-23, 2018.

6. Highlights from Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIB) Wanna Read?
​I presented Malaika’s Costume to a group of children and a craft with the Abu Dhabi-based literacy-in-hospitals organization WannaRead? This was part of the WannaRead? Exhibition booth.  The children in attendance dance to soca, listened to a story, and made beautiful bookmarks.

​7. Kwame Alexander Coming to Town          
When one of your writing mentors comes to town and the last time you saw him was two years ago when you did not have any books yet, it is cause to celebrate.  On my Facebook page, amazed to find that poet and Newbery-award-winning children’s book and young adult author Kwame Alexander was in Dubai and taking part in the Sharjah Children’s Reading Festival, I reached out.  It would only be fitting to hold a meet-and-greet and show Kwame a little of Dubai even with just a day’s notice.  It all worked out and Kwame, three of my new writer friends, and me had a wonderful dinner and chat at Miss Lily’s Jamaican restaurant in Dubai. 

8. Feel Your Tempo online interview by Dorian Rogers of Rooftop Rhythms  
Recently, I was interviewed by Dorian Rogers, spoken word artist and founder of Rooftop Rhythms, the first and largest monthly spoken word event in the UAE.  Rooftop Rhythms usually takes place at the New York University campus in Abu Dhabi (NYUAD).  Check out Dorian’s interview.  Giving the Gift of Storytelling: Nadia Hohn, Feel your Tempo: The Rhythm of Your Life online magazine  April 12, 2017

9.  What am I working on?  
I have submitted an essay for an online travel magazine.  As I have been travelling internationally and exploring the region locally, I would like to do more travel writing and I am currently working on an idea that I have had for a few years in this genre.  I also completed a non-fiction book draft in 3 days before its April deadline.  I have been brainstorming a lot of story/novel ideas and working on a few picture book drafts.  I will also return to my weekly blog posts as I now have access to wifi through a café and a kind coworker.

10.  Writing tips of the month
I met with my online Skype writing critique group today and we talked about aiming for 100 rejections a year.  I am nowhere near this goal however I am excited to begin the challenge of applying in a volume larger than I am used to— talking about sending out manuscripts and letters to agents and publishers for stories in the hundreds.  I haven’t begun that process yet.  Despite the fact that I am a perfectionist, only want to send out the best, and as well as a fulltime teacher, I will need to start this process soon if I want to achieve my goal this year of finding an agent.  If you have any agent recommendations, I would greatly appreciate it.  Please message me.

11.  Important dates
September 1, 2017 Malaika’s Winter Carnival hardcover in English publication date by Groundwood Books
 
December 1, 2017 Malaika’s Winter Carnival softcover in English and French through Scholastic Canada (Book Clubs)

I am very pleased, excited, thrilled, amazed, humbled, proud, happy, and in awe to share news about two wonderful and recent honours that Malaika's Costume has received.  I am still so grateful with how Malaika's Costume has been embraced in so many circles.

(It has been just over a month since my last posting here.   A lot has happened in the last month and a half including a move as well as lack of home internet access which have impacted my posting regularity.  However I promise to keep them coming.)

My first picture book Malaika's Costume was selected as one of the 2017 Best Books of the Year by Bank Street Center for Children's Literature. I am thrilled about this especially since I held my Malaika's Costume New York City Launch at Bank Street Bookstore in May 2016.  I appreciate Bank Street's support of this work.
​
"The Children's Book Committee was founded more than 100 years ago to help parents, teachers, and librarians choose the books that children will find captivating and transforming.

"One of the most comprehensive annotated book lists for children, aged infant-16. The Committee reviews over 6000 titles each year for accuracy and literary quality and considers their emotional impact on children. It chooses the best 600 books, both fiction and nonfiction, which it lists with annotations, according to age and category."
​
Source: 
https://www.bankstreet.edu/center-childrens-literature/childrens-book-committee/

The following post was originally published March 21, 2017 on my Instagram and Facebook pages as part of a series of 40 daily Lenten reflections on gratitude:

Day 23 of Lenten Gratitude: I think I might have hopped on to this spoken word train a bit late. I mean, it seems that it's always been there. When I was in high school, I wrote poetry... lots of it. Most of it was bad, raw, and angsty. Some of it was published in my high school newspaper but most of it fills a binder in my parents' house rarely to the see the light of day, never to be read aloud. Then in 1997, a movie called "Love Jones" came out. It was a romance between Darius the poet and Nina the marketing professional set in Chicago. I felt like I was one of the people in the movie-- artsy Black folk with day jobs who loved jazz and creativity and romance. Granted, I was born-again and just about to start my first year of university but they felt like me all the same. In 2003, I was asked to submit a poem for T-DOT GRIOTS: A TRIBUTE TO TORONTO'S BLACK STORYTELLERS, an anthology by Karen Richardson and Steven Green, and I did. It was the first time I saw my work in a book. Fast-forward to 2015 and 2016 when my first 3 self-authored books were published and then I moved to Abu Dhabi where a writing prompt from my circle leader inspired me to pen my first spoken word piece. Before that I didn't like spoken word very much, I must admit. I had gone to some spoken word shows in Toronto and thought a lot of it sounded the same or I left feeling like I don't really understand it (but I liked the vibe and the people). But then I wrote more poems that seemed to aptly convey my deepest thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Perhaps it's the performative aspect that struck a chord with me (that my journals and posts don't share) that only belongs to storytelling, rap, emceeing, toasting, and of course spoken word. Part of me is afraid of what spoken word may unlock-- spilling emotions all over the place, angst, revisiting and exposing all of my deepest fears-- but part of me knows that something quite beautiful will emerge, something I've always known since penning stories and songs since a young age, something that some of my favourite poets like Miss Lou and Maya Angelou knew all along-- poetry is meant to be shared, words are meant to be read and spoken.

And one day, I will share my spoken word readings on video and on a stage.  Baby steps...

A week full of Emirates Airlines Festival of Literature (EAFOL), otherwise known as Dubai Literature Festival, events was busy and fun.  I attended dinners and met some wonderful authors.  Plus putting on my very first workshop at an international festival was a wonderful opportunity to connect with an new audience. 

My 90-minute Caribbean Playground presentation on Saturday, March 11, 2017 was a success! I was nervous about keeping the kids engaged for that long but I soon realized that I had nothing to worry about. The kids learned about Caribbean Carnival history, a finger rhyme, and a folksong, played games, danced to soca, listened to stories, and asked amazing questions. My favourite questions were from Joshua who was probably about 8 years. He had several including "How do you choose from all your stories the ones to work on? How do you stay encouraged?" I was thinking, where did they find him? And when can he conduct my interviews? I am thankful for every presentation experience as they are practice for the next one. I've done 20+ so far and the Emirates Airline Festival of Literature in Dubai was my first international festival. It never gets tired. Sign me up!!!!

I clearly found my picture book presentation style doppelganger in British children's book author-Illustrator, Sarah McIntyre (down to the hair extensions, glasses, and peacock blue African patchwork dress). We totally did not plan this but Sarah gets it and her outfit is "on point". Crazy!!! We bring the theatre and style to book talks.

I also met Smriti Prasadam-Halls, an Indian-British children's book author whose title, T-Veg about a vegetarian dinosaur, I purchased and got autographed.  I also met other delightful authors and notaries.

There were also two events that I attended before my festival presentation that were especially organized for participating authors and individuals.

The first event I attended was the Arabian Feast which was filled with a night of poetry at the Al Maha Desert Resort & Spa at the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve.  It was a lovely evening under the stars.

The second one I attended was the "Love Letters to the UAE" formal dinner event at the newly completed Etihad Museum.  More "festivaling" at the Love Letters to the UAE event and dinner as part of @emirateslitfest. The food was delicious, veggie options plentiful, and tablemates delightful. I even got a photo with the UAE's first Emirati woman spoken word artist, Afra Atiq, and met an aspiring author from Waterloo, Ontario (where I completed my undergraduate degree). The Etihad Museum is on the site of where the UAE was founded in 1971.