Dear Readers,
 
Happy New Year!  2019 is gearing up to be a very busy, productive, and transformative year for me as an author.  I have already two books being launched and promoted, a writing residency, an Alberta tour, on faculty at a conference, several signings already booked, and a few events in the works.  I still continue to write and I am excited about my work. Thank you so much for your support as I journey through my career.  Your kind words and messages mean a lot.
 
Sincerely,
 
Nadia

1. Harriet Tubman Book Launch 2019
​Come celebrate with me! On January 22 2019, I will be launching "HARRIET TUBMAN: Freedom Fighter", my fifth book and my first book in the I Can Read Series with HarperKids (formerly Harper Collins Children's Books). We are commemorating the life of this remarkable woman who led people to freedom and inspired future generations. Join me for song, story, and refreshments.
            

​2. TD Children’s Book Week 2019: Going to Alberta!
Looks like I'll be heading due West for TD Canadian Children's Book Week in May 2019. To book a presentation in Alberta at your local classroom, library, or community centre, check out the following link here.  The deadline is January 31, 2019.  

3. ​ NaNoWriMo and the Young Writers Program
Every November, 400, 000 people around the world begin writing a 50, 000 word novel.  NaNoWriMo 2018 brought a few firsts for me.  It was the first year that I participated in NaNoWriMo and managed to complete a full draft of a novel.  My novel, which I am currently calling Rexdale Story, is a young adult romance.  Not only did I complete the NaNoWriMo word count challenge, I completed it one week early (November 25) but I was also almost 10, 000 words over the limit.  I continue to work on my Rexdale story.  In addition, NaNoWriMo 2018 I started a NaNoWriMo club at the school where I teach. I must say I'm excited and proud to work with this small group of really gifted writers-- both teachers and Grade 7 and 8 students. It was inspiring to watch this group see themselves as writers and discuss their stories.  One pair of students even managed to finish writing a novel based on their friendship.

​4.  FOLD Kids Festival Coordinator
​As many of you already know, I am passionate about diversity in children's books and reading diversely. I've also had fun organizing events for years through TIFF, Les Jeux de la Francophonie 2001, ICED IN BLACK (a film festival I started back in the day), and other events. So I'm excited to share the news that I will be working with The Festival of Literary Diversity (FOLD) Kids team in Brampton including Jael Richardson and Léonicka Valcius who are part of this Sankofa's Pen (African Canadian Writers for Children and Young Adults) online group. This is truly an exciting time for diverse children's literature.
 
Here is the press release at this link.

5. SCBWI Canada East 2019 in Montreal
I will be on the faculty of the upcoming SCBWI Canada East Art of Story Conference in Montreal, Quebec this May 2019.  I have attended this conference in 2015, 2016, and 2018 as well SCBWI NYC in 2015 and 2016 and SCBWI LA in 2018.  The details regarding the workshop that I will be presented shall be announced soon.

6. Words of Advice
Pause, notice, and celebrate your accomplishments.

7. Important Dates
HARRIET TUBMAN: Freedom Fighter Book Launch
​Tuesday, January 22, 2018 7pm
Toronto, ON, Canada
 
Friday, February 1, 2019
​Booksigning
Time: TBA
Ontario Library Association (OLA) Conference
Toronto, ON
 
Sunday, February 3, 2019
1-4pm
Chapters Vega
​Mississauga, ON

Friday, February 8, 2019
10:15 AM  
1:15 PM  
​Toronto, ON
 
Saturday, February 9, 2019
Malaika Carnival Storytime
10:30-11:15am
Bloor Gladstone Library
Toronto, ON
 
Saturday, February 9, 2019
1-4pm
Booksigning at Indigo Yonge & Eglinton 
Toronto, ON

Saturday, February 16, 2019
10:30am
Bank Street Bookstore
New York, NY

Saturday, February 23, 2019
1-3pm
Knowledge Bookstore
Brampton, ON

Wednesday, April 10, 2019
7-9pm
Canadian Society for Children's Authors, Illustrators, and Performers (CANSCAIP)
Annual General Meeting (AGM)

Presenter, May 4-11, 2019
TD Canadian Children's Book Week Tour
Alberta, Canada
 
Presenter, May 24-26, 2019
Conference TBA
Montreal, PQ, Canada
 
Writer in Residence
July and August 2019
Joy Kogawa House
Vancouver, BC, Canada

Here's to a new year and a fresh start!
​
2019 Writing Goals

- fully edit and prepare 2 young adult novel manuscripts for submission to potential publishers and agents
- prepare 1 complete Malaika... play manuscript for submission
- finish 5 picture book manuscripts ready for submission
- complete TD Canada Children's Book Week Tour in MAY 2019
- attend 4 literary/writing for children conferences-- KWELI, SCBWI CANADA EAST, SCBWI LA?, CANSCAIP 
- research and query agents, sign with one (finally)
- Social media strategy, consider getting an assistant: 
      -  1 blogpost weekly
      -  1 seasonal e-newsletter
      -  1 youtube video for my channel monthly
      -  2 tweets daily
      -  Instagram and Facebooks bi-weekly
-  apply for grants 1 week early
-  establish a consistent writing schedule
-  get more involved in the children's writing/literature/literacy community "behind the scenes"
-  new face-to-face critique group with my writing peers
-  offer 2 workshops
-  take a writing course 
-  read 200 books (focus more on contemporary young adult romance, scifi/fantasy, picture books, children's non-fiction, NYT bestsellers, slave narratives)
-  1 writing residency at Joy Kogawa House in JULY and AUGUST 2019
-  booksignings and presentations in FEBRUARY 2019 BLACK HISTORY MONTH 
-  promotion, signings, presentations, and book launch for HARRIET TUBMAN: FREEDOM FIGHTER (Dec. 31, 2019) in US and Canada
-  promotion, signings, presentations, and book launch for A LIKKLE MISS LOU (Sep. 1, 2019) in US, Canada, UK, and Jamaica
-  network
-  celebrate writing successes more often

It's been a very busy January/February-- what with report cards, parent-teacher conferences, writing deadlines, a busy presentation schedule during Black History Month,  and trying to find a happy balance. But I kept on reading.  Thank goodness for audiobooks.  I have decided to change my format for "What Am I Reading? Part 9 January/February 2019.  Instead of posting all of the reviews for each of the books I have read, I will post only the book covers with just a few reviews.  Part of the reason for this is that posting can be too time consuming (I need more time to write) plus, I already post my reviews on Goodreads for your reading pleasure.  In addition, I will be posting a year-end review of all of the books I read in 2019 similar to the format I used in posting my favourite books in 2018 here.  My 2019 reading goal is 200 books and as of finishing this post on February 24th, I have read 30 books which is 3 ahead of schedule.  Hopefully, I have provided enough suggestions for you-- a mix of African-American texts, diverse young adult books, picture books, and some classics.  Happy reading everyone! 

• Barracoon: The Story of the "Last Black Cargo" by Zora Neale Hurston
• The Unlikely Hero of 13B by Teresa Toten
• The High Mountains of Portugal by Yann Martel
• Holes by Louis Sachar
• Binti by Nnedi Okorafor
• Rain Is Not My Indian Name by Cynthia Leitich Smith
• When We Were Alone by David Robertson, illustrated by Julie Flett
• Betty Before X by Iyanah Shabazz with Renee Watson
• The Walking Bathroom by Shauntay Grant, illustrated by Erin Bennett Banks
• The Mermaid and Mrs. Hancock by Imogen Hermes Gowar
• Sounder by William H. Armstrong
• Sugar by Jewell Parker Rhodes
• The Bagel King by Andrew Larsen, illustrated by Sandy Nichols
• Peaceful Fights for Equal Rights by Rob Sanders, illustrated by Jared Schorr
• Finding Winnie: The True Story of the World's Most Famous Bear by Lindsay Mattick, illustrated by Sophie Blackall
• Festival of Colors by Kabir and Surishtha Sehgal, illustrated by Vashti Harrison
• They All Die at the End by Adam Silvera
• Wonder by R. J. Palacio
• The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish
• Becoming by Michelle Obama
• Geronimo Stilton Book #20 and #21
• Stuart Little by E.B. White
• The Boy In the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne
• Black Beauty by Anna Sewell
• Leontyne Price: Voice of a Century by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Raúl Colón
• Don't Touch My Hair! by Sharee Miller
• Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah by Laurie Ann Thompson, illustrated by Sean Qualls
• Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin, illustrated by Daniel Salmieri
• The Unlikely Hero of Room 13B by Teresa Toten
• Riot by Walter Dean Myers

Barracoon: The Story of the "Last Black Cargo" by Zora Neale Hurston
Impressive research completed by both Zora Neale Hurston and editor Deborah G. Plant. This was a book I had longed to read about the last "Black Cargo" who was illegally smuggled into the United States from Africa. His village was raided by the Dahomey of Benin and then he was brought across the ocean to the United States on a 70-day journey. He had been enslaved for 5 years but was unable to purchase his passage to return to Africa. It was interesting learning about how this short book was compiled. I also learned more about the continental African presence and language that existed within the US. Unfortunately, so much of this has been lost. Thank you Dr. Plant for persisting to bring this story to the world. ​

The High Mountains of Portugal by Yann Martel
I have been to Portugal in July 2017.  What a beautiful nation!  This country takes place over two time periods-- one in the earlier part of the nineteenth century, the second in a modern time.  I am not sure if I understood everything.  Three men are drawn to "the High mountains of Portugal" line and they have generational, inextricable link. I feel like there is the symbolism used of the crucifix, chimpanzee (primate species), the elusive Iberian rhinoceros (extinct), the newly invented automobile, and the mysteries and veneration of saints in the Catholic church.  It felt like a portrait in a lot of ways, as I could feel the sun of Portugal shining.  It also felt like three separate short stories.​

Holes by Louis Sachar
Spoilers: This book was okay.  I had heard about it for a long time as it is read in many schools as well.  Stanley Yelnats is away at "camp" to pay for a crime he did not commit.  At this location, I meet other teenage boys.  The task at hand is to dig for holes.  I wonder about the symbolism of these holes and about the ensuing escape, rediscovery, and hidden treasure that seems to be lurking around every corner.  What was the purpose of the warden and the cruel adults who made these kids do this seemingly pointless activity of hole-digging?  Not sure.

The Last Black Unicorn by Tiffany Haddish​

Leontyne Price: Voice of a Century by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Raúl Colón​