Nadia L. Hohn
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My First Travelwriting Article Published

5/27/2017

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Yesterday, my first travel essay was published online. I have been journaling since age 9 and posting about my life and travels on blogs and social media for the last 10 years. I have wanted to travel the world and "learn every language" since I was a child. I've also noticed that most travel shows do not have people who look like me... Having me wondering where are the "people of colour" perspectives?  Don't get me wrong.  I do have friends who travel but it was something I could not picture myself doing although I really wanted to.  A number of years ago, I asked a mutual friend named Denise for coffee.  She was also Jamaican-Canadian like me and would share photos from her international trips online and she also self-published.  I grilled her with questions about how she was able to travel, as I wanted to also travel widely and write and publish books.  I am happy to say that I realized the latter dream and I am working on the former.  

Over the past few years, I've been inspired by travellers of colour like Oneika Raymond and Nomadness Travel Tribe. I decided to fulfill my dream of living overseas.  Originally, I wanted to go to Brazil as I had been studying Brazilian-Portuguese and I wanted to research a book.  However, when I was presented with four jobs from different countries at an international teaching fair (none of which was Brazil), I chose to accept the position in Abu Dhabi which seemed the strongest candidate.   By moving to the UAE and over the past year have visited 5 new countries so far (not including flight layovers). (Before coming to the UAE, I had only visited 5 within the Caribbean and the United States. I plan to visit 7 new ones by November.) Here I have befriended people of colour travellers who helped me to see that international travel is possible and imagine me in unique spaces, event that  I could be welcomed in these spaces. These people have helped me to see that people who looked like me could and do travel and came back with positive experiences.  In 2014, I went on my first "faraway" trip to Accra, Ho, and Dzodze in Ghana where I took the Orff Afrique Masterclass through the San Francisco Orff School.
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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. 

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100 days to 40

5/27/2017

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 Imagine!  Posting 100 days of life lessons until I turn 40!  I have had this idea for almost a year now.  It reflects my love for "listicals"-- both reading them on Facebook and sites like Buzzfeed, Atlanta Black Star, Madame Noire, and Bored Panda and creating my own as I did with First 100 Days in the UAE in 2016 and 40 Days of Gratitude for Lent in 2017.  100 days until I turn 40 or #100daysto40 is both a birthday gift to myself and an invitation for you to celebrate with me.  Through these posts, I will share with you the scary and fabulous things I have learned so far on this road called life.  I have been going strong so far and today is Day 89.  I am gearing up for this new decade by trying to live fabulously and adventurously.  I am truly thankful that I am getting ready for my 40th year of life.  As a cancer survivor, I have come to know many young adults who did not make it to this point or used 40 as their "goal age".  I also remember there was a time in my early 20s when I just "could not see past 30".  It was a strange, depressing, and desperate place to be.  Today, I know there is so much I need to work on and learn about myself but I assure you my #100daysto40 is not preachy.  I think of them more as instructions for life just as much for me as it is for me to share with those who wish to know.  This series is also telling of my foray into other genres.  I love and will always be committed to children's books first but I am also adding spoken word, travelwriting, memoir, playwriting, non-fiction, and romance to my arsenal.  Please join me for these daily posts on Instagram which connects links with Twitter, Facebook, and my website.  You can also track my posts with the hashtags #nadias40th #100daysto40 #40daysto20 #turning40.  
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Winter is Coming... Advance copies just in

5/27/2017

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This week, my second picture book "Malaika's Winter Carnival", the advance copy of my sequel to "Malaika's Costume", arrived from my publisher Groundwood Books all the way in Toronto, hand-delivered to my classroom in Dubai. I don't typically open mail in front of my class but the "mysterious package" couldn't wait and this class was well-behaved enough so I agreed to open it in front of them. (The previous class saw the package delivered and were just as curious but a little too rowdy for me to give them this special privilege. Besides, this was going to be the first time I held my book and boy, did it feel good.) This Grade 2 class had just celebrated their Writer's Workshop the day before so they had amazing questions like "What is your summary? But don't tell me about the whole thing." "Why do you write books?" "How long did it take you?" "Do you have an editor?" The grade 4 class asked me questions that had me talking about contracts, translation, advances, royalties, publishing rights, and legal fees. How's that for throwing your music class on to a different track? Sheesh. I'm not complaining though. I loved every minute of it.

I still get a thrill out of seeing my name in print.  Holding the book in my hands, stroking the smooth surface of the cover jacket, seeing the bright blue (my favourite colour and shade) of the end papers, feeling the cool energy of the blues in the illustrated contrasted by bright bold colours, I truly have a greater appreciation of the publishing process.  I really love how the pictures and feel of Malaika's Winter Carnival make me feel 20 degrees cooler.  It seemed like the illustrator Irene Luxbacher took the best things from Malaika's Costume but then gave it a fresh look.  I love how the words and the pictures work together.  I'll stop here though.  I don't want to ruin it for anyone.  Besides, I am allowed to 
critique my own picture book, aren't I?

Can't wait for the Malaika's Winter Carnival release date of September 1, 2017!  Stay tuned for the launch information which should be scheduled for late August.
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Nadia's Notables Newsletter April/May 2017

5/13/2017

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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.

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​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)
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Awards Announcements... the Latest

5/5/2017

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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.)
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Best Children's Books of the Year 2017 by Bank Street College of Education Children's Book Committee

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/

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Américas Award 2017 Honourable Mention by CLASP

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.  

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.
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    Nadia L. Hohn

    Write or die chick.

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