In this issue...
- My Graduation
- The Antiracist Kitchen
- ByBlacks article Writing for Children: Introduction course
- TCS Waterfront 5km Fundraising for the Canadian Children’s Book Centre
Letter from the editor
Greetings. Teaching part-time while writing full-time has been a balancing act that I continue to navigate. I love the many ways writing stretches me. There is first the actual writing, then there is editing, networking, teaching, presenting, workshopping, social media, and learning, always learning. In this season, post MFA, I am focussed on getting my thesis to publication. It is a humbling journey which I enjoy and I want to create the best book possible. I am also focussing on areas of my life that took a backseat as I finished my thesis. And yet again, balance is key. I hope you are balancing well in your endeavours.
Sincerely,
Nadia L. Hohn
My Graduation
If there is anything I learned from this journey, that is to NEVER give up on your dreams.
Sometimes when the doors 🚪 get shut on us, it’s easy to give up. From getting rejected from two other #MFAprograms to not finding any dresses 👗 that flatter your 40-something year old curves... when you’ve almost given up and decided to move on, that’s the time to dig deep into your faith and give it another try.
Doing my #MFA felt like a gift to myself, a do-over, a second chance. It was a lot of hard work, but fun. I hope to publish my 330+ page thesis one day.
And something about graduating with my second masters at 45 years old is so much sweeter than when I did at 28. I can’t wait for the next chapter (pun intended).
I’m so happy my family attended this ceremony. (So they could see the fruits 🍉 of my labour, working for weeks and months on end).
The #Chancellor of my university is also a “daughter of #Jamaica” 🇯🇲 named Dr. Mary Anne Chambers and she shared her immigration story at the start of her opening address which was the icing 🧁 on the 🎂 cake.
I appreciated my graduate thesis committee, all my professors, department staff, and classmates.
The Antiracist Kitchen
And I’d like to share it with you.
THE ANTIRACIST KITCHEN: 21 Stories (and Recipes)
In 2019, I had an idea for a #middle-grade #anthology. I spoke to a publisher.
Then 2020 happened.
My idea changed.
I approached another publisher.
And then we went to work, all while I attended grad school and wrote a few other books.
Finalizing the title took a few months and this one is very close to the one I originally had in mind.
I’m so happy to have so many award-winning authors contribute to THE ANTIRACIST KITCHEN 📚and I can’t wait to have this collection out in the world.
Pre-orders will start in January 2023.
Coming to a book retailer near you in fall 2023.
Stay tuned for details.
ByBlacks October article
Read the recent #ByBlacks article, WHY BOOKS BY BLACK CANADIANS MATTER, about my work.
Find the link here: https://byblacks.com/profiles/personalities/item/3222-why-books-by-black-canadian-authors-matter
Thanks to #FelesetaKassaye for the interview and the ByBlacks team.
Check out my recent article, THREE BLACK ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO GET US READING, on the @byblacks website. I asked them about the ways they work towards promoting literacy within the Black community (and beyond).
To read this article, please visit this link: https://byblacks.com/entertainment/books/item/3230-three-black-organizations-working-to-get-us-reading
ByBlacks October article
Read the recent #ByBlacks article, WHY BOOKS BY BLACK CANADIANS MATTER, about my work.
Find the link here: https://byblacks.com/profiles/personalities/item/3222-why-books-by-black-canadian-authors-matter
Thanks to #FelesetaKassaye for the interview and the ByBlacks team.
Check out my recent article, THREE BLACK ORGANIZATIONS WORKING TO GET US READING, on the @byblacks website. I asked them about the ways they work towards promoting literacy within the Black community (and beyond).
To read this article, please visit this link: https://byblacks.com/entertainment/books/item/3230-three-black-organizations-working-to-get-us-reading
TCS Waterfront 5km Fundraising for the Canadian Children’s Book Centre
If you'd like to contribute to my chosen cause this year, the Canadian Children's Book Centre, please visit this link: https://raceroster.com/events/2022/34025/2022-tcs-toronto-waterfront-marathon/pledge/participant/16810478.
My goal is to raise $500. You can donate until October 31.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us directly.
Event organizer: [email protected]
Fundraising coordinator: [email protected]
Articles and Podcasts
Travelling Across Canada’s Underground Railroad, Owl magazine (January/February 2022)
“How Harriet’s Daughter Helped Me Find My Way as a Black Canadian and a Writer for Young People”, Arc Poetry magazine (Arc 96 Islands of Influence Caribbean Canadian edition) (Fall 2021).
“Kojo’s Holiday”, Chickadee magazine (December 2021).
“Writer with a Capital W”, University of Waterloo podcast
“Writer Finds Resilience Stories Black Women and Girls”, University of Waterloo magazine (Spring 2021).
Upcoming books
Journey to Grandma's House (Groundwood Books), Fall 2024.
Editor of Antiracist Kitchen (Orca Books), Fall 2023.
Malaika, Carnival Queen (Groundwood Books), Spring 2023.
Contributor to 100+ Voices for Miss Lou: Poetry, Tributes, Interviews, Essays anthology (UWI Press), 2021.
Published books
Louise Go A Country in 100+ Voices of Miss Lou: Poetry, Tributes, Interviews, Essays (UWI Press, 2022).
Interview in Contemporary Canadian Picture Books: A Critical Review for Educators, Librarians, Families, Researchers, & Writers by Beverley Brenna, Richard Dionne, and Theresa Tavares (Brill, 2021).
Malaika's Surprise (Groundwood Books), Spring 2021 https://houseofanansi.com/products/malaikas-surprise French version available in 2022 by Éditions Scholastic, Malaika's Surprise Book Trailer
A Likkle Miss Lou: How Jamaican Poet Louise Bennett-Coverley Found Her Voice (Owlkids), Aug. 15, 2019
Harriet Tubman: Freedom Fighter (Harper Collins), 2018
Malaika's Winter Carnival (Groundwood Books), 2017 (available in French and English paperback http://scholastic.ca/editions/livres/view/le-carnaval-de-malaika)
Malaika's Costume (Groundwood Books www.groundwoodbooks.com), 2016 (available in French paperback www.scholastic.ca) 2021 TD Book Giveaway
Music in the Sankofa series (Rubicon Publishing), 2015 www.sankofacollection.com
Media in the Sankofa series (Rubicon Publishing), 2015 www.sankofacollection.com
© Nadia L. Hohn, 2022
Toronto, ON, Canada