From January 25 to February 23, I delivered 24 events ranging from "Snuggle Up and Read" to "Literacy Week" events to "Black History Month" presentations to storytimes to book signings in Montreal, New York City, Toronto, Kingston, Richmond Hill, Markham, Vaughan, Brampton, and Mississauga.
Carnival/Black History/African Liberation Month 2018 events
February 2018
Friday, February 2 10:30-11:30am Malton Library, Mississauga, ON, Canada
Saturday, February 3 11am-12pm Richmond Hill Library, Richmond Hill, ON, Canada
Saturday, February 3 2-4pm Totsapalooza in Toronto, ON, Canada
Sunday, February 4 2-4pm Chapters Brampton in Brampton, ON, Canada
Friday, February 9 10:30am Storytime Bank Street Book Store in New York, NY, USA
Saturday, February 10 11am Featured Story Time Author Books of Wonder (18th street location) in New York, NY, USA
Saturday, February 11 1:30pm Storytime Greenlight Bookstore (Prospect Gardens location) in Brooklyn, NY, USA
Sunday, February 11 11:30am Featured Story Time Author Books of Wonder (84th street location) in New York, NY, USA
Friday, February 16 Black History School presentation, Markham, ON, Canada
Saturday, February 17 2-5pm Booksigning at Yonge & Eglinton Indigo bookstore, Toronto, ON, Canada
Tuesday, February 20 1-2pm Malaika's Winter Carnival Storytime at Parkdale Public Library in Toronto, ON, Canada
Wednesday, February 21 1-2pm Malaika's Winter Carnival Storytime at Barbara Frum Public Library in Toronto, ON, Canada
Thursday, February 22 and Friday, February 23 Malaika's Winter Carnival at School Presentation, Mississauga, ON, Canada (four presentations each day)
Saturday, February 24 CANCELLED 11:15am Malaika's Winter Carnival Storytime at High Park Public Library in Toronto, ON, Canada
Malaika's Carnival Story Time Quebec
Montreal, QC, Canada
January 27, 2018
11:00am
La Petite Librairie Drawn & Quarterly
176 Rue Bernard Ouest
Montreal, QC, Canada
January 28, 2018
2:00pm
Babar Books bookstore
Pointe-Claire (Montreal west island), QC, Canada
January 2018 Literacy Week
Thursday, January 25 School presentation, Thornhill, ON
Friday, January 26 School presentation, Kingston, ON
Carnival/Black History/African Liberation Month 2018 events
February 2018
Friday, February 2 10:30-11:30am Malton Library, Mississauga, ON, Canada
Saturday, February 3 11am-12pm Richmond Hill Library, Richmond Hill, ON, Canada
Saturday, February 3 2-4pm Totsapalooza in Toronto, ON, Canada
Sunday, February 4 2-4pm Chapters Brampton in Brampton, ON, Canada
Friday, February 9 10:30am Storytime Bank Street Book Store in New York, NY, USA
Saturday, February 10 11am Featured Story Time Author Books of Wonder (18th street location) in New York, NY, USA
Saturday, February 11 1:30pm Storytime Greenlight Bookstore (Prospect Gardens location) in Brooklyn, NY, USA
Sunday, February 11 11:30am Featured Story Time Author Books of Wonder (84th street location) in New York, NY, USA
Friday, February 16 Black History School presentation, Markham, ON, Canada
Saturday, February 17 2-5pm Booksigning at Yonge & Eglinton Indigo bookstore, Toronto, ON, Canada
Tuesday, February 20 1-2pm Malaika's Winter Carnival Storytime at Parkdale Public Library in Toronto, ON, Canada
Wednesday, February 21 1-2pm Malaika's Winter Carnival Storytime at Barbara Frum Public Library in Toronto, ON, Canada
Thursday, February 22 and Friday, February 23 Malaika's Winter Carnival at School Presentation, Mississauga, ON, Canada (four presentations each day)
Saturday, February 24 CANCELLED 11:15am Malaika's Winter Carnival Storytime at High Park Public Library in Toronto, ON, Canada
Malaika's Carnival Story Time Quebec
Montreal, QC, Canada
January 27, 2018
11:00am
La Petite Librairie Drawn & Quarterly
176 Rue Bernard Ouest
Montreal, QC, Canada
January 28, 2018
2:00pm
Babar Books bookstore
Pointe-Claire (Montreal west island), QC, Canada
January 2018 Literacy Week
Thursday, January 25 School presentation, Thornhill, ON
Friday, January 26 School presentation, Kingston, ON
I worked through many challenges in this period. I was (and still am) teaching full-time Core French to Grade 6-8 and Grade 8 Language. I have a very accommodating principal at my school this year. On the half days I presented, I realized that I needed the other half of these days to do the other sides of my writing career-- the administrative stuff, respond to e-mails, the meetings, the deadlines, follow-up, confirm bookings... that was during the week that I did not teach at the school I worked at. In addition to teaching and presenting and travelling, I also marked assignments, completed report cards, and parent-teacher interviews. It was quite a juggling act and it wasn't perfect. I didn't get my hair professionally done into a "trademark style" as I had done for my past book events nor did I get the time to do my beauty maintenance. There was the weekend in New York City when all of the public transit was wonky and routes changed and travel times increased... There were days where I had two presentations in two different locations. Or the time in Montreal when the bus driver told me to get off her bus and go on to the wrong bus. And, I haven't posted monthly youtube videos in 2018 as I had hoped. Nor, the one presentation that I showed up for that didn't happen because in the end the library changed its mind but I didn't change my calendar.
But there have been successes... many. One of these successes was maintaining my workout schedule through it all. I promised myself in 2018 that I would be consistent with my physical health and I am nearing the end of my 13-week training for a 10 kilometre run. I received a lot of positive feedback about my presentation and made changes along the way. I feel my presentations are now more informative, entertaining, and high-energy. I continue to receive more invitations to present and have engaged more people in conversations around my books and the issues discussed. I travelled a lot and connected with family and friends I have not seen in a long time. I have also received the notification of receiving a few Writer's Reserve and a Theatre Creator's Reserve grants through the Ontario Arts Council. Thank you very much Young People's Theatre, Groundwood Books, Lorimer, and Wolsak & Wynn for believing in my projects.
But there have been successes... many. One of these successes was maintaining my workout schedule through it all. I promised myself in 2018 that I would be consistent with my physical health and I am nearing the end of my 13-week training for a 10 kilometre run. I received a lot of positive feedback about my presentation and made changes along the way. I feel my presentations are now more informative, entertaining, and high-energy. I continue to receive more invitations to present and have engaged more people in conversations around my books and the issues discussed. I travelled a lot and connected with family and friends I have not seen in a long time. I have also received the notification of receiving a few Writer's Reserve and a Theatre Creator's Reserve grants through the Ontario Arts Council. Thank you very much Young People's Theatre, Groundwood Books, Lorimer, and Wolsak & Wynn for believing in my projects.
What's next? March Break is around the corner. I am looking forward to more self-care and reconnecting with my family and friends. I am also doing the final edits for a picture book manuscript that I had been working on for six years. (My announcement shall go out soon.) I am seeking an agent and putting more time and energy into the process. I am also making some adjustments on my teaching career. In addition, I continue to work toward making my research trips in Brazil and Jamaica a reality. I also look forward to more book signings, appearances, presentations, and school visits over the next several months. And of course, I will keep you posted through this blog, my newsletters, and social media.
RSS Feed