My 2021 #WriterlyLife Year in Review
As I reflect on this year, I’m amazed that many of my dreams came true, as well as exceeded them. 2021 marks ten years since I promised myself to do everything in my ability to become a published author. In 2011, I was newly diagnosed with #thyroidcancer which became “the fire 🔥 under my ass” to become a writer.
Fast forward to 2021 and here we are:
- Malaika’s Costume float in 117th The Original Santa Claus Parade
- my screenwriting debut for “#OscarPeterson and #Montreal’s #LittleBurgundy” Historica Canada
- finding a #literaryagent Hilary McMahon @Westwood Creative Artists
- signing my 10th book contract by age 45 (my personal goal, I represented myself in all of these contracts whichwerein progress before signing with my la), 3 signed in 2021
- #MalaikasSurprise, my 7th book (3rd in #Malaikaseries) is released
- #MalaikasWinterCarnival featured in the February 13 The Toronto Star #crossword - Malaika’s Costume (2016) is the 2021 TD Grade One Book Giveaway and a pick for the #TDsummerReadingClub
- taught 4 online classes at #CentennialCollege, #UniversityofGuelph, and #UniversityofToronto SchoolforContinuingStudies
- hosted or presented 50+ online literary events including Speakeasy Reading Series, #schools, #libraries, #festivals
- research trips for future writing projects
- studied 5 courses toward my #MFA in #CreativeWriting (completed course requirement), took 1 poetry course w/ #CheleneKnight and 1 Children’s Book Illustration class with #WillowDawson
- wrote for 6 #articles in #publications (1 book, 4 #magazines-- #Chickadee, Arc Poetry Magazine, CCBC Book News, The Writers' Union of Canada)
- voiceovers (2 #TDBookGiveaway #announcement #videos, 3 participatedfor the #Malaikaseries)
- participated in first #HighlightsFoundation #AmplifyBlackStories #cohort (I was 1 of 24 #kidlitcreators, the only #Canadian)
- filmed and edited my own cooking video, 1 book trailer, interviews, presentations, and rekindled my interest in filmmaking
- new logo and work w/ #socialmedia consultant thanks to Ontario Arts Council
- Conseil des arts de l'Ontario grant in the summer
- #MalaikasSurprise Forest of Reading nomination and CBC Books and The Canadian Children's Book Centre best book selections
- a weekly series called #KidLitCreatorSpotlight to highlight #BlackCanadian and diverse authors and illustrators for children
As I reflect on this year, I’m amazed that many of my dreams came true, as well as exceeded them. 2021 marks ten years since I promised myself to do everything in my ability to become a published author. In 2011, I was newly diagnosed with #thyroidcancer which became “the fire 🔥 under my ass” to become a writer.
Fast forward to 2021 and here we are:
- Malaika’s Costume float in 117th The Original Santa Claus Parade
- my screenwriting debut for “#OscarPeterson and #Montreal’s #LittleBurgundy” Historica Canada
- finding a #literaryagent Hilary McMahon @Westwood Creative Artists
- signing my 10th book contract by age 45 (my personal goal, I represented myself in all of these contracts whichwerein progress before signing with my la), 3 signed in 2021
- #MalaikasSurprise, my 7th book (3rd in #Malaikaseries) is released
- #MalaikasWinterCarnival featured in the February 13 The Toronto Star #crossword - Malaika’s Costume (2016) is the 2021 TD Grade One Book Giveaway and a pick for the #TDsummerReadingClub
- taught 4 online classes at #CentennialCollege, #UniversityofGuelph, and #UniversityofToronto SchoolforContinuingStudies
- hosted or presented 50+ online literary events including Speakeasy Reading Series, #schools, #libraries, #festivals
- research trips for future writing projects
- studied 5 courses toward my #MFA in #CreativeWriting (completed course requirement), took 1 poetry course w/ #CheleneKnight and 1 Children’s Book Illustration class with #WillowDawson
- wrote for 6 #articles in #publications (1 book, 4 #magazines-- #Chickadee, Arc Poetry Magazine, CCBC Book News, The Writers' Union of Canada)
- voiceovers (2 #TDBookGiveaway #announcement #videos, 3 participatedfor the #Malaikaseries)
- participated in first #HighlightsFoundation #AmplifyBlackStories #cohort (I was 1 of 24 #kidlitcreators, the only #Canadian)
- filmed and edited my own cooking video, 1 book trailer, interviews, presentations, and rekindled my interest in filmmaking
- new logo and work w/ #socialmedia consultant thanks to Ontario Arts Council
- Conseil des arts de l'Ontario grant in the summer
- #MalaikasSurprise Forest of Reading nomination and CBC Books and The Canadian Children's Book Centre best book selections
- a weekly series called #KidLitCreatorSpotlight to highlight #BlackCanadian and diverse authors and illustrators for children
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