As you know, I have gone back to school.  Currently, I am a first year student in the Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in Creative Writing program at the University of Guelph.  Join me on March 10 at 7pm EST and my kidlit colleagues authors SK Ali (York) and Karen Crossing (VCFA), hosted by Glen Huser (UBC) for the CANSCAIP Monthly Meeting.

Wed Mar 10

 

7:00 EST

 

Zoom
Meeting Start Times Across Canada
 BC 4:00 | AB 5:00 | SK 6:00 | MB 6:00| ON 7:00 | QB 7:00
NS 8:00 | NB 8:00 | PE 8:00 | NL 8:30



CANSCAIP Members and Friends across Canada are invited to register for our membership meeting on Wednesday March 10. Our monthly meetings are via Zoom on the second Wednesday of each month. Registration is free, and the Zoom link will be in the email confirming your registration. Guests are welcome, and can contact office@canscaip.org to request the Zoom link. REGISTER  
THIS MONTH'S MEETING TOPIC: Have you considered a degree in creative writing? What degrees are out there? What is the workload? What can I gain? And – was it worth the money? Our panelists are S.K. Ali, Nadia Hohn and Karen Krossing, and moderator Glen Huser. All of them have faculty and student experience and will shed light on programs and schools.
MEETING FORMAT: 

• Meetings start with announcements by Members and Friends, followed by the meeting speakers, with breakout rooms at the end.
• During the meeting, attendees can use Chat to type questions and comments, which will be read aloud by the meeting coordinator. 
• Attendees are encouraged to linger after the meeting for breakout rooms where we can talk to each other in smaller groups.

Announcements by Members & Friends
Celebrating a new book? Having an event? Teaching a course? Other news? Announce it at the meeting! If you're making an announcement, please send office@canscaip.org the following info:

• Your name
• Book title, genre, publisher, publication date
• Summary of your book, event, course, award, or other news 
• Email subject line: "Meeting Announcement by [your name]" 

NOTE: Please keep announcements to about two minutes. 
Meeting Topic & Speakers
Have you considered a degree in creative writing? What degrees are out there? What is the workload? What can I gain? And – was it worth the money? Our panelists and moderator all have faculty and student experience and will shed light on programs and schools.

 
S. K. Ali is the author of Saints and Misfits, a finalist for the American Library Association's Morris Award, winner of the APALA Honor and Middle East Book Honor Award, and Love from A to Z, a Today Show's "Read with Jenna'' Book Club selection. Both novels were named best YA books of the year by various media including Entertainment Weekly and Kirkus Reviews. She’s also the co-editor of the critically acclaimed middle-grade anthology Once Upon an Eid and co-author of the NYT bestselling picture book, The Proudest Blue.

 
Nadia L. Hohn is the award-winning author of children's books including A Likkle Miss Lou (Owlkids) and the Malaika series (Groundwood Books); Malaika's Surprise (Groundwood Books) was released in March 2021. Nadia is currently a student in the MFA Creative Writing program at the University of Guelph. She teaches elementary school, as well as courses in writing for children at University of Toronto School for Continuing Studies, Centennial College, and University of Guelph Open University. She lives in Toronto where she is working on novels and other projects.

 
Karen Krossing writes for kids and teens, including the novels Punch Like a Girl, Bog, and Cut the Lights. She graduated with an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts in 2020. Her debut picture book Sour Cakes, illustrated by Anna Kwan, will be published by Owlkids Books in October. She has two nonfiction picture books forthcoming with Owlkids and Groundwood Books, and she conducts workshops to empower emerging writers. 

 
Glen Huser has been a sessional lecturer in children’s literature and creative writing at UBC. His first work Grace Lake was shortlisted for the 1992 W.H. Smith-Books in Canada First Novel Award. His books for young adults include the Governor Generals’ Award-winner Stitches, GG finalist Skinnybones and the Wrinkle Queen, and Firebird released in 2020. His short stories have appeared in literary magazines. Glen lives in Vancouver where he continues to write as well as pursue interests in art and film studies.

Freelance Articles
I am thankful for the opportunities to write in recent publications:

• “I Now Write Our Stories, But Who Else?” in the Winter 2021 Canadian Children’s Booknews magazine

 

• “Going Up on the Rough Side of Black Canadian Kidlit” in the Winter 2021 Write! Magazine (The Writers’ Union of Canada)

 

• Upcoming article… University of Waterloo magazine

Virtual Presentations
I am pleased to announce that I am booking 2021 virtual presentations.  It has been a busy last two months.  My presentations have included:

• Public libraries (including Toronto, Ajax, Milton, North Vancouver)
• Schools (including Toronto, Niagara, and Peel District, Alberta)
• Hospital for Sick Kids

  I present on a variety of platforms. Please contact me if you would like a presentation package including details and pricing.
​
New book contract
In February 2021, I signed my eighth book contract.  I am excited about my new project which is an anthology of sorts. Stay tuned!
Upcoming in Spring 2021 Nadia’s Notables Newsletter…

• Upcoming books
• Agent update
• MFA first year highlights​

#KidLit4BlackLivesCanada: A Rally to Support Black Lives in solidarity with #KidLit4BlackLives and #Juneteenth was a success with over 2000+ viewers (in spite of having gone over 45 minutes and Zoom having made the mistake of capping at 100 viewers even though it was extended ahead of time.) One thing is certain: we love and care for our children and youth.  Many courageous conversations were had and will continue after this event.  To my presenters: Thank you for getting to the tough stuff, being so real, and vulnerable.  Thank you for your creativity— poetry, storytelling, music, art.  I suppose that it was ambitious to get this all in within time constraints (the event went over by 45 minutes). The kids’ section was fun, brave, and creative.  The teen section was the kinds of things I wish I heard as a teen, gritty, and genuine.  The adult section really encouraged them to be informed and to act.  On our panel consisted of 100+ books published, 22 presenters, 17 authors of which 9 were self-published, 6 Black female and 5 Black male authors, 5 allies, 3 time zones, 3 Canadian provinces, 2 countries, Goals reached: Educate, empower, heal, call to action. What else was accomplished? So much more.  I wish to thank all of our participants.  To watch the full length event, visit A Different Booklist Cultural Centre’s Facebook Page.  An edited version with resources list will be available on youtube soon. 

​Meet the presenters here!

Special thanks!

Join us!!!!

    Let’s face it.  It’s been a challenging season.  Staying at home more has brought a lot of gifts but for many of us are dealing with new work arrangements, managing children, supporting sick family members, recovering, loss of employment or income, or grieving.  My original thought at the start of the pandemic was that I could blog and post weekly but I realize that was a lot to demand myself.  I have been doing a lot of journaling, working (although it feels much slower), spiritual life, and goal setting.  I will do my best to share what I have been learning along the way.  The optimist in me believes that there is good that can come from these challenges.  

    A “piece of positive news”... I am going back to school. I decided to fulfill a dream and pursue my passion. Once upon a time, I applied to an Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in #CreativeWriting program at UBC in 2011 and Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA) in 2014. I did not get into either. I let go of the dream. I found many other ways to “get into” writing through courses, workshops, conferences, critique groups, mentorships, and on-one-on feedback sessions. I now have 6 books published and a 7th on the way, plus 1 poem in an anthology, which I have been able to do without an agent. I have a Master of Education (MEd) degree (2015), jury writing awards, review books, and present all over, including teaching an upcoming course in writing for children at the University of Toronto School of Continuing Studies. You may be asking, why an MFA now?  I have blogged a lot about how to have an “MFA experience” without going into loads of debt (read about that here). However, I realized I still held a flame for pursuing one. Part of applying was for me to know that I could get an offer of admission. Secondly, many of my favourite authors completed MFAs and I wanted to learn how they were able to write such great books. I am a multi-genre writer who wants to develop further in my other genres, especially non-fiction, fiction, and drama. With this program, I am amazed at the writing of the award-winning faculty like Carrianne Leung and Dionne Brand and graduates like Canisia Lubrin, Ayelet Tsabari, #SimoneDalton, #JaelRichardson, #RichardScrimger, and Wendy Motion Brathwaite  that the MFA program of interest boasted. The MFA in #CreativeWriting Canada as a degree is still fairly new, only 5 institutes offer it in this country. The University of Guelph-Humber program offered a lot of advantages— Toronto’s only MFA in #CreativeWriting program, it’s super close (#Rexdale represent!), it’s tiny (less than 15 students, so the faculty to student ratio is very low), and there are other benefits too. Admittedly, I don’t know what I’m getting into as I’m not sure what it will be like in this #pandemic/#physicaldistancing climate. I will need to juggle studying with other responsibilities.  In spite of all of this, I am super excited. I look forward to applying time to my many works in progress— plays, novels, books in my head and being with a group of such talented and focussed people.  Thank you so much to all Paul Coccia, Danielle Daniel, Harold Underdown, Ann-Marie Metten, Richard Scrimger, Melanie Fishbane, Shauntay Grant, Jael Richardson, and Karen Krossing who were part of my decision-making process. #writerlylife #writeordiechick #writerwithadayjob  The University of Guelph Creative Writing MFA #maturestudent #2nddegree

    How are you doing?  How are you coping?  The Novel COVID-19/ Corona Virus Pandemic has brought up a lot of different feelings for people from panic to concern, anxiety to uncertainty.  For many of us, it has brought up the feeling of “loss of control”.   We pore over news feeds and stock up on essentials at the stores. It has resulted in generosity and greater concerns for vulnerable members of society.  Never have we seen such a pandemic in my generation or in this century.  This time is causing me to think a lot about what we can do help people in difficult situations such as domestic abuse in which a “lockdown/social isolation” can have dire consequences, and holding each other up.  As a teacher who currently does not have my own children, I understand that many parents have to keep their young ones at home and in social isolation.  Museums, movie theatres, shows, and even places of worship have closed down or reduced their hours and capacities.  Literary and other conferences are being cancelled left right and centre or moved to virtual platforms.  Authors, including myself on March 24, are presenting and doing readings online.  

     I have probably spent way too much time online, reading Facebook posts, watching the numbers on the news, trying touch base with loved ones, and finding out what exactly is gong on?  It is possibly way too soon to know.

     In the meantime, I am using this time for self care and check in on loved ones.  Sure, it may feel like a luxury.

       Since this week is technically my March Break from my teaching career, I have been using this time for writing projects.  Below is my schedule.  PLEASE NOTE: I have not followed this schedule exactly as I’ve been flexible with the times, here and there.  If I get to most of the things on this list, major success especially since some days it’s more about reading COVID updates on social media, meeting deadlines, and checking in with loved ones.  Perhaps, you’ll find it helpful.  

      You will notice that my faith is an important part of my day.  I am a practicing Christian and I’ve begun writing prayers this week (as in first time ever).  I wrote my first ever prayer for healthcare workers.  Much of my family members work in the US and Jamaican 🇯🇲 healthcare systems so in addition to my Canadian home, I am following the novel COVID-19 pandemics there as well.  If you would like a copy, please contact me here.
​        
      On a different note, please join me on Tuesday, March 24, 2020 at 11am EST for FOLD Kids Academy webinar.  Click here for details.  Check www.nadialhohn.com/events or my social media for updates on any more online visits.

        Staying healthy is also essential!  I am thinking of ways to serve my community more in the next few weeks.  All of this will also be dependent on what this social distancing will look like in my career as a teacher.
        
        Check on your loved ones!  Take good care!