Blog Posts - Nadia L. Hohn

Throwback... Ramadan Write-In

4/4/2023

Looking back...

#RamadanWriteIn

Being a writer/storyteller is an identity that never leaves you, as you age and even move locations in the world.

During #Ramadan in 2017, I was living in #Dubai and teaching at an international private school. This was my second school after my first contract at a school in #AbuDhabi was terminated unjustly, six months after my move to the #UnitedArabEmirates.

Reclaiming a sense of community and growing in my writing practice was important to me. Having participated in a twice weekly writing workshop in Abu Dhabi, I decided to recreate a special writing group with Black women writers I met while in the UAE. These were current and former teaching colleagues, a parent from the first school, and a friend.

The UAE is a Muslim country in which Ramadan is characterized by shorter work days, a slower pace to life, a pause from certain activities, and different eating habits. Whether you are Muslim or not, this religious practice impacts everyone. I knew Christian friends who were fasting during this time, alongside Muslim colleagues. The church I attended was organizing an iftar to welcome Muslims. Cultural organizations, like the Trinidadian association of the UAE, held iftars, too.

I decided to use this time to start this four week group called, The Ramadan Write-In. We met weekly and workshopped pieces. I am happy to say that most of the women were either self-published or became so after this workshop.

A highlight of our time was having a special guest. I saw on Facebook that Kwame Alexander was participating in the Sharjah Children's Festival which is not too far from Dubai. I reached out to him. I hadn't seen Kwame in a few years and I hoped he would remember me. He did. We all had a lovely dinner at Miss Lilly's Restaurant in Dubai.

Thank you all who participated and gave me great memories in UAE.

March 2023 Nadia's Notables Newsletter

3/29/2023

In this issue…

Malaika, Carnival Queen Reviews and Pre-sales
Presentation recap
Reading for the Love of It
Anti-Racist Kitchen Sampler
Grants Received

Letter from the editor
It’s March Break. I had hoped to be basking in the sun of a sunny destination but I had to change my plans. Instead, I’m catching up on tasks, restoring my body, and relaxing at home. This staycation has given me an opportunity to look back. It has been an incredible February– a month in which many Black artists, me included, find themselves busy with events and presentations. I am also happy to say that my agent is currently reading my young adult novel manuscript which has also been read by a number of cultural and sensitivity readers. I look forward to receiving more feedback in order to get my story ready for publication. I am also looking forward to the release of the fourth book in my picture book series, Malaika Carnival Queen, which will be released soon.

As we’ve turned back our clocks, adjusting the time zones, and the days lengthen, I wish you a happy March!

Best wishes,

Nadia L. Hohn

Malaika, Carnival Queen Reviews
My Malaika, Carnival Queen author copies arrived recently and I was so excited to see my personal story in the pages of thus beautiful book. I recorded myself opening the box of books and shared this moment with my social media followers. The joy of holding my brand new books never gets old. You can watch it here.

I was also delighted to see these reviews.

Malaika, Carnival Queen is very close to my heart and is dedicated to my two grandfathers who were migrant workers.

I am so happy to see my story embraced by these esteemed reviewers. The illustrations are gorgeous, rich, and emotive. I can’t wait until MCQ is out in the world.

Remember, you can pre-order this book now before its May 2 release. Pre-sales help with the sales and marketing of books. To order yours, please visit linktr.ee/nadialhohn for details or order from your favourite online retailer.

Stay tuned for the May 6 Book Launch in Toronto.

Presentation Recap
This February was the busiest February for me. Since I teach in the afternoons and one morning each week, my limited book presentations take place during mornings, evenings, and Saturdays. Other Black History presentations extended March . This accommodation allowed me to deliver more presentations. Here are some of my stats from January 27 to March 7:

35+ individual sessions
27 institutions (1 conference, 5 libraries, 17 schools, 1 bookstore, 1 hospital, 1 long-term care facility, 1 festival)
7 district school boards and 1 independent (TDSB, TCDSB, YRCDSB, YRDSB, HCDSB, DPCDSB, PDSB, and Branksome Hall)
6 cities in Toronto and surrounding area (Burlington, Oakville, Brampton, Mississauga, Markham, Toronto)
3 library systems (Toronto Public Library, Waterloo Region Libraries, Waterloo Public Library)
3 cancellations (1 traffic delayed the commute time, 1 inclement weather, 1 health)
2 languages (English and French)
2 virtual (Toronto Public Library, Hospital for Sick Kids)
1 conference (Reading for the Love of It)

Reading for the Love of It 2023
On February 24, 2023, I delivered the breakfast keynote at the #ReadingfortheLoveofIt conference. This is #Canada's largest annual language arts conference.

The name of my talk was #TheMagicintheMirror, leaping off from Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop's quote about books 📚 being "windows, mirrors, and sliding doors".

I had attended the annual #RFTLOI conference early on in my career as a teacher. In 2016, I launched my first two books, Music and Media in the Sankofa series, here.

Years before my keynote, I had contacted #RFTLOI and asked if I could deliver a workshop. I was told that clinicians are invited. My invitation came years later to deliver a keynote and workshop sessions (the 2022 conference was cancelled and became 2023).

So it all came full circle.

Being my first time delivering a keynote, I was a little nervous leading up to the day. In addition, I had some small technical challenges. My ipad fell the evening before which caused a splintery crack. This resulted in my ipad acting weird. Meanwhile, on my laptop, some of the images on my slide wouldn't load, even though they worked fine when I checked them that earlier that morning and I had replaced others that wouldn’t.

In spite of all of this, the event was a success.

I appreciate everyone (all 100 or so people) who bought tickets and came out to hear me speak over breakfast. It was great to see familiar faces, meet new people, and have the support of my principal and #GroundwoodBooks editor, #NanFroman.

I signed a lot of books and enjoyed chatting with attendees as I signed their books.

One of the things I miss most is seeing familiar faces and my colleagues-- my editor and publishing team, former and current teacher colleagues and fellow #kidlit creators.

Pictured are:
- David, my principal
- Nan Froman, editor at Groundwood Books
- Ruth Ohi, author/illustrator (we're Groundwood Books sisters this season, holding each others' new releases)
- Rachel Cooke, fellow educator
- Ashley Spires, author/illustrator
- Larry Swartz, language arts/drama educator
- Rachel Swartz, fellow educator

Thank you to educator #DeniseCanning for the wonderful introduction.

Thank you also to the conference organizers for the invitation and the enriching experience.

Grants Received
In this video link, I had planned on doing a post about gratitude for two OAC writers recommenders grants that I'd received.

But then, I got more good news today. I got two more grants and something else.

Thank you to God for blessing me. I've learned over the years to rely more on my faith and that 🙏🏾 He will always provide for me even when things seem dire.

Thank you for also to:

- CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS: Explore and Create Grant

- ONTARIO ARTS COUNCIL Writers Recommenders Grants that were recommended by:

- Groundwood Books
- Kids Can Press

and

- Diaspora Dialogues Society

Thank you so much for believing in my young adult novel manuscript. I can't wait to share it with the world.

Thank you also CANADA 🇨🇦 COUNCIL Public Lending Right (PLR).

I haven't yet shared publicly about my past financial challenges and one day I may. However, all of these funds will help me to live, research, write, dream and work on other projects, and do the do.

Like writing and submitting your manuscript, grant writing ✍️ is time consuming and means you’ll get a lot more no’s than yeses, but when you get a yes... it’s worth it.

Thanks again. 💋 😘

Upcoming Events

Articles and Podcasts
“Ainara’s Bookshelf is Diversifying What We Read One Book at a Time”, ByBlacks February 2023

“Meet Dr. Suzette Mayr: The 2022 Scotiabank Giller Prize Winner”, ByBlacks January 2023

“Celebrate Black Canadian Authors This Holiday Season with These 36 Books”, ByBlacks December 2022

“If You Love Black Panther, Then You’ll Love These Books”, ByBlacks    November 2022

“The Hairy Truth” and “A Deeper Meaning”, Owl Magazine, November 2022

“Three Black Organizations Working to Get Us Reading,” byblacks,    October 2022

“Top 10 Summer Reads for Black Canadian Kids,” byblacks,
August 2022

Travelling Across Canada’s Underground Railroad, Owl magazine (January/February 2022)

“Kojo’s Holiday”, Chickadee magazine (December 2021).

“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).

“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
Patty Dreams (Owlkids), Spring 2025.

Journey to Grandma's House (Groundwood Books), Fall 2024.

The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes) (Orca Books), Fall 2023.

Malaika, Carnival Queen (Groundwood Books), Spring 2023.

Published books
Kwanzaa section in Celebrate with me! Recipes, Crafts, and Holiday Fun from around the world (Magic Cat Publishing/Abrams Kids), 2022

Contributor to 100+ Voices for Miss Lou: Poetry, Tributes, Interviews, Essays anthology (UWI Press), 2021.

February 2023 Nadia's Notables Newsletter

2/18/2023

In this issue…

Sankofa’s Pen 9th anniversary
My ByBlacks January and February articles
Antiracist Kitchen cover reveal
Author offers ‘joyous’ presentations during Black History Month article
TorontoStar Crossword Puzzle

Letter from the editor
Greetings. It’s February! Black history month! African liberation month! The shortest and coldest month, and I’m booked! This is my busiest month in terms of presentations. I share the same sentiments as many Black artists. So far, this month, I’ve presented at seven different institutions (libraries and schools). In a few hours, I will be presenting to a school. I love to share my stories with a wide variety of audiences. And since this is the first time I can present in February and in person, I value the times all the more. What’s different for me this year also is how I prepared for February. I pre-planned and completed certain tasks before the month began which helped a lot. Still, I juggle my other duties as a part-time elementary teacher, part-time college professor (one-course), and writer. I try to make sure my wellness is also a priority. And of course, no presentations on Sundays. Please check out my schedule in the events section of this newsletter, plus my Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook has the most updates and details. Stay warm this February and hopefully I’ll see you at an event soon.

Best wishes,

Nadia L. Hohn

Sankofa’s Pen 9th anniversary

Community has always been an important value to me in every job/work that I do. It's something I take with me in my writing work too.

Today was really special.

I organized a Black Kidlit Creators Brunch at Boukan restaurant in Toronto with members of Sankofa's Pen (formerly known as the AfricanCanadianWriters and Illustrators for Children and Young Adults/ACWCYA), a group I started nine years ago. Now we're an online Facebook group. This was the first time we gathered in person in several years.

In attendance were: Joseph Osei Bonsu, Kern Carter, Ndija Anderson-Yantha, Sade Smith Author, Chesand Manana Gloria, Kimberly Dawkins, Alexandra C. Yeboah, and Nadia L. Hohn.

We shared our books, challenges, triumphs, and goals.

We look forward to doing this again in the spring 2023.

Check out our books and support our work.

Thanks Amanda Hamer and her team for the wonderful food and hospitality.

January and February 2023 ByBlacks Articles
In my January article for #ByBlacks, I had the honour of interviewing @ucalgary professor and author, Suzette Mayr, PhD. Dr. Mayr’s 2022 novel, #TheSleepingCarPorter, won the 2022 #Scotiabank #GillerPrize valued at $100, 000 CAD. #TheGiller is juried and awarded annually to one #Canadian author for their novel or short story collection, traditionally published in Canada.

A new feature of my monthly column are newly published books by #BlackCanadian creators.

Congratulations Suzette Mayr!

Stay tuned for a link to my blog where you’ll find questions I asked Suzette that didn’t make it into the article. (The word count cap is real.)

You can find the link to the article in my bio and here: https://byblacks.com/entertainment/books/item/3330-meet-dr-suzette-mayr-the-2022-scotiabank-giller-prize-winner

In my February article for #ByBlacks, I had the honour of interviewing Ainara Alleyne, bookstageammer/booktuber and host of “Ainara’s Bookshelf”, a TVO/ web series.

The series highlights diverse authors of middle grade and young adult books , as well as titles. My favourite featured authors are Janae Marks and Jerry Craft and Canadian literary giants like Lawrence Hill and David A. Robertson.

Ainara’s Bookshelf is easy going, featuring Ainara and each author talking about books while engaged in a fun activity like biking, stargazing, or cake decorating.

As of January 2023, a new feature of my monthly column is a list of newly released books by #BlackCanadian creators.

You can read the full article at the link in my bio or here: https://byblacks.com/entertainment/books/item/3337-ainara-s-bookshelf-is-diversifying-what-we-read-one-book-at-a-time

You can view the series on TVO or @marblemediaofficial YouTube channel.

If you or a Black author you know is releasing a book in 2023, please send me details if you wish for it to be in the monthly new releases list. Please send them to nadialhohn.com/contact.

The Antiracist Kitchen cover reveal
This is the gorgeous cover of my ninth book, THE ANTIRACIST KITCHEN: 21 STORIES (AND RECIPES).

In 2019, I had an idea for a #middle-grade #anthology. I spoke to a few publishers.

Then 2020 happened. A modern Civil Rights movement. A need for changes. So many communities had been affected. Discussions about racism and inequality were being centred and it seemed like people were giving the microphone to racialized communities and people were listening... finally!

Many organizations and people still had a far way to go.

So, I changed my ideas for the anthology.

I approached another publisher.

And then we went to work, all while I attended grad school, taught writing courses, and wrote articles and a few other books.

Finally... THE ANTIRACIST KITCHEN is here.

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. The gorgeous colourful illustrations of Roza Nozari bring each author’s story to life. The gorgeous photos of food are an extravagant treat for the senses. And you’ll absolutely love the foreword. I can’t wait to share who has written it.

Thanks you Orca Books for your enthusiasm and hard work, sharing the vision, and giving this project wings.

Details will be shared over the next few months.

Pre-orders will start very soon. (This helps with sales and marketing of this book.)

Coming to a bookstore and online retailer near you in October 2023.

Author offers ‘joyous’ presentations during Black History Month article
Thanks so much to Tania Theriault who wrote this beautiful interview to highlight my books and presentations in Burlington and Oakville (Halton region).

You can read the entire article at the link in my bio.

https://www.burlingtontoday.com/local-news/author-offers-joyous-presentations-during-black-history-month-6475305

TorontoStar Crossword Puzzle
Illustrator Irene Luxbacher and I were BOTH featured in today’s @thetorontostar crossword puzzle.

Did you buy your copy? I bought 3.

I received wonderful news from the gifted illustrator of my #Malaikaseries books.

BOTH of us were featured as interconnected clues.

I’ve head somewhere that if you’re mentioned in a crossword puzzle , it means you’re famous.

I wonder what it means when it has been the second time for #MalaikasWinterCarnival? (The first time was in 2021.)

Thanks to Kelly Ann Buchanan and the #TorontoStar team for showing our book some love. It means a lot to me to know how much my story is appreciated. Thanks for including Irene Luxbacher. As an illustrator, she brings my story to life.

These kinds of recognitions never get lost in me and I bought 3 copies of this newspaper.

I think of the little Black-girl-child-of-working-class-immigrants in me in #JaneandFinch/#Rexdale in the 1980s and 1990s who always walked around with a pen and paper with stories in her head, feeling misunderstood. I think of the many times I wrote letters (to the @torontosunonline and @cbc #Wonderstruck) as a kid and asked my dad to mail them and seeing/hearing my name for the first time.

That little girl is beaming right now and taking a bow.

Thank you, God, for blessing me with this gift and giving me opportunities to use it. May it bless someone else.

Upcoming Events

Articles and Podcasts
“Ainara’s Bookshelf is Diversifying What We Read One Book at a Time”, ByBlacks February 2023

“Meet Dr. Suzette Mayr: The 2022 Scotiabank Giller Prize Winner”, ByBlacks January 2023

“Celebrate Black Canadian Authors This Holiday Season with These 36 Books”, ByBlacks December 2022

“If You Love Black Panther, Then You’ll Love These Books”, ByBlacks November 2022

“The Hairy Truth” and “A Deeper Meaning”, Owl Magazine, November 2022

“Three Black Organizations Working to Get Us Reading,” byblacks, October 2022

“Top 10 Summer Reads for Black Canadian Kids,” byblacks,
August 2022

Travelling Across Canada’s Underground Railroad, Owl magazine (January/February 2022)

“Kojo’s Holiday”, Chickadee magazine (December 2021).

“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).

“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
Patty Dreams (Owlkids), Spring 2025.

Journey to Grandma's House (Groundwood Books), Fall 2024.

The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes) (Orca Books), Fall 2023.

Malaika, Carnival Queen (Groundwood Books), Spring 2023.

Published books
Kwanzaa section in Celebrate with me! Recipes, Crafts, and Holiday Fun from around the world (Magic Cat Publishing/Abrams Kids), 2022

Contributor to 100+ Voices for Miss Lou: Poetry, Tributes, Interviews, Essays anthology (UWI Press), 2021.

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, 2023
Toronto, ON, Canada

Part 2 of "Meet Dr. Suzette Mayr: The 2022 Scotiabank Giller Prize Winner"

2/7/2023

In January 2023, I had the opportunity to interview 2022 Giller-prize winner Dr. Suzette Mayr. The resulting article "Meet Dr. Suzette Mayr: The 2022 Scotiabank Giller Prize Winner", was published for the ByBlacks site at this link.

Due to space considerations for the article, I could not include all of the questions that I asked Suzette Mayr. Please find below Dr. Mayr's response to the question about inspiration, as well as her thoughts

What inspired you to write the Sleeping Car Porter?

My decision to write the novel was the result of a kind of challenge posed by one of my former writing teachers, the poet Fred Wah. One day more than 20 years ago he said to me out of the blue, “Suzette, you have to write about the porters!” I didn’t know what he was talking about, and I didn’t know what history he was referring to. Then he told me about how when he was a kid he was traveling on a train on the way to a Scout Jubilee or something like that, and a porter on the train brought out his trombone (Fred plays the trumpet), jammed with the kids, and it was a fond memory for Fred. I started doing some research into sleeping-car porters in Canada and I learned that they were almost all black men; that portering was perhaps the best-paid job a black man in Canada could get, but they regularly faced terrible prejudice; that porters had a key role in labour and civil rights in Canada; and that some porters were either the fathers of famous Canadians like pianist Oscar Peterson, or they went on to become famous people in their own right, like Rufus Rockhead of Rockhead’s Paradise and Stanley G. Grizzle.

Writing the book was also about trying to find a history that’s unrecoverable or that has been lost or deliberately hidden, but that I desperately wanted or maybe even needed. Saidiya Hartman writes about “critical fabulation” which I understand as a writing/research process a writer can use when there’s only so much historical or archival information available about a particular subject: when the available archival information falters, as an academic or a writer you can take that patchy archival information and try to fill in the gaps with fictional renderings of what might have happened. I’m writing about a gay, black man in the 1920s who works on a train during a time when queerness in Canada was punishable by prison or worse, and during a time of really intense anti-black racism. There are no records beyond sketchy criminal court records of how someone like my main character might have lived or felt, but in order to understand myself as a black, queer person, I needed to “find” those records to understand my place and who I am. My need to find an ancestor – to find black, queer family – kept me going through the process of writing this book.

Why was it important for Baxter to want to become a dentist?

I needed to give Baxter a passion that could keep him going as a porter, and give him a goal to work towards so that he could endure the drudgery and humiliation of being a sleeping car porter in 1929.

Looking into people’s mouths can tell you so much about them: whether they eat well, their stress levels, their childhood, and their hobbies. Baxter has to know the passengers better than they know themselves to anticipate their needs and get good tips. Teeth and mouths represent yet another way he can get inside them and understand them.

I had to check if The Scarab of Jupiter book was real and it isn’t. But it felt real, reminiscent of the time when zombie, low budget horror movies dominated that period. Why was the Scarab of Jupiter important?

It was super important because for Baxter as a character The Scarab from Jupiter was the only way he could get out of his immediate situation without physically leaving. The book for Baxter is a solace and sanctuary; it’s representative of the fact that there’s more to life than being a sleeping car porter, and that the powerful people who rule over him don’t always win. The customer isn’t always right; sometimes the customer has their brain eaten by alien insects.

At one point, the conductor or Baxter’s boss said, “Click click click, boy.” What was happening there?

For me, that moment is when Baxter has reached a level of such profound frustration with and hatred of the job and the passengers he has to deal with that he disassociates and becomes a robot like the robots he reads about in his science fiction magazines – because only a robot could put up with the racism and rottenness of the job. At that moment, he’s snapped, but even so his body knows that he can’t let the passengers or the conductor see that he’s snapped, so he deduces himself to be an inanimate object.

What I Had to Write after this Tragic Event

1/30/2023

On January 29, we remember the victims of the #QuebecCitymosqueshooting.

Yesterday was the 6th anniversary of the #QuebecMosqueShooting.

My thoughts are with the families and community grieving at this time.

Below, I share my Instagram post from last year’s fifth anniversary.

At the time, in 2017, I was living in #AbuDhabi, #UnitedArabEmirates. The #UAE is a #Muslim country and 80% of its inhabitants are foreign nationals.

I am not Muslimah.

But, while there, I felt safe as both a #Black person and a #Christian. I felt safe to attend my #church weekly and visit others, meet with other #Christians to pray, and celebrate holidays. I experienced #MiddleEastern #hospitality with the dates and coffee in the entry ways of schools and hospitals. I felt a sense of respect and freedom to practice my faith as a Christian, that I hadn't felt in Canada. When I solo-travelled to Egypt, I saw links between the culture and things I read in the customs of Jesus and his contemporaries. Malaika means angel in #Swahili and #Arabic.

I did a lot of writing while in the UAE— poetry, short stories, books. Ideas 💡 for a third #Malaika3 book began to percolate the year before and gelled as I looked out my window and saw an orange disk in the sky and flat desert and dusty air all around.

When I heard about the #Quebecmosqueattack, I was devastated. I grieved for the families and #MuslimCanadians. Given that this tragedy happened in #QuebecCity where both #MalaikasWinterCarnival and #MalaikasSurprise are set, I wondered about how this event might have affected #Malaika and her family. How could it not. A mosque, like a church or any place of worship, should be a safe place.

I imagined that some of the men killed may have been fathers. I know that Malaika lost her biological father which I explore in Malaika, Carnival Queen. I would imagine that she had something in common with the children who lost their fathers on January 29.

Early versions of Malaika’s Surprise included the attack along with other topics. So big in scope for a #picturebook. I took it out and other topics to be addressed in #Malaika4 (2023). What stayed was Malayka M, a new #Somali Muslim friend for my main character who speaks #Arabic with her father.

You’ll notice the important roles of fathers in both Malaika’s Surprise and Malaika, Carnival Queen. You'll also notice the friendship between two girls of different languages, cultures, and faiths.

The character of Malaika M. was inspired in part by Somali journalist, Hodan Nalayeh. I met her shortly after my divorce. She had been through one as well. Feeling down, the sparkle she carried gave me hope that one day I would feel that way. She even said, "We should talk" about it. She made me feel that "everything be okay", which are the words that Malaika M. says to an anxious Malaika.

Thanks to my Beta readers and references— Rahma Rodaah, Fartumo Kusow, SK Ali, and Rabia Khokar. The latter three were or are teachers. #MalaikasSurprise has been selected on best booklists and nominated for a @ontariolibraryassociation #BlueSpruceAward.

#MalaikasSurprise has been selected on best booklists and nominated for a @ontariolibraryassociation #BlueSpruceAward.

There was so much that I wanted to say in this book that I had enough for two books. That second book 📚 became #MalaikaCarnivalQueen which comes out this May 2023.

May my books help readers to love one another and stand against hate.

Nadia's Notables January 2023 Newsletter

1/27/2023

In this issue…

ARCs for Malaika, Carnival Queen
Black History Month (February)
ByBlacks Black Canadian new releases

Letter from the editor
Happy new year! I hope 2023 finds you happy, healthy, and rested. I spent my holidays sleeping, spending time with friends, and catching up on great shows.I look forward to this new year. At the top of my list is completing some writing projects so they’re ready for submission to my agent and eventually publication. I also look forward to the release of two books this year, Malaika, Carnival Queen and The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and recipes).

Best wishes,

Nadia L. Hohn

ARCs for Malaika’s, Carnival Queen

Selfie photoshoot time.

Stay tuned.

PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY

On May 2, 2023, MALAIKA, CARNIVAL QUEEN will be in the world.

Illustrated by Irene Luxbacher, #MALAIKACARNIVALQUEEN is the fourth book in my #Malaikaseries and my eighth title.
Malaika learns about her father, who came to Canada as a migrant farm worker when she was a just a baby and who shared her love of carnival. This book is dedicated to the memory of my two grandfathers.

#MalaikaCarnivalQueen will be released in May 2023.
For preorder and preview, check the links here: linktr.ee/nadialhohn

Black History Month (February)
Each February, I have the pleasure of presenting to several schools, libraries, and events. My school day presentations are almost full, but I have availability to present evenings and some Saturdays in Black History month. I’m also scheduling presentations in March and May 2023. If interested, please contact me for my 2022-2023 presentation package.

ByBlacks Black Canadian new releases

TO GET YOUR 2023 NEW BOOK LISTED IN ONE OF MY MONTHLY @BYBLACKS ARTICLES,

Please send:
- your title
- author name(s)
- publisher's name
- release date
- genre
- weblink

to nadialhohn.com/contact before the 1st of the month of your release date.

Please include the name of your illustrator, if any.

Self-published authors are welcome but please specify.

For books coming out in January and February 2023, please send me these titles ASAP.

@byblacks

Upcoming Events

Articles and Podcasts

“Celebrate Black Canadian Authors This Holiday Season with These 36 Books”, ByBlacks December 2022

“If You Love Black Panther, Then You’ll Love These Books”, ByBlacks    November 2022

“The Hairy Truth” and “A Deeper Meaning”, Owl Magazine, November 2022

“Three Black Organizations Working to Get Us Reading,” byblacks,    October 2022

“Top 10 Summer Reads for Black Canadian Kids,” byblacks,
August 2022

Travelling Across Canada’s Underground Railroad, Owl magazine (January/February 2022)

“Kojo’s Holiday”, Chickadee magazine (December 2021).

“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).

“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
Patty Dreams (Owlkids), Spring 2025.

Journey to Grandma's House (Groundwood Books), Fall 2024.

The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes) (Orca Books), Fall 2023.

Malaika, Carnival Queen (Groundwood Books), Spring 2023.

Published books
Kwanzaa section in Celebrate with me! Recipes, Crafts, and Holiday Fun from around the world (Magic Cat Publishing/Abrams Kids), 2022

Contributor to 100+ Voices for Miss Lou: Poetry, Tributes, Interviews, Essays anthology (UWI Press), 2021.

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, 2023
Toronto, ON, Canada

2022 Highlights Reel

1/27/2023

My 2022 Highlight Reel

It’s been quite a beautiful, challenging, and intense year.

This song about sums it up. In spite of the challenges, the ups and downs, I made many dreams come true:

1) finishing my thesis novel manuscript (even though there were times my supervisor worried I wouldn’t finish)

2) completing my MFA (I’m so glad I decided to reapply for this long held dream)

3) My picture books are all available electronically and audibly

4) I visited my tenth province— Prince Edward Island— and returned to Nova Scotia after 20+ years.

5) I’m teaching elementary school music... finally.

Some challenges too.

But here’s what I learned from them:

1) Balance

2) Make time for the people you care about.

3) You can learn from your mistakes.

4) Work steadily but take breaks.

There were so many people pictured in this reel who helped make this year truly a blessing for me. And, I wish this reel was longer... there are so many people who helped make this an amazing year for me who aren’t in this video. Thank you to everyone.

(This is my fifth (or so) attempt at creating this video reel and I’m thankful it is finished.)

Song: Blessed by Jill Scott

Nadia’s Notables December 2022 Newsletter

12/24/2022

In this issue…

Recap Salon du Livre
ByBlacks November and December 2022 articles
Cook N Book: Holiday Edition highlights
Celebrate with Me

Letter from the editor
This December 2022 newsletter is a little late… okay by a lot. It perhaps comes at no surprise that it has been a busy time for me. Each day, I teach music to kindergarten and primary grade students. I’ve been preparing my students for a big performance. The rest of the time I’ve been working on things writing-related as well as personal. I’ve also spent more time in a small business learning curve, complete with a business and #HST number. This has been accompanied by a big mind-shift as well. It’s caused me to realize that the work that I love to do– writing– is growing and I need a team to help. And although I didn’t do any new writing this month, so many things are required to make my writing career possible beyond it being my passion.

This later newsletter gives me the perfect opportunity to share that I have read more than 222 books so far this year– amazing, brilliant books that I hope to re-read again one day. In the meantime, please check my social media, I will be sharing about these soon.

This is a season of waiting both literally (in my personal life) and spiritually (advent) for me. I look forward to my two week break from work and social media. What will I be doing? Resting and catching up on shows, spending time with family and friends, and taking care of me.

I wish you a happy holiday season– Merry Christmas, Happy Kwanzaa, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Solstice, and many Blessings in 2023!

Sincerely,

Nadia L. Hohn

Recap of Salon du Livre in Montréal

Months ago, I was invited to take part in Le Salon du Livre de Montréal. Of course, I said, “Oui Oui.”

On November 25 and 26, I signed copies of #LasurprisedeMalaika (the French translation of #MalaikasSurprise).

It was so good to see familiar faces again— Carol-Anne, Sarah— and meet new ones— Gabriella, Andrew, Julie, and Gabriel. I loved seeing the families who recognized my book and had that spark if familiarity. I also appreciated meeting part of the team that sells my book, including the editor of my French translation Marlène and Chantal, vice-president of the French division.

I also met a #ScaredySquirrel named Frisson.

One thing I loved to do is speak in my second language. I didn’t get the opportunity to attend #Frenchimmersion as a child or teen, but I made up for it by taking high school courses after Grade (when they were mandatory) as well as in university. I really learned to speak French after completing two free summer language immersion programs and worked in a daycare and Francophonie Games in Quebec and Nova Scotia (sponsored by the Canadian government).

Then I began a series of more courses and jobs in which I worked in French, including becoming a core French teacher in elementary schools.

This all took place more than ten years before I had the chance to visit France. 🇫🇷

I say all that because at times, it felt almost impossible and too difficult to become bilingual. But attaining this goal was all preparing me to be an author who can communicate— present, read, edit, voice over— passably in French.

On Thursday, November 24, I had the pleasure of visiting #CoronationElementarySchool while in #Montreal. This was my first in-person school author visit since 2019.

I received a warm welcome 🙏🏾 from staff and kindergarten students. It was such a pleasure sharing #MalaikasWinterCarnival and #lecarnavaldeMalaika— in English and French— with this group. They were such an attentive and enthusiastic learners.

Not only had children read the stories, but they had done amazing artwork to show their understanding too.

When I present to such a young group, I bring decades of experience as an educator. This really is my favourite age group when their eyes are filled with wonder, courage and possibility.

Representation matters. The school has a diverse student population and the staff reflect that. The photo with some of the teachers means a lot to me. Being a Black teacher in Canada with #Caribbean roots, like the women here, there is an instant sisterhood. I can’t imagine the positive impact that they will have on their students at such a young age. (I didn’t have my first #Black teacher until grad school and my first #Caribbean woman teacher until my second Masters degree.)

Presenting at this school was professional development for me as a teacher. I noticed the benefits of small class sizes, French immersion, and an in-staff spiritual/character educator.

Thank you for these lovely ☺️ gifts 🎁, support, encouragement, and hugs.

Thanks also to author #BonnieFarmer and @kidsbookcentre for helping to make this possible.

Thanks again to the #ScholasticCanada 🇨🇦team and everyone who bought books and came to my signing.

ByBlacks November and December 2022 articles

Check out my latest articles for #ByBlacks.
In November, I interviewed two #BlackCanadian #youngadult #fantasy authors— #SarahRaughley and #LiselleSambury.
I also shout out to contributors in the #Black #SFF #Afrofuturism space (like #NjeriDamaliCampbell and #NaloHopkinson) in Canada. Plus I offer a list of books you can read if you love #BlackPanther, #WakandaForever, and others outside everyday realities. (Sarah and Liselle offer theirs too.)
In December, I shared 36 English language books 📚 written and traditionally published by #BlackCanadian authors in 2022 that you can gift this holiday season.
Authors provided favourite quotes from their books OR a book synopsis was provided by the publisher.
You can find the links below.
https://byblacks.com/entertainment/books/item/3301-if-you-love-black-panther-then-you-ll-love-these-books

https://byblacks.com/entertainment/books/item/3317-celebrate-black-canadian-authors-this-holiday-season-withthese-36-books

Cook N Book Holiday Edition Highlights
Thanks to everyone who attended COOK N BOOK: Holiday Edition!

Author Sadé Smith and I shared our books 📚— #GrannysKitchen and #MalaikasSurprise—, the new ones to come, and our favourite Jamaican-Canadian 🇯🇲 🇨🇦 holiday traditions on Wednesday, December 14, 2022.

If you missed it, the full video is posted on our Instagram profiles: @nadialhohn_author and @stc_smith. (I have also posted the video on my Facebook page.)

Buy #GrannysKitchen and all #Malaikaseries books at your favourite book retailer.

To pre-order our upcoming books (#MalaikaCarnivalQueen and #JulieandtheMangoTree), please visit the links in our bios.

Celebrate with Me

My copy of #CelebratewithMe just arrived in the mail yesterday. I'm so excited to be a part of this collection. And I love that it helps support a good cause. Stay tuned for my selfie 📸 photoshoot.

I am a contributor to a new book called CELEBRATE WITH ME. My contribution is called KWANZAA. I can’t wait to get my copies. Thanks to editor Laura Gladwin, illustrator Dawn Cardona, and the team at Magic Cat Publishing and Abram Kids.

Upcoming Events

Articles and Podcasts

“Celebrate Black Canadian Authors This Holiday Season with These 36 Books”, ByBlacks
December 2022

“If You Love Black Panther, Then You’ll Love These Books”, ByBlacks    November 2022

“The Hairy Truth” and “A Deeper Meaning”, Owl Magazine, November 2022

“Three Black Organizations Working to Get Us Reading,” byblacks,    October 2022

“Top 10 Summer Reads for Black Canadian Kids,” byblacks,
August 2022

Travelling Across Canada’s Underground Railroad, Owl magazine (January/February 2022)

“Kojo’s Holiday”, Chickadee magazine (December 2021).

“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).

“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
Patty Dreams (Owlkids), Spring 2025.

Journey to Grandma's House (Groundwood Books), Fall 2024.

The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes) (Orca Books), Fall 2023.

Malaika, Carnival Queen (Groundwood Books), Spring 2023.

Published books
Kwanzaa section in Celebrate with me! Recipes, Crafts, and Holiday Fun from around the world (Magic Cat Publishing/Abrams Kids), 2022

Contributor to 100+ Voices for Miss Lou: Poetry, Tributes, Interviews, Essays anthology (UWI Press), 2021.

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

Nadia’s Notables November 2022 Newsletter

11/19/2022

In this issue…

Patty Dreams
SCBWI BIPOC Talk and BookStop
Owlkids Magazine article
Salon du Livres Montréal

Letter from the editor
In September 2022, I returned to the elementary teaching classroom to teach music to kindergarten and primary grade students. Since then, I had COVD (for the second time) and currently, I am recovering from my second cold. I learned very quickly one of the challenges of working in a building with hundreds of young children.
My students are wonderful, resilient, kind, and fun. Many of the children I teach are new to Canada, having fled their countries in less than ideal circumstances.
I enjoy my work and learn so much from my kindergarteners and primary graders as they navigate a new country and language and support each other in the process. It makes me appreciate things about my life and helps me to better understand the lives of my book characters like the two Malaika’s in Malaika’s Surprise.
Each child carries a story inside of them. I too have chapters in my life that I still have yet to find the words to describe on paper and others, I will share in upcoming books. In six months, it will be Malaika, Carnival Queen dedicated to the memory of my two grandfathers.
Until then, I’ll be wearing my mask a lot more, as I teach and write more stories.
Sincerely,
Nadia L. Hohn

Patty Dreams

Recently, an upcoming book was announced in #PublishersWeekly and #QuillandQuire.

This means I can also share its name, PATTY DREAMS.

I penned this story on July 1st, 2020, during a pandemic while sitting on a balcony, in less than an hour, laughing the whole time. :-) I imagined sharing this story with my sister and laughing our heads off. (We did.)

I spent the last two years rewriting, editing, and revising this story. Finally, it will become a book in spring 2025 by #Owlkids.

In 2019, my #non-fiction #picturebook #ALikkleMissLou: How #Jamaican Poet Louise Bennett Coverley Found Her Voice was published by Owlkids. I look forward to working with this team once again.

Although this will be my 11th book 📚, it’s my 1st agented title 📖. This will also be my 1st time working with an #illustrator, Sahle Robinson, who shares my #Jamaican #cultural background.

I’ve known the illustrator, animator Robinson, for many years. I hoped for the right project to come along where we could work together and I’m glad it will be this book.

FUN FACTS: Both Sahle and I have spent years growing up in the #JaneandFinch community in #Toronto.

Thanks 🙏🏾 to my agent Hilary McMahon for negotiating this deal.

Thanks to my critique group.

SCBWI BIPOC Talk and BookStop

I will be hosting BIPOC Talk this Thursday, November 10 for my SCBWI Canada East local. To attend, join the registration link in my linktr.ee/nadialhohn.

I have a SCBWI Bookstop book page. Please visit it and leave a message.

Find out more information at my: linktr.ee/nadialhohn

November 2022 Owlkids article

HOT OFF THE PRESS
My article THE HAIRY TRUTH and my accompaniment A Deeper Meaning are featured in the newest issue of OWL magazine (November, 2022).

In my article, I write about hair— the science and the social issues. I also interviewed Claudia Hamilton, a trichologist— someone who studies and treats hair diseases— and share my hairstory.

This is the kind of article I would have loved 🥰 to read as a child because it would have taught me to be proud of my kinky curly hair, even when the world didn’t celebrate it.

This feature was fun to write and is my second for this magazine (check out my #UndergroundRailroad story in the January/February edition).

I grew up reading #Owl and #Chickadee magazines, watched #OwlTV on #CBC, and even have two picture books with Owlkids Books (#ALikkleMissLou in 2019 and #PattyDreams in 2025).

Owlkids magazines are published in #Canada and teach children ages 9-13 about the world 🌎 🌍 around them and science.

To order, go to the link in my bio.

I can’t wait to share this with my students.

Salon du livre de Montréal

I will be heading to Montreal and can’t wait. J’aime Montréal. I will be signing copies of my books at Le SalonduLivredeMontréal organized by Éditions Scholastic.

My signing times are:
3-4pm November 25
10-11am November 26

For more information and updates on other events, please follow me on Instagram @nadialhohn_author or Facebook.com/nadialhohn

Upcoming events

Articles and Podcasts

“The Hairy Truth” and “A Deeper Meaning”, Owl Magazine, November 2022

“Three Black Organizations Working to Get Us Reading,” byblacks, October 2022

“Top 10 Summer Reads for Black Canadian Kids,” byblacks,
August 2022

Travelling Across Canada’s Underground Railroad, Owl magazine (January/February 2022)

“Kojo’s Holiday”, Chickadee magazine (December 2021).

“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).

“Writer with a Capital W”, University of Waterloo podcast

“Writer Finds Resilience Stories Black Women and Girls”, University of Waterloo magazine (Spring 2021).

Published books

Kwanzaa section in Celebrate with me! Recipes, Crafts, and Holiday Fun from around the world (Magic Cat Publishing/Abrams Kids), 2022

Contributor to 100+ Voices for Miss Lou: Poetry, Tributes, Interviews, Essays anthology (UWI Press), 2021.

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

Upcoming books

Patty Dreams (Owlkids), Spring 2025.

Journey to Grandma's House (Groundwood Books), Fall 2024.

The Antiracist Kitchen: 21 Stories (and Recipes) (Orca Books), Fall 2023.

Malaika, Carnival Queen (Groundwood Books), Spring 2023.

© Nadia L. Hohn, 2022
Toronto, ON, Canada

October 2022 Nadia's Notables Newsletter

10/27/2022

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

I’m still pinching myself... just more than a week after conferring and attending my #MFA graduation ceremony.
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

I have a title for my ninth book

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

In October 2022, ByBlacks both featured me as an author and published an article I had written.
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

In October 2022, ByBlacks both featured me as an author and published an article I had written.
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

On October 16, I finished the TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon 5km, my first running 🏃🏾‍♀️ event in a few years.
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: info@canadarunningseries.com

Fundraising coordinator: info@bookcentre.ca

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

Patty Dreams (Owlkids), Spring 2025.

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