2010 Appearances

Vermont College
I’ll be in winter residence in beautiful snowy Montpelier from January 8 – 20.

National Capitol Book Club Dinner
I’ll be guest speaker at this event held annually by the “Foreshadowed Readers.” The dinner will be at the Royal Ottawa Golf Club in Gatineau, on Monday, January 25th. For more information: <capital.bookclubdinner@gmail.com>

The Environmental Imagination
I’ll be speaking at this conference at the University of Toronto, March 5 – 6.

Ottawa International Writers Festival
I’m not sure of my appearance dates yet, but the Festival is from April 22 – 27.

Bookfest -- Vancouver Island Children’s Book Festival
I’ll be in Nanaimo from April 27 – May 2.

Secrets Told and Untold – A CLNE Colloquy
It will be wonderful to be reunited with many friends at Children’s Literature New England’s spring event in Essex Vermont, May 6 – 9. The tentative title of my presentation is, Family Matters: Deep Dark Secrets and Festering Lies.

White Pine Awards
I’m very pleased to have my book The Uninvited nominated for the 2010 Ontario Library Association’s White Pine Award. I will be at the Harbourfront Centre in Toronto for the announcement of the winner and the festivities surrounding that occasion on May 12.

Canadian Author’s Association Writing Workshop
This will be a one-day workshop on writing for children and young adults, sponsored by the National Capitol Region Branch to be held May 29.
Full-day workshop– 09:00 to 4:00;
Cost: $75; Canadian Authors Association Members, $45; parking is free
Location: Algonquin College, 1385 Woodroffe Avenue, Ottawa; Building P, Room P-210 (wheelchair accessible)  
Contact: Arlene Smith somertonsmith@yahoo.com

For additional information: www.canauthors-ottawa.org

Writing With Style – The Banff Centre
There is no more beautiful place to spend a week writing your heart out than in the Canadian Rockies. I will be teaching in the fall program, September 13 – 18, 2010. The application deadline is May 14. For more information, go to: www.banffcentre.ca/writing or contact: The Banff Centre Office of the Registrar arts_info@banffcentre.ca

Surrey International Writers’ Conference
Friday, October 22 – Sunday, October 24, at the Sheraton Guildford Hotel in Surrey, BC. A chance for “professional development for writers of all levels.” I’ll be teaching a couple of workshops, participating in panel discussions, and taking a couple of sessions of Blue-Pencil Appointments, which will mean 15 minutes of talk regarding 3 pages or so of your manuscript. I’ll also just be hanging out and chatting. Among the other presenters will be Diana Gabaldon, Anne Perry, Robert Dugoni, Jack Whyte, Michael Slade and many others. For more information, you can check out the blog: http://siwc.ca/