monique polak

Monique Polak's Books

Feb
26

Off On a Hiking Trip

March break is coming up at my school. Tomorrow morning, my husband and I are leaving for a hiking trip in the Grand Canyon -- which means I probably won't be blogging for about a week or so.

Usually when we travel I end up writing a travel story about our adventures, but this time, I'm less inclined to work on our trip. I mentioned this to a friend yesterday and she said, "

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Feb
25

A Person Needs to Stretch

In my Monday morning "Writing for Children" class this week, I talked about how writers need to stretch. What I meant was we need to try challenging things when we write. We need to keep writing even when we want to stop. I asked my students, "Doesn't stretching feel good?"

One student, S.S., called out "No!" -- and everyone laughed. So, to prove my point

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Feb
23

Author and Journalist Joel Yanofsky Spends a Day at My School

Last Thursday, prize-winning author and journalist Joel Yanofsky spent a day at Marianopolis College. In addition to reading from his work, Joel talked about what he does -- and how he does it. I thought I'd devote today's blog entry to telling you a little about what Joel had to say. Joel believes "All writing is creative" whether it is fiction, or non-fiction, or something called

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Feb
20

Teaching and Learning, Learning and Teaching

This week, in addition to working on the rewrite of my Nunavik manuscript, I have been reading my students' picture book texts. As we've discussed in class, there is probably nothing harder to write than the text for a picture book. That's because every word counts. And as I admitted to my students, the assignment I gave them -- to write a picture book text -- is something I have never

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Feb
18

Satisfying Chat With My Editor

So I finally caught up today with my editor Sarah Harvey in Victoria, B.C. I told her exactly what I needed from her -- a nudge in the right direction as I psych myself up for the next revision of my Nunavik manuscript. One of the things I enjoy so much about a talk with a fiction editor is she treats your characters as if they are real people. There's a secondary character in my book named

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Feb
17

Beginnings!

Beginnings matter -- but of course, you know that already. Think back to the beginning of a friendship or a romance. Or the beginning of a book! I just started reading Dead Silence, a YA book by Toronto writer Norah McClintock. After I read the first couple of sentences, I turned to my husband and said, "I know I'm going to like this book." He was surprised. "How can

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Feb
16

So Two Sled Dog Teams Meet On a Path...

Sorry if the title of today's blog entry led you to believe I was about to tell you a joke. Nope, I'm about to answer the question to last week's burning question: what do two sled dogs teams do when they meet up somewhere? I needed to know the answer because the issue comes up in the manuscript I'm in the middle of revising -- which happens to be set in Nunavik, Quebec. Last night

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Feb
13

Hot Chocolate With a Former Student

In case you are waiting with bated breath for the answer to yesterday's burning question (do dog sled teams get excited when another team of dogs shows up?) you are going to have to wait until next week. Sorry, folks! When I phoned my friend Mark last night in Nunavik, HE WAS OUT WITH HIS SLED DOGS!! We've now agreed to talk later in the weekend -- so look for the answer to that question

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Feb
12

Researching on a Need-to-Know Basis

I've heard some writers complain that they get so caught up doing research they lose sight of what they were planning to write about! I'm more into researching on a need-to-know basis. For my latest book, What World Is Left, I spent about six months doing research -- interviewing my mum,  on whom the book is based, and researching Theresienstadt, the Nazi concentration camp

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Feb
11

Acts of Optimism

I think a lot of people in Montreal were feeling optimistic today. The temperature was hovering around zero -- way warmer than usual for this time of year. My act of optimism was that I hung the sheets out on the clothesline. (You may know that I have an obsession with clotheslines.) Now I wish I'd taken a photo for you -- the sheets billowing in the breeze, a good five feet of snow on the

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Feb
10

What's Your Best Time of Day to Write?

Every writer needs to know the answer to this question. Last night, I was working on the re-write of my George River manuscript and I have to admit I was feeling a tad overwhelmed. There's so much to do!

This morning, I got up, wrote my morning pages (three pages every single morning no matter what!), went for a run... and then I came back up here to the computer. And you know what?...

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Feb
09

The Life of a REwriter!

Since I came home from school today, I've been working on the rewrite of my George River manuscript (that's my YA novel set in Nunavik). I'm working with something called "track changes." That means my editor, Sarah Harvey, has made notes directly onto my computer manuscript and I respond to her notes (also on the computer manuscript). It's kind of like having a conversation

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Feb
05

Today I Bring You Tips From a Children's Books' Editor

Gee, I really had to slow down to get those apostrophes right in the title of today's blog entry! So, today  I'd like to introduce you to Faye Smailes, YA editor at James Lorimer & Co., in Toronto. When I was at the OLA conference, Faye and I arranged to meet up (several of my books including On the Game and Scarred are published by Lorimer). Faye has been working

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Feb
04

Author-Illustrator Genevieve Cote Visits Marianopolis College

So I've got loads to tell you about Genevieve Cote's visit yesterday to Marianopolis College here in Montreal. Genevieve has written and illustrated many picture books. In 2007, she won the Governor General's Prize for her illustrations in The Little Word Catcher.

Genevieve began her talk by telling us that writing the text for a picture book is far more difficult than most people

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Feb
03

What is a Videoconference Anyhow?

Yesterday, my photographer friend Monique Dykstra and I did a videoconference. That means we worked with a class on live-video. We were out in Laval; the students were in Franklin Centre, near the American border. This is all part of a great project called Quebec Roots, organized by the Blue Metropolis Literary Foundation. We are helping the students put together a chapter for a book about Quebec

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Feb
02

Meet Rene Schmidt, Another Teacher-Writer

At the Ontario Library Association super-conference last week, I also met Rene Schmidt, the author of Leaving Fletchville (Orca). Rene and I have been in touch because it turns out we met about 40 years ago! There is another coincidence: Rene's grandfather was the minister in a Dutch town close to where my grandparents lived; they were very kind to my family during difficult times

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Jan
30

Visit to the Ontario Library Association

Hi there! I'm writing to you from the lobby of my hotel in Toronto. I'm just back from my little talk at the Ontario Library Association. I was one of 20 children's authors invited to speak about our work. I talked about my latest book What World Is Left -- and I have to admit I got a little choked up telling the story behind the story, how the book is based on my mum's

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Jan
28

You're Never Too Old to Enjoy Children's Books

If you don't believe me, ask the students in my "Writing for Children" class. They are aged 16 to 19, and this morning, I got them to sit on the floor in front of me while I read them two picture books. And you know what? I could tell they had a good time! Maybe even a great time!!

I "read" them A. Guillope's Loup Noir. I put the word "read" in quotation

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Jan
27

Reading Chain

IMG_1272.jpgSo I'm just back from a press conference to promote a Montreal literacy organization called "J'Apprends Avec Mon Enfant." Today, JAME began a new initiative to promote literacy -- 60 children's books are being "sent out" into the community and the goal is for the books to be read to as many kids as possible. I'm one of the "passeurs de livres,"

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Jan
26

"Whoopy once/ whoopy twice/ whoopy chicken soup/ with rice" or The Benefits of Reading Out Loud

The lines "Whoopy once/ whoopy twice/ whoopy chicken soup/ with rice" come from Maurice Sendak's delightful picture book "Chicken Soup With Rice." Perfect reading for a chilly day in Montreal (last I heard it was minus 21 without the windchill), which is why I read the book to my "Writing for Children" class this morning.

...which gave me the idea to dedicate

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Jan
21

I Have a Code

No, not a secret code. "A bad code." At least, that's how I say it. What I mean is, I have a sore throat and a sniffle. And my nose is red from blowing it so much. You know... a "code."

Anyway because I've been busy busy with school stuff, I must admit I haven't done much in the way of writing today. But I'm going to try to do a little work now before I

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Jan
20

This Line Will Make You Swoon

So my head is still full of Judy Blundell's wonderful book, What I Saw and How I Lied. I thought that for today's blog entry, I'd copy out one of my favourite lines from the book (believe me, there were lots to choose from). This one describes the feelings Evie Spooner (the story's 15-year-old protagonist) experiences when the boy (if you can call him a boy, he's 23 years old

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Jan
19

Oh What a Delicious Book

Some books are DELICIOUS. That's how I felt reading Judy Blundell's YA novel What I Saw and How I Lied. Lucky me -- I get to review this book, which won the 2008 National Book Award for Young People's Literature. This is the first novel Judy Blundell has written under her own name. She has written many many books under the pen name Jude Watson. What I Saw and How I Lied is

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Jan
17

Here's the Link to the Article About Ouje-Bougoumou

It's on page three of today's Gazette, but for those of you who are out of town, here's the link: http://www.montrealgazette.com/Minus+school/1188315/story.html

If you've got the paper copy, check out Monique Dykstra's photo of Joseph Dixon and the Malamute pup that turned up outside his house on Wednesday in minus 50 degree weather (with the wind chill). I talked to Joseph

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Jan
15

Visit to Ouje-Bougoumou

NEF0016copy.jpgSo the Moniques are home, back from a fun and interesting trip to Ouje-Bougoumou! It was a bit of a whirlwind, considering we went there and back in about 36 hours  (we flew there on a 16-seater beachcraft), but we managed to get everything done. We worked with Kyla Nadeau's Grade Six students at Waapihtiiwewan School. Kyla, thanks for doing such a great job of getting things organized

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Jan
12

Checking In Between Trips

Hello, hello! I'm just back from visiting my husband's family on Long Island, New York, and tomorrow I head out again -- this time to Ouje-Bougoumou in northern Quebec. I'm getting pretty excited about the upcoming adventure. I'm going there with my friend photographer Monique Dykstra (just call us "the two Moniques"!!) and we'll be working with students as part of the
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Jan
07

Moving Backwards to Go Forwards

I think I used a similar title for a blog entry a few months ago -- must be because I'm at the same stage in the writing process. I'm working on the very first draft of a manuscript called Junkyard Dog (it's about guard dogs) and I'm about to start writing the final chapter. Only before I can go ahead and try to bring the whole story to a conclusion, I feel like I have to go back

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Jan
05

Hippity Hoppity Happy New Year!

I know it's silly, but I just wanted to say so! It's Monday and my daughter, who was here for the weekend, has left to go back to New York. I'm finding comfort in the world of words. Have been working since noon on a very short book review, and soon, I want to get back to my manuscript. After taking a few days off, it feels like I need to get reacquainted with the project. Give it a sniff
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Dec
29

Quiet Writing Day

It's already 10 to 2 in the afternoon and I've been writing since I came home from my run this morning. I had a book review to write for The Gazette -- about a book that I found super interesting, Andrew Steinmetz's Eva's Three Penny Opera. I related a lot to the book because it is based on the story of the author's great aunt's life -- and she lived during World War
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Dec
24

Fold Your Pants!

Hello, hello... shifting gears today... have decided to take a little break from fiction and am working on a profile of children's book author Frieda Wishinsky. I'm writing it for the CANSCAIP newsletter, which goes out to Canadian children's writers and people interested in the business. Anyway, I've got pages of notes from when I interviewed Frieda in Toronto in November and now
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Dec
22

500 Words a Day

That's the daily quota I've set for myself. And this week I have what every writer craves most -- TIME!! When I looked at my agenda this morning, I had the delightful feeling that comes when I see BLANK BOXES. No plans!! And then, I sat down to work on Junkyard Dog -- my latest manuscript for Orca -- and when I checked my word count a little later, guess what?! I'd already written 500

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Dec
18

New Friends at The Study

Hello hello... I'm just back from a lively session with grades five, six, seven and eight students at The Study, a private girls' school in Montreal. I don't think I've ever had so many questions after one of my talks. Way to go, girls! Only problem is there wasn't time to answer all the questions, so I'm hoping students will send questions to the blog (use the comment section

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Dec
17

What Do Three Children's Writers Talk About Over Dinner?

I bet you think the answer to that question is writing and books. And usually, when I get together with my friends Jane Barclay and Lori Weber, we do discuss writing and books. But to be honest, this week, we mostly discussed our kids. It's been a while since the three of us got together and so we had quite a lot of catching up to do. We also drank a bottle of red wine -- so maybe that explains

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Dec
16

A Day at the Shmall

First, let me explain: "shmall" is what some people call the Cavendish Mall, a shopping centre in Cote St. Luc, the Montreal neighbourhood where I grew up. As you may remember from an earlier blog entry, I've been doing writing workshops with a group of students at Hebrew Academy, which just happens to be located almost across the street from the "shmall." Together with

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Dec
15

Finding My Way Back to My Story... and writer friends coming for supper

So it's Monday morning -- already 9:30. I want to get to the Y to lift weights (don't worry, nothing too heavy!), then I'm going to spend some time at my computer. I need to find my way back to the manuscript I was writing (Junkyard Dog) before I got busy with the re-write (On the George River). I started looking at Junkyard Dog on Friday -- what I need to do is re-read what I've

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Dec
12

Hot Potato... or the Baby Goes to Kindergarten

I don't know if you ever heard of a game called "Hot Potato." We played it when we were kids, and the idea was to keep passing an imaginary hot potato around so it never landed in your lap. About two minutes ago, I e-mailed off a copy of my George River manuscript to Sarah Harvey, one of my editors at Orca Book Publishers in Victoria. So I got rid of the hot potato... and in a few

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Dec
10

Expert Advice

I'm thinking of expert advice because last night I had a great talk with my friend Mark B, who lives in George River. I may have told you this already, but Mark and a friend of his (they both work at the local school) read the first first draft of my book that is set in Nunavik, Quebec and found a lot of things for me to fix. The hardest scene for me was the one with the polar bear. So, because

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Dec
09

Less to Do, More Time to Write!!

AHHH! That's the sound of a CEGEP teacher who has nearly finished her grading! Which means I have more time to concentrate on writing. Did  I already tell you I am revising my Nunavik manuscript (the tentative title is On the George River)? It's due next Monday!! YIKES!! (That's the sound of a nervous writer.) But, so far, I'm moving along okay in the re-write. I am a little

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Dec
05

Another Day, Another School Visit!

Today, we Moniques went to Laval Liberty High School. It's a huge school -- quite a contrast to Franklin Elementary which we visited yesterday. Today we worked with Abigail Lawrence's Grade Eight English class. They are also part of the Blue Metropolis Literary Foundation's Quebec Roots project. I talked about writing; Monique D discussed photography, focusing on how to shoot a good portrait
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Dec
04

Today's Trip to Franklin Centre

I spent today in Franklin Centre, which is about 70 kilometers southwest of Montreal. I went there with my dear friend and photographer extraordinaire Monique Dykstra . (Monique D, by the way, photographed the necklace that appears on the front and back cover of What World Is Left).

We worked with students at Franklin Elementary School. We were there as part of a project called Quebec

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Dec
03

My Mum and Dad Come Along to Today's Talk at Westmount Library

Hello, hello... I'm just back from a talk at Westmount Library here in Montreal. The audience was mostly Grade 6 and 7 students from Westmount High. The students were great, very keen and focused; I didn't even need to make comments about their body language!! The best part of today was my mum and dad came along, too. As you probably know, my mum inspired my latest book, What World Is Left. She
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Dec
02

Return Visit to Hebrew Academy

Last year, I did three creative writing sessions with a group of very keen students at Hebrew Academy. Today, I'm going back to do the first of three more sessions. Most of the students I'll be working with are ones I worked with last year -- which means I've had to come up with new material. One thing I know for sure about these students is they love to write, and they write easily

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Nov
30

Meet My Mum -- Who Inspired What World Is Left -- and Hear Me Read A Little from the Book

Check out this link to view a short video made by the Gazette's Phil Carpenter. In it, you'll get to meet my mum, Celien Spier, whose story inspired my new book, What World Is Left. You'll also get to hear me read a little from the book. Let me know what you think of the video! Continue reading

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Nov
28

Good Morning, Morning Pages!

So classes at Marianopolis are nearly over. Most of my correcting comes in today, and then the rest on Monday. Which means this writer isn't going to be doing much writing over the next few days. But I did start my day with writing -- like I do EVERY SINGLE DAY. Every morning, I write my "morning pages." I got the idea from a terrific book I read several years ago called The Artist
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Nov
26

Today's Visit to Beaconsfield High School

Am just back from a visit to Beaconsfield High School where I spoke to two groups of students about the writing life. I should really be at the grocery store buying ingredients for tonight's supper, but I wanted to sit right down at the computer and jot down some of the fun stuff that happened today during my school visit.

I had lunch in the school cafeteria and some of the grade seven

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Nov
23

Special Book Report

Lately, I've been getting a lot of e-mail from students -- mostly in the U.S. -- who are doing assignments about some of my books. These e-mails are especially satisfying to me, I think, because I am a teacher as well as a writer.

Yesterday, at a family celebration, a couple who are friends of my sister's, told me their daughter Brittany is working on a book report about What World

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Nov
20

Ashlee With Two E's

Every once in a while, I get e-mail from readers I've never met... yesterday I got a message from a girl named Ashlee (she spells it with two e's). Ashlee lives in St. Louis, Missouri, and she wrote to me about my book Scarred. She's reading it for a school project and I told her to get back to me if she had any questions about the book. So, today, Ashlee wrote again, asking how I choose
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Nov
19

American Library Association Weighs in on What World Is Left

Well, I have exciting news to report -- Booklist, an American Library Association publication, has given What World Is Left a starred review. And if you'll permit me to quote what the reviewer, Hazel Rochman, had to say... she called the book "heartbreaking" and described it as "an important contribution to the Holocaust curriculum." YIPPEE!! Then last night, I learned from

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Nov
14

Today's Visit to Lake of Two Mountains High School

Today I met students at Lake of Two Mountains High School. Language arts teacher Lee Rother arranged the visit, which began with a yummy lunch from the school cafeteria! It turns out Lee is a specialist in mass media, a subject in which I'm also interested.

But the best part of the day was working with the students. They didn't even need my usual pep talk about body language -- they

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Nov
12

Cleavage

Just testing ... I bet that subject heading piqued your interest, no? Cleavage is the name of a wonderful book of short stories I've been reading. The book's full name is Cleavage: Breakaway Fiction for Real Girls. The collection is edited by two YA writers: Deb Loughead and Jocelyn Shipley. Every story in the book has something to do with girls, their bodies, and their

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Nov
10

Elie Wiesel Interview in Today's National Post

Good morning,  good morning... I'm off to the Y, but here's the link to my interview with Elie Wiesel that appears in today's National Post: http://www.nationalpost.com/todays_paper/story.html?id=944755

 

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Nov
06

Time for a Cup of Tea -- and To Tell You A Little About Elie Wiesel

This is the first time I've had time for a mid-day cup of tea all week. Soon, I have to shift gears and get ready for school, but I just wanted to tell you a little bit about my interview with Elie Wiesel on Tuesday night. In the end, I didn't get much one-on-one time with him, and because we were at a fundraising dinner, he had to shake hands with a lot of people who were as eager as me to
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Nov
05

Check Out What Book Elie Wiesel Is Carrying!

Okay, I confess -- I gave Elie Wiesel, the world's best known Holocaust survivor and author of over 40 books including Night -- a copy of What World Is Left. Wish I could tell you more about the things I learned from him last night, but alas, I am working on a story for The National Post about Wiesel and I'm on a tight deadline. But do check out the pic!</div>


				
				
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Nov
04

Big Interview Tonight!

Today is a very exciting day for me because I am going to be interviewing ELIE WIESEL, Holocaust survivor and the world famous author of the memoir, Night. Wiesel is in Montreal for a fundraising dinner and the interview basically landed in my lap. I have taught the book Night many times, but I never dreamed that I'd be able to speak with its author. I may be too busy tomorrow to write a blog
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Nov
03

CTV Interview about What World Is Left

In case you missed it, here's the interview that aired on CTV news on Thursday, October 23. Many many thanks to Debra Arbec, host of My Montreal, for her interest in What World Is Left, and for being such a kind, sensitive interviewer. Also thanks to my friendly computer wiz for helping me figure out how to post the interview. Let me know what you think of it. Here comes the link:

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Nov
03

Too Many Things to Tell You!!

So I got back last night from a conference called Packaging Your Imagination. It's run by an amazing organization called CANSCAIP and is held every year in  Toronto. I went to lectures by several well known Canadian children's writers, and I also got to meet up with children's writers who've become my friends over the years I've been involved with CANSCAIP. And I have a

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Oct
30

Still Flying High!!

Life seems to be going a little too quickly, even for me the speed-demon! Lots to do between writing, teaching and book promotion. And I'm off this evening to Toronto for a wonderful children's writing conference offered through CANSCAIP (Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers). If you're interested, google the organization; it's terrific and has

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Oct
29

Burst Water Main

A burst water main is a serious thing, but when it happens at your school and it means YOU GET AN UNEXPECTED DAY OFF, well, let's be honest, it's kind of nice! My office partner at school, the very dear Mary Frauley, phoned me early this morning just as I was pulling on my leotards -- and told me the news. So here I am with a very rare commodity -- A LITTLE FREE TIME. My, it feels nice!!

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Oct
27

CBC Interview with Me & My Mum

So my mum -- whose story inspired my new book, What World Is Left, and I were interviewed for the CBC radio show, All In a Weekend. The interview aired yesterday morning and I cried when I heard it. I'm trying my best to figure out how to post the mp3 of the interview on this blog entry, but I'm having a wee bit of trouble... may need to get the help of someone more technically savvy than

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Oct
25

What a Launch -- if I may say so myself!!

It was a wonderful wonderful launch. No matter how many more books I write, I don't think there will ever be such a special launch. Everyone who was there -- and there were nearly 300 people -- was special. My mum, whose story inspired What World Is Left, spoke and I spoke, too, and read from the book. One of the special things about my mum is that despite how she suffered as a teenager in Theresienstadt

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Oct
23

MORE EXCITED THAN ON MY WEDDING DAY(S)!!

I say dayS because I had TWO wedding days!!

Tonight is launch night!! Here's the article that appeared in today's Gazette. Later, this morning, my mum and I are doing an interview at CBC, and CTV's Debra Arbec will be interviewing us before the launch. I have to admit I'm feeling like a bit of a celebrity. Here's the link to The Gazette story: http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette

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Oct
21

Marking, Marking... and Launching a Book!

Only time for a super quick blog entry today. I've got a mountain of correcting! My cousin from Santa Few, New Mexico arrives tomorrow -- she'll be here for the launch of What World Is Left -- so I want to get as much work done as possible before she gets here.

Because I'm in the midst of all this busy-ness, I have a few reflections to share about being crazy-busy (I bet a lot

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Oct
18

Outlines and George River

It's Saturday morning and I've been catching up on comments and questions posted here this week. Tamar asked what is happening with the George River manuscript (that's a book I was busy with all summer, set in George River in Nunavik, Quebec). Here's the latest update: the first draft, due December 1, 2008 is written -- but I have it out now with an Inuit friend, whom I hope will

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Oct
14

The Busy Life of an Author Promoting Her New Book!!

It's busy, all right. With everyone feeling budget squeezes, including publishing companies, it stands to reason that most authors need to do their bit to help promote their books. So I'm trying my best to get some buzz going about my new book, What World Is Left. Promoting the book feels kind of like fishing -- I'm putting a lot of lines into the ocean and hoping to catch something

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Oct
09

Check Out the Book Launch Invitation!

Of course, this is all depends on whether I'm technologically-savvy enough to figure out how to post it. Here I go! BY GOLLY I THINK I JUST DID IT!!whatworldisleft.jpg
  1862 Hits
Oct
08

My Turn to Answer Questions

If you know me, you probably know that I ask A LOT OF QUESTIONS. Some of my friends think this comes from being a journalist. Sometimes they even get a little annoyed with me and say, "What is this, Monique, an interview?" It is funny how the work we do tends to influence our personalities -- or perhaps it's the other way around and we pick the kind of work that suits who we are.

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Oct
07

Busy With Book Promotion!

So we're launching What World Is Left at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 23 at Marianopolis College here in Montreal. YIPPEE! Now I have to say I'm in another phase of the writing life: book promotion! I'm getting a lot of help from my friends at Orca Books and also from the communications officer at Marianopolis, Kathryn Haralambous. Kathryn just phoned to let me know that CBC Radio

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Oct
02

Notes from the Energizer Bunny

Okay, I admit it, some people tease me and call me the Energizer Bunny. And I don't even have long pointy ears! I'm thinking of the bunny business because I am extra-energetic today. I don't know about you, but I find that doing interesting things and meeting interesting people GIVES me energy.

Last night, my friend and fellow YA author Lori Weber and I began team-teaching a

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  1873 Hits
Sep
25

Meet Anne Renaud

Well, I guess it's your week for meeting children's writers, isn't it? Last night, I did a short presentation at Westmount Library, along with several other local writers who are launching new children's books this season. Today, I want you to meet Anne Renaud, who has published several non-fiction books for young readers. Her latest is called Pier 21, and it's part of Stories

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Sep
24

Meet Frieda Wishinsky

I promised to tell you a little about Frieda Wishinsky -- a Toronto children's author who had dinner with us on Sunday night. Frieda is the author of over 40 books for children. Her picture book, Please, Louise! illustrated by Montrealer Marie-Louise Gay, was recently nominated for the TD Children's Literature Award, one of the country's most prestigious literary prizes.

So,

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Sep
22

Circles of Bloggers

A few months ago, I got a comment on this blog from a young woman named MaryAnn. Well, MaryAnn was in touch again last week and it turns out she is a writer and blogger, too. A graduate of Concordia, Maryann Hayatian has published a book of poetry, a children's book, and a novella with the very cool name, Love Is Blind, But the Neighours Ain't. MaryAnn told me she started her own website

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  1882 Hits
Sep
18

Learning About Guard Dogs

This is going to be a sad entry, so if you're not in the mood for something sad, better to take a pass on today's entry.

Don't have much time, but I wanted to tell you a little about my interview with Alanna Devine, acting director of the Montreal SPCA. Alanna knows a lot about guard dogs and she told me some heartbreaking stories. I'd heard that some guard dogs have been &

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  1776 Hits
Sep
16

Heading to the SPCA This Morning...

You know that research I'm doing about junkyard dogs? Well, this morning I'm headed to the Montreal SPCA. I'm going to interview the acting director, Alanna Devine, who tells me she knows "too much" about guard dogs. Hope to take lots of notes for my new book project. The rest of the week is going to be super busy -- my students are writing exams for me and one class is handing
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  1596 Hits
Sep
15

Courageous Young Women I Know

I've been thinking a lot about courage lately. And instead of looking to older people as role models, I've been learning some big lessons from several young women in my life. So today's entry is dedicated to them. One's my daughter, who moved to New York in August to start a job in the fashion industry. As I keep telling her, I don't think I would have had the courage to do what
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  1718 Hits
Sep
11

Doing Things Differently

Recently I read that it is good to do something different every day. When I googled that line just now, I couldn't find exactly who had said it. But I did come up with a similar thought from Eleanor Roosevelt, who advised: "Do one thing every day that scares you."

Lately, I've been thinking about doing things differently. Not so easy for me since I am definitely a creature

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  1992 Hits
Sep
03

Why Do Dogs Bare Their Teeth?

Quick entry because I have to leave for school in six minutes. So I had my first interview about guard dogs yesterday. I met with a gentleman named Robert Des Ruisseaux, who is a longtime dog trainer. He has worked with guard dogs for almost 50 years. Here's an interesting thing I learned: dogs bare their teeth when they are frightened. Des Ruisseaux told me that dogs who are a little nervous

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  3130 Hits
Aug
28

Whoa, Girl!

Whoa, Girl is the sort of thing you'd say to a lady horse, right? Well that mare is me -- and it turns out I need to "hold my horses." I sent the first three chapters of the new novel I've been tinkering with to the publisher at Orca Books, and though he likes my narrator, he doesn't think schools -- one of the main markets for their books -- will be comfortable with a story
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  2280 Hits
Aug
27

What Does Hillary Clinton Have to Do With Writing?

Guess it's my week for writing about celebrities. Did you hear the speech Hillary Clinton made in support of Barack Obama at the Democratic Convention last night? Well, my favourite part was about the importance of perseverence. Clinton was talking about politics and the future of the United States, but she could just as well have been talking about being a writer. She quoted Harriett Tubmann,
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  1613 Hits
Aug
25

What Does Michael Phelps Have to Do With Writing?

I heard today on CBC radio that Olympic champion Michael Phelps had some trouble with his middle school English teacher, who told him he'd never amount to anything!!

What, you may ask, does this tasty tidbit have to do with the writing life -- the subject of this blog? Well, I've been reading a book where the main male character is too perfect. The best characters -- the ones who

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  1788 Hits
Aug
21

Back to My Old Writing Routine

Well there is something to be said for getting back to an old routine. It's only the third day of school, but I'm already feeling used to it. And there is a certain comfort, at least for me, in routine. Today, I only have classes in the afternoon and so, besides going for a run this morning, I've been writing. I'm still tinkering with my latest idea for a YA project. It involves Internet
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  1724 Hits
Aug
19

Back to School!!

Classes start today at Marianopolis College -- which means that at precisely 2:15 this afternoon I undergo a major transformation: I turn back into a teacher!! Though it's more than a little difficult to give up my summer writing schedule, part of me actually looks forward to having students again. I think it may be partly because my daughter flew the coop in July and I've been storing up
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  1881 Hits
Aug
15

Special Afternoon

Today was a special afternoon because I met up with Sapina, one of the students I worked with in Nunavik in the winter of 2007. As you may know if you've been keeping up with my blog, I've spent most of this summer working on a YA novel set in Nunavik. And Sapina has agreed to be my first reader. YESSS!

I met Sapina at the Lionel Groulx metro station. Oh, I forgot to tell you something
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  1755 Hits
Aug
13

Are You the Sort of Person Who Always Needs a Book?

I am the sort of person who always needs a book. In fact, I realize that I need at least TWO books: one to read (ahh, the pleasure of lying down on my sofa at the end of the afternoon with a delicious book to read); and one to WRITE. Some writers I know take breaks in between book projects, but that doesn't seem to be my way. You know there are women who always need a boyfriend? Well, I always
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  1668 Hits
Aug
12

A Funny Thing Happened Out on My Porch Today

I was taking in the laundry when I spotted a young person scraping the neighbour's balcony. "Hello," I said, "who are you?" (If you don't know me, I should explain that I am unusually friendly.) Imagine my surprise when the person looked up -- and he was one of my students from last semester. He was even more surprised than me. "Miss Polak," he sputtered. Gee

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  1651 Hits
Aug
11

Stoner & Spaz

Catchy title, no? Unfortunately I can't take credit for making it up. It's the title of a YA novel by Ron Koertge that I just finished this morning and MAN, WAS IT EVER GOOD!! Un-put-downable. It's the story of unlikely friends: Ben Bancroft, who has cerebral palsy, and drugged-out Colleen Minou. Great dialogue, great setting, great plot, great themes.

My friend Lori Weber

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  2289 Hits
Aug
08

Galley Copy Arrives

The galley copy of What World Is Left just landed on my doorstep. The galley is a typeset version of the book. This is my last chance to make any small changes before the book goes to print. Am still doing some work on my new manuscipt, but once that's done, I'll start reviewing the galley.

Yesterday a student whom I met when I was in Nunavik two winters ago phoned to say she'

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  1866 Hits
Aug
05

What the Joker Has to Say About Making Plans

Have you seen the new Batman movie, The Dark Knight? In it, Batman's nemesis, the Joker, despises people who believe in making plans. Well, he wouldn't like me! I've got exactly two weeks until I turn back into a teacher. This calls for a plan, and here's mine: this week, I'm going to reread and revise the manuscript I've been working on all summer, and next week, by hook or

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  1765 Hits
Jul
31

Pressed Pennies & Beijing Noodles

What, you may ask, do pressed pennies and Beijing noodles have to do with each other? If you've been reading my blog this week, you'll know that I am doing a story for Maclean's about people who collect pressed pennies. Well now, I've got another story to juggle. Because the Beijing Olympics begin next week, the Gazette wants to run a story about Beijing-style cooking in next Wednesday

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  3646 Hits
Jul
30

Energized

Some of my friends already call me the Energizer Bunny (I don't like when they say so), but I have to admit that today, I am feeling unusually energetic -- even for me. Maybe it's a result of the vacation, or that my Mom energy has to be channeled elsewhere since as of yesterday, my daughter has become a resident of Brooklyn, New York. Anyway, I've been a-writing. Finished a personal essay
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  1992 Hits
Jul
29

Endings

Today must be a day for endings. I just just wrote the last sentence of the book I've been working on all summer. (Though mind you, the re-writing, which some people say is the most important part of all, comes next!) The other ending is the end of my official duties as mum. My daughter left home today to start a job in New York City. I didn't think I'd cry, but I did (of course, she

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  2102 Hits
Jul
28

Back at My Desk

It's Monday afternoon and I'm reinstalled at my desk in Montreal. The holiday did me loads of good and I'm feeling very energetic and happy to be writing again. Of course I did keep my trusty journal and though I didn't exactly work, I did do some interviewing for a possible story. Best of all, I keep waking up with IDEAS IN MY HEAD!! This is very fun.  My main goal writing-wise
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  556 Hits
Jul
23

Literary Street Car Ride

It's our last night in San Francisco... wanted to tell you about the street car we rode today to Fisherman's Wharf. Many of the street cars in San Francisco were used in other cities. It just so happened that the one we rode today came from New Orleans where it was used on the Desire line. Playwright Tennessee Williams named his play after a street car like the one we took today. And because

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  1774 Hits
Jul
19

Hello from Sonoma!

So we're spending a couple of days in wine country. Before that we were in Berkeley. Yesterday, we went to two wineries; our plan is to visit three or four today before we had back to San Francisco for the last leg of our trip. Don't worry -- we're just sipping!!

Mike's gone to the lobby to print up tickets he bought on line for a baseball game tomorrow: San Francisco Giants

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  1757 Hits
Jul
15

Greetings from San Francisco

Well here we are in San Francisco, having a super fun time. This is my first visit to California and I feel very at home here. We've already met lots of interesting people with interesting STORIES, like a young man who's made his fortune designing a new kind of penny-stretching machine. Yesterday we went to the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art to see the Frida Kahlo exhibit. Kahlo and

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  1733 Hits
Jul
11

San Francisco Here We Come!

So we're headed to San Francisco tomorrow morning. Means I won't be around to catch my "Summer Reading" segment on CTV this weekend. Melanie Porco, researcher for the show -- and Marianopolis College graduate!! -- e-mailed to let me know that the segment will air Saturday, July 12 between 9:30 and 10 a.m., and then again on Sunday, July 13 between 8:30 and 9 a.m. If you happen to
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  1730 Hits
Jul
10

Hello from Winnipeg!

So here I am in Winnipeg -- have taken care of the official business I came here for (I was on a top-secret mission!!) and now I have the afternoon off. It's a short trip because I arrived at 11 p.m. last night and I leave first thing tomorrow morning. The joke here in Manitoba is that their provincial bird is the mosquito -- but so far, my combination bug and suntan lotion seems to be doing the
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  2085 Hits
Jul
07

Writing Advice from American Author/Historian David McCullough

This weekend, we caught a bit of an old Charlie Rose show in which he interviewed American author/historian David McCullough. McCullough whose books include 1776, shared some practical writing advice. He explained that he does 60 per cent of his research before he starts writing a book. Then he researches as needed. I thought this was interesting because I've heard other writers say they sometimes
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  2028 Hits
Jul
04

Mothra!!

Mothra is the name of an old Japanese movie about a moth monster. I'm thinking about Mothra today because I just finished writing my story about moths for Maclean's Magazine. I got the idea because there are moths in my kitchen. Every time I think I've wiped them out, they're back -- like Mothra, who was the enemy of Godzilla.

It's July 4 and we're having a barbecue

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  2091 Hits
Jul
01

Happy Canada Day!

It's a gorgeous Canada Day here in Montreal -- and I have no special plans, except to work on my manuscript. Ahhh! I'm still  rereading and making adjustments. Today, I'm thinking what I've done so far is pretty darned good. I've been in this business long enough to know that I should savour this feeling -- there are lots of times when I'm dissatsified with what I&#

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  1919 Hits
Jun
25

Devoir reculer...

Hope the French title won't put you off from reading today's blog entry. I'm reviewing a fun book for The Gazette -- it's called Petite Anglaise, and it's the true story of Catherine Sanderson, a young British woman living in Paris, and how she starts a really successful blog called "Petite Anglaise." Apparently, she gets 100,000 visitors a month. Let's just say

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