Last night was a Fall Harvest get-together for Yes Oui CANSCAIP! -- a Montreal-based organization of writers, illustrators and performers for kids. Five local authors and two local illustrators did a sort of "show and tell" about their latest books. And of course, I was in the audience, taking notes for you, dear blog readers.
Jennifer Lloyd, author of the picture book Ella's Umbrellas, teaches kindergarten on the West Island. She said she was inspired to write her Ella book when, after her grandmother's death, she was cleaning out a closet at her grandmother's home and discovered it was full of umbrellas. She wondered what one person could possibly want with so many umbrellas.
Alan Silberberg spoke about his new novel Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze. He told us that the book is a kind of fictionalized account of what life was like for him as a young boy following his mother's death.
And picture book author Nancy Gow (her first book is called Ten Big Toes and a Prince's Nose) says the idea for her book came to her when she was taking a nap. As those of you who've been in my classes can imagine, I loved when Nancy said that since I'm a great believer in the hypnagogic state (that's the period between sleep and waking)... like Nancy, I've found it a great time for coming up with ideas.
Thanks, as always, to Carol-Ann Hoyte for organizing yesterday's soirée.
Okay then, I've got no time for naps today. I'm off to McGill to do a little research for my latest book project. Have a good day wherever you are! Did I mention I'm heading up to Inukjuak next week?! It's a town in Nunavik, Quebec -- and I'm getting excited about this next northern adventure!