Category: Archive

On Friday, February 11, JC  read new and favourite poems for elementary school-aged children. She set the scene with poetry from “Fat poems Tall poems Long poems Small,”  illustrated by thirteen Ottawa artists. Students from two classes at Hopewell Public School had the chance to hear several new works and works in progress and shared their comments with JC in a ‘writers’ circle.’ ” I always enjoy test-reading my work with children and listen carefully to their feedback. Whenever I can, I take into account in my writing what I have learned from these sessions.”

An exciting month for JC. She welcomed the opportunity from the Ottawa Public Library to give a dramatic reading of her play for children about dementia, What my grandma means to say, at two branches. On January 11, she met 75 grades 3,4 and 5 students from Jockvale Public School at the Ruth E. Dickinson Branch, and on January 12 the St. Laurent Branch arranged for her to visit Queen Elizabeth Public School, where all the students from grades 4, 5 and 6 had the chance to hear her perform her play and to ask questions and comment after her presentation. JC also gave both groups of students a ‘sneak’ preview of the prototype of  the book adapted from her play. For children in grades 4-6 and their families, this 46-page, illustrated book  tells the whole story about eleven year-old Jake, his mother and grandma in Jake’s own words. Written to encourage families to discuss the challenges that face them all when someone dear to them is living with Alzheimer’s disease, the book includes frequently asked questions and answers, as well as sources of more information. The storybook will be published by General Store Publishing House (www.gsph.com). Download an order form and send or fax it to GSPH if you want a copy for you or someone about whom you care.

JC was quoted in Ottawa This Week’s coverage of the Ottawa Public Library’s Awesome Authors Contest: see http://www.yourottawaregion.com/news/article/926529–last-chance-to-become-an-awesome-author

• The storybook adaptation of my play, What my grandma means to say, has been illustrated beautifully by Gary Frederick (www.gdfpro.com), and is now with the publisher’s designer. This book about Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias is written for children in grades 4-6 and their families. It lets Jake share his own story from the time he first notices how his grandma is changing from awesome traveller, bird watcher, and brownie-baker to someone who doesn’t remember his name or where she lives. After she moves to a long-term care residence, the story follows Jake and his family as they adjust to how different their lives together have become.

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JC, together with Allison Woyiwada, produces the third annual reading of the Dylan Thomas classic, A Child’s Christmas in Wales, featuring Rob Clipperton, with Ciana Van Dusen and Scott Olson.
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On Saturday, October 23,  at 7:30 p.m. at Glebe-St. James United Church, JC joins a panel of local celebrities in Would I lie to you?  a benefit organized by the “Ladies’ Killing Circle”, during which “audience members test their deductive powers against panelists, who may or may not be lying through their collective teeth. Highlights of the evening include wine and refreshments, readings, discussion and much more whodunit fun. The Ladies’ Killing Circle is a group of Ottawa crime writers whose seven anthologies of short stories include Menopause is Murder, When Boomers go Bad, and Going Out with a Bang.“

Chairing the panel is the indomitable Mary Jane Maffini, who pens three award-winning mystery series. Proceeds from the evening will go to the Doug Davidson Building Fund and People, and Words and Change Literacy Organization. Tickets: $35. per person. Call 613-236-0617 for information.

JC served as a judge of the English poetry submissions to the 2011 Awesome Authors Contest. The awards ceremony on March 29 was wonderful! JC congratulated all the poets who entred the contest and looks forward to the 2011 pot pourri anthology which will publish the winning poems.

On October 9, the OPL hosted the launch of that year’s pot-pourri 2010, the anthology of winning stories and poems from writers 9-11, 12- 14 and 15-17. JC wrote the foreword to the 178-page book. “You have to read these winning entries for yourself to believe just how talented these young writers are. pot-pourri 2010 is an outstanding collection of stories and poems in English and in French. It makes a fine gift for emerging writers and thoughtful readers of any age,” JC commented on the back jacket. To order copies ($12.95 each), please go to: http://www.ottawapubliclibraryfriends.ca/index_e.html; or contact the Friends of the Ottawa Public Library at 613 580 2424, extension #14383.

JC was thrilled to receive the Order of Friendship Award from the Ottawa Public Library at the June 14, 2010 meeting of its Board. The award recognizes JC’s work as a judge for the OPL’s Awesome Authors Contest for over 6 years. As chair of the Board, Councillor Jan Harder explained in her citation, “The OPL Order of Friendship is awarded to individuals, groups or institutions in recognition of outstanding volunteer contributions to the Ottawa Public Library. The individuals we are honouring this evening certainly have gone above and beyond in their volunteer efforts for the OPL.

“The Awesome Authors’ contest has been a cornerstone of children’s and teens services at the Ottawa Public Library since amalgamation. This bilingual program promotes the importance of writing for young people from ages 9 through 17.

“Each year our judges make their way through hundreds of short stories and poems to weigh their merits and award prizes and honorable mentions. The judges tell us each year that the task is enjoyable, if daunting, and they are continually amazed by the quality of the prize-winning entries. In the past four years these judges have looked at over 1400 entries.

“In addition, the judges take the time to attend our awards ceremony to personally hand out the prizes and give the audience a glimpse into why the winning entries deserved merit — teaching all present what makes a good poem or short story.”

JC has focused in recent years on the English poetry submissions from local, emerging writers and co-edited Pot Pourri, the annual anthology of winning poems and short stories published by the Friends of the Ottawa Public Library (FOPLA.)

In accepting this award, JC expressed thanks for the honour and for having been given the opportunity to be involved in the OPL’s excellent annual contest.”It’s both a challenge and a privilege to read the submissions: a privilege, because of the creativity demonstrated by these young poets; and a challenge to choose the winning entries from among so many original submissions. I look forward every year to the surprises between the lines.!”