by Sylvia McNicoll | Apr 17, 2026 | Sylvia McNicoll
The email starts “Years ago you came to my school…”  Sometimes that’s when the best book relationships begin. A librarian champions to get an author visit, displays the books, encourages the students to read the book., welcomes the author as a celebrity.  Renée, my now 41 year-old fan, used to carry Bringing Up Beauty with her from foster home to foster home. Now that she has her own daughter, she wanted to find a copy. She contacted me.
And here we are together. She has her support book. Â How lucky we are to have librarians.
by Sylvia McNicoll | Apr 16, 2026 | Sylvia McNicoll
One hundred and seventy students crowded into the small gym. They are not all there in this photo. No working microphone available. The kids were energetic and enthusiastic. Hand waving volunteers. Great readers. Loved working with them. Thanks to Ontario Arts Council Writers in the School grant.
by Sylvia McNicoll | Apr 9, 2026 | Sylvia McNicoll
Most of the time,
There’s no reason or rhyme,
But at the end of the day
Things turn out okay.
What do I most want readers to experience from my books? First I want to take them outside themselves, away from their own life, and absorb them in a story by putting them in someone else’s. I want them to enjoy the emotions that go along with this experience and gain from them, resilience and hope. Resilience, my characters face the worst problems and somehow make it through and make peace with themselves and their life. My readers see how problems can be resolved and how to make the best of a bad situation. Hope, the inner resolution that no matter what happens, life can always get better again depending on how you face up to it.
In Blue to the Sky, Ella hopes to conquer her allergies and her fear of public speaking.
While the first is not within her power, the second she achieves through spoken word poetry. Writing poetry also becomes a helpful coping mechanism. The way she explains life to herself.
Hopefully readers will also gain empathy for their allergic friends.
by Sylvia McNicoll | May 31, 2025 | middle grade fiction, Sylvia McNicoll
Speaking about the theme of friendships in middle grade novels with good friends Karen Krossing and Richard Scrimger, corralled by moderator John Corr, what came to my mind was the communities of writers these events foster and promote. How we’ve missed these over COVID and even post pandemic. Rarely is travel funded anymore, when we can Zoom and FaceTime, or Team. But here we were on a Saturday in Oakville together, talking about writing process and inner monsters and allergies, our stories, thanks to Appleby College’s parent association.Thank you Kathy Vucic in particular.
It was wonderful to out in the public eye again. Â Afterall if a book reaches a shelf and no one knows about it, is it ever read?
Thanks Joyce Grant for the photo!
by Sylvia McNicoll | Apr 17, 2025 | Sylvia McNicoll
It’s been over 35 years that I have been a member of The Writers’ Union of Canada. Probably over 37 years writing. My dream job. How lucky I am. I took a course at Sheridan College with Paul Kropp who mentored me through my first novel, Blueberries and Whipped Cream. He insisted I join the Writers’ Union of Canada when the story was published, that the membership would pay for itself, and explained how to do author visits. That novel sold foreign rights to Australia and a film option too. Richard Bachman of A Different Drummer Books immediately ordered 30 copies. For the many books that followed, Burlington Public Library would host my launches with Canada Council grants, .At my first Writers’ Union AGM, I was tasked with proposing an award for the teacher/librarian or public librarian who did the most for promoting Canadian literature. I wasn’t versed in Robert’s Rule of Orders. After I finished reading the motion, a deep loud voice called from the audience, “Who’s going to pay for it?” Pierre Berton. My mouth dropped open. PIERRE BERTON! He was the guy who sat under the Weeping Willow tree and read the news on TV, he was on Front Page Challenge! My motion was shot down. I’m sorry to all the deserving librarians whether in schools or in libraries who should have received the never-to-reach-daylight award. But, if you’re going to have a motion defeated–it’s great that it’s your hero celebrity doing it..Over the years, I met many more writers from across Canada through the Writers’ Union. I’ve visited hundreds of schools and library. The membership has more than paid for itself.. Thank you TWUC. Thank you A Different Drummer Books. Thank you Burlington Public Library. Most of all a big thank you to all my readers.
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