Quirky and Quintessential Writer Series :Featuring Valerie Sherrard

I had the pleasure of interviewing a really special writer recently...Valerie Sherrard. She has a number of exciting mysteries in her repertiore with the Shelby Belgarden series. Her first picturebook There's a COW Under My Bed is a delight to read! Her latest book Tumbleweed Skies was a nominee for the Ann Connor Brimer Award for Children's Literature 2010.

In addition to being an author, Valerie and Marsha also run the Authors Booking Service. This service assists educators and librarians with finding young adult and children's book creators who are qualified and willing to present at schools and libraries

Here is a fleeting glimpse of this wonderful person;
1) In one word, how would you describe your personality?
Sanguine

2) What is your deepest desire?
To grow old gracefully and happily with my husband, Brent, who is also an author.

3) Your greatest fear?
I'm terrified of heights. I couldn't call myself brave in the dark either.

4) Your favourite colour?
Deep purple.

5) A song you can't help singing along with, every time you hear it?
Dragonfly, by Roman Dane.

6) A movie that made you cry?
Dead Poet Society

7) A book you have read more than five times? Or a book that influenced you the most?
The (adult)book I've read the most number of times is Seventeen by Booth Tarkington, although I wouldn't say it influenced me. On the other hand, I've read The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver only once (so far - I do plan to read it again) but it had a huge impact on the way I look at the voice of a story. Kingsolver did the most amazing job in having a range of such rich and distinctive characters narrate this particular book.

8) From your own oeuvre: your favorite child?
The Glory Wind

9) One thing you hate about being a writer?
The bouts of self-doubt andsecond-guessing. Almost every project has found me, about 2/3rds of the way through, quite certain that the book I'm working on is boring and pointless, and that no one in their right mind would ever want to read it.

Thank you so much, Valerie!

Darby's visiting Toronto to talk about FACING FIRE by KC Dyer (Hey...that rhymed!)

Hi Darby, 

Welcome to Moonlight Musings and TO. Tell us...what's new with you? (Yikes...I'm quite rhymey today ;))

Mahtab

And here's Darby's reply...

Hi Everyone!

My name is Darby Christopher...and I'm a big fan of the Tara trilogy. I love the idea of mythology in stories -- and reading about different cultures is fascinating to me.

Since the adventures in my very first book, A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW, I learned a whole lot about different cultures, and the choices that people make when they come to Canada. Now, unlike Mahtab, my experience with immigration hasn't come from living in other countries of the world. It turns out I have a talent ... for travelling through time.

Today, I’m here to celebrate the launch of my new book. It’s called FACING FIRE.

FACING FIRE picks up the story of what happened to me after the magical summer that you may have read about in A WALK THROUGH A WINDOW. And if you're interested in a whole new way at looking at how people came to live in Canada, you might consider taking a look.

You can learn more by peeking at my new book. Find out more about it – and the author – at http://www.kcdyer.com/.

Or better still, would you like to win a copy as a prize? If you leave comment on this post, Mahtab will put your name into a draw to win a free copy of the new book – FACING FIRE. And if you actually link to this post somewhere else [like in another blog, or facebook post or even a tweet] we’ll put your name in for the draw for BOTH of my books. Go for it!

By the way, if you’re into looking for prizes, [especially if you like making videos], check out my blog HERE
at Darby Speaks. I have an AMAZING contest going with some totally fantastic prizes. And if you like twitter, you can follow all the latest on the contest and the blog tour and launches @DarbyWalking.

See you there.

Thanks for having me, Mahtab!

~Darby

My pleasure Darby and have fun!

Quirky and Quintessential Writer Series: Featuring Marsha Skrypuch

I recently had the pleasure of interviewing Marsha Skrypuch for my series. Marsha is not only a gifted writer with over a dozen books in publication, but she is also passionate about writing events that are uncomfortable, events which people would rather sweep under the carpet than discuss. She has written about the Armenian Genocide as well as about Holodomor (Stalin-induced famine in Ukraine.)

In May 2008, President Victor Yuschchenko of Ukraine bestowed upon Marsha the Order of Princess Olha for her championing of the Holodomor. For a complete profile of Marsha, please see the article in CM Magazine by David Jenkinson.

Marsha has helped many a new writer (including yours truly) and completely embodies the quote oft heard: "A candle loses none of its light by lighting another."

And that is Marsha, in a sentence.

1) In one word, how would you describe your personality?
Determined

2) What is your deepest desire?
To be fair

3) Your greatest fear?
To be misunderstood

4) Your favourite colour?
Red

5) A song you can't help singing along with, every time you hear it?
Jeff Buckley's rendition of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah

6) A movie that made you cry?
Frank Capra's: It's A Wonderful Life

7) A book you have read more than five times? Or a book that influenced you the most?
The Magus by John Fowles

8) From your own oeuvre: your favorite child?
Anya from Prisoners in the Promised Land

9) One thing you hate about being a writer?
Having very little free time

10) One thing no one knows about you (and now will)?
I'm an introvert

Thank you, Marsha!