Richard III - The Investigation Continues

Following the discovery of the bones of Richard III, there have also been a few stories in the news about checking on the bones buried in Westminster Abbey, reputed to belong to the Princes in the Tower, the focus of The Sorcerer's Letterbox. 

Tests may be able to prove if the bones are connected to those of Richard III, although this will not determine an exact cause of death or who was responsible, of course. They will also not be able to determine a precise date of death, pinpointing it to somewhere between Richard's seizure of the crown and his death at the Battle of Bosworth, a crucial element in this investigation. 

The bones were examined once before, in the 1930s, before the advent of DNA testing, when it was concluded that they belonged to children who were related to each other and to other known royal relatives. The bones were also found to be of children who were the same age as the princes when they disappeared. 

Learn more about the historical background to The Sorcerers Letterbox, visit YouTube for the story behind the story of the novel, read an excerpt or listen to a reading from The Sorcerer's Letterbox on my website.

Writing and Publishing Your Children's Novel, University of Calgary, Saturday February 9

Writing and Publishing Your Children's Novel - Saturday, February 9

This workshop deals with getting started as a writer for young readers and the subsequent path to publication. You will examine the writing process from initial concept through to the finished manuscript, including how to turn ideas into stories, story structure, developing characters, the creation of outlines and the importance of editing and revision. You will also examine ways to research publishing houses where you can submit your work, cover letters, synopses and sample chapters.

Learn more about the Writing and Publishing Your Children's Novel workshop and how to register here

Magic in Stories for Children: Part Four - The Roots of Magic

A belief in the ability to influence supernatural powers by prayer, sacrifice or invocation dates back to prehistoric religions and may have originated in the need to explain aspects of the weather such as the wind, rain or thunderstorms. Magic in one form or another appears in ancient cultures around world in Egypt, Greece, India, the Middle East and elsewhere. Early texts of ceremonial magic include the use of mysterious symbols, the speaking of magic words to command spirits, the use of wands and other ritual tools, and the benign or destructive influence of spirits. A magic circle is often utilized as the means by which the magician defends himself against the spirits he is summoning and sometimes a child has to be brought into the circle to act as a conduit with those spirits. 

The world of magic is a breathtakingly complex one and in literature can be incredibly detailed. Tolkien’s masterful depiction of the magical realm of Middle Earth and all the creatures and beings that inhabit it in Lord of the Rings is a prime example of this. From all parts of the globe, the magic appears in traditions, legends, myths, folklore and literature and takes many forms, from areas more correctly defined as the occult to things we are more familiar with. Common themes in stories involving magic include natural forces that are not detectable by science or the interconnection of the cosmos through which all things are bound together.

Learn more about The Alchemist's Portrait, The Sorcerer's Letterbox, The Clone Conspiracy,  The Emerald Curse, The Heretic's Tomb, The Doomsday Mask, The Time Camera and my many non-fiction books on my website.

The Final Resting Place of King Richard III

Very interesting news about the final resting place of Richard III. The king of course appears in The Sorcerer's Letterbox, based on the well-known mystery of the Princes in the Tower. 

A skeleton found beneath a Leicester car park has been confirmed as that of English king Richard III. Experts from the University of Leicester said DNA from the bones matched that of descendants of the monarch's family. Lead archaeologist Richard Buckley, from the University of Leicester, told a press conference to applause: "Beyond reasonable doubt it's Richard." Richard, killed in battle in 1485, will be reinterred in Leicester Cathedral.

You can check out  the full story here on the BBC website.

Magic in Stories for Children: Part Three - Familiar Faces

Some characters are common to many magical stories – the evil witch or wizard, the aged wise counselor, the reluctant hero, the noble ruler, the evil advisor. Young readers certainly always need to be able to identify with the chief protagonist, but the story’s other major characters must also be believable, even if they are not strictly human. Characters with recognizable traits, quirks and mannerisms who seem to almost leap off the page are always going to be popular with readers and are rarely forgotten.

Magical creatures, eccentric personalities and other worldly realms are an integral part of fairy tales and to some degree the success of the Shrek movie franchise, with children and perhaps even more so with adults, owes a lot to the presence of so many familiar characters, albeit used in somewhat unconventional ways for comic impact. Children are both familiar and comfortable with stories incorporating magic and although some may have gone a little stale in today’s technology dominated world, the recent success of the Harry Potter phenomena, along with the movie adaptations of Lord of the Rings and other fantasy classics has shown that children still have a craving for traditional stories of adventure in which magic plays a major role. 

Learn more about The Alchemist's Portrait, The Sorcerer's Letterbox, The Clone Conspiracy,  The Emerald Curse, The Heretic's Tomb, The Doomsday Mask, The Time Camera and my many non-fiction books on my website.

Review of Tim Hortons in CM: Canadian Review of Materials

Here's a nice review from the Manitoba Library Association of the recent Tim Hortons non-fiction book. 

"Overall, Tim Hortons is a good introduction to the history and operation of a successful Canadian business organization, and it presents the reader with many important business concepts and illustrates data in a variety of ways."

Check out the full review in the February 1 issue of CM Magazine.

Marvelous Maps and Curious Cartography - Part Three at Dark Roasted Blend

Here’s another look at intriguing and sometimes bizarre maps at Dark Roasted Blend, entitled Marvelous Maps and Curious Cartography - Part Three. 

Check out these maps of fanciful figures, ferocious animals, imaginary lands, historical scenarios and more. You can also check out Unusual and Marvelous Maps and Unusual and Marvelous Maps Part Two.

Dark Roasted Blend is among the finest locations online to find the weird, the wonderful and the fantastic, crammed with great articles, stunning photography, plus fabulous new content appears daily.

Coaching for Writers

My coaching program is designed to help you progress as a writer. You decide what you want to work on during a personalized, one on one relationship. For example, I can be your coach for just one month or we can establish a month-to-month arrangement, depending on your schedule and expectations. 

Just a few examples of topics we can cover during the coaching period are point of view, creating characters, developing dialogue, story structure, editing and revision, marketing and promotion and submissions to publishers. However, I am very flexible and happy to discuss your own unique requirements and areas where you feel that you may need the most help. 

In addition to coaching, on my website you can learn more about my other services for writers, such as online workshops for adults, manuscript evaluation and online workshops for children and young adults.

Magic in Stories for Children: Part Two - Characters from Fairy Tales

Traditional fairy tales of course are filled with magic with witches and wizards often featuring in the stories associated with the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson and others. It's no coincidence that the most well known and best loved stories for children, often classic tales of the battle between good and evil, are fantasy based and involve magic. These range from the myths and legends prevalent in ancient cultures through classic tales like Beauty and the Beast, Snow White and Cinderella, through Alice in Wonderland, The Secret Garden, and Peter Pan, to the Chronicles of Narnia, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter and many more. 

Many stories that have become more familiar with children, often mostly from Disney movies, are filled with strong magical themes and recognizable characters. Cinderella has her wicked stepmother and sisters, along with her fairy godmother, a warm hearted grandmotherly figure. The Sword in the Stone has a bumbling old man version of Merlin tutoring the young Arthur, but Merlin is also a powerful wizard who is dangerous to his enemies, and also offers counsel and acts as a loyal friend to the future king. In Beauty and the Beast, the prince has been cursed and the enchantment can only be lifted by true love, a frequent theme of sacrifice in tales involving magic.

Learn more about The Alchemist's Portrait, The Sorcerer's Letterbox, The Clone Conspiracy,  The Emerald Curse, The Heretic's Tomb, The Doomsday Mask, The Time Camera and my many non-fiction books on my website.

Writers Weekend 2013 at Calgary Public Library - Saturday, February 2

Join me at the Writers Weekend 2013 at the downtown Calgary Public Library on Saturday, February 2. 

The event takes place on the second floor in the John Dutton Theatre and features a variety of presentations by local writers and editors, all designed to inspire you in your own writing. 

At 2 pm, I'll be taking about writing and publishing your children's novel. Learn how to turn ideas into stories, get started as a writer and get on the path to publication. You can register here for Writers' Weekend 2013: Writing and Publishing your Children's and YA Novel.

Author in Residence

For my Author in Residence program, I can be at your school for a week or longer. This allows me to cover topics in much more depth than would be possible during a regular author visit. 

Each of my novels provide ideas for classroom projects and you may find some suggestions on the Study Guides page on my website. 

I have some suggestions for presentations and workshops, but am always pleased to work with teachers and librarians to build sessions best suited to your students. Contact me for details of fees and availability for my Author in Residence program.

Magic in Stories for Children: Part One - Incredible Journeys

Magic plays a big part in children’s lives as they grow up. Santa Claus is a very familiar figure to millions of children, along with all the magical things associated with the secular side of Christmas each year. This is something many children are sure is real, for a while at least, as is the tooth fairy, an ever present character in the lives of kids when they are younger. Many may even be afraid of the dark and fearful of the supposed creatures that may lurk there, including ghosts. They may be reassured repeatedly that ghosts doesn’t exist, but are never entirely convinced and in a strange way, it is indeed much more terrifying to be scared of something you know isn’t real. After all if it can’t be defeated, how can you ever win?

Magic of course appears in so many of the stories that children avidly consume as they grow up. Indeed, the process of reading is itself a kind of magical experience, as children begin their own personal journey of discovery. As I often point out to children during my school visits and workshops, books can be time machines, space ships that whisk you off to another planet or become doorways to other dimensions, all powered by your own limitless imagination.

Learn more about The Alchemist's Portrait, The Sorcerer's Letterbox, The Clone Conspiracy,  The Emerald Curse, The Heretic's Tomb, The Doomsday Mask, The Time Camera and my many non-fiction books on my website.

Awesome Car Hood Ornaments, Part Two at Dark Roasted Blend

Check out the latest article at Dark Roasted blend entitled Awesome Car Hood Ornaments, Part Two. 

There were just too many fascinating car hood ornaments to fit into the first article on this topic, so here's another look at these unique works of art from the past and the present . Ornaments were installed on the exposed radiator caps of cars in the early days of the motor vehicle and were still seen on hoods even when radiator caps ceased to be used. 

Dark Roasted Blend is among the finest locations online to find the weird, the wonderful and the fantastic, crammed with great articles, stunning photography, plus fabulous new content appears daily.

Writers Weekend 2013 at Calgary Public Library - Saturday, February 2

Join me at the Writers Weekend 2013 at the downtown Calgary Public Library on Saturday, February 2. 

The event takes place on the second floor in the John Dutton Theatre and features a variety of presentations by local writers and editors, all designed to inspire you in your own writing. 

At 2 pm, I'll be taking about writing and publishing your children's novel. Learn how to turn ideas into stories, get started as a writer and get on the path to publication. You can register here for Writers' Weekend 2013: Writing and Publishing your Children's and YA Novel.

School Programs, Presentations and Workshops

I offer a variety of presentations, author in residence programs and conduct workshops for children at schools. 

I offer a variety of presentations for grades three to eight, but can work with grades one and two as well. I cover such topics as where ideas come from, story structure, editing and revision, character development, time travel stories, history and research, plus many other aspects of writing and publishing.

I will present to around one hundred students at a time, although we can also look at workshops with smaller groups or individual classes. Each of my novels provide ideas for classroom projects and you may find some suggestions on the Study Guides page on my website. 

Contact me for details of fees and availability for school presentations.

Fictional Currency - The Past, Present, Future and Fantastical (Part 2)

Well, here's another look at some more imaginary money that doesn't even pretend to be real in Payday Money - The Past, Present, Future and Fantastical (Part 2)

For more unreal units of currency from the fantasy realm, some of which are really out of this world, you can also check out Payday Money - The Past, Present, Future and Fantastical (Part 1)

Writing and Publishing Your Children's Novel, University of Calgary, Saturday February 9

Writing and Publishing Your Children's Novel - Saturday, February 9

This workshop deals with getting started as a writer for young readers and the subsequent path to publication. You will examine the writing process from initial concept through to the finished manuscript, including how to turn ideas into stories, story structure, developing characters, the creation of outlines and the importance of editing and revision. You will also examine ways to research publishing houses where you can submit your work, cover letters, synopses and sample chapters.

Learn more about the Writing and Publishing Your Children's Novel workshop and how to register here

Business Writing for Manuals, Plans and Reports

I have extensive experience in many different types of writing and offer a variety of services for large and small businesses, government, corporations and associations. 

Articles for Businesses or Associations	Business/Grant Proposals
Business Plans	Reports
Company Handbooks	Rules and Regulations
Company Histories	Scripts
Educational Materials	Speeches
Manuals	Technical Writing
Marketing Plans	Training Materials

I offer both hourly rates and flat fees for this kind of business writing, based on the requirements of the project. Please contact me directly for rates and fees for any of the above projects.

Totalitarian Architecture of the Soviet Union at Dark Roasted Blend

Check out the latest article at Dark Roasted Blend, entitled Totalitarian Architecture of the Soviet Union

Unapologetic in their colossal scale and glorification of the totalitarian state, these gigantic structures dominate urban landscapes of the former Eastern Bloc countries, still capable either to inspire dreams of imperial grandeur, or resurrect ghosts of dark abuses of power.

You can also view examples of similar architecture glorifying the opposite end of the political spectrum in the article Totalitarian Architecture of the Third Reich.    

Dark Roasted Blend is among the finest locations online to find the weird, the wonderful and the fantastic, crammed with great articles, stunning photography, plus fabulous new content appears daily.