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Writing often feels like a solo pursuit—just you, a desk, and a screen full of ideas waiting to become stories. But every author needs a strong community, which is why I’m thrilled to share a major milestone in my creative journey: I have officially joined The Writers' Union of Canada (TWUC)! For over 50 years, The Writers' Union of Canada has represented professional creative authors across the country, advocating for writers' rights, fair compensation, and freedom of expres

Finding the right book for a reluctant reader in the 3rd, 4th or 5th grade comes down to one thing: pacing. When a book opens with immediate action, short chapters, relatable stakes, and high-energy plots, reading stops feeling like homework and starts feeling like entertainment. Whether your reader loves survival stories, sports drama, laugh-out-loud humor, or compelling character journeys, here are 10 fast-paced chapter books guaranteed to keep 8-to-12-year-olds turning pag

I am thrilled to share a wonderful new 5-star review for Surviving Summer Camp from popular book reviewer Gina Rae Mitchell! In her review, Gina praises the book's high-energy humor, fast pacing, and relatable themes for kids ages 8–12: "Surviving Summer Camp is exactly the kind of middle-grade adventure that can remind kids that reading is supposed to be fun. It's fast, funny, just dangerous enough to keep the pages turning, and filled with the kind of humor that should have

I have some exciting news to share: Surviving Summer Camp has officially been named a finalist for the Whistler Independent Book Awards! To say I'm honored would be an understatement. Produced in partnership with the Whistler Writers Festival (https://whistlerwritersfestival.com) and sponsored by the Canadian Authors Association, the Whistler Independent Book Awards (https://independentbookawards.ca) are the only awards program in Canada specifically established to recognize

What The Odyssey shows us about great storytelling. Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is a visual spectacle, but its real power lies in how it tells a great story. While at first, I felt the movie was slightly 'cold' on an emotional level, I have continued to think about it long afterward. I'm no expert on The Odyssey, but it's almost impossible not to see how influencial this story has been to the art of storytelling. I've enjoyed watching the Percy Jackson movies and televisi

If you have a child between the ages of 8 and 12 who would rather do literally anything else than pick up a book, you’ve probably felt the frustration. You buy the critically acclaimed, award-winning novels, leave them on the nightstand, and watch them gather dust. When a kid struggles with reading—or simply finds it boring—forcing them to plow through dense, heavy prose feels like a punishment. The secret to breaking through that wall isn't forcing bigger lessons or heavier

As an author, there is nothing quite like hearing that a story you poured your heart into resonated with a reader. That’s why I'm thrilled to share that Surviving Summer Camp has just received a 5-Star Review from Readers' Favorite! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reviewer Pikasho Deka beautifully captured exactly what I hoped to achieve with this book: a fast-paced, high-stakes adventure featuring characters that kids can actually see themselves in. Here is a quick look at what they had to say: "The

Here in Vancouver, FIFA-fever has definitely taken over. I'm seriously considering a middle grade novel that focuses on soccer (football to most of the world). It's game day today and Canada is playing Switzerland. There's a lot of fun advertising, but nothing beats Science World's giant soccer ball! Brilliant FIFA advertising by Vancouver Science World It's really cool to see so many people walking around wearing their favorite teams' jerseys. In fact, apparently all the sto

Whistler Independent Book Awards Shortlist I woke up to some really exciting news in my inbox today! I'm absolutely thrilled to announce that Surviving Summer Camp has officially made the 2026 Whistler Independent Book Awards Shortlist in the Children’s category! To go from the longlist to being named one of the final six books in this category is an honor. The Whistler Independent Book Awards—sponsored by The Writers’ Union of Canada and established in partnership with the W

Finding the perfect summer books for boys—especially those aged 8 to 12 who might prefer a video game controller over a stack of paperbacks—can feel like its own survival mission. When the sun is out, long paragraphs and slow-moving descriptions just won't cut it. To compete with summer vacation freedom, a book needs to strike like lightning from page one. That is exactly why Surviving Summer Camp is generating so much buzz this season. Packed with high-stakes wilderness adve

There is a quiet crisis happening right around the time kids turn ten. One year, they're devouring bedtime stories, proud of their growing bookshelves. The next, picking up a book feels to them like a chore—or worse, a punishment. In the publishing and educational worlds, this phenomenon is known as the Middle Grade Reading Cliff. It’s the moment when reading for pleasure doesn’t just slow down; it plummets off a precipice. I have neighbours who are teachers and they both war

I'm thrilled to share some exciting news: Surviving Summer Camp has officially been named to the longlist for the 2026 Whistler Independent Book Awards in the Children’s Fiction category! Being selected as one of the Top 12 titles is an incredible honor. The WIBA is the only national juried award in Canada specifically for independent authors, and the competition this year was tighter than ever as they opened the awards to a global audience for the first time. What are the Wh

The "summer slide" is a well-documented phenomenon where students lose significant academic ground during the break, but for a reluctant reader, the traditional summer reading list can feel more like a chore than a vacation. The key to breaking that cycle is finding stories that offer high stakes, fast-paced action, and relatable challenges. Survival stories are a powerhouse genre for this demographic. They tap into a child's natural curiosity about self-reliance and advent

The game is changing. If you’ve tuned into a screen or stepped onto a local court lately, you’ve likely seen the "Caitlin Clark Effect" in full swing. In 2024, the NCAA women’s final drew nearly 19 million viewers—a staggering increase that proves one thing: girls' basketball is a powerhouse. For parents and educators, this surge in popularity offers a golden opportunity. When a child is obsessed with the crossover dribble or a buzzer-beater, we can use that momentum to bridg

Finding a book that matches the intensity of a full-court press isn’t always easy—especially for girls who would much rather be at practice than hitting the books. For reluctant readers in the 8-12 age range, the key is finding stories that feature relatable protagonists, fast-paced action, and the real-life social dynamics of being on a team. Whether she’s a point guard in the making or just loves a high-stakes story, these six picks are perfect for keeping her head in the g

Help your child navigate the "middle school social tightrope" with these 5 essential resilience strategies. Discover how Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) tools and reading can build confidence for girls ages 8-12.

As our time in Paris comes to an end, I’m sitting in the hotel after another 20,000-step day, trying to process a trip that went by far too quickly—but was pretty much perfect. From the quiet cobblestones of Montmartre to the iconic skyline, this city has a way of making every moment feel like a scene from a story. We were incredibly lucky with perfect the weather for our whole trip. Honestly, every single day was full of adventure and fun - simply walking around the city, ar

If the Seine is the heart of Paris, Montmartre is its soul. Today, we put our walking shoes to the ultimate test. There’s a reason the characters in my adventure stories are always on the move—because the best discoveries happen when you’re willing to climb a few hundred (or maybe thousand?) stairs! The Climb to the Clouds We started at the bottom and worked our way up toward the Sacré-Cœur Basilica . While Montmartre has always been famous for its "staircase streets," the c

They say the best way to understand a city is to see it from its heart. In Paris, that heart is the Seine. Today, I took the metro and then hoped on a Batobus for a water tour. Seeing the Paris monuments glide by from the deck of a water taxi was amazing. As a writer, I’m always looking for "perspective." From the street, Paris is a bustling metropolis. From the water, it’s a silent, stone masterpiece. Floating Past History There is a specific magic to passing under the Pont

Taken March 16, 2025 on Spring Break Greetings from Paris! While Spring Break usually finds us enjoying the cherry blossoms in Vancouver, my family and I have traded the Pacific Coast for the streets of France this year. We've just arrived, but I plan to sit in a few cafés reading Catching Fire in French (It's called L'Embrasement and it’s a challenge for me, but fun!). I've even got the audio through Libby to follow along with when I get tired. It's been fun to see my wife a