My name is Lena Coakley and I love children's books. People often ask me why, and then I find myself fumbling around for an answer. It's not that I don't know. It's just that people don't realize what a deeply personal question that is. Usually I say that I have never been able to sink so completely into a book as I did when I was ten years old. If you want a longer answer, check out the
lenacoakley.com
05/13/2010 02:46 PM
Film of my story!
- The very first short story I ever published is also the one that has been republished the most times. It's called "Mirror Image" and it's a meditation on identity and body image from the point of view of a teen girl who has had the first ever brain transplant. The story has been republished in the US and Germany and I've even received letters about it from as far away as Bhutan. Now it's been made into a short film by Ryerson student Fay Eagles. The film is called "Alice Was Here" and will be screened for the first time at the Ryerson University Film Festival this Sunday, May 16th at 8:00. Doors open at 7:00. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online at http://imagearts.ryerson.ca/ruff/?tickets
03/04/2010 11:59 AM
Amazing Symposium
- Don't know about you, but I wouldn't miss seeing David Almond, M.T. Anderson, Susan Cooper, Sarah Ellis and Tim Wynne-Jones all in one place for the upcoming Atwater Symposium in Toronto. Sign up now! www.trinity.utoronto.ca/News_Events/Events/clc.htm
11/10/2009 09:08 AM
Honking big cheque for Canadians
- I just got my Access Copyright cheque today and I thought that there might be some Canadians out there who might not know about Access Copyright and PLR. The repetoire payment really was significant this year--bigger than a lot of my royalty statements.
Access Copyright: Basically, in Canada authors and other creators are reimbursed by schools, libraries and other organizations when they photocopy our work. You are paid if they have informed Access Copyright if they've copied a specific book of yours, but you also get a portion of a general "repetoire payment" even if no one claims to have copied your work. It's free to register. If you haven't, go here: http://www.accesscopyright.ca/
PLR: The Public Lending Right Commission tracks the use of books in libraries and gives you money if your book appears in libraries they survey. For them you can only register between Feb 15 and May 1st. It's also free to register. http://www.plr-dpp.ca/
08/30/2009 06:20 PM
Packaging Your Imagination
- CANASCAIP is now taking registrations for their fabulous Toronto conference, Packaging Your Imagination. Children's book luminaries like Teresa Toten, Paulette Bourgeois, Jeremy Tankard, Heather Collins and many more will inspire with lectures, workshops and panel discussions. Kenneth Oppel's keynote speach will top off a great day. Don't miss it!
http://www.canscaip.org/pyi.html
04/17/2009 08:08 AM
Mentors' Dinner
- I hope anyone who can stand up and get themselves over to the Radisson Admiral in Toronto has already got their tickets to the CANSCAIP Mentors' Dinner that I am organizing with the help of a wonderful committee. It's going to be a great event! Here's the info:
CANSCAIP's Mentors' Dinner!
CANSCAIP is pleased to invite you to our second Mentors' Dinner honouring teacher and editor Peter Carver. Join Master of Ceremonies Ted Staunton and speakers Tim Wynne-Jones, Brian Doyle, Martine Leavitt, Patsy Aldana, Theo Heras, Virginia Davis and more for dinner, a silent auction, speeches, toasts and anecdotes. Proceeds from this event will go to CANSCAIP's Mentor Fund to help aspiring and emerging children's artists.
Wednesday, April 22nd, 2009, 5:30 PM
The Radisson Admiral Hotel
249 Queen's Quay West, Toronto (Harbourfront)
Tickets are $75 each. Discounted parking has been arranged for the event.
Print off the ticket form here: www.canscaip.org/files/mentor2009.pdf
Hope to see you there!
12/14/2008 11:49 AM
Happy Holidays
- Wishing all my friends and readers a happy holiday!
12/01/2008 11:47 AM
Postcard Story Competition
- The Writers' Union of Canada is holding its 10th annual Postcard Story Competition with a $500 prize awarded to the winning entry. The deadline for entry is February 14, 2009. The main contest link is www.writersunion.ca/cn_main.asp.
10/14/2008 11:43 AM
CANSCAIP News
- Keep a look out for a lot of new things happening at CANSCAIP, the Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers. Soon to come: a monthly podcast - hosted by me - with interviews of many of Canada's best known children's artists. And don't forget to sign up for the Packaging Your Imagination conference in Toronto on November 1st! www.canscaip.org
