My son Neil was recently a team member representing Brock U at the ACM Programming Competition, in which teams from eastern North America compete. Congratulations, son! Here’s the Brock press release:

Brock Excels in ACM Programming Competition: 19th out of 116

Kobzar’s Children also got a lovely review by Sarah Meador in Curled Up With a Good Kid’s Book.

Check it out.

Aram got a lovely five star review from Lillian Brummet in Curled Up with a Good Kid’s Book. Check it out.

I was checking around on Alibris for some other things and popped in my own name to see what would come up. Someone is selling Aram’s Choice for $93!! I know it’s sold out, but the second printing will be available within days. Sheesh.

I have been using my Urban Poles for several months now and figured I should report in about how I’m finding them.

At first, they were a bit embarrassing. The first time I went out on my own, I felt like people were staring. For quite awhile, I would only use them when I was with a walking friend but lately it doesn’t bother me at all.

If you do get your own urban poles, be prepared for smiling patiently as people passing you think they’re original as they call out “Did you lose your skis?” or “Are you waiting for a big snow storm?” Haha.

What I love about these things is that they burn so much more energy than plain walking yet they’re easy to use and it doesn’t feel like work. They exercise the arms and the torso and they take some of the impact off the feet. I used to find that my hands would get swollen during a 10k walk because my hands would hang at my side. With these poles, they don’t get swollen. I broke a toe a couple of years ago, and ever since, that whole foot and ankle got injured or inflamed easily with long walks and runs, but since I’ve been using these poles, my stride is different and my foot is the best it’s been in a long time.

Also, if a mean dog comes up to me I have a weapon!

And when cars pass too closely, I have a weapon!

I love my urban poles!

After writing that last journal entry, I hunkered down and started to write. This is an early chapter book I’m writing, so I’ve got to get the whole thing done in 10,000 words or less. Easier said than done, especially when it’s historical. After deleting much, I’m at 1300 words, which is fantabulous!! I’m off and running! The first few scenes are always the hardest.

How do you know when it’s time to stop researching and hunker down to the writing?

For me, the research part is fun. It’s lazing around, immersing myself in tidbits and interesting anecdotes and imagining what it was like. When I really start going, I write and only research on a “need to” basis, but the trick is to get going.

Some people think that writing fiction is easy, but I sure don’t find it easy. It takes all my gumption to stop with the research and plunge into the story.

So today I have told myself — JUST DO IT! And I will. For me, that means opening my manuscript file and leaving it open on my laptop so whenever I have a moment to spare, I can add an sentence or two. Or more.

Aram’s Choice has been nominated for the Silver Birch Award!

Here’s a blurb about the reading program:

The Ontario Library Association Silver Birch Award™ reading program, now in its fourteenth year, is created and promoted to students and readers ages 8 to 11 in Grades 3 to 6.  The number of participants over the last few years has been outstanding.  Last year, over 200,000 students in 1000+ school and public libraries across Ontario participated in the Forest of Reading Award® Programs.

I was thrilled when I opened up the Hamilton Spectator this morning and read this lovely profile piece about Michael Buchok, the real person behind Natalia Buchok’s Kobzar’s Children story, “A Bar of Chocolate.” Check it out here.

Congratulations Natalia! Thank you, Lesley!!

The Armenian community of Cambridge was generous and welcoming to both Muriel Wood and myself on Sunday. Forty or fifty people were in attendance at the Armenian community centre and Muriel and I stayed til past 5pm, chatting and signing.

Muriel brought some signed numbered prints of the artwork from her book. I love Muriel’s art work and feel blessed to have been matched with her.

Here’s a lovely review of Aram’s Choice in the latest edition of CM. The painting featured in the review is one of my favourites.