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Jasmine Tiedemann

I wish I were beautiful

Tiedemann, Jasmine, author

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Questions for Jasmine 

Q: What is one thing you want people to know about your books?

A:  I wrote this book because I had a message to share.  I enjoy reading books to my children that help guide them through feelings and emotions that maybe are hard to talk about or deal with.  As a parent, if I ever had something I needed to address with my kids, like first day of school, or bullies at recess, sharing, dealing with loss; I would go to the library. I always found that a book could help talk through something with your children.  They could relate better to the issue or emotion if a character in a book had the same one.

That is what I wanted to do when I wrote " I wish I were beautiful". I wanted this book to help guide kids through this emotion of self-doubt, motivate kids to believe in themselves, and find what makes YOU special.

This is my first book and my goal is to continue to write stories that help children through challenging moments of their lives. Hopefully my books will help parents talk to kids about these issues because as a parent myself, I know it can be tough to say the right things at times.

Q: Why did you become a writer?

A: I love to read. I love the library. I love picking up a book and escaping into a world of imagination and creativity. I try to share this love of books with my kids. One of our favorite things to do is go to the library to get books. Coming home with an armful of new books is always so exciting. What will these stories be, will they be funny, heartfelt, will they teach me something. The options are endless.

Sitting down at bedtime and reading a book to my children is one of my favorite times of the day. I think this is really what inspired me to write. My love of children's books.

To be honest I never really thought of writing and then I just had this idea one day pop into my head and I thought this could be a really cute story.  From there my idea grew into a book and a message I wanted to share. That's really how I became a writer.

Q: Do you have any advice for new and upcoming authors and illustrators?

A: Well what advice would I have?... I myself am a new author so I feel I might have the same questions as you.  I'm still learning so much as I go about publishing and how the book world works.  Honestly, it seems like a challenging world to get into and this I have learnt by doing some research. But in spite of that I'm not going to let that stop me. I will continue to send out my ideas, write more stories and hopefully publish more books.    

So I guess here is my advice, believe in your idea. Write your stories. Draw your pictures. Do it because you have a story to tell and somebody, someday, will want to hear it.

Lindsey Bugnet

The pandemic princess

Bugnet, Lindsey, author, illustrator

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Questions for Lindsey

Q: What is one thing you want people to know about your books?

A: The goal of my book was to address the COVID-19 pandemic and help make it relatable and relevant to children young and old. I wanted my book to help enable conversations and discussions about what was going on in the world. In writing this book I realized that amongst all the chaos that came with the sudden changes and restrictions there were positives to be taken away. I personally have tried to learn from the restrictions during the lockdown and how it affected my life. I try to cherish the time I have with my loved ones and find joy in the moments instead of worrying about the little things that really don’t matter. 

Q: Why did you become an author? 

A: I decided to write this book because of the COVID-19 pandemic. I was concerned that it would be difficult to explain what was happening in the world in a way that kids could understand and relate to. 

Whenever I find something is difficult to explain to my own students, I try to find a good book or a story that makes what’s happening relatable to them. This always helps me teach about important and serious topics in a way that isn’t too overwhelming to little minds. 

The changes brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic were sudden and shocking for adults, I can’t even imagine how kids would begin to understand and cope with the restrictions. 

I hoped that this book would help families, kids, teachers, and anyone for that matter to open up discussion about the pandemic and find ways to learn and grow because of it.

Q: Do you have any advice for any new and upcoming author / illustrators? 

 A: I always wanted to write a book but thought it would be something to explore later in life. I’m so glad I didn’t wait and I took the time to do it now! I completed the process almost entirely on my own… the writing, editing, illustrations, and self-publishing. Anyone can become a writer or illustrator if you put your mind to it. It was a difficult process at first, but it got easier the further I got. Now, I am so proud to say that I wrote and illustrated my very own picture book. 

Tom Dirsa

BJ and the green monstah

Dirsa, Tom, author

Canada becomes a federation : 1867-1879

Dirsa, Tom, 1941- author

Fishing lessons for Grandpa

Dirsa, Tom, author

Leduc : then & now

Dirsa, Tom, author

Leduc : then & now. Vol. 2. Footprints

Dirsa, Tom, author

Lucky : a whale of a tale!

Dirsa, Tom, author

The school with no students

Dirsa, Tom, 1941- author

Sweaty eyes

Dirsa, Thomas, 1941- author

To see a deer

Dirsa, Tom, 1941- author

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Questions for Tom

Q: What is one thing you want people to know about your books?

A: Our children picture books are about a child with ADHD. They are based on true stories with my oldest grandchild. The child is not “labeled” in the stories but parents with a child that is ADHD will recognize the behaviour and hopefully be able to use some of the techniques to cope with their ADHD child. 

Our history books come from a long love of history and how the past can affect the present. We have especially enjoyed researching the early history of Leduc.

Q: Why did you become a writer?

A: I have always enjoyed writing. As an educator I often wrote sports or education columns for local newspapers about the school where I worked. After retiring I had the time to take some writing courses and then got an opportunity to be a freelance reporter for the Pipestone Flyer. When that opportunity ended it provided me the time to write some of the stories I had collected over the years about my grandson.

During my years with the Pipestone Flyer, we wrote a number of historical stories about Leduc’s early years. This led to an invitation to work with the Leduc Library and the City on doing the biographies of the individuals the city had selected for city parks and an updated Leduc history book. Which has led to a second history book.

Q: Do you have any advice for new and upcoming authors?

A: Write about what you know and like. Start with magazines. Once you have finished go over it and rewrite, rewrite, rewrite.  Be prepared for rejections but don’t give up. If possible join an author’s group. Their experience can be extremely valuable. 

JD Hornbacher

Attitude of gratitude

Layton, Dian, author.

Keep on keepin' on : helping kids to never give up

Layton, Dian, author.

Ninjas with feathers : the super-special mission of angels

Hornbacher, J. D., author, illustrator.

Oooky pooky spooky fear : telling fear to go away

Layton, Dian, author

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Questions for JD

Q: What is one thing you want people to know about your books?

A: You know how, when you don’t understand something complex, you ask that person to explain it to you as if you were a child? I love the idea that even complex subjects can fine-tuned to its simplest form. That’s what I attempted to do with my middle grade novel, “Ninjas With Feathers”. I was asked by author Tim Sheets to take the subject of one of his books (angels) and explain it to kids. This book takes a fun approach to unpacking big concepts like divine protection, unconditional love, bullying, identity, and so much more.

Q: Why did you become an illustrator / author?

A: Because kids are smarter than we realize. They just need big ideas presented to them in relevant and understandable ways. I love creating lightbulb moments for the next generation, and stories are one of the best ways to do that. I can do okay explaining things in-person and in-the-moment, but when I have a chance to write my thoughts down first, it’s so much more coherent. So why not take that to the extreme and write a whole book using those thoughts? 

Q: Do you have any advice for new and upcoming authors and illustrators?

A: Look to others for inspiration, but don’t copy them. I read a lot of kids/middle grade books to see what stirred my creativity and what appealed to me, and then used that as a launching point to write in a similar way. However, I didn’t try to make my voice sound like anyone else’s. I wanted to be authentically me. It was the same for drawing - I researched kids books and saw what the popular animation styles were. I started off imitating some of those, but in the end I told myself, “I don’t want to draw in a style that’s popular or most attractive - I just want to use the style that is 100% me." I’d rather do my best with a style that nobody likes than to change myself to adapt a style everybody wants. 

Nicole Brook

Dr. Swan's magic kingdom

Brook, Nicole, author

Pirate's playground

Brook, Nicole, author

Planetarium panic

Brook, Nicole, author

Pool of secrets

Brook, Nicole, author

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Questions for Nicole

Q: What is one thing I want people to know about my book?

A: Those books are relatable to all, not just children. We've all put on a towel and pretended it was a cape or picked up a stick and turned it into a sword. It took little things to spark an adventure and bring us into a whole new world. We stretched our imagination for fun, to learn lessons, and sometimes to escape. This is what Abigail Andrews does. She pushes the boundaries of her imagination which encourages her to gain confidence, be brave and show the world how to be understanding and kind. As children read this series, they are reminded about the power of the imagination in a world of technology. 

Q: Why did you become an author?

A: I struggled to read as a child, until I fell in love with a series that sparked a joy in reading. I always wanted to be behind the pen (or keyboard now!) that inspired and encouraged kids in the same way. My mom was also a teacher for 30 years and she created amazing novel study programs to go along with my favourite book series. When I was in her class, I got to partake in those novel studies and at the end, there was always a section where we could be an author by writing a new ending to the book. Being the ambitious ones, I wrote a whole book for that assignment! It felt so natural and inspiring, that I knew I wanted to keep writing. 

Q:Do you have any advice for new and upcoming authors?

A: Write what you know and what you're passionate about. That will aid your success and ease. Jump every hurdle, learn from mistakes and NEVER take "no" for an answer. You got this. 

Tony Chin

The freedom swimmers : Suk Hing's story

Chin, Tony, author

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Questions for Tony

Q: What is one thing you want people to know about your book?

A: I want the reader to know how much some people had to sacrifice to get the opportunity to live in a country that was free from so many tragedies of this world. So many immigrants including my mother risked their lives to be able to come to Canada to work hard, provide for their family and to be upstanding citizens. This book is a testament to those values and to those sacrifices. 

Q: Why did you become a writer?

A: I initially never intended to be a writer, and creating a true story based on my mothers escape as my first novel was probably the hardest task I have ever undertaken. The reason I did it is because I felt that the story needed to be told and to allow people to read about the untold horrors and tragedies that may have never been written. I felt that I had the passion for it and the drive to bring the story to life and that it would be a worthwhile adventure. I wanted to make sure that my mother's story would be given the respect that it deserved, to bring into light our history and her achievements. I wanted my daughters to understand and admire their grandmother and never forget her story.

Q: Do you have any advise for new and upcoming authors and illustrators?

A: I Think the only advice I can give to any new writer is to do it for the love of the story, have passion for your project, and to work hard . So many people do things for the wrong reason and it will show through to the work that you put out. If you don't love what you do, you will end up not putting the attention, the research and the details that the story needs to make your project successful. If you don't express passion in the work , your story will end up being emotionless and uninteresting.  Last of all, put in the hard work, If you don't understand something, research it. Search for people with knowledge and don't hesitate to ask them. The results that you want to achieve will be in direct proportion to the effort you put in.

Richard B. Ogle

Sorcerers reborn : Earth

Ogle, Richard B., author

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Questions for Richard

Q: What is one thing you want people to know about your book?

A:  Sorcerers Reborn: Earth is the beginning of a journey that begins right here in Alberta. In a not-so-distant future, a Sorcerer is Reborn. You will meet a cast of characters and go on quests to find artifacts of magic that lead to an unexpected end to book one.

Q: Why did you become an writer?

A: I always had a vivid imagination and often wrote ideas on a notepad or whatever was available. Poems, short stories, and tales of fantasy. When I decided to leave my career as a tradesman, the most logical direction for me to go, was writing.

Q: Do you have any advise for new and upcoming authors?

A: I do not have a definitive answer for this question. Writing itself is mostly a solitary endeavor. There are many resources for upcoming authors such as your local library. Writing workshops and writing groups are proven resources as well. Writing is a marathon not a sprint and you will run into hurdles as you go. Stay strong and never give up.

Janet Little

My tears were for her

Little, Janet M., author

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Questions for Janet

Q: What is one thing I want people to know about my book?

A: It is a book written out of love.

It has been designed specifically for my target readers inside and out. The paper for front and back covers was specifically chosen to be matte, silky, and soft to the touch knowing that the material inside may be tough and challenging for the heart. The smooth white paper inside was picked for the same reason, to be bright and light to look at, soft to the touch and the font sized to accommodate tired or tear-filled eyes. I have been asked if it contains graphic abuse details and it does NOT. My disclaimer is that there is no way to present a story of childhood sexual abuse in a manner that won’t bring up reminders for those who have been through it or abrupt and perhaps disturbing awareness for those who have not.

My memoir has been and is recommended and referred by survivors, psychologists, law enforcement and those working through AND in areas of trauma and recovery.

Q: Why did you become a writer?

A: I wasn’t planning on publishing this material in the form of a book or any other way. 12 years before I published, I was gathering up my journals, voice recordings and other written materials I’d saved from my time in therapy to destroy them when I heard a resounding “you will write a book”. My response was to laugh out loud, pffftt and “ya right.” But I knew enough already to know that I had to trust the voice and prepare. Over the next years I transcribed each word and waited for the time. During that period, it became obvious to me why I was called to do such a thing. And I share just a couple of lines from the introduction of my book:

“My purpose in sharing all of this is to let you and others know you are not alone. There is freedom in acknowledging and addressing your abuse….

If sharing my story can give courage to or in some way encourage or influence even one person to seek the freedom and joy that exists on the other side of their past, then my purpose is complete.”.

My book contains personal journal entries and insight into my mind, that of a childhood sexual abuse survivor fighting to get back the life I knew I deserved.

Q: Do you have any advise for new and upcoming authors and illustrators?

A: Yes, find a person or two you know will encourage you in your work. Ones that truly have your back and want you to succeed. If you have a vision for your work do not let anyone else tell you it isn’t possible or that you aren’t the writer type or advise you on what you should do unless they already have done it, have had good success and can be a valuable mentor for you. Share your dream with those who totally support it. On the days you wonder why you are doing it, getting down, feeling inadequate, or feel as though it will never happen, you will want that person or persons there to encourage you and give you back that spark and hope you had for it in the first place when it was a dream and not so much tedious work that may not be going your way at that particular time. Choose carefully in every area of your life for people like this not just as a writer. That is my best advise.  

2023

2022

2021

Joel Lefevre

Forcing the hand of justice : seeking the truth about my brother's death : my family's fight against a broken system (the NYPD) : true story

Lefevre, Joel, author

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Questions for Joel

Q: What is one thing you want people to know about your book?

A: I want people to know that my book is about a tragic loss that was compounded by a lack of empathy or caring from the police department in New York. My brother, Mathieu, a rising young artist, originally from Leduc County, was making a name for himself in New York City when he was hit and killed by a truck driver in Brooklyn back in 2011. Police failed to charge the driver or conduct a proper investigation, leading to outrage amongst New Yorkers and worldwide as our story was picked up by news outlets from Macleans Magazine, the New York Times and CNN, among others. Through our countless lawsuits, we helped change the way police handle traffic collisions in New York and worldwide. My book is about how speaking up no matter how long your odds are and how that can make a huge difference. We may only be one person and one voice, but if we use our voice, chances are others will follow. We do not have to accept the status quo just because that’s how things were, and things can change for the better if we want them to. Speaking up against injustice can make things safer for everyone. I hope that’s what people take away from my story.

Q: Why did you become an author?

A: I wanted to become a writer so that others who might be in similar situations to me might have some hope that things can change and that no matter what you are feeling or how hopeless your case may be, you can make a difference. As a former actor and journalist, I enjoy telling stories of all kinds that can move and captivate others. Writing is a labour of love and a fantastic way to share your thoughts and feelings with the world. Writing this story was a way to face the grief I was going through with my brother’s loss head-on. My story helped me handle what I was going through and let out many feelings I’d been holding in for years. What my family and I went through, I think, helped show others that we have other options besides staying silent. Writing is a fantastic way of expressing yourself to the world no matter your story, and it is an incredible journey.

Q: Do you have any advice for any new and upcoming author / illustrators? 

A: My advice for new and upcoming authors would be to remain focused on why you want to write and why it means so much to you. Writing a book is not an overnight process; in some instances, it takes years to put together a single book, don’t get discouraged by the process and changes that you may have to go through and never lose heart no matter how well or not your book sells. Be proud of yourself for having the guts to share a story with the world, as it requires a lot of courage to put yourself out there, celebrate the journey and everything that goes along with it. Keep at it, never give up, and you will be just fine.