FIREFLY is a SYRCA Snow Willow Nominee 2024!

 

I'm really honoured to say that FIREFLY has been selected as one of ten Saskatchewan Young Readers Choice Award Snow Willow nominees for 2024! Thank you, this is really wonderful and the first time one of my books has been nominated for the Snow Willow.

What does it mean? This wonderful list of Canadian books (find them all here) is curated by the SYRCA committee, and selected for students in grades 6-8.  For the next few months, the list and books will be available in schools and libraries across the province as a suggested read for kids in those grades. The books will get read, passed around, loved, absorbed, and the readers will vote on their favourite in spring of 2024. Congrats to my fellow nominees!

The Willow Awards are for young readers in grades 2-8, and over the years they have been very good to me, in fact my very first book, The Gargoyle in My Yard (2009) received the honour of a Diamond Willow nomination in 2010. 

I ran around the house like a mad thing when I got that email telling me the book had been nominated. It slowly sank in that not only did I get to PUBLISH a book, but that other  people would read it and if they loved it, it would be NOMINATED for AWARDS. Big revelation there.

It's been a wonderful career, I've been incredibly lucky. Thank you to the Willow Awards and all the other nominating committees and readers who have shortlisted or selected one of my books as a winner. It's always an amazing and humbling surprise.

Thank you as always to my publisher, DCB, and of course, thank you to my wonderful readers too! Keep reading, all. 

The Lost Gargoyle Series, YouTube, Interviews, Awards, author reading, and more

 Interviews, Lost Gargoyle Series:

May, 2014, Is there a real Gatepost Park?
Feb. 2012, 9-year-old interviews author (and her gargoyle puppet) at OLA Conference on Youtube The Gargoyle Overhead

YouTube:

Lost Gargoyle Series Book trailer

Philippa Plays The Gargoyle Shuffle, kids dance

Reading:

Author reads from The Gargoyle in My Yard

Author reads from The Gargoyle in My Yard, part 2

Music:

The Gargoyle Shuffle on Bandcamp (free listen)

Awards:

The Gargoyle at the Gates (2012): 

2014, OLA Silver Birch Express nominee

2014, SYRCA Diamond Willow nominee

2013, Red Cedar nominee

2013, Hackmatack nominee

2013, White Raven book, International Youth Library, Munich

The Gargoyle Overhead (2010):

2012, OLA Silver Birch Express nominee

The Gargoyle in My Yard (2009):

2010, SYRCA Diamond Willow nominee

You'll find me on Bandcamp ...

BIRCHES (2017) with Allister Thompson

I finally opened a Bandcamp account! 

Here it is:  Philippa Dowding, Bandcamp

You'll find a few tunes from my two guitar albums with my editor, Allister Thompson.

You'll also find recordings from my first book, The Gargoyle in My Yard. The book just turned 10 years in April 2019, and to celebrate I recorded me reading two chapters. 

You'll also find The Gargoyle Shuffle on there.

More to come, stay tuned!

SUMMER, from the album Fifth Season (2015)
with Allister Thompson

The first time I touched a guitar, I was 10 years old and I had just snuck into my older brother's room to crouch before his brand new birthday gift: an acoustic guitar. I drew my finger tips across the strings, and was shocked into wonder by the beautiful voice, the gentle whisper. That was it. Hooked for life.

I've played guitar ever since, and made friends for life through music. I've written dozens of instrumentals for the guitar since then, and have a handful of songs which I sing for friends (usually reluctantly) when pressed. You'll hear me singing in only one place that I know of: on Birches, Moonlight, a song I wrote for my sister-in-law, a song which Allister pressed me to record.

Does any amateur musician like the sound of their own voice?

I still play guitar for about 20 minutes every day, and I record new compositions all the time. Recording acoustic is hard though. You have to be perfect, you can't suddenly get itchy, or have to sneeze. The neighbours can't be cutting their grass, the dog can't bark, the front door can't slam, the cellphone has to be off ... it takes patience!

But there may be a new collaboration soon, so perhaps more tunes to come. Happy listening, everyone.

MORE ABOUT GUITAR on this blog.

10 Writing Tips for the 10th Anniversary Celebration!

It's been a decade since my first book was published in April 2009. What have I learned?

Here they are, the first 5 of 10 writing tips learned from my decade as a writer, on my publisher's blog:

1. 1. Write the story that torments you. Writing is a lonely, often difficult journey, so tell stories you love, that inspire or even torment you, and keep you up at night. That passion will carry you through to the finish line.
2. 2. Finish it. There’s a lot of craft in writing endings. Also, sometimes it’s only when a manuscript is finished that I realize what the story is actually about.
3. 3. You’ll despair. Creative doubt is a real thing. There may be a writer out there who never doubts their skill … but I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve felt like I have no idea what I’m doing, especially at the start of something new.
4. 4. Hang out with other writers. Talk books, story, and craft, because writers will get you. They’ll inspire you, too.
5. 5. Brace yourself: you’ll get a bad review now and then. We all do, it’s part of the job of being a writer. BUT … you’ll get good reviews, too. Here’s a 10% rule: even the most beloved author of all time (insert favourite writer here) has about a 90% approval rating (give or take) on book sites. So on average, roughly 10% of readers won’t like a book, no matter what it is. There will be people who DO love your book though. Embrace them. Thank them. Remember them.

For the rest of my "10 Writing Tips", read on at my publisher's website: 

10th Anniversary Writing Tips from Philippa Dowding

Thanks everyone for the fantastic ride, it's been a great 10 years! Also, many thanks to the Dundurn Press marketing team, and publicist Elham A., for all the hard work this month helping me celebrate!

More April 2019/10th Anniversary Celebrations on this Blog:

Listen to The Gargoyle Shuffle, music by the author and editor (Allister Thompson)

Listen to the author read two chapters of the book:

Chapter 5, Ballerinas and Daisies

Chapter 4, Moonlight Dance

More About The Lost Gargoyle Series on this blog.

The Gargoyle in My Yard, Ballerinas and Daisies

Gargoth of Tallus illustration by Emma Dolan
www.emmadarkandweird.com

Imagine this gargoyle in a tutu, doing a pirouette. Kathryn has to imagine it, since she finds him one inexplicable night, doing ballet moves in her backyard!

My first book, The Gargoyle in My Yard is
10 years old in April 2019, and the 10th Anniversary Gargoyle celebrations continue!

This week, I read Chapter 5 from the book:
Ballerinas and Daisies

Here's Chapter four from last week:
Moonlight Dance 

Also, enjoy The Gargoyle Shuffle, a piece of gargoyle-y music, recorded with the book's editor, Allister Thompson.

Finally, on April 8th, the 49th Shelf chose The Gargoyle in My Yard, as the Canadian Kid Lit Book of the Day, thank you! Here's the link AND below the book, you'll find a free teacher's guide: FREE TEACHER'S GUIDE

Next week, the last week of April, I'll be posting a blog on the publisher's website, about "10 Writing tips from 10 years as a writer", with a link mention here in this space. Stay tuned!

The Gargoyle in My Yard was published in April, 2009 by Napoleon Publishing. It is still in print (now with Dundurn Press), and the series of books based on the character Gargoth of Tallus, The Lost Gargoyle Books, have been optioned for a children's television series. Many thanks to publisher Sylvia McConnell for starting this party ten years ago!

The Gargoyle in My Yard was an SYRCA Diamond Willow nominee, 2012.

For more about the books on this blog: The Lost Gargoyle Series

A Diamond Willow Award Nomination for OCULUM!

CCBC Best Books Selection
& Willow Awards stickers!

So honoured to announce that OCULUM 
has been nominated for an SYRCA 
Diamond Willow award, 2019-2020!

Thank you to the SYRCA! 

Here is the list of finalists:
DIAMOND WILLOW 2019-2020

The Diamond Willow was the first nomination I ever received, for my first book, The Gargoyle in My Yard, which is this month celebrating its 10th year in publication.

Kind of a nice circularity to that.

Really looking forward to sharing the book with the students, teachers and librarians of Saskatchewan! See you all soon!

More about OCULUM on this blog.

Philippa Dowding reads Moonlight Dance!

10 Years! Published April 2009

Have you ever seen a gargoyle dancing in the moonlight? 
Katherine has. In fact, she has quite a problem: there's a gargoyle dancing in the moonlight in her backyard!

Hear a new recording of me reading from The Gargoyle in My Yard: Moonlight Dance 

The month of April 2019 marks the 10th Anniversary of the publication of my first book, The Gargoyle in My Yard (April 2009)! Celebrations all month include a new recording of my guitar piece, The Gargoyle Shuffle.

AND I'll be reading chapters from the book over the next few weeks. This week, listen to Chapter 4: Moonlight Dance 

FREE Teacher's Guide: The Gargoyle in My Yard is a 49thShelfTeachers Canadian Kids Book of the Day for
April 8/2019, thanks! The post includes a FREE Teacher's Guide.

BONUS: Here's a link to my Dawg FM RADIO AD for The Gargoyle Overhead and the Forest of Reading, back in 2012. HAHA, that was a fun day. As I remember, the first take was the best one, even though we spent another hour trying to do another take that was as good. Beginner's luck!

Enjoy! More About The Gargoyle Series on this blog.

Introducing The Gargoyle Shuffle

Gargoyle Image Courtesy Emma Dolan
www.emmadarkandweird.com

My first book was published TEN YEARS AGO today, on April 1, 2009!

That book was The Gargoyle in My Yard, about a grumpy, 400-year-old gargoyle lost in downtown Toronto. To celebrate, I'm posting all things gargoyle here throughout April. 

FIRST UP, MUSIC: The Gargoyle Shuffle 

I wrote this music in 2014, and I've performed it to thousands of kids across Canada ever since. My editor, Allister Thompson, a terrific musician, recorded this new version with me.

Listen to The Gargoyle Shuffle free. 
ENJOY!

Author going door to door
with champagne, 2009.
PHOTO: Andrea Gutsche

Here's a video of children dancing as I play the song in 2014: 
Kids Dance the Gargoyle Shuffle 

Thank you to author Rebecca Upjohn for the video.

Fast forward a decade, and later this year I'll publish my 12th book. Thank you to publisher Sylvia McConnell at Napoleon for getting this party started a decade ago!

I'll be posting more throughout April, including chapters from the book, "10 Writing Truths" on my publisher's website, and more. For now, take a look at the rapturous author, holding her FIRST BOOK, 10 years ago!

More about The Gargoyle in My Yard on this Blog
More about The Lost Gargoyle Series

Next Week, April 8: I'll post a reading of Chapter 4, MOONLIGHT DANCE

The Gargoyle in My Yard is a Toronto Public Library Great Reads for Kids!

Looking for a great book for your child?

Really honoured that my first book, The Gargoyle in My Yard (Dundurn, 2009), has been selected by The Toronto Public Library and Kumon Math and Reading Centres as a Great Reads for Kids 2015!

The list is compiled by the children's librarians at the Toronto Public Library, and showcases the best of the collection for kids 6-12.

Here's the press release for this new annual list. There's a lot of fantastic Canadian and American authors in here, I'm pretty chuffed to be among them.

Thank you TPL!

A child's gargoyle story, a drawing, and a map!

I received a special package in the mail a few weeks ago.

I'd been waiting for this package since February, it was mailed seven months ago and I'd given it up for lost, so the fact that it finally arrived at all, even in August, made it pretty special. 

Where had it been all that time, I do not know, but I hope it had an adventure! 

Anyway, the other reason that this package was so special was its contents. Sent to me by a dedicated and wonderful teacher, M from BC, the package contained a story written by one of her students. When M first contacted me 18 months ago, she told me that her student, D, struggled with reading and writing until he read my first book, The Gargoyle in My Yard. 

After that, he began to read more and more, until finally, he wrote his first story: Gargoyles on My Street.

The package I received in August had a copy of D's story, pages and pages of drawings and adventures about a gargoyle and a boy named Philip. Thank you and way to go, D! 

The package also had some lovely drawings by D's classmates, including a wonderful picture of Katherine Newberry (one of my main characters) and a very detailed map of Christopher Canning's house, the park next door and the gargoyles from my third book, The Gargoyle at the Gates. The artist really paid attention to the description of the house, the park, the gates, the fountain, the street and other shops. It's amazing.


Thank you to all of you for your great work, I'm really honoured.

Here is an earlier post about M and D:
Why do I write? Just read this letter

And a few other posts about children's work, and what it means to me:
Henry's Apple
I would pick the book over candy
I hope you make books for the rest of your life

When writers dance around like little kids ...

"I simply couldn’t believe it. I had to re-read the letter from the nominating committee about thirty times until it very, very slowly, sunk in. I don’t generally need that long to get the gist of something, but for several minutes I simply couldn’t grasp what I was reading. Eventually though, I did catch on. I got out of my chair and danced around my office, then through the house. Keeping the news quiet until the shortlist was officially announced was like trying not to let anyone see me breathe, or blink."

I've been away for a bit, and came home this weekend to some fun things.

First, I was a guest blogger at my publisher's blog last month. They asked me to write about what it's like to be nominated for an award, so I gave them a piece about my first award nomination in 2011, when my first book, The Gargoyle in my Yard was shortlisted for the Diamond Willow award. That's an excerpt, above.

Here's the link to the full blog piece:  http://www.dundurn.com/news/when_good_news_hits

Second, my upcoming book, Jake and the Giant Hand (Dundurn, Sept. 2014), is getting great reviews from bloggers and folks on Goodreads.

Here's a lovely review from The Book Faerie (thank you!):  http://bkfaerie.blogspot.ca/2014/07/jake-and-giant-hand-by-philippa-dowding.html

And another from Moon Shine Art Spot (another thank you!):
http://bit.ly/1iXKO32

And here is the Goodreads page for Jake and the Giant Hand, lots of love there:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18778579-jake-and-the-giant-hand

I'm currently writing the next book in the series, Max and the Monster Outside, due next fall. It's weird too!

Cutest gargoyle ever!

Thanks to Joanne Richards and the students of Magnetawan school for this adorable gargoyle ... cutest gargoyle ever. Hope you guys enjoy the books!

No 1 rule for writing a YA series AND Video of the Week

The Lost Gargoyle Series

So ask three YA authors (Caroline Adderson, Moira Young and me) this question: what advice would you give an author who is thinking about writing a series?

The #1 rule, apparently, is character is king! 

This week on Open Book Toronto, wonderful children's author Susan Hughes posts the second part of a two part series on writing a YA series. Read it here

You'll find out more about why character is king, the toughest part of writing a series, and there's some chat about a 4th gargoyle book? WHAT? Interestingly, we three authors have similar answers in parts of this email interview, which is really validating. Thanks Susan Hughes!

VIDEO OF THE WEEK: Also, in another lovely tip of the hat from OpenBook Toronto, my new book trailer for The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden is their Video of the Week. I have to say that I love this trailer (thanks to the talented George Panayotou for the video expertise!), it's exactly what I was hoping for, magical, drifting, and a little strange. That's me playing guitar, a piece I wrote for the trailer, that's my little dog Samwise Gamgee, barking on cue (in my kitchen). Enjoy. Thanks OpenBook Toronto!

Why do I write? Just read this letter ...

Why do I write?

I could answer many things of course: because I breathe, because I walk here, because I have to. But there's another reason. Once in a while, as a writer you are lucky enough to receive a letter like this
(I've edited out specifics for privacy reasons):

Dear Philippa Dowding,

My name is M and I’m an educational assistant.  

This past year I have been working with two special needs children in grade 5. When I started working with the student I am about to tell you about, he did not like to read. His name is D. Every morning we start our day with journal writing. In September, I had trouble getting D to write more than a couple of sentences.

Later on in the year, I wrote headings on popsicle sticks, and D would choose a popsicle stick and write a few sentences about that topic. This seemed to help him with his writing, but it still wasn’t something that he was excited about.

Then one day I took one of your books out of our school library (The Gargoyle in My Yard), and started to read it to my students every afternoon. The boys always looked forward to this time of day, especially D. He even started reading chapters to me! After we finished that book, we continued to read the other books in your series. 

Then one morning in May,  D asked if he could write his own book during our journal time. He called his book, Gargoyle on my Street.  Since D was introduced to your books, I’ve seen a totally different student when it comes to his reading/writing. He has even branched out to reading other books from the library.

The reason I am writing to you, is because I wanted you to know what an impact you had on D. Thank you ... and keep up the great work.

M

Truly honoured, there can be no higher praise. Thank you M and D! I wrote back, and told D one day maybe I can read one of his books. I'd like that.

Here's a similar blog post about Henry's Apple.

Toronto Island gargoyle

Toronto Island gargoyle guarding his garden

Yesterday I took a walk on stormy Toronto Island with my artist friend. The gardens were all in full bloom, the rain came and went, the predominant colours were steel grey, green, purple and yellow, in people's gardens, in the water, in the sky.
My friend and I played flute and guitar in her new artist's studio in the back yard until my fingers gave out, then we walked to the beach, along the boardwalk, and through the community. I found this little gargoyle guarding a garden on Ward's island. He was too good not to share. Photos and Music, Toronto Island.

Reading at the Richmond Hill Library

The Author and gargoyles at Richmond Hill Library

I love presenting to children, reading my books to them, talking about gargoyles, answering their questions. They always have such great questions.
Yesterday I went a little further afield than normal, and travelled to Richmond Hill Public Library for their Reading For Life Event.
Loads of fun, thanks for having me Sharmin!
My favourite question of the day from a grade 3 boy:
"You wrote the book, why do you have to read it? Don't you know every word?"
Awesome question. That would definitely have occured to me if I was nine. My answer was something like, well you'd THINK that, but the way we speak and the way we write is different. Plus, I have a terrible memory!
Here's a link to an earlier blog post about children's questions: The 10 oddest Questions I've been asked by kids

The Gargoyles are watching ....

Giant Gargoyle at Abraham's Antiques, Toronto

This week, a friend sent me a photo of a huge gargoyle at an antique store on Queen Street in Toronto.
Another friend sent me this photo, too, of a gargoyle over a bookstore in London, Ontario:



It's begun. Friends and family are starting to inundate me with gargoyle photos, statues, figurines, naturally enough I guess, since I DO write children's books about gargoyles. I love the photos, it always amazes me how many gargoyles are actually watching us from above.

This is in stark contrast to an earlier similar experience. When I was in university, someone gave me a Smurf figure. I put it on my desk, innocently enough. I really had no feelings either way about Smurfs. Then the flood started. Whenever someone wanted to buy me a gift, it was a Smurf. For the entire first year of university, my desk was a landing pad  for the little blue things. I had a few dozen by the end of the year, doing everything you can imagine: surfing (smurfing?), skateboarding, playing tennis, fishing, driving a car, carrying a briefcase, swinging a hammer. You get the picture.

It's an interesting compulsion that we humans have, to share and collect on each other's behalf. Not so crazy about Smurfs, but gargoyle photos? Awesome! Thanks to my friends for looking up (or down) for me this week.

Oh, and here's another great gargoyle photo a friend sent last fall from out west (thanks Natalie Hyde!):

Gargoyles at Yorkdale Indigo this Saturday, March 16!

Well, I have to admit, it's been a quieter winter than last year. The OLA Silver Birch nomination kept me really busy in 2012. This year is more contemplative, a slightly slower pace, allowing me to write much more than I did last winter. So I guess there's a balance there, somewhere.
I WILL be at Yorkdale Indigo in Toronto this Saturday, March 16th, signing books and saying hello. Come on out if you're up that way.
Here's a blog post about running a good bookstore event from last fall. Hope I remember to follow my own advice!

Pickering Loves Gargoyles (and flame-broiled ants)!

Kids love gargoyles. They relate, I think, to the weirdness and otherness of the odd, mythical creatures. Children need some off-beat allies, perhaps, in the books they read. I know I did (what could be weirder than a hobbit?)
Earlier this month I was invited to do an author event at Pickering Library -- what a blast! I read from the Lost Gargoyle trilogy, the kids walked, talked and pirouetted like gargoyles. My publisher, Dundurn Press, ran a draw to win the Lost Gargoyle trilogy, price of admission one gargoyle drawing, and we got 36 entries.
The winning entry is pictured here.
An aardvark gargoyle, eating flame-broiled ants.
How refreshingly weird!
To see the rest of the entries, click here:
Pickering Library Gargoyles
Thanks again to the great staff at Pickering Library, and to all the kids who entered. These gargoyles rock!

Henry's apple

A good friend of mine tutors children who are learning to read. Her specialty is working with children with dyslexia.

Last week she asked if I could meet a student. Henry has worked with her for three years and has, after a long journey, read his first book: The Gargoyle in My Yard.

He loved it. We had a very special morning, the three of us, reading and talking about gargoyles.

He had a gift for me, a drawing of an apple. It's a sweet illustration, since my gargoyles love to whip apple cores at people.
Then he read a few lines from my book, out loud.

And that, of course, was the best gift of all.

Here's a related blog post about a reluctant reader and gargoyles: Why do I write? Just read this letter