We are thrilled for Matt James who has seen great success with The Funeral, his first book as both illustrator and author. Not only has the children’s book stacked up five starred-reviews, it received a lovely mention in The New York Times piece “How Do You Talk to Children About Death? These Books Can Help.” “James has an ear at child level and beautifully and convincingly shows us children who fidget during the service and consider a mourner’s hairy ear perhaps more than they think about the deceased. But they are not completely irreverent, just children, who are full of life.”
We are delighted to share this starred review from Publishers Weekly for David Chariandy’s award-winning novel, Brother. “Chariandy imbues his resilient characters and their stories with strength, dignity, and hope. This is an impressive novel written by an author in total command of his story.”
Westwood Creative Artists, one of Canada’s largest literary agencies representing more than 400 writers, is looking for a candidate to fill a full-time 12 week internship position, beginning Monday August 20th and ending Friday November 2nd, with possible flexibility for the right candidate.
A considerable amount of time during this internship will be spent working with WCA’s international rights director and rights associate in preparation for the Frankfurt Book Fair in October. There will also be the opportunity to work with other WCA agents and at the reception desk. In the rights department, the intern will be involved in catalogue proofreading, general preparation and follow-up for the Frankfurt Book Fair. There will also be some data entry and other administrative tasks. While working with individual agents, the intern will understand how the agents manage their authors, learn about Canadian and US submissions, and provide needed support in a varied number of capacities. At the reception desk, the intern will really be at the “nerve centre” of the agency. Tasks will include daily administration work, reading submissions, and receiving authors and publishers as they arrive at the agency.
We offer a competitive honorarium of $1500, a lively and congenial work environment in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood, and an excellent opportunity to gain an overview of the publishing industry in Canada and abroad through the lens of the literary agent and the writers we represent.
The ideal candidate will be eager to learn, highly organized, energetic, and have a positive outlook. Strong proofreading and computer skills required; previous office experience and knowledge of the publishing industry an asset; passionate attention to detail and accuracy a must. Please send your cover letter, resume, and references to the attention of Carolyn Forde at Carolyn@wcaltd.com at your earliest convenience or by July 16th. We appreciate all applications but will only reply to candidates selected for an interview.
When the Moon Comes, illustrated by Matt James and written by Paul Harbridge is an Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award Honour Book!
The Jury commented:
“James’s illustrations are magnificent, an excellent marriage between bright and dark colours. He evocatively captures the sense of waiting for the perfect moment when the ice will finally be ready for that first hockey match on the pond.”
IBBY Canada’s Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Picture Book Award, established in 1985, honours one of Canada’s pre-eminent book illustrators.
We are delighted to share that four WCA authors have been chosen for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Imagination Library books are specially selected age-appropriate, high-quality titles. These books are delivered to registered children each month from birth to age five. This effort creates a gifting experience making books exciting and shows the child someone is thinking of them.
Carson Crosses Canada by Linda Bailey
The Secret Life of Squirrels by Rose
When the Moon Comes by Paul Harbridge and illustrated by Matt James
The film adaptation of Richard Wagamese’s Indian Horse was nominated in five categories of the 2018 Leo Awards and won in two categories! It was nominated for best motion picture, best director, best screenwriting, best picture editing, and best musical score. It won best visual effects and best sound.
Organised by the Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Foundation of British Columbia, the Leo Awards celebrate and promote the achievements of the British Columbia film and television industry.
Congratulations to Trevor Cole, whose book The Whisky King: The Remarkable True Story Of Canada’s Most Infamous Bootlegger And The Undercover Mountie on His Trail won the 2018 Arthur Ellis Award for Best Nonfiction Crime Book.
The Arthur Ellis Awards, established in 1984 and named after the nom de travail of Canada’s official hangman, are awarded annually by the Crime Writers of Canada.
Congrats to Karolyn Smardz Frost, whose compelling work of narrative non-fiction Steal Away Home: One Woman’s Epic Flight to Freedom – And Her Long Road Back to the South is the winner of the 2017 Speaker’s Book Award. The Honourable Dave Levac, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, made the announcement during a ceremony at the Ontario Legislature on March 5th, 2018. Steal Away Home will be featured at the Legislative Library, and available for purchase at the Legislative Assembly Gift Shop.
A beautiful review for a beautiful book! Quill & Quire gives a starred review to Bloom: A Story of Fashion Designer Elsa Schiaparelli authored by Kyo Maclear and illustrated by Julie Morstad.
We’re delighted to announce that Yak and Dove author Kyo Maclear has received the 2017 IODE Ontario Jean Throop Book Award. The award encourages excellence in Canadian children’s literature and is presented to an illustrator or author who resides in Ontario. Previous IODE Jean Throop Book Award winners include Dennis Lee, Barbara Reid, Kenneth Oppel, Chris Hadfield, and Terry and Eric Fan.