Welcome to STEMinism Sunday! As a former woman in science, I have a deep and enduring interest in the experiences and representation of women in STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and math). This series will be an opportunity for me – and you – to get to know some of these intellectual badasses. Have you ever heard of Maud Leonora Menten? I hadn’t, until last week, when I read this fascinating post about her life and work. In 1911, she became the first Canadian woman to earn a medical degree. After completing her PhD, she went on to revolutionize...
Cantastic Authorpalooza: Karen Spafford-Fitz
Welcome to Cantastic Authorpalooza, featuring posts by great Canadian children’s writers! Today’s guest: Karen Spafford-Fitz. Take it away, Karen! Grab Your Yoga Mat: Flexibility in Writing Kidlit Even before I sent away my very first query package, I’d heard stories about the long, torturous waits for a response from publishers, and about the demoralizing form-style rejection letters one might expect. So I was not surprised when those things occurred. Thirteen years and six kidlit books later, I have however experienced other surprises. Case in point… when I sent a query to the editor of the Orca Soundings series for...
Mad Science In Netflix’s The Silence
Welcome to Mad Science Mondays, where we talk about depictions of science in movies, TV shows, and books. We dissect the good, the bad, the comical and the outright irresponsible. Who says learning about science can’t be fun? Let’s talk about The Silence. When The Silence popped up on my Netflix browser, I admit I was a bit skeptical (Bird Box knockoff, anyone?). But I watched it because, quite frankly, I consider anything with Stanley Tucci in it to be a pretty solid bet. Overall review: a pretty good way to rest my tired brain after a long day...