OK, I realize it’s mildly absurd to be writing a Happy New Year post in the middle of February, but here we are, so let’s do this!  New Year’s Resolutions Did you make any? How are they going for ... Read More  

It's winter solstice here in the northern hemisphere--the longest night of the year. Tomorrow, and each day after, the light returns, one extra moment at a time. Read More  

Sasquatch celebrated her 20th birthday on May 30. On June 23, we sent her to kitty heaven. She had arthritis and kidney failure and took more medications than I do. But she was as happy and snuggly as a ... Read More  

Every now and then, as a picture book author/illustrator, I do the one thing that I know I should not do. I’m in a good mood, I’m feeling upbeat about my career, and the world is a cheerful, friendly ... Read More  

If you've got young kids, probably pretty recently. If you don't? Was it pre-COVID? Longer? For me, definitely longer. I am a responsible, disciplined, goal-oriented adult. It has been so long since I played that when people ask me what I ... Read More  

Two weeks into 2020-too - how is everyone doing? It's been a mixed bag for me so far. In the YAAAAAAY column, I got my COVID booster (woo vaccines! woo science!) and The Boreal Forest won the 2021 Information Book ... Read More  

Last week was tough, you guys. Last week I told a friend I haven't seen in over two years not to fly out for the holidays, because omicron is blowing up in Ontario and it wasn't safe for her ... Read More  

It seems to be Friday again (already), which means I'll spend tomorrow morning doing what a lot of us do - tidying up the house. Part of my tidying process involves restocking: bringing pantry items from basement storage into ... Read More  

You know those articles about how we should all be getting more sleep? The ones where the first half is dedicated to telling you all the terrifying things that happen to the sleep deprived, and the second half contains ... Read More  

Two years ago today, I submitted the first draft of my forthcoming children's book.* I was burned out and already coughing from what would turn out to be a raging case of stress-induced bacterial bronchitis. And I was getting ... Read More  

The Boreal Forest has been nominated for a Red Cedar Award! The Red Cedars are British Columbia's children's choice awards, and I am SO EXCITED to know that kids across British Columbia will be reading my book this school ... Read More  

First things first: I am now fully vaxxed - woohooo! - and even though the second dose knocked me flat, I am intensely grateful for it, because next week I get to see my (also vaxxed) Dad and Not-So-Evil-Stepmother ... Read More  

So, how's everyone doing out there? Frustrated? Exhausted? Burnt out? Yeah. Me too. I've been trying to figure out why I'm so tired - usually after I realize I've been staring into the middle distance for an unknown number of minutes ... Read More  

It's mid-December, and you know what that means: New Year's Resolutions are just around the corner.  I'll be honest. I've never found classic resolutions particularly helpful. In fact, they're more likely to produce feelings of guilt and inadequacy than happiness ... Read More  

YOU GUYS. The Boreal Forest has been nominated for a YELLOW CEDAR AWARD in the FOREST OF READING. If you're not familiar, the Forest of Reading is the largest recreational reading program in Canada. Kids across the country can register ... Read More  

It's been almost six months since the WHO declared COVID-19 a global pandemic. Since then, the world's turned upside down... and as much as we'd all like to think that things will "go back to normal," I think the ... Read More  

As the holiday season kicks into high gear, we're going to take a brief hiatus here on ye olde blog. The blog-mistress is in dire need of a nap, and she's willing to bet a lot of you are, ... Read More  

It's a grey, rainy Friday and I'm seriously tempted to go back to bed until spring shows up. I'm also feeling very grateful that I live in an area that is not seriously affected by flooding, and a great ... Read More