Writers in the Schools Information

Author Information for school visits and writer's workshops

"Every Writer Needs a Pig Pen" - workshop topic for mature students and adults

This workshop is designed to answer some of the questions the beginning writer might have and includes topics such as:avoiding pitfalls, how to approach an editor or publishing house, what's expected of the author after the story's written, etc.

Writing workshops for early grades includes:

Presentations for P-6 students include a power point presentation illustrating the various steps used in writing the children's book, Remembering Honey. The presentation follows the book's development from the outline stage, through the rewrites, the first look at the illustrations, making the dummy book, choosing a cover, the book's completion, marketing and winning an award.

Others aspects of the presentation:

1. Reading stories to the students
2. Working together to make an adventure story

3. Question period - Allowing students to ask their own questions

4. Developing 'how to' ideas and suggestions to encourage the students to write their own stories

5. Follow up - making time to write to classes that write to me

Writing workshop for grades 9-12

This presentation includes a power point presentation outlining valuable information for writing non fiction. The best selling book, When Canada Joined Cape Breton and Historic Grand Manan as well as several magazine articles will be used to demonstrate this presentation.

Workshops: As a member of The Word Guild, Writer’s-in-the-Schools and the WFNS, Elaine has been invited to speak at various schools, libraries and literacy events in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Alberta and New Zealand.

Books:

New: Historic Grand Manan - Nimbus Publishing

Picture Book - Remembering Honey- Nimbus Publishing

Best sellers -

Christmas in the Maritimes - Nimbus Publishing

When Canada Joined Cape Breton - Nimbus Publishing

Other writing includes stories in the popular Chicken Soup series and other anthologies; articles for magazines such as Saltscapes , The Canadian Gideon and The New Brunswick Reader; and writing for newspapers such as The Kings County Record, The Quoddy Tides and The Reporter.

Awards:

The Preacher Who Lost His Voice - shortlisted in the Word Guild's Christian Writers' Awards 2006

Remembering Honey winner of the year 2000 Resource Links Best Picture Books and the Marianna Dempster Award by the NS Branch of the Canadian Author’s Association.

Ben Nevis Finds a Home winner of Canadian Living.com Wacky Pet/photo/story contest.

Reviewer: Served as a reviewer and contributor for the book, Chicken Soup for the Volunteer’s Soul.

Background: Elaine began writing to express her experiences as a Palliative Care Volunteer. While speaking at a workshop on the role of a volunteer, she was encouraged to write a story for children to help them express their grief.

The result was the award- winning, children’s book, Remembering Honey. (Nimbus Publishing) The book is fully illustrated and was written to help young children understand terminal illness, death and bereavement.

Since then her children’s writing includes: non fiction for: FACES Magazine, Cobblestone Press, and stories about her childhood, Grandma’s Once Upon a Time Stories, published in The Reporter, The Island Times and Parents ‘n’ Kids.

Articles about writing in Absolute Write, FellowScript and Writer's Weekly

Christmas Stories – The Invitation, Whiskers the Cat, Christmas in Denmark, Santa’s Late for Christmas, Mom’s Christmas, Christmas in the Little House by the Sea, December Days, published in The Reporter and A Lesson in Kindness was included in an anthology by Essence Publishing.

Other freelance articles include:regular column in the Kings County Record

Inspirational stories on such topics as palliative care and family history for The New Brunswick Reader, The Reporter and The Quoddy Tides.

CBC - Outfront radio documentary, Who Are You Sarah? First Person Singular-The Homecoming, as well as Victoria’s Secret and other poems and articles.

In her role as a Palliative Care Volunteer, she has been invited to speak on the Role of the Volunteer and Communicating with the Terminally Ill Patient and Their Families at training workshops.

Elaine has also been the guest speaker at Remembrance Day Services, Christmas Events, and Mother-Daughter Socials.