Wowing audiences wherever she goes

Her riveting memoir, The Bite of the Mango, has been called "powerful," "raw" and "inspiring." It has received starred reviews from three of the most influential journals in the United States: Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal and Publishers Weekly. But nothing quite prepares audiences for meeting Mariatu Kamara face to face. Her diminutive frame, hip clothes, and especially her radiant smile, seem to surprise those who have read her harrowing story. But once she starts to speak, her physical presence only underlies her message: she is a survivor with a boundless love of life.

Mariatu's speaking and interview schedule would daunt even the most seasoned professional. She has been as far as Vancouver, where she managed to do three school visits in one day. That was followed by a visit to Edmonton where she spoke at the University of Alberta's Festival of Ideas. High schools from as far away as North Carolina have asked if she would come to speak to their students, and whenever possible, Mariatu has readily accepted.

This week, Mariatu spoke at the Toronto Public Library's North Central Branch, where she received a warm welcome from the audience. Happy to answer any questions about her life in Sierra Leone or here in Canada, Mariatu's warmth, optimism and sense of humour draw people to her.

The next few months will continue to be busy for Mariatu as she visits Winnipeg, Halifax and many schools in and around Toronto. A glimpse of her recent appearance in Surrey, B.C., can be found in the Surrey Leader.

A Surprise Visitor

Saying that he just happened to be in the neighborhood, well-known Annick author Richardo Keens-Douglas paid us a surprise visit a few days ago. Considering that he lives most of the year on the Caribbean island of Grenada, we were quite taken aback, not to mention delighted, to see him walk through the door! Before taking off again, Richardo caught up on all the news and met the new people at Annick. We're trying to figure out how we can all go down to Grenada (around mid-February would be nice...) for a meeting. Let's just say we're working on it.

Check out some of our favourite books by Richardo:
• Anancy and The Haunted House
• La Diabless and the Baby
• Freedom Child of the Sea
• Miss Meow Pageant, The
• The Nutmeg Princess
• Tales from the Isle of Spice
• Trial of the Stone

Writing by the Sea

Hello from the Rock! I’m sitting at my writing desk overlooking a spectacular view of the ocean. A winding road lined with wildflowers leads to the lighthouse, my daily walk.

Last year I bought a little cottage beside the sea in my beloved Newfoundland, so I could work here for part of the year. Now I’m halfway through my second summer and I have to pinch myself every day to make sure I’m not dreaming. Yes, it’s that much fun! I’ve been fixing up my house, painting it yellow and blue, baking bread and hobnobbing with my friendly neighbours.

In fact, it’s so much fun that I have to give myself a stern lecture every day, right after I pinch myself: Charis, get to work! I open up my e-mail and look at the art for A World Full of Ghosts, coming out next winter. Yikes! Marc Mongeau has created a series of spooky but hilarious illustrations. I’d like to pore over the details for an hour or two but I have to get on with my writing.

Today I want to finish the chapter about Madeleine L’Engle (A Wrinkle in Time) for my book about children’s authors. It’s tough going: I always find the first chapter the hardest to write, as I find my way into the book.

Every so often, searching for just the right word or phrase, I look up from my computer. The ocean is still there, stretching away to the horizon. I take a deep breath, pinch myself again, and then turn my thoughts back to Madeleine L’Engle, tesseracts and time travel.

Charis Cotter

Author of Kids Who Rule, Wonder Kids, and forthcoming A World Full of Ghosts

Crocs are Super Critters!

Hi! I’m Claire Eamer, author of Super Crocs and Monster Wings: Modern Animals’ Ancient Past.

I’m fascinated by animals, both ancient and modern. Where I live, in the Yukon, we know all about the ancient animals. During the last ice age, large parts of the Yukon escaped the glaciers. Instead, the land was covered with grass and home to some of the animals in my book, including giant sloths, beavers as big as bears, and North American camels.

It wasn’t crocodile country, even then, but I have met crocs, up close and personal. Fortunately, there was a good, strong fence between us.

In Australia a couple of years ago, I visited a wildlife preserve with scores of saltwater crocodiles living more or less as they would in the wild. Humans were safely fenced into gravel walkways or loaded onto boats, while the crocodiles glided through the muddy river or basked on the bank in the hot sun, their mouths wide open to avoid overheating.

A saltwater crocodile eyes tourists in Australia.

Those mouths! Most of them were at least the length of an arm, but you wouldn’t want to check that measurement. And when the crocodiles snapped at each other, the sound was like a trap closing. A big trap. With teeth. Lots and lots of teeth.

On a hot day in Australia, any water looks inviting--but you may change your mind when you check the warning signs!

That’s why, when I heard of a prehistoric croc as big as a city bus, I just knew I had to include it in the book.

Want to see some more of my writing? Check out the following:

* "Dopted" -- Cover story for the 2007 Holiday Edition of Written Word Magazine

* "The Lost Land" in POLARIS: A Celebration of Polar Science (Star Ink Books, 2007)

* "Time Change" in Vestal Review 27