Some things can change you forever...

That, in a nutshell, is the theme of i.d.: Stuff That Happens to Define Us, an exciting new book by author Kate Scowen and illustrator Peter Mitchell. In a jam-packed room at Trane Studio in downtown Toronto, dozens of well-wishers turned out to celebrate the launch of this innovative, powerful book in which 12 first-person accounts reveal how individual identity can be shaped by what happens during one's youth. The mood was festive as Kate and Peter spoke of their collaboration, and thanked everyone for their support.

Sample Chapter of i.d.

Just a quick post to urge you to go check out illustrator Peter Mitchell's blog: he's just posted a sample chapter from his new book with Kate Scowen, i.d., and it looks great!

Seeking Teens to be Interviewed for Kate Scowen's New Book

Kate Scowen, author of i.d., My Kind of Sad, and My Crazy Life, is working on a new book for and about teenagers, and she's looking for your real stories. See below for Kate's call for teen interview subjects.

Hi – I am working on a new book for teenagers and I need your help...

You might remember that I was working on a book not so long ago, about identity. Well, it’s done and coming out at the end of this month! I’m not usually one to self-promote but I really LOVE this book. It’s called i.d.: Stuff That Happens to Define Us. The book was a wonderful collaboration between myself and Peter Mitchell, a super-talented illustrator. So wonderful, in fact, we are now working together on another book for Annick. This is why I am writing (aside from the blatant self-promotion, of course).

I am looking for teenagers (ages 13+) to interview about their experiences with friends who have been involved in destructive and/or dangerous behaviour. This could mean a friend who has gotten into heavy drugs or drinking, been involved in violence, assault or crime, perpetrated bullying, racism, homophobia, has started lying, cheating, stealing or other similarly difficult situations. The idea behind the book is to help kids navigate tough situations in friendships by reading about how others have dealt with them. The format will be the same as i.d., with illustrated stories and reflections from the storyteller. Here are some of the questions I might ask in the interview:

We’re here to talk about a scenario in which you dealt with a friend who was making unhealthy and/or dangerous choices. 
1.    How close were you to this friend? Give the back story on your friendship (how you met, became friends, etc).
2.    What kind of person is your friend? Describe them (outgoing, risk-taker, shy, good student, athlete)?
3.    What were they doing that you felt was not okay?
4.    Why do you think they were doing it?
5.    How did they get involved in this behaviour?
6.    How did their behaviour make you feel – about them, you and your friendship?
7.    How did you deal with this?
8.    What happened? What did you do?
9.    If you could do it again, what would you have done differently?
10.    What did you learn from this experience?
11.    Do you wish you had some help in dealing with this? If so, what kinds of help would have been useful?

If you think you know of a teenager who might be interested in talking with me, I would love to hear from them! If they are under 18, I will need a parent/guardian to sign a consent form for the interview. If you know someone who has a story they would like to share but does not want to be interviewed, they could also submit to me via email: krs [at] sympatico [dot] ca. All stories will remain anonymous and confidential.

Thanks for your help.
Kate
krs [at] sympatico [dot] ca

Sneak Peek of Spring 2010 Title, i.d.!

It may be summer 2009, but we're busy working away at the spring 2010 books! Let me introduce you to one of our works-in-progress...

Author Kate Scowen and illustrator Peter Mitchell are collaborating on a book about identity (working title: i.d.). It's a collection of 12 first-person accounts of life's pivotal moments from childhood and adolescence, told in a graphic narrative format. First love, first major fight with a family member, first loss: these experiences are honest and authentic; deeply personal and yet universally familiar.

For a sneak peek, check out Peter's blog, where he's posted some sample pages (click here for the first post about the book). Great stuff!