Issue #29 - February 2020

Dear Readers,

This past month marked two big book announcements from me.

I couldn't be more excited and thrilled to be working on them! The Bibbidi Bobbidi Academy with Disney-Hyperion and Crimson Twill with Candlewick Press!

It seems really crazy to be working on two series simultaneously, but I've been working on both for a long time now actually. Especially Crimson. In fact, I came up with Crimson Twill, a little witch with a big, bright personality around the time that I finished my first draft of Clover's Luck.

I remember getting the idea of Crimson Twill when my husband and I visiting the Granville Broom Company. At that point the book was very different, set in a woodsy world rather similar to Magical Animal Adoption Agency.

I hadn't done much with it, other than stick with the name of the character.

But then, one day when my husband and I were out for a walk downtown, Luke had the genius idea that this world should actually be set in a city. Neither of us had seen many witch cities before and I thought it might be a fun change for me to write about. Plus as much as I love the country I love the city, too. I love museums, nice places to eat, shopping.

I added the idea of the stories of my mom's growing up and how she and my Nona (grandma) used to go to Eaton's in downtown Vancouver to shop--it was a big trip. They would get a nice lunch in Eaton's, and go from floor to floor picking out all the things my Nona would need, plus a treat for my mom. And so, from this all, Crimson Twill at Broomingdale's was born!

The Bibbidi Bobbidi Academy came a little differently, and perhaps even more serendipitously. Over the past year, I was thinking a lot about fairy godmothers. So much has gone right of late, but also lots of little things have gone wrong. One particular thing I could wish away are sicknesses! It seems with a little one in tow, Luke and I and Ori have all had to deal with way more illnesses. And there's nothing I'd like more than to wish them away. This got me thinking of fairy godmothers, and their jobs. Lo and behold, just as I was brainstorming a title about them, my editors at Disney Hyperion approached me wondering if I'd be interested in working on a fairy godmother in training school!!?!?!?! (It wasn't quite that easy--I did need to first write some sample chapters and plots, but I poured my all into them!

And so that it is a bit about the new books in the works. Of course, there are "newer" new books--such as Colt of the Clouds (illustrated by Celia Krampien) and If I Couldn't Be Anne (illustrated by Genevieve Godbout), that you will actually be able to purchase in the upcoming months.

Talking about time... remember how I said that we were going to be "slowly moving in" over the next few months? Well, it all happened a lot quicker!!!

In fact, this month we officially move in, although we have been staying there already every weekend. So, instead of slowly pulling the bandaid off in the transition from the city to the country, we quickly, quickly ripped it! Which in some ways is better, because I didn't have time really to get too sad!

And, truthfully, the house is amazing. It definitely feels like home. I've already written a picture book or two cozied up in my library. And I have a good list of things I want and need to write. (It is a bit like that: some projects are set and "need" to be written, while others are just dreams now!)

Best of all, Ori is loving the house so much.

He and his best friend Hiro are total monkeys. And -- cute alert! -- when I say "you are a monkey" , he goes "ooo, ooo, ooo"!

Now, we just need to find a good routine as well as furnish our empty space. But I am okay leaving it rather empty for a while. It is actually sort of nice :)

Kallie