Want a sneak peek of the first few chapters?
Click hereto get your sneak peek!
Coming March 10th! Pre-order your copy now!
It’s two weeks until The Copycat publishes!
Upcoming Book Signings!
Holy Cow! The Copycat comes out in less than two weeks!
I’m already lining up school visits and book signings, and I wanted to give you plenty of notice of where I’ll be in March!
Also: if you’d like a free Skype visit with your class or are in New Brunswick and would like an author visit, drop me a note – I love talking to kids about writing, reading, what it’s like to be an author, how to get published, the whole she-bang!
The Copycat will be available to purchase on March 10th, but if you want to be sure you get your copy on that day, pre-order now!
Pre-orders are fantastic for authors – they build buzz and tell the publisher and booksellers that this is a book to watch for!
Books Signings:
MARCH 14:
I’ll be signing at Westminster Books in Fredericton from 11 to 1 on March 14th! Come by and say hello! They’ll be copies of my other books as well!
MARCH 21:
I’ll be doing a reading/book signing at the Saint John Free Public Library at 2 pm. Come by and say hey!
And stay tuned, as there will be more giveaways in March, along with more news!
I can’t wait for you all to meet Ali and discover the mystery of The Copycat!
BOOK GIVEAWAY!
Guys! We’re a month away from the publication of The Copycat, and I want to do an exclusive give-away just for my blog followers!
How about an Advanced Reader’s Copy of the book? And a copy of The Frame-Up? Oh heck, let’s toss in a copy of It’s a Mystery, Pig Face, too!
To be entered in the draw, all you need to do is be a blog follower and leave
a comment below! I’ll draw a name on Friday, February 7th!
UPDATE: for some reason, my blog letter didn’t go out last week, therefore, am continuing the contest until MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10th!
Good luck!
Happy New Year and Book Giveaway!
We are already ten days into 2020 and I don’t know about you, but what with the terrible fires in Australia, and other dreadful news, I wondered about going back to 2019!
Best to keep calm and carry on!
In happier news, we are now exactly two months out from the release of The Copycat!
I’ll be all over the place in March and April promoting the book, but I thought a cheerful way to kick off 2020 would be to give away an Advance Reader’s Copy!
Want a chance to win a copy?
Leave me a note below, or on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook by Friday January 17th and you could win a copy! Open to Canada and the US!
This is also the perfect time to pre-order your copy at your local indie bookstore or online. Click here for options!
Pre-orders help build momentum and buzz, and make we authors feel awesome!
December!!!
Can you believe it is December????
The tree is up, and incredibly, it is fatter in person than it is in this photograph! They say the camera adds ten pounds, but in this case, it seems to have subtracted them!
November flew by, filled with tons of events, the husband’s birthday, and writing!
It is also only three months until The Copycat comes out, so I am starting to think about books launches, school visits, the whole she-bang. More on that in the new year!
You can also expect a Copycat ARC giveaway in January, so stay tuned!
Other things I’m thinking about this month:
How the holiday season is so fraught for some people, especially those missing family members or friends. I know I especially miss my parents and my sister these days, so big hugs if you are going through the same thing.
How lights cheer me up. When you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, or some other festival, seeing the lights covering people’s houses and windows makes me feel better during these shortest days of the year. It may be pitch black by five o’clock, but those lights are keeping me going!
How this has been a banner year for kid lit. I’ve read fantastic books this year, including:
These are guaranteed good reads!
Mostly though, I want to thank you for sticking with me this year! I am excited to share my adventure in 2020 with you and hope you have a wonderful and peaceful 2020!
November!
“October extinguished itself in a rush of howling winds and driving rain and November arrived, cold as frozen iron, with hard frosts every morning and icy drafts that bit at exposed hands and faces.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix
Already November, which for my oldest child, means Christmas music!
Personally, I kind of like November, in spite of the blustery days and bare trees. Snow is a constant threat in New Brunswick in November, but today the weather is balmy and windy, so who knows what the month will bring?
I’ve been exceptionally busy this past month: revising a WIP, a couple of tours at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery, a few meetings with book clubs who are studying The Frame-Up. I am also starting two more projects, because it is always nice to do NaNoWriMo, even if I will be mostly writing by the seat of my pants!
I have more book club events in the coming weeks. If your book club is reading The Frame-Up, I’m happy to Skype in!
I’ve also been mentoring a class in Rochester, New York!
So far, we have met twice online and I have sent them two boxes of books. It is so much fun answering their questions and talking about books and writing!
Other things I’ve been up to:
I devoured Book two of the Book of Dust Trilogy by Philip Pullman. It is fantastic, but I think it has moved to YA, not MG anymore, though of course there will be some #mglit readers who will be fine with the (very) adult content.
As always, it was fantastic, and clocking in at 600+ pages, a long read. Now I am desperately waiting for the conclusion!
Oh and the best news of all is that the French-language rights to The Frame-Up have sold! Can’t wait until French-speaking kids are able to read in the book in their mother tongue! Hooray!
That’s my news! I hope you have all been well!
Things I’m thankful about!
This Monday is Thanksgiving here in Canada, always a great time of year to reflect on the good things in our lives!
This year, I’m thankful that The CopyCat is complete and will be published by Greenwillow Books before the end of Winter. I can’t wait for you to read it!
I’ve also been reading like there’s no tomorrow this fall, and have to recommend the following books for YOUR to-be-read piles:
Seriously, these are all AMAZING books!
Other things I’m thankful for:
I’m mentoring a class in Rochester, New York and they are WONDERFUL! We have another online meeting soon, and I am already scheming how to visit them in person in the spring!
Fall. I hate to see summer end, but then I remember how magical fall is, and I am okay…
Most of all, I am thankful for my friends, my family, and YOU.
Have a great weekend, everyone!
September
Seriously. How did this happen?
I am finally on the home stretch re: my work-in-progress.
Every time I write a new book it’s like I’m learning to write all over again.
While it could be me, it could also be that every book wants to be written in its own way.
I have this dream of being a plotter, but the (sad?) truth is that I KNOW I am mostly a pantser who starts with an interesting idea and then rewrites it completely four times.
Fine. I can live with that.
I’m about to pass it into my agent (I hope!), then have another project to write and another project to research. I like having multiple things on the go.
I’m hoping to complete my initial research by November 1, because there is nothing I love more than participating in NaNoWriMo.
I just love the camaraderie and comfort of knowing that thousands of people are also drafting a novel at the same time I am.
I get asked all the time how I get my ideas.
I’d like to say they come easy, but that isn’t true. Sometimes I worry an idea for months, like a dog worrying a bone, until there is enough there for me to put some meat on the bone. (What is it with all the bone analogies here?)
I’ve also got some classes and schools I’m mentoring this fall, and if someone is looking for me to visit their classroom via Skype, drop me a line! I love to do Skype visits and they are always no charge! I also do Skype visits with book clubs!
I’m also teaching a writing class at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery on the afternoon of October 16th, so if you’re interested, Contact the front desk at [email protected] or by calling (506) 458-2028.
And soon enough, I will be hosting an Advanced Reader Copy giveaway here on this site! Stay tuned!
Have a wonderful rest of September!
THE COPYCAT COVER REVEAL!
I’m so excited to share the cover of my next book, THE COPYCAT, which is being published by Greenwillow Books on March 10, 2020!
The illustrator is Erwin Madrid and I love it!
Those of you in the Saint John area may recognize the house on the cover!
I was thrilled to do the formal reveal on Mr. Schu’s blog Watch.Connect.Read.
For those of you unfamiliar with Mr. Schu, he is the Ambassador of School Libraries for Scholastic and a lecturer at Rutgers.
Most importantly, he is a wonderful champion for children’s literature!
You can read my interview with him here.
I’ll be sharing how to pre-order the book next week, but now, without further ado, scroll down and get your first peek at The Copycat! I can’t wait for you to meet Ali and her family and friends!
A brief description from my publisher:
A funny, unpredictable, and heartfelt new novel from Wendy McLeod MacKnight, the author of The Frame-Up. Ali has always acted like a copycat to make friends, but when she unexpectedly inherits the ability to change her appearance at will, fitting in seems impossible! Luckily, with the help of her family, new friends, and a touch of magic, Ali might just survive middle school after all. A great pick for fans of Dan Gemeinhart, Erin Entrada Kelly, and Diana Wynne Jones.
Ali and her parents have moved at least once a year for as long as Ali can remember. She’s attended six different schools, lived in dozens of apartments, and never really felt at home anywhere. But Ali’s parents say living in Saint John, New Brunswick, will be different. They’ve moved in with Ali’s great-grandmother—a spunky 99-year-old with a quirky old house that has room for all of them. Ali wants to believe this will be their last move, but everything seems too perfect to be true.
To Ali’s surprise, things are different this time, but not in the way she hoped. She’s finally inherited the Sloane family powers—the ability to change her appearance into any living thing. Ali is a Copycat. Literally. And being the new kid at school is hard enough without worrying about losing control of your powers and turning into your teacher. Luckily, Ali’s new friends are eager to help her use her newfound power. But as Ali soon learns, being a Copycat is no substitute for being yourself.
Wendy McLeod MacKnight’s The Copycat is an imaginative and surprising middle-school story about friendship, family, and self-confidence that is perfect for fans of John David Anderson’s Posted and Katherine Applegate’s Wishtree.
What do you think????????
Have a great week!
The Dog Days of Summer!
Can you believe August is almost here?
Can you believe I haven’t written a post in three weeks?
In my defence, I had tons of company for the first two weeks, a college reunion, and a flying trip out of town.
There is nothing like a mini-vacation to clear the cobwebs from your mind…
But now I am back and buckling down to finish my revisions for book four!
Which means: The Copycat is pretty much in the can! It won’t be long until I can do a cover reveal and there are advance reader’s copies! Stay tuned!
With August beckoning, I am reminded that many teachers are heading back to school soon (!)
So I’m running a twitter giveaway just for teachers, throwing in a one of my favourite reads this summer, All of Me by Chris Baron!
If you’re a teacher or want to share the giveaway with a teacher friend, click here. Good luck!
Have a fantastic week!
JUNE!
I love June!
The days are getting longer, the nights are warmer, things are beginning to bloom, the pool has reached 82 degrees (which is the only temperature I swim at!)…
And even better, The Frame-Up is out in paperback!
While I adore hardcovers, I am a true fan of paperbacks, since they are so much more affordable!
SO LET’S DO A GIVEAWAY, SHALL WE?
To celebrate the paperback version, I’m having an exclusive giveaway for subscribers to this website!
Leave me a note below and you’ll be entered for a chance to win 2 paperback copies of the book! I’ll draw a name on June 20th!
One for you and one to give away!
GOOD LUCK!
CONGRATS AMY – YOU WON!
Book Review:
I don’t typically review books on this blog, but I absolutely have to recommend OUR CASTLE BY THE SEA by Lucy Strange.
For those of you who are fans of Kim Brubaker Bradley’s THE WAR THAT SAVED MY LIFE and THE WAR I FINALLY WON, this book will be a special treat!
Last week I found Lucy’s first book, THE SECRET OF NIGHTINGALE WOOD, and loved it so much that I needed to read more of her work right away!
Her new book is equally good.
Set in England at the start of World War II, the book tells the story of Pet (short for Petra), who lives in a lighthouse (which she calls the castle) near a small village on the coast with her sister Mags (Magda), their lighthouse keeper father, and their German-born mother, Mutti.
With England at war, the world as Pet knows it is no more, as everyone in her sphere is gripped with the fear of an imminent invasion by the Nazis.
When their mother is taken to an internment camp German after acts of sabotage in the local village, the bond between the sisters becomes frayed. Secrets threaten to tear the once close-knit family apart. Can Pet, who is both enthralled by the sea and yet terrified of it, solve the mystery of who has being committing the sabotage and save her mother? Can she find a way to connect to her sister once more and discover who the mysterious man at the top of the cliff is? Can she find a way to cope with the losses that war brings?
Filled with beautiful language, evocative images, and unforgettable characters, this story is compelling and thrilling and un-put-down-able! With tons of twists and turns, readers will be left guessing until the end.
Now I just have to wait for Lucy to write another book!
5 stars!
I’m over at Medium.com talking about the importance of art and creativity for kids!
Read all about it here.
I’m back!
Holy cow! Those two weeks were jam-packed, but I arrived back in New Brunswick late last week and have been struggling to catch up ever since!
Being part of TD Canadian Children’s Book Week was a once-in-a-lifetime experience!
Over the course of six days I visited 6 schools and 4 libraries and drove more backroads in Saskatchewan than you can shake a stick at!
I met amazing children, teachers, and librarians and had a wonderful time! THANK YOU SASKATCHEWAN!
I even made it into the Estevan newspaper!
After Saskatchewan, I did a quick trip up to Jasper, Alberta and stopped in to Jasper Elementary School!
Now that I’m back, I’m finishing revisions for my next book, waiting to see the copy edits for THE COPYCAT, and looking forward to warmer weather (it’s been terribly cold here!).
I’m also beginning to play with an idea for the book after THAT! I’ve also got a couple of Beaverbrook Art Gallery tours lined up! And next week, I think it’s time for a paperback giveaway of The Frame-Up!
Hope you are all well!!!!
Book Tour, Media, May!
We have so much to catch up on!
First:
How beautiful is that poster by the amazing artist and author Elly MacKay? Want a print to celebrate book week? click here!
I’ll be in southern Saskatchewan from May 5th to May 11th, visiting schools and public libraries! I lived in Regina one winter and think the prairies are absolutely amazing, so I can’t wait to visit!
In addition to lots of school visits, I’ve got four public talks/readings scheduled at public libraries (Go Libraries!), and while there will be kids there, the public is more than welcome and I will try to be super entertaining!
Monday May 6th: Redvers Public Library, 10 am
Tuesday, May 7th: Oungre Public Library, 2 pm
Thursday, May 9th: Grenfell Public Library, 9:30 am
Friday, May 10th, Regina Public Library, Connaught Branch, 1:15 pm
Hope to see you there!
I’ll also be tweeting, facebooking, instagramming, and just generally shouting about the tour from the rooftops, so follow along!
Jasper
I’ll be at Jasper Elementary School in Jasper, Alberta on Monday, May 13th!
Media!
There’s a great article about me and The Frame-Up on CBC’s website.
And they also did a radio interview with me.
And a TV spot.
The Copycat has gone to copy edits!!!!
Can an ARC be far behind?
Finally, you won’t hear from me here until the third week of May. But at that time, I think we’ll run a big giveaway for some paperback copies of The Frame-Up, which come out June 4th! Right now I’m thinking of a teacher giveaway and a civilian giveaway (for the rest of us!). More details to come!
Have a happy couple of weeks and thanks for all the support!
I may have spoken too soon…
It seems that Spring does not want to arrive here in New Brunswick.
My normally cheerful self is feeling, well, slightly less cheerful.
Oh well. It will be better. Won’t it?
I’ve been hunkered down in my office anyway, revising my WIP. After a fabulous brainstorming session with my agent Lauren Galit, and her associate, Caitlen Rubino-Bradway, I am firing on all cylinders and really love this book!
I’ve also been reading. My latest #mglit read is THE MISCALCULATIONS OF LIGHTNING GIRL, by Stacy McAnulty, which frankly, is just a fantastic title!
This book is going to make you laugh out loud, sigh, and perhaps, shed a tear. But you will LOVE it!
I don’t know about you, but I am waiting for Game of Thrones to begin on Sunday. Wait – the better description is – I am practically vibrating as I wait for the final season to begin. So many theories, so little time…
If you’d like a little Game of Thrones-ish middle grade title, look no further than THE MAD WOLF’S DAUGHTER and its sequel HUNT FOR THE MAD WOLF’S DAUGHTER, by Diane Magras. The middle ages, characters on the run after they’re accused of treason, a noble character at the heart of the story who fights for what’s right. The story has it all and is, even better, age appropriate!
Enjoy your week!!!!
Giveaway and I’m on The Next Chapter on CBC Radio!
Happy Spring!
As promised, I’m doing a giveaway!
Not only am I giving away a copy of The Frame-Up and its holiday companion story, I’m giving away a copy of Anne Braden’s amazing book, THE BENEFITS OF BEING AN OCTOPUS!
The book is autographed to me, but I love it so much that I think it needs to be in the hands of as many kids as possible, so I’m willing to give my copy up!
To enter, leave a comment or pop over to twitter and retweet my contest tweet:
Good luck!!!!
My book riff on The Frame-Up airs this weekend on CBC’s The Next Chapter! Today I did another interview with Shelagh Rogers, for a piece that will air later this spring, and she is as wonderful as you think she is!
My piece airs this Saturday at 4 pm on CBC radio 1, and will be repeated on Monday, March 25th at 1 p.m.
Or you can go HERE and listen to it as soon as they post it online!
What’s next? I’m almost done the next draft of my WIP. If all goes well, my agent will have it in her capable hands by the end of April!
And I get the pleasure of taking students from the elementary school in Geary on a very special Frame-Up tour at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery next week! I can’t wait!!!
Have a great weekend!
March Update
Happy Friday!
Thought some of you might like to know what I’ve been up to lately.
Others might like to know what’s coming up or would like some insider information.
First things first: The paperback version of The Frame-Up comes out June 4th and it has a fabulous (and different) cover!
Second, I’m in the final throes of edits for my next book. Its title?
THE COPYCAT
Expect a cover reveal by spring and Advanced Reader Copies shortly thereafter.
Right now, it looks like the book will published early March, 2020.
The CopyCat takes place in Saint John, New Brunswick, so don’t be surprised if there is plenty of fog. And maybe some Reversing Falls?
I’m so excited for you to read this book! It is completely different than The Frame-Up, but just as good (I think!).
I’m going to be talking about The Frame-Up on Shelagh Rogers’ CBC radio program The Next Chapter on March 23rd. Don’t worry, I’ll remind you…
I adore Shelagh, so this is quite a thrill!
I’m going to to Woodstock for a School Visit!
I love school visits, and all the storms have been keeping me close to home, but surely March 19th will be sunny and clear… Can’t wait to see you all, Townsview School!
I’m also doing lots of Skype Visits These Days…
Schools, book clubs… If you and your friends or your students are reading The Frame-Up, I’m happy to Skype in! Just send me a note at [email protected]!
Finally, I have some very sad news….
Those of you who’ve read It’s a Mystery, Pig Face! are well aware that Tracy and Ralph’s favourite sleuthing snack is pink peppermints made by Ganong Brothers.
This week it was announced that the company will no longer be making the peppermints. I would describe this as a tragedy, the end of the era, a not-so-sweet ending to my lifetime adoration of these mints. Please, no one tell Tracy and Ralph….
Sigh….
The week after next is my son’s birthday, so I think we’ll have another book giveaway in honour of him and Spring! Stay tuned for more details!!!!
Books you need to read NOW!
Happy Friday!
I love it when favourite authors release new books!
It’s like a gift; you know you loved their previous work, and you’re pretty sure that you’re going to love their next work, too!!!
So today I am sharing some new books that I have on order and cannot wait to receive:
I am in the throes of revising my next book, but these books will be my reward in March for all my hard work!
I highly recommend each of these authors – you will NOT be disappointed!
Reviews
I’ve been thinking about reviews lately, mostly because the lovely Laura Arnhold over at Literacious.com, a wonderful middle grade literature blog, featured The Frame-Up in her weekly Books I Loved with Fewer than 2,000 Ratings on Goodreads series.
Most people don’t know how important reviews are to authors. They help a potential reader decide whether or not to read a book. The more reviews a book receives, there is greater potential that it will receive more attention in any particular platform, be it Amazon, Goodreads, Chapters and the like.
There are rumours that 50 reviews on Amazon somehow kicks in an algorithm that promotes the book to potential readers who are looking at similar styles of books.
In general, The Frame-Up has received excellent reviews from trade publications, The Wall Street Journal, Canadian Childhood Book Centre, and Atlantic Books Today to name but a few. But what it hasn’t gotten is a lot of readers going online and sharing their thoughts. Maybe you can change that!
If you are so inclined, please leave a review of The Frame-Up on Amazon or on Goodreads if you are a member! It would be so kind!! And who knows? It may get the book into many more people’s hands!!!!!
THANKS!
Books I’m Excited About
I don’t know about you, but I am in serious cocooning mode right now. As my friend Brian used to say, Forevuary is a LOOOONG month!
But never fear! I’m here with some books that I think will make you cheer. (BTW – didn’t realize that would rhyme til it was done!)
My next read:
Angie Thomas doesn’t need me to sell this book for her, but I will anyway! She is an exceptional talent. The Hate U Give blew me away, and based on the early reviews, On The Come Up will as well. A must-read!
My favourite read so far this year:
Dan Gemeinhart is a genius character developer, and I was in love with all of the characters of this book. I expect to see this book on every Best of 2019 list at the end of the year!
Books that recently won awards that you need to read:
I think I could gladly take any of these to a desert island and be super happy to stay awhile!
Finally, a book I just read that was wonderful and fun:
The cover doesn’t really convey it, but this is a creepy, cool, and interesting take on parallel worlds and faeries. I did not want it to end.
Finally, the cover of Margaret Atwood’s next book is out. I am reading SO much into it and I cannot WAIT!
What are you reading these days?