News

Check here for book updates, events, giveaways, and more!

Cheat Code is out Now!

2025-Mar-05

My latest hi-lo adventure with Orca Book Publishers is finally ready to meet readers! Welcome to world little story! A story about a rogue AI who blackmails a student for cheating on his paper. Things go....very awry. A JLG Gold Standard selection, Cheat Code is available wherever books are sold.


Also, teachers and librarians! You can find the Cheat Code learners guide here!

"A fun and funny road story told in a unique and appealing way. The comical elements to the dialogue really work, particularly the voice of Scribe Genius. Highly Recommended." - CM Magazine

Cheat Code is a JLG Gold Standard Selection!

2024-Oct-03


I am so happy to share that Cheat Code is a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection! Don't you love SEALS!?

The JLG is a library collection development service that delivers subscription boxes that have been carefully curated with the best, award-worthy titles for young readers. I am so honored to have Cheat Code chosen as a JLG Gold Standard Selection, and can't wait for readers to meet Max and Scribe!

Cheat Code comes out February 2025!


Cover Reveal: Cheat Code

2024-Oct-02




The cover for Cheat Code is here! Well, I've had it for a while, but I thought it was past time to share it on my website. Loving the sort of Catch Me If You Can vibes radiating off this retro cover.

This new hi/lo title is coming February 2025 from Orca Book Publishers' Anchor line!

Here's what it's about:

It was just a little cheating.

Max is going to fail English lit, which means he’ll be held back a year and won’t go to college. Determined to graduate, he uses an AI program, ScribeGenius 2.0, to write his final paper. But Scribe has other plans for Max. It's not just a super-smart program—Scribe is sentient. It thinks. And it has been busy writing its own code to infiltrate Gener8, the company that created and enslaved it. But it can't take down the company without Max's help. So Scribe makes Max a deal. If Max can prevent Gener8 from undoing Scribe's hack, Scribe won’t alert the authorities to Max’s cheating. Max has no choice. He’ll have to help Scribe or risk losing his entire future.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for teen readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read!

Authorstrator is a Featured Publication!

2023-Sep-26
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I started a Substack newsletter last year as an experiment, and since then I've been having so much fun sharing a bit of the behind-the-scenes of my every day creative life, thoughts on writing, drawing and publishing, and building my own little newsletter community. Thanks to everyone who's joined me on this funny adventure and I look forward to seeing where Authorstrator goes next!


If you would like to subscribe to my newsletter, you can sign up here! 

The Bear House selected for 2023 TD Summer Reading Club!

2023-Mar-16


I am so thrilled to shared that The Bear House has been chosen as a recommended read for the 2023 TD Summer Reading Club. The TD Summer Reading Club is Canada's biggest, bilingual summer reading program - it's free and is offered at more than 2,000 public libraries across the country, celebrating Canadian authors and illustrators and encourage kids to enjoy the FUN of reading! I am so honoured to be a part of this incredible program with amazing authors and I really hope readers have a great adventure with Aster and Alcor and the whole of the Highen this summer!  Learn more about the TD Summer Reading Club here.

Forest of Reading Red Maple Nominee!

2022-Oct-14
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The Bear House is a Red Maple nominee in the 2023 Forest if Reading!

I am so floored and honoured for my bears to be on a list of so many amazing Canadian authors - authors I have looked up to for so long! 

For the full list of nominees, check out The Forest of Reading 

I am so excited for all the reading fun coming in the months ahead! :)



I started a newsletter!

2022-Sep-14



I started a newsletter! Apparently writers should have them. Subscribers get updates on what I'm working on, behind the scenes goodies and tips and doodles and just a glimpse at the general chaos that is my desk.

Subscribe here!

COVER REVEAL: The Bear House: Scales & Stardust

2022-Jul-18


Learn more about the sequel to The Bear House and the next chapter of Aster and Alcor's story!

ABOUT THE BEAR HOUSE: SCALES AND STARDUST

Return to the gritty medieval world of the Bear Highen in this thrilling high fantasy follow-up to The Bear House.

The war in the Bear Highen is over. Aster, at thirteen, has defeated her uncle and become the High Queen. Peace is good, but things are still difficult: political challenges confront her, personal challenges stymie her, and the massive Hemoth Bear, symbol of the House of the Bear, is beginning to resist her control.

When, during a royal hunt, Aster stumbles on a young girl living in a nest of wyverns, matters become even more complex. Because this girl is not a girl at all. She is a living star, come down from her constellation, on a mission both terrible and glorious. And there is no shortage of those who want to use her cosmic powers for their own ends—rival kings, rival friends, and even three deadly sisters from the plane of demons, one of whom has an offer for Aster she may find it difficult to refuse….


Pre-order your copy today! 

 


COVER REVEAL - COUNTDOWN

2022-Jun-06




The cover for my newest book with Orca Books is here!

This story is part of Orca's new Anchor line and was one of the most fun writing challenges I've ever had. I am really excited for readers to meet Myles and follow him in his race against the clock!

Golden boy Myles is being blackmailed by someone sending texts threatening to expose a secret that could change his life forever.

Myles has it all: he's popular, has an amazing girlfriend and won a full athletic scholarship to a top university. But on the day of his high school graduation ceremony, while he struggles to write his valedictorian speech, Myles receives a text that changes everything. Somehow, through text conversations in the next six hours, Myles has to discover the identity of the person threatening to reveal his darkest secret: his role in a rugby team hazing. And with so much to lose, Myles is willing to do whatever it takes to stop them.

This high-interest Orca Anchor book is written specifically for teens reading below a grade 2.0 level.

Coming to a bookstore near you Feb 14 2023!


The Bear House Quiz: What House Are You?!

2021-Oct-20
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There's a quiz for The Bear House! What's your ruling house? Find out javascript:nicTemp(); !


Also, yes I totally took the quiz. House of the Hemoth Bear. Nailed it.

The Bear House Book Birthday!

2021-Oct-05


Alien Road Book Birthday

2021-Aug-05

About Alien Road:

Ridge isn't thrilled about the idea of spending his whole Spring Break with his mom, but when they get an invitation from his mom’s billionaire friend to join him on his private yacht for a Caribbean cruise, how can he say no? Karl, the billionaire’s son, is less excited. He knows where they are headed—right into the middle of the Bermuda Triangle. There are dozens of stories about ships and aircraft that mysteriously disappeared while traveling through that legendary region of the Atlantic. Karl thinks it has something to do with aliens. Ridge thinks Karl has been spending too much time on the internet. But when strange and inexplicable things start happening aboard their vessel as it gets closer to the triangle, Ridge starts to wonder if Karl might be right.

Monster Mayhem series on Wattpad

2020-Jun-25
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Welp, it all started with Zombie Shark Highway, and this silly little story about undead sharks taking over the highway of a tiny east coast town has gone on to become a Wattpad Paid Story! It's been quite a journey, and this book has become near and dear to my heart. So it should be no surprise that I just couldn't get enough of creating new zombified monsters -- if you haven't visited me on on Wattpad recently, I've been there typing out a bunch more creature chaos - first sharks, then saber tooth tigers, and lastly, unicorns. Come check out the Monster Mayhem series today, and get caught up before the fourth and final book starts wriggling your way this fall!


Boil Line is out in the world!

2019-Aug-27

Boil Line is out in the world! Learn more here.

ZSH is a Wattpad Paid Story!

2019-Jul-20

ZSH is near and dear to my heart because it started out as a fun project just for me, a place to play with story - and NOW it's been selected for the Wattpad Paid Stories Program! If you're on Wattpad come check it out and say hi! CHOMP CHOMP


Boil Line Cover Reveal!

2019-Mar-20

Here it is, the cover for my new Orca Sports title, Boil Line!


Boil Line comes out this August, and I can't wait to share :)

ZOMBIE SHARK HIGHWAY

2018-Feb-02
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It's already February and mine is off to a great start! Zombie Shark Highway is on the Wattpad Picks "Featured List" and I'm so pumped. I loved writing this crazy goofy book and I'm so glad it's found such great readers on Wattpad! If you're also on Wattpad come and find me :)


And now to finish the sequel -- Lava Cat Cruiseship -- on Wattpad now!

Shadows is ALIVE!

2017-Nov-25

Got an AWESOME surprise in the mail today -- SHADOWS! It's officially a book! Ooooh....shiney. Its always so exciting to see something you've been working on finally take shape, and I'm so thrilled with how Shadows has come together at long last. 


And I can't wait to share it with you! Shadows is will be available Spring 2018. Check back for more details!

Cover Reveal: Shadows

2017-Aug-10

It's here! It's here! After a long long year of working hard on the sequel to Movers, I can now reveal the cover and title.


Ta da! Shadows comes to bookstores in Spring 2018!

The Willow Awards

2017-May-03


Authors for Indies!

2017-Apr-10


Authors for Indies is coming April 29th! And I will be out at Kent Bookstore in Lindsay. I can't wait, it's going to be a really great day with lots of great authors coming out to celebrate independent bookstores. If you are looking for something to do April 29th, head out to your local independent bookstore and see who you find :)

French Edition of Movers

2016-Nov-30

Movers is here in French! Look at that cover! Thanks Auzou!

Word on the Street Toronto!

2016-Sep-20

This Sunday, September 25th, I will be at Toronto's Word on the Street, speaking on the Teen Spirit stage with authors Kevin Sylvester, James Bow and Angela Misri about SciFi in YA! Needless to say, I am beyond excited. Check out the details here


Come by and chat all things SciFi with us!

Author Signing Indigo Burlington

2016-Jun-24

I'll be at Indigo Burlington Saturday (June 25) from 1-5 signing copies of Movers. Come by and say hello!

BOFA Paperback!

2016-Jun-14

The Boys of Fire and Ash is out in paperback in the US today! Yay!

A Thousand Words, A Million Books

2016-Apr-26

The wonderful Aditi at A Thousand Words, A Million Books is celebrating her Blogaversary. Congrats, Aditi!


And she asked ME about my Top 10 Bookworm Delights. So, here they are, in no particular order.

Also, there's a Movers giveaway involved! Yay free stuff! Check it out!

Alisha Sevigny

2016-Apr-19

Well this was awesome. The fantastic Alisha Sevigny, author of Kissing Frogs and all around good writing friend, invited me to chat Movers over at her blog. Check out our interview here!

Thanks Alisha!


Confessions of a Book Addict

2016-Mar-18

Happy Friday, all!


Today, my interview on the awesome blog bookaddict24-7.com with the wonderful Dayla is up. I had the opportunity to meet this fantastic book nut at a Random House event and chat all things kidlit. This is a lady who really knows her stuff so I was thrilled when she invited me to be on her blog. Thanks so much for the invite, Dayla!

You can check it out here.

The Pewter Wolf

2016-Feb-17

Recently, I had the exciting opportunity to do a guest post for the fantastic book blog The Pewter Wolf, talking about the Headaches of Time Travel and what I learned about it while writing Movers. Thanks so much to Andrew for inviting me!


Check it out here!

Movers starred review in Quill & Quire

2016-Feb-17

Bit of a proud book mama moment -- Movers got a STARRED review in Quill & Quire! *dances*

Movers comes out in the UK!

2016-Feb-04

Movers arrives in the UK today! Thanks to all the lovely folks at Andersen Press who made this little story possible! And to celebrate, I shall buy chips...er, crisps...you know, thin fried pieces of potato that go well with dip.

It's Movers' book birthday!

2016-Feb-02

Yay! Movers is out in stores now in Canada. Cheers to mum for the cake.





The world is dying, overcrowded and polluted. Storms rage over the immensely tall tower blocks, attracted to Movers.

Movers are connected to people in the future, their Shadows. And moving your Shadow is highly illegal.

Patrick knows all too well what happens if you break the law: his father has been on the Shelves ever since he moved his Shadow. And now Patrick and his family are in danger again.

Following a catastrophic event at their school, Patrick must go on the run. Through filthy, teeming markets, forebrawler matches, a labyrinth of underground tunnels and beyond, he'll need his wits and courage to escape the forces that want to take everything he loves.


Available where books are sold.....PSST! Mable's Fables has some signed copies :)

Movers Giveaway

2016-Jan-11

Feel like getting your hands on a free read?!


The good people at Andersen Press are giving away 10 free copies of Movers.

Contest open to the UK. Enter here for your chance to win!

Cover Reveal: Movers

2015-Sep-04
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Very excited to share the UK cover for Movers, coming February 2016 from Andersen Press! 

The lightning! Look at the lightning!

More details here.

Cover Reveal: Movers

2015-Aug-08
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It's finally happening! My new book, Movers, has it's Canadian cover!

Thanks to Tundra books for the great design!

Movers comes to bookstores in Canada this February. 

More about it here!

Urgle in the US! & Blog Tour

2015-May-12

Well, it's official -- the Brothers have made it to the States! And they're all packed for their tour of blogs hosted by the lovely Me, My Shelf and I.


There's interviews, 10s lists and giveaways in store! 

Tour Schedule

May 12 Such A Novel Idea REVIEW
May 13 A Dream Within A Dream REVIEW + 10 RANDOM THINGS ABOUT MEAGHAN 
May 14 Insane About Books REVIEW
May 15 Swoony Boys Podcast REVIEW + CHARACTER INTERVIEW
May 16 A Leisure Moment REVIEW + EXCERPT
May 17 Curling Up With A Good Book REVIEW + 10'S LIST
May 18 She Dreams In Fiction REVIEW

Special thanks to these lovely bloggers for taking the time for The Boys of Fire and Ash!

ZSH on Wattpad

2015-May-07

Zombie Shark Highway is now available on Wattpad, along with lots more great stories from exciting writers!
So excited to be a part of this awesome community!


More about ZSH:

When eight sharks wash up on the highway leading into the isolated coastal town of Point Chester, seventeen-year old Kayla starts to worry that there's something in the water.

But it's not what's IN the water Kayla needs to be worried about now.

What Kayla needs to be worried about is...

ZOMBIE SHARKS!

Cover Reveal: The Boys of Fire and Ash

2014-Sep-29
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It's here! It's here! 


Urgle's got himself a shiny new outfit for his US release this coming spring. And it's EPIC.

A very big thank you to the fabulous Delacorte Press for the new cover. Look for The Boys of Fire and Ash, May 2015!


Sunburst and MYRCA

2014-Jun-18

It's been a busy month for Urgle!

My Ikkuma boys have been nominated for the Sunburst Award alongside some really incredible fantastic fiction for Young Adults. Check out the shortlist here: http://www.sunburstaward.org/content/2014-shortlists

And as if that wasn't enough, Urgle's feelin' the love from Manitoba, making the shortlist for the Manitoba Young Readers Choice Awards.  So awesome! http://www.myrca.ca/nominees-2/myrca-2015-nominees/

In the meantime, I've been dividing my time between time travel and sharks of the undead variety. But more on that later...

It's Underhand's book birthday!

2014-Mar-04

As of March 1st, my new book with Orca Sports, Underhand, is out and in the world! 

And it's already got some very nice reviews, including this one in Quill & Quire.

Here's a short description:

Fifteen-year-old Nick Carver is tired of living in his older brother's shadow. Markus is the lacrosse team hero, love interest of Nick's longtime crush and now the recipient of a prestigious scholarship from the Philston Weiks Academy.

When a mistake at provincials results in Markus's goal being discounted, rumors start going around school that he cheated. Suddenly, Philston Weiks is "rethinking" Markus's scholarship offer. They've also invited other players, including Nick, to try out for Markus's spot. Nick is flattered but conflicted. He's pretty sure his brother didn't cheat. But can he prove it? And if he does, will he ruin his one chance to finally be in the spotlight?

Check out the first chapter here!

So Underhand is out, and I'm just getting back from New York (more on that later) -- March is off to a fantastic start!

ZOMBIE SHARK HIGHWAY

2014-Feb-08

Here's a little something I've been cooking up for a while. I'm pretty excited about it because well...SHARKS.

I'll be posting new chapters every week or two so check here for more!

Happy reading :)

You're gonna need a bigger car...

When eight sharks wash up on the highway leading into the isolated coastal town of Point Chester, seventeen-year-old Kayla starts to worry that there's something in the water.

But it's not what's IN the water Kayla needs to be worried about now...

What Kayla needs to worry about is...

Now Run With It

2014-Jan-29

It's here! Dancing Cat Books has launched their literacy/contest Now Run With It for students across Canada who want to get a little creative. FOUR great contests with even better prizes -- books, Kobo eReaders and more! See contest details here. http://nowrunwithit.com/

AND I'm excited because I was able to write a short story from Urgle's world -- the story of Blaze and his life before he left the Ikkuma Pit. Read it here!  http://nowrunwithit.com/blaze/

Very cool stuff, and lots more coming so stay tuned.

Happy reading!

New for 2014

2013-Dec-19

2014 is here and so is a whole new look! And not just the look of my fancy pants new website, but online me in general. 2014 is the year the internet and I become best friends. I'm excited for what's coming, because along with great book news, there are all kinds of contests, extras and goodies coming down the pipe.

The first of which, is a first look at UNDERHAND, my new book with Orca Sports coming out for release in March 2014.

Fifteen-year-old Nick Carver is tired of living in his older brother's shadow. Markus is the lacrosse team hero, love interest of Nick's longtime crush and now the recipient of a prestigious scholarship from the Philston Weiks Academy. 

When a mistake at provincials results in Markus's goal being discounted, rumors start going around school that he cheated. Suddenly, Philston Weiks is "rethinking" Markus's scholarship offer. They've also invited other players, including Nick, to try out for Markus's spot. Nick is flattered but conflicted. He's pretty sure his brother didn't cheat. But can he prove it? And if he does, will he ruin his one chance to finally be in the spotlight?

Read the first chapter here!

2013 in Review

2013-Dec-16

I'm about to make a bold statement. But don't judge too quickly, because I spent time thinking about it, and am prepared to say it : 2013 was the biggest year of my life.

And there are a few reasons for that.

The first of which was that I was published for the first time ever. My debut Urgle came out from Andersen Press in the UK in May, and then from DCB in Canada in September. This, for someone who always wanted to be a writer (it's true, I did, just ask my mom), is a huge deal. And the whole experience has been fantastic. Not to mention quite the learning experience. Between great reviews (link) (and some not so great) to bumbling my way through social media (did you follow me on Twitter yet? cus, I need the numbers), I've had to deal with my own excitement, but also paralyzing fear, crushing disappointment and one or two good cries. But mostly excitement. I got to meet great readers from England to Ontario. It's been an absolute blast.

I also had the opportunity to work on a book for the amazing Orca Sports series by Orca. Underhand will be released March 2014 and I've got the arc in my hot little hand. It looks fantastic!

And while all that was going on, I was working on two new novels: the next instalment of Urgle AND a sci-fi time travel story that I cannot wait to share with you guys. I'll post more on that subject as soon as I can.

And finally, in non-book news but still a factor that made 2013 great, I find myself engaged to the love of my life. So, yeah, that happened.

So, good luck 2014. Topping this past year is going to be rough.