Home from Foreign Waters

Ahoy Suntanned Swabbies!

The trip to Anaheim California to receive the 2012 American Indian Youth Literature Award went well.  Free Throw and Triple Threat were the big winners of the night and I am mighty grateful to the American Indian Library Association for this award.

While there, Ghost Messages won Honorable Mention at the ForeWord Book of the Year Awards.

 I did signings at the American Library Association Conference for Ghost Messages and Outcasts of River Falls, my newest book.

Reception was warm and wonderful - Librarians from all over the United States stopped by and we got to know each other.  Library Goddesses are always looking for new books for their readers and I have seventeen novels to entertain and intrigue.

Remember: you should sail through two novels over the summer to keep up your reading skills.

Jacqueline

P.S.
The answer to last post's puzzler:     .-..  .-  -.-  .    .  .-.  ..  .

And a new puzzle:

.--  ....  .-  -    .-..  ..  .  ...    .-  -    -  ....  .

-...  ---  -  -  ---  --    ---  ..-.    -  ....  .

---  -.-.  .  .-  -.    .-  -.  -..    -  .--  ..  -  -.-.  ....  .  ...?

Spanish Galleons

Home again from foreign lands.  Had the opportunity to visit the Navel Museum of Spain and was surprised when instead of a couple of dusty rooms with old cannon balls on the floor, I found 26 vast chambers filled with memorabilia from the time of the Spanish Armada to present day high tech ships.  My only regret was that I can't read Spanish so that I could understand all the information listed next to displays.

Summer is almost here and I have a suggestion for your Beach Read: My new novel 'Outcasts of River Falls'!
Mystery, danger, and a Canadian Robin Hood - everything you need for those long days lounging on the poop deck.

To all our new crewmates - WELCOME ABOARD!  And to test your skills with Morse Code, here's a teaser:

.--  ....  .-  -     ..  ...     -  ....  .     
...  -.-.  .-  .-.  ..  .  ...  -     .-..  .-  -.-  .
..  -.     -.-.  .-  -.  .-  -..  .- ?      

Answer to the Puzzle

.-      --   ---   .-.   ...   .   --.-   ..-   ..   -   ---  !

Stay tuned for more messages.

Jacqueline  

New Crewmates from Ajax and Toronto!

Ahoy Ghosters,

We welcome aboard  new crews from Cadarackque Public School in Ajax and McMurrich Junior Public School in Toronto! And a fine bunch of Ghosters you all are. :)

Through the tech-magic of videoconferencing, we had a funny, crazy and wild session with the students from Captain Flattery's class at Cadarackque.  Quality crew for sure with the biggest smiles I've ever seen!

And later in the week, I had some of the best, (and hardest), questions ever from the swabbies from Captain Tavares' crew at McMurrich.  I had to really think about the answers to their questions because those students were smart and tricky at the same time.

Well done each and every one of you and a special congrats to the winners of our fabulous prizes. 

I'm looking forward to meeting my new crewmates at the Silver Birch Festivities in May when Ghost Messages sails into the Harbourfront Centre.

Bye for now,

Jacqueline

Joke of the Day:

.--   ....   .-   -      ....   .-   ...      ...   ..   -..-

.-..   .   --.   ...  ,      -...   ..   -   .   ...      .-   -.   -..

-   .-   .-..   -.-   ...      ..   -.      -.-.   ---   -..   . ?

Answer to Yesterday's Brain Boggler

Here's the answer to the joke in yesterday's post.

-..   -.--      -.   ---   .-.   ...   .      -.-.   ---   -..   . !


Bye for now Swabbies.

Jacqueline

Teleconferences Off the Port Bow!

Ahoy Shipmates,

Next week, we'll be visiting Ontario via teleconference sessions courtesy of the great folks at Nan Boothby Memorial Library in Cochrane, Alberta, with a big tip of the hat to David Larsen, Technical Genius.

On April 3rd, Ghost Messages will be sailing into harbour at
Cadarackque School in Ajax, Ontario.
I'm looking forward to meeting a whole new boatload of crewmates.

Then on April 5th, we're docking at McMurrich Junior Public School for a fun adventure with the hearty sailors of MJPS.

To warm up the crewmates, I've got a new 'Joke of the Day'.
Decode the question, then discover the answer tomorrow.

Jacqueline

....   ---   .--      -..   ..   -..      -   ....   .

...-   ..   -.-   ..   -.   --.   ...      ...   .   -.   -..

...   .   -.-.   .-.   .   -      --   .   ...   ...   .-   --.   .   ...?

We're Putting to Sea Again

Arrrrg!  Batten down the hatches and shiver me timbers, we're putting to sea again!
For the next week, we'll be making port in Drumheller, Alberta and convincing new shipmates that Ghost Messages is the finest book in the fleet.

Last week, we had boatloads of new Ghosters join the crew with more waiting on the dock.

Stay tuned for the latest scuttlebutt when I return.

Question of the day-
-..  ..  -..    -.--  ---  ..-    -.-  -.  ---  .--    -  ....  .   

-.-.  .-  -...  .-..  .    .--  .-  ...    .  ..  --.  ....  -

-.-  --  ...    -..  ---  .--  -.    ..  -.   
...  ---  --  .    .--.  .-..  .-  -.-.  .  ...  ?

On the High Seas Again!

Unfurl the canvas!  Hoist the anchor!  We're setting sail again.
I'm off to take the golden treasure of READING, BOOKS, HISTORY and all things cool to schools in Alberta.
Lots of new Ghosters to join the crew - or walk the plank!  We'll see what these land lubbers choose!
For me, it's easy - Ghost Messages rules.

Stay tuned for updates on the Silver Birch.  Many fine authors are sharing their wealth of stories with children all over Ontario.  If you are looking for a good book to read while on board your own ship, why not choose one from the many provincial special programs such as Silver Birch, Red Cedar, or Hackmatack.  Perhaps sample the Governor General winners or ask your library goddess for one of the Newberry or Caldecott writers.

There's lots of treasure for readers of all ages.  Put into port at your nearest library for more literary gold.

Jacqueline

The answer to last posts question:

-...  .  -.-.  .-  ..-  ...  .    -  ....  .  -.--   

....  .-  ...-  .    -.  ---    ---  .-.  --.  .-  -.  ... !

Free Throw and Triple Threat Win American Indian Youth Literature Award!

Ahoy Ghosters,

Two of my novels, Free Throw and Triple Threat, have won the 2012 American Indian Youth Literature Award from the American Indian Library Association, an affiliate of the American Library Association.   I am hoping to go to Anaheim, California, in June to accept the award in person.  Very cool!

The Superconference was totally awesome.  I met brilliant writers, amazing teachers and the most fabulous Librarians anywhere!

Lots of autographing, connecting with readers of Ghost Messages and fathomless opportunities to make new friends.  Hectic, but worth it.

Morse code joke of the day:

.--  ....  -.--    -..  ---    ...  -.-  .  .-..  .  -  ---  -.  ...   

.--.  .-..  .-  -.--    -  ....  .    .--.  ..  .-  -.  ---?

Setting sail for OLA Superconference in Toronto!

Ahoy Shipmates!

Our good ship is setting sail for the Ontario Library Association's Superconference at the Metro Toronto Convention Center. 
If your attending, come to the PGC Booth #221 between 10:20 and 10:40 on Friday, February 3, for prizes and surprises and your own autographed copy of Ghost Messages. 
We want our book to be the 'trending topic' of the day.

So, any Ghosters who blog, twitter, facebook or talk - do your part to pump up the volume on Ghost Messages.  Here's our chance to make a splash!

Cheers,

Jacqueline

Happy 2012!

Ahoy Ghosters!

Here we are in a new year and ready to read.

I have been trying to find a list of  Top Ten Books that are supposed to be 'must reads' for us to tackle in 2012, but after slogging through a dozen lists, (none of which agreed on even one book!), I have come to the conclusion that whatever book you read and like is a MUST READ.

There are thousands, if not gazillions, of novels for young people - some good, some not-so-much. 
The final decision is yours.

Deciding what is right for you and standing up for that choice is an important step in growing into the kind of person I would like as a shipmate.  This goes even if no one else agrees with you. 
That was one of the characteristics I loved about Ailish - she didn't desert her friends, no matter how bleak things looked.

Food for thought as we set sail into 2012.

".--  .    -.-.  .-  -.  -.  ---  -    -..  ..  .-.  .  -.-.  -   
-  ....  .    .--  ..  -.  -..    -...  ..-  -    .--  .    
-.-.  .-  -.    .-  -..  .---  ..-  ... -    ---  ..-  .-.
...  .-  ..  .-..  ..."   

Jacqueline