I’m off to St. John’s, Newfoundland, tomorrow for the Atlantic Book Awards. Betsy Wickwire and I are up against Gloria Ann Wesley, (Chasing Freedom) and Susan White (The Year Mrs. Montague Cried ) for the coveted Ann Connor Brimer Award.

In 1990, the Nova Scotia Library Association established the Ann Connor Brimer Award for writers residing in Atlantic Canada who have made an outstanding contribution to children’s literature.

The impetus for the award came from the late Ann Connor Brimer who was a strong advocate of Canadian children’s literature and saw the need to recognize and encourage children’s writers in Atlantic Canada.

I’m currently writing a mystery that takes place during World War Two – not The Great War – but I’m somewhat obsessed by anything about the Canadian military. As a result, I cry a lot. It kills me to think of all those young men – no, teenagers – heading off to fight and maybe die for their country.

My husband’s grandfather – the young, newly-married Capt Hugh McLaughlin of the 48th Highland Regiment of Canada – was part of the first wave to go over the top at the battle of Vimy Ridge. He was wounded, either there or in another battle, but re-enlisted after he’d recovered. Not surprisingly, his grandchildren thought the fist-sized bullet hole in his shoulder was the coolest thing ever.

Why do I love this stuff? As a mother and pacifist, I’m horrified by war. But as an author?..Honour, courage, cowardice, evil, love, adventure – it’s irresistible. The Canadian Army hits the nail on its head with its slogan: “There’s no life like it”.

The recognition is fabulous, of course, but the perks are what really excite me. I’m going to be joining fellow nominees at the Atlantic Book Awards ceremony in one of my favourite cities anywhere – gorgeous, fascinating, wonderfully peculiar St. John’s, Newfoundland.

Also up for the Ann Connor Brimer Award are Gloria Ann Wesley for Chasing Freedom (Roseway Publishing); Susan White for The Year Mrs. Montague Cried (Acorn Press).

Here’s a full list of the Atlantic Book Award nominees.

The Willow Awards promote reading by granting a Willow Award to the Canadian books voted by students to be the best of those nominated in three categories: Shining Willow (K-3),Diamond Willow (4-6) and Snow Willow (7-9).

I’m thrilled to be sharing the shortlist with these wonderful authors:

Valerie Sherrard, Jo Treggiari, Kelley Armstrong, Robert Paul Weston, Edeet Ravel, John Wilson, Kenneth Oppel, Colleen Nelson, and David Skuy

The winner of the Snow Willow award will be announced next February.

1) To say thanks to the young ladies from Agnes McPhail Public School for interviewing me about Not Suitable for Family Viewing.

2) And to prove that I was alert throughout the Ontario Library SuperConference even if every other photo taken of me there makes it look like I’d just nodded off.

I also found out that B Negative was named an OLA Best Bet which was a wonderful surprise.

(That’s me on the left, looking like I’m catching a brief catnap between signing copies of Betsy Wickwire’s Dirty Secret.)

No. Not if you get to enjoy the warmth of the Ontario Library Association’s SuperConference. (What a corny line. Clearly, I’ll do anything for a segue.)

I’ve been invited with other winners of 2011 Forest of Reading Awards to make a little presentation. I’ll also be signing copies of Betsy Wickwire’s Dirty Secret so please come and join me at the HarperCollins booth. (I’ll post exact times when I know them…)

If you can’t make it to the conference at the Convention Centre, perhaps I could make it to your school. I have some openings for author visits on Monday, January 30 and  Wednesday, February 1. Anywhere in the GTA is fine.

E-mail me at v.grant@ns.sympatico.ca for details.

“Kudos to Canadian Vicki Grant for writing a truly hilarious book that’ll make you smile while defying all the tropes that often define this genre. The Betsy Wickwire in question is your prototypical beautiful popular girl who’s sent on a downward shame spiral – complete with working as a house cleaner in a horrible ‘dust bunny’ uniform – losing all of the things said popular gals value most: friends, love, and her coveted social standing. That is, until she meets quirky, larger-than-life outsider Dolores Morris, who befriends Betsy when she needs it most – and teaches her a thing or two about what’s really important at this young age. For real, everywhere I’ve looked and everyone I’ve talked to has had nothing but positive things to say about this genuinely funny, uncanny book that manages to make a rather simple concept feel fresh and fun.“

Betsy Wickwire’s Dirty Secret is available, as they say, at fine stores everywhere.

“This book magnificently conveys the drama and emotional intensity that so often typify the teen experience… Without ever once belittling Betsy’s reactions, Grant leads her on a journey of healing and self-discovery, and she gives readers the opportunity to watch her come to her own realizations about life, love and friendship. The author not only provides a very authentic depiction of her characters and of teens in general, but she also recognizes and celebrates their capacity to grow and be transformed by their experiences. And she manages to convey these truths in her own unique fashion: with a sly humour always lurking just beneath the surface. While it was somewhat surprising that there was never any eventual confrontation between Betsy and Nick and Carly, the ending is absolutely perfect, highlighting the dichotomy between Betsy’s initial feelings of despair and her new awareness of herself and the world. This book is a sensitive exploration of one teen’s maturation but first and foremost, it is a highly entertaining read that should speak to a wide range of readers.

I found the comment in this very nice review of Betsy Wickwire’s Dirty Secret from lookanothergreatbook.blogspot.com (which also, I’m pleased to add, gave Betsy five big stars.)

“(VICKI GRANT) is a funny writer who knows the recipe to writing a good book: she writes a serious book blended with just the right number of laugh-out-loud situations.”