Valerie Sherrard

Miss Wondergem's Dreadfully Dreadful Pie

2011-10-28T08:41:00.000-07:00

Miss Wondergem's Bakery, coming quite soon!

In fact, it will open tomorrow at noon!

There's a brand new bakery in town and no one could be happier about it than Myrna, Verna and Bradley McGrew. As much as they love their mother, the McGrew children can't help but dread what comes out of her kitchen - and with very good reason! For example:

Her cookies and muffins and pies were so hard

That they used them for building a fort in the yard.

Miss Wondergem's arrival promises to solve this problem, and the children waste no time in presenting themselves at the bakery the very first day it opens. Unfortunately, Miss Wondergem's pies are more than a little unusual, and the children are in for a most unpleasant surprise.

The charming artwork for this picture book is by Wendy J. Whittingham, who truly brought the story to life with her illustrations. Readers will enjoy meeting, not only the children, their mom and Miss Wondergem, but also the McGrew's family pet, a delightful hedgehog named Spike.

Testify

2011-08-08T08:28:00.000-07:00

“Before you judge me, there are two things you should know about why I did it.”

Shana Tremain is a good kid. She knows right from wrong and she’s never been in any serious trouble. But when her best friend, Carrie, comes to her for help, Shana agrees to break the law to save Carrie from a molester. She even feels good about it — for a while.

Then trouble starts. Someone in their group of friends is stealing from the others. As she searches for the truth, Shana uncovers evidence that raises a terrifying question: Has she made a horrible mistake?

Faced with the reality of what she’s done, Shana finds herself trapped in a web of her own lies and deceit. Can she convince the right people that she’s telling the truth now? Either way it’s clear someone is going to pay a terrible price for her crime.
___________________________________________

Reviews for Testify

Quill & Quire

CM Magazine

Free Teacher Resource Guide Available Here:

Testify: Teacher Resource Guide

The Glory Wind

2011-05-20T12:51:00.000-07:00

How it happened.

The news was just on in the background that evening - I was in the other room, and only caught a snatch of a story that probably lasted less than half a minute. It made no particular impression, but the next day it had created the beginning of an idea that would bloom into The Glory Wind. And this is often how it is.

About the story.

Luke Haliwell must come to terms with the prejudices of his 1940's prairie town when Gracie Moor and her mother move in next door. Gracie is unlike anyone Luke has ever known, but when the town discovers that Gracie's mother is hiding a shameful secret, Luke learns that friendship can come at a great cost.

Published by Fitzhenry & Whiteside, this story is in bookstores now.

I loved writing The Glory Wind. I hope you will love it too.

___________________________________________________

News Updates for The Glory Wind

Winner of the 2011 Geoffrey Bilson Historical Fiction for Young People Award

Winner of the 2011 Ann Connor Brimer Award

Winner of the Bronze Medal in the

2011 Independent Publisher Book Awards, Canadian Regional

Shortlisted for the Canadian Library Association

2011 Children's Book of the Year

Shortlisted for the 2011 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award

Ontario Library Association Best Bets List for 2010

*********

A few reviews of The Glory Wind:

Kirkus (starred review)

CM Magazine

Atlantic Books Today

Curled Up With a Good Kid's Book

*****

Accomplice

2011-02-16T21:24:00.000-08:00

Lexie Malton has a secret. Her ex-boyfriend, Devlin, is now a heroin addict living on the street, and only Lexie knows that she's the one who put him there.

Even worse, Lexie's guilt makes her give in to Devlin's demands for money time after time, even though she understands how dangerous his drug use is.

Lexie finally finds the strength to stop enabling Devlin. But when Devlin seeks treatment for his addiction, Lexie finds herself drawn back to him, never guessing what a dark and deadly path she has just chosen.

_________________________________

This was an interesting story to write. Even though my work background has brought me in contact with today's drug culture, I discovered that I knew very little about heroin use. What I learned during the course of my research truly shocked me.

Accomplice is one of two debut novels in Dundurn's new Keystone Series of high interest stories for reluctant readers. The other is Marina Cohen's Mind Gap. You can find Marina's blog in the list on the upper left of this page. I've written a second story for the Keystone Series (and hope to write others). It's called Testify, and it will be published this August.

_____________________________________

In bookstores now, Accomplice has been reviewed in:

Quill & Quire

CM Magazine

***

As requested, Nancy R!

2010-12-30T09:44:00.000-08:00

A friend recently admonished me for not keeping her updated on my new releases. She pointed out that it's difficult to keep track of all my books. I can hardly argue with that when I have to look up details myself on a rather regular basis.

So, this posting is for Nancy R. and anyone else who'd like to be able to access a full list of publications and the year they came out. I'll update it whenever a new book is forthcoming, and again when it actually comes out, even if I've also blogged about that book. (Thanks for asking, Nancy!)

Picture Books

Miss Wondergem's Dreadfully Dreadful Pie (Oct. 2011)
Wendy J. Whittingham, Illustrator

There's a GOLDFISH In My Shoe! (2009)
David Jardine, Illustrator

There's a COW Under My Bed! (2008)
David Jardine, Illustrator

Juvenile Novels

The Glory Wind (2010)

Tumbleweed Skies (2009)

Young Adult Novels

Testify (August 2011)

Accomplice (2011)

Watcher (2009)

Speechless (2007)

Three Million Acres of Flame (2007)

Sarah's Legacy (2006)

Sam's Light (2004)

KATE (2003)

Shelby Belgarden Mystery Series

Searching for Yesterday (2008)

Eyes of a Stalker (2006)

Hiding in Plain Sight (2005)

Chasing Shadows (2004)

In Too Deep (2003)

Out of the Ashes (2002)

Non-Fiction

Vanessa Hudgens: Superstars Series (2010)

Tumbleweed Skies

2009-10-04T07:47:00.000-07:00

A motherless girl, a grandmother who cannot forgive, an injured magpie and a warm prairie summer ...

Tumbleweed Skies takes place in Saskatchewan during the 1950s. Ellie Stewart, whose home is in Moose Jaw, finds herself having to spend the summer in the fictional town of Weybolt after her father is laid off from his regular job and is forced to take a temporary position as a travelling salesman.

From her first glimpse of the farm that will be her home for the next months, Ellie senses that she may not be particularly welcome.

"I could tell right away that this wasn't a house that wanted me."

The beautiful cover of this book is the artwork of David Jardine.

This is my first book for this age group, and it was thrilling to write from the perspective of a child this age. I hope that readers will enjoy meeting Ellie.

* * * * * *

News Updates for Tumbleweed Skies

Shortlisted for the Ann Connor Brimer Award, 2010

Shortlisted for the 2011 - 2012 Saskatchewan Diamond Willow Award

Shortlisted for the 2011 - 2012 Hackmatack Award

Shortlisted for the 2011 - 2012 Manitoba Young Readers' Choice Award

* * * * * *

There's a GOLDFISH In My Shoe!

2009-09-13T11:52:00.000-07:00

What? Is it really a whole year since the first picture book came out?

Apparently, yes. And now the second one is in bookstores.

I like to believe that the story is fun, but it's the off-the-wall zaniness of the illustrations that I think will really appeal to children. They are wild and crazy and quirky enough to delight kids and adults alike.

In his second adventure, Oscar Ollie Brown tries to figure out why it's not always a good idea to do exactly what his mother tells him to!

For example, when Oscar's mom tires of his endless chatter and tells him to hold his tongue ...

A tongue is rather hard to hold
But boys like me do what we're told
I used both hands and got it tight
And held my tongue with all my might.

Then, as I waited to be praised
My mother said, as though amazed,
"Now what on earth is this about?
Don't put your fingers in your mouth!"

You might think she'd make up her mind!
Not my mom, she's the changing kind!

An interview with Oscar and I can be viewed here, as he talks about his earlier adventures in There's a COW Under My Bed!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_hGC2R5EZ4

Oscar and I hope you'll enjoy it.

Watcher

2009-08-28T08:40:00.000-07:00

From the back cover:

Sixteen-year-old Porter Delancy believes he has his future figured out, but his nice, neat plans are shaken when a man he believes may be his father suddenly appears in his Toronto neighbourhood. Porter knows he wants nothing to do with the deadbeat dad who abandoned him and his sister 12 years earlier, but curiosity causes him to re-examine the past.

Unfortunately, actual memories are scarce and confusing, and much of what he knows is based on things his mother has told him. As Porter looks for answers, it begins to seem that all he's ever going to find are more questions.
__________________________________________

Watcher wasn't an easy book for me to write. It deals with an issue that horrifies me, for many reasons - that being, Parental Alienation.

Parental Alienation is a form of abuse involving the destruction of a child's relationship with one parent, by the other. It is, for the most part, an unpunished crime.

Those who pay the highest price are the victims: the children, who are often programmed to become innocent participants in the attack against a parent with whom they formerly enjoyed a loving relationship. Their real memories are replaced with stories of abuse and abandonment.

Parental Alienation is a hate crime - a crime of lies and manipulation.

Our courts have been slow to recognize and act to protect the children of divorce who are affected by PA.

We pray for justice to prevail through truth and love.

My First Picture Book

2008-11-22T07:26:00.000-08:00

What do children think when they hear an adult tell them they have a cowlick in their hair, or other, similar expressions? In the opening stanzas of my first picture book, There's a COW Under My Bed! we meet a boy who explores this confusing world of invisible creatures:

My name is Oscar Ollie Brown
And there are things that make me frown
That irk, annoy, and puzzle me
Because - they're things I cannot see!

The first one is especially strange
For cows live on a farm, or range
And yet each night when I'm in bed
One sneaks in here and licks my head!

The idea for this story came some years ago, and, while I wrote the original version then, it was a long time before I polished it and sent it to Tuckamore books, along with some sample illustrations by David Jardine.

Sending artwork isn't generally recommended when submitting picture book stories, but it was the right fit in this case. In the fall of 2007, the publisher offered contracts to both David and I and a little over a month ago There's a COW Under My Bed! hit the bookstores.

I love David's richly coloured, zany illustrations, which can still make me laugh out loud.

If you'd like to hear a short interview with Oscar and I, please visit our Youtube here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_hGC2R5EZ4

We had a lot of fun doing this (and thanks to David for putting it all together!) and hope you'll enjoy watching it. You might need to turn up the volume on your computer.

A Different Kind of Reluctant Reader

2008-06-24T06:01:00.000-07:00

Yup, I admit it. I'm a lousy blogger. (Is there a support group out there?)

So, it's been more than a year since I've been here. In that time I've had one (that's right - one) person comment that she'd read my blog and it was all about cats. For some reason, she sounded unimpressed.

I keep hearing about how I'm supposed to use this golden opportunity to promote my books. Maybe I should give it a shot.

I suppose I could mention that a new Shelby mystery hits the shelves this month. Searching for Yesterday - book 6 in the series. I haven't seen it yet but it should be arriving soon. I actually thought it would be here last week but no such luck. Good luck, as it turns out, for my dad, who actually groaned out loud a couple of weeks back when I told him I'd have a new Shelby for him soon.

Out loud! With me standing right there. "You don't have to read it," I said. I smiled to show him I meant it.

"That's the problem," he sighed. "I have to read it."

I can't persuade him that it's not necessary. I know these are books for teens and even if they weren't they're not the genre he'd normally read. It would be all right if he skipped some of them. But in his mind duty demands that he supports me by reading every book I write.

It's amusing to see the doomed-man look on his face when I pass him a new volume.

The feedback wouldn't inspire a novice to a career in writing either. I've lost track of how many times he's patiently explained that my work is "kind of juvenile."

That's the point isn't it - when you write for teens? I tell him so. He says he knows but I can tell he's not getting it. : )

But then, sometimes he calls me and says something quite different. Like when he read Speechless, and commented, "This book should be in every school in the country." It doesn't take a genius to translate that. He liked it.

And even when he doesn't ... even when he groans and proclaims something 'juvenile' he keeps on reading them. One sentence at a time, if you'll pardon the pun.

And that's something. It's more than something.

Cat Scratch Fever!

2007-05-17T07:03:00.000-07:00

Yes, I said cat scratch fever. It's the only explanation I can think of to account for the decision we've made.

That being - to keep all of the cats. Yes, Mom Lily, and all four of her babies.

"We'll be known as the crazy cat people,"I told Brent.

"So?" he said, shrugging.

We'd gone over and over the subject. At any given moment you could find us firmly determined to keep one, two, four, none ... it had gone back and forth and around and around. In the end, it was Thragg who decided things for us.

Thragg is the firstborn, a black male with a tiny white tuft at his throat and a single white hair protruding from the middle of his back. He'd also become the runt of the litter after growing at a normal rate for the first five weeks. As he fell behind, the others tended to crowd him out -- he clearly wasn't getting his share of milk, and then Mommy decided that it was time to begin weaning.

To top that off, Thragg took sick, not once but a couple of times. By week six and in spite of our interventions, he was thin and fragile, while the others bounded about, their chubby bodies landing on him as they played. He headed for cover, seeking us out, wanting to be held and protected. And all the while, he got thinner and thinner. His eyes lost expression, his walk became a listless stagger.

It was quite apparent to us that we were losing the little guy. A milk substitute, complete with a pet nurser didn't tempt him. Private sessions we'd been orchestrating with Mommy were no longer working -- she refused to oblige. For several days we rose each morning suffused in dread. Each time, he made his way weakly along and sat at our feet in the most pathetic manner.

As our worry grew, we decided to take him to the local SPCA (from whence Lily had come) for a prognosis. Dreading the worst, Brent could hardly believe his ears when Cindy checked him over and declared, "Nothing wrong with this kitten! He's just a runt." She offered instructions on making gruel for him and showed us how to use the pet nurser more effectively.

It was a turning point. He began to pick up right away, and now, as he nears eight weeks, the tiny creature is rounding out and making gains steadily. Still less than half the size of two of his siblings (as you can see in the photo) the spark is back in his eyes and he's even engaging in a little play.

You'd almost think this would be reason to keep him - maybe only him - but not the others. You'd be wrong. Believing we were losing Thragg showed us how precious each of these tiny creatures really are to us. We love each and every one of them.

And this is why they're staying.

That, and cat scratch fever.

Miss Lily Takes Over

2007-04-12T05:37:00.001-07:00

Well, it's official. The cat stays.

I guess I knew, probably from the first second I picked her up and she rubbed her face against my cheek, that this wasn't going to be a short-term "foster care" deal. She was already sizing me up, figuring out my weaknesses, measuring my resolve... No wonder her little cat smile was so serene.

The big question that still remains is: what about the kittens. Brent (who is entirely smitten with Miss Lily) made a crack last week about keeping all of them. At least, I think it was a crack. There was a kind of weak laugh that went along with it but now that I think back, he couldn't quite meet my eye.

The babies, by the way, are hidden away at the moment. When they were two days old, I discovered that one of them was missing from the box we'd lined with blankets for the newborns and Mom. Searching frantically, I was relieved to be guided by its pathetic mewing and finally found it in a large drawer in the centre of our couch.

I took the poor thing back to Lily and gave her a stern talking-to about keeping the babies together etc. Half an hour later, she'd transferred a second kitten there. Another rescue, another lecture.

Brent took time out from his amusement to suggest that she might know what she was about and maybe I should let her do as she liked. So, I lined the drawer with a soft towel and backed off.

In short order, she'd moved her little brood to the drawer, where they remain in spite of the fact that their incredibly rapid growth has resulted in rather cramped living quarters. We are now allowed to see them and even touch them, but I've learned to leave the living arrangements up to Lily, and have not attempted to move them again. We have, however, created no less than four alternate places for them, for when she decides it's time.

As cute as the kittens are, and as likely as it is that they won't all be leaving here for new homes, it's really Lily who's won our hearts. Both affectionate and peculiar, she fits right in.

One of the odd things about her! I first noticed that she was, uh, not exactly sure-footed, the first time she stumbled all over my desk. Further evidence that she lacks the usual grace and balance found in cats has presented itself to us on a daily basis. She trips and slips and has even bonked her head on furniture.

But her lack of agility is only the beginning. However, I shall save more for another day. Perhaps with a picture of her with her babies.

For now, I have to go. There's a cat on my keyboard.

The Arrival

2007-03-31T04:03:00.000-07:00

One week ago, on Saturday, March 24th, I received a call from our local SPCA -- just days after registering for their fostering program.

"Can you foster a pregnant cat? She's ready to give birth in the next few days."

I promised to drop down and meet the mom-to-be. The idea of frollicking kittens appeals to me. Still, I know that there's a high risk involved. What if one of the kittens is just too cute to give back? We're not ready for another cat -- not long term. In fact, we firmly decided, after the death of our much-loved Tom (full name Thomas Uriah Sherrard) nearly two years ago that we wouldn't have another pet.

At the shelter, I meet a very small and very young female. She's been brought in as a stray and it sickens me to think that someone decided the last stage of pregnancy was the time to send her wandering alone on the streets. When the cage door is opened she comes right to me and allows me to pick her up. (Her fur is incredibly soft -- reminiscent of Tom, who charmed the ladies with his velvety coat.) She rubs my face with hers and purrs.

Half an hour later we arrived home and, after hiding and being coaxed out a few times she seems to settle in okay. Since she's come sans-name, Brent calls her Lily, short for Tiger Lily, in honour of her beautiful tiger-like markings. (This may make you think she's orange, but she's actually dark with some brown and white.)

Lily proves to be quite friendly and spends a lot of time cuddling. In fact, the next day she's laying across me, purring while I stroke her when an odd movement in her midsection catches my attention. I watch, certain I must be mistaken, but sure enough it happens again. She's having contractions. On me.

"Do you know that you're in labour?" I ask her. "Wouldn't you prefer some privacy?"

Apparently not. An hour or so later I shift her into a cat bed, which Brent has placed beside me on the couch. Lily insists on leaning out of it and putting her head on my knee. It's not until the first kitten begins to emerge that she pulls away, giving my stroking hand a gentle bite for my trouble.

Two hours later there are four kittens, wet, scrawny and thoroughly pathetic looking. Brent and I assure Lily that they're absolutely beautiful. One is entirely black, one has its mother's colours and two are white with some dark blotches.

From zero to five in twenty-four hours!

I think to myself that it should be interesting.

Welcome Friends

2007-03-29T05:37:00.000-07:00

The wind is howling outside my window -- a south-east wind that's been blowing since yesterday. There's still plenty of snow on the ground, but it's the end of March -- and the promise of spring makes me indifferent to that. Besides, I like snow, although I admit in its current state it reminds me of a rose well past its bloom -- with brightness gone and shrivelling around the darkening edges.

I should be working on a story, or doing something constructive ... or, at the very least, performing some mundane task. (A relatively simple but accurate layout of my priorities!) Instead, I've decided to come here and make a little nest, a home for my thoughts, a place to record what matters. To me.

For today, this seems enough. A beginning - a toe dipped in the water. A journey with destinations unknown.

I'm very glad you've stopped by.

Valerie