Three new books!

Note: If you’ve had a story (or a book!) published, if you’ve won or placed in a writing contest, if you’ve gotten yourself an agent, or if you have any other news, send me an email so I can share your success. As writers, we’re all in this together, and your good news gives us all a boost. for a writers' group or beta readers; a notice in Quick Brown Fox, will help you find them. 

Email me at: brianhenry@sympatico.ca

 

Hello, Brian. 

One Autumn at Ril Lake is out, available on Amazon (here).  This is book 3 of the Muskoka Cottage series. 

In Gratitude,

D. M. Rutherford

aka Margery Reynolds

www.margeryreyonlds.ca

Please also check out my newsletter here.

One Autumn at Ril Lake

Julie Wight doesn’t like complicated. Her mid-forties, single life is a rhythmic flow of exercise, teaching at the village school, and relaxation in her all-seasoned home on the shores of the tranquil Ril Lake. The most complicated Julie’s life gets is deciding which kind of wine she’ll drink while watching the sun set over the lake.

But the village has a doctor and with no rental properties available in town the widower Dr. Michael Adams signs a one-year lease on Julie’s cottage next door. When he and his three daughters move in, suddenly, for Julie, uncomplicated isn’t possible anymore.

What does Joy know that her sisters don’t? Why is Faith having nightmares? Who is the woman Hope talks to over the fence at school? And why is Michael Adams reluctant to talk about his past?

Will Julie’s desire for a simple life drive her to unravel the mysteries behind Michael’s alluring smile or will she break their lease and send them packing, nightmares, secrets and all?

One Autumn at Ril Lake is available here, as are One Summer at Ril Lake and One Winter at Ril Lake.

Hello, Brian.

My second poetry collection came out in late November this year. Seasons is a collection of poetry about seasons in nature and seasons of our lives, plus memory and wonder, all brought together.

I write in a variety of genres and have found poetry to be a special outlet.

Cover art by Heike Elliott. Edited my Maxie Martin. Available on my website here, (along with my other books).

Carolyn Wilker

https://www.carolynwilker.ca/
http://poetpotter.blogspot.ca

 

Brian,

On behalf of your writing fans, thank you for mentioning Stalker, along with other new books in your list of many recent publications.

I am now pleased to announce my first novel, Searching for Maya, published November 2024.

Best,

Heather

www.heatherrath.net

P.S. Brian, you are responsible for this publication. Years ago, I asked you to critique my then-manuscript and I was so sensitive to your criticisms that I threw the novel in a corner. I'm sure you have no recollection! Years later, I lifted your comments from my deep dark hidden corner and with new eyes, I recognized your comments as true and honest. So I reworked the novel and this Maya book is the result.

So, Brian, I owe this one to you … thank you so much!

Searching for Maya by Heather Rath

A young girl is raped by her priest and gives birth to a daughter, Maya, whom she puts up for adoption to get a chance at a better life. But Maya's mother cannot heal the baby hole in her heart. When she finally escapes an abusive relationship after 20 years, she searches for Maya. Both mother and daughter, unknown to each other, find themselves in the Maya country of Mexico, and are followed by a stalker.

Searching for Maya is available here. Stalker is available here.

***

See all my upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and four-day  retreats here. ~Brian

See more books from your fellow authors here (and scroll down).

See where your fellow writers are getting short pieces published here (and scroll down).

Note:  You can get new postings on Quick Brown Fox delivered straight to your Inbox as I publish them. 
Subscribe to Quick Brown Fox on Substack here: https://brian999.substack.com/

“Escape to the Bookmobile” by Glenys Smith Elliott

As a child, I loved going to the bookmobile on Wednesday evenings and looked forward to it all week. The bookmobile provided an escape from the tense reality of my home to a make-believe world full of possibilities and alternate realities. Each new book gave my head an interesting place to return to over and over again.

Dinner was usually over by 6 pm, and at once, I started to plot my escape from arguing, taunting and drinking. Slowly, I removed myself from the other eyes at home, hoping to get away unnoticed. With any luck, the nightly fight over dinner would end with the meal as my parents served themselves another drink in the living room while my younger sister and brother screamed and chasing each other around.

If it had been a rare quiet dinner, a sliver of peace ushered me away.

I could barely keep still waiting for 6:45 when the bookmobile arrived. My family lived in the seventh house along Pharmacy Avenue, south of Shepherd. Gazing up the street from my parent's bedroom window, my heart raced, watching for the back of the bookmobile as it reversed up the paved space between Shoppers Drug Mart and Wishing Wells Woods.

Even on the coldest evenings, I watched the clock, eager to put on my coat, hat and boots and head out. Then with the door silently closed and my destination in clear view, I blasted up the street to the bookmobile.

There was always a lineup to get into the bookmobile, rain or shine or snow. Parents chatted, teenagers kept their heads bent toward each other, whispering, and children circled around, skipping and running. My first move always was to scan the area, hoping no school bullies were hanging around the area, ready to swear and name-call without provocation. Adult eyes did not see everything.

Three steps led up onto the bus with a handrail for balance. Only a few people could fit in the small space at one time. Once you reached the top step, a narrow hallway ran down the centre of the bus. Both sides were flanked floor to ceiling with bookshelves. The vast number of books the bookmobile could hold fascinated. Were there any books left at the library?

The first whiff of inked words on paper, magically held together between a front and back cover, soothed me. That smell trumped the scent of flora and fauna in the summer and the quiet peace of snowfall in winter. My shoulders relaxed, my gaze became less furtive, and my steps slowed.

I pretended to be interested in all the books while patiently waiting in the queue. Secretly, my heart was in the fiction section. I scoured the shelves, searching for anything about outer space; aliens, travel to the moon, and spaceships were the shiny objects in my sights.

But science fiction wasn’t all that interested me. Books that followed me into adulthood , that never parted from my shelves and that I eventually read to my children, included The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Charlotte’s Web, and Nancy Drew Mystery Books.

The bookmobile was always crowded; you felt the breath on your neck from the person behind you. You might even know what they had for dinner, especially cabbage rolls. In winter, bulky coats meant even fewer people fit inside. Salt accumulated on the rubber floor mat and was gritty underfoot. The librarian usually voiced a warning to be careful not to tramp on the person’s foot ahead of you in line.

Feeling self-conscious in front of all the people in the bookmobile and terrified of drawing attention to myself, my fingers fidgeted and my feet shuffled forward and back while waiting my turn. How quickly could I find my allotment of books and get out?

With last week’s choices clutched closely to my chest, I scoured the shelves in search of the perfect read. A rainbow of book spines, listing titles and authors, swirled before my eyes. The tingle in my stomach would begin as soon as I spotted a book that looked good.

Plucking it off the shelf. I flipped from the front to the back cover and quickly read the inside jacket to confirm my selection. Instantaneously, I knew if I was going to take the book home or return it to the shelf. When I reached to return a book, I felt the impatient eyes of all the people waiting behind me.

My best friend Alison and her family were always one of the first people in the lineup. She lived behind us on a side street, with their backyard adjacent to our side neighbour's backyard. They were a family of five, similar to mine, with two older girls and a younger boy.

Alison mirrored my eldest sibling's position in her family and was my direct opposite in appearance. She was tall and gangly with long, straight, blond, and highly sought-after hair. We became best friends when my young brother didn’t come home from school one evening. Knowing she had a similar-aged brother, I summoned up my courage and knocked on her door and asked if she had seen my brother.

Alison offered to help search, and we bonded, wandering around the neighbourhood for hours in the scary dark, searching for my brother long after he had been found.

When I visited Alison’s house, the living room always had at least three family members with their noses tucked tightly into a book. The room was set up with a terracotta-coloured couch, and across from it, on either side of the fireplace, were two matching wingback chairs that created enough seating for five people to read. Bright lamps sat beside each spot. Books littered the tables, turned upside down to preserve the current page.

Their television was nowhere to be seen. I later discovered it deep in the basement with the homemade wine, where it was rarely watched.

All the time spent reading books from the bookmobile served Alison well. Later in high school, she corrected the teacher’s comments on her essays, resulting in a silent agreement between the two in which she didn’t attend classes, submitted all assignments on time, and, in exchange, got an A+. All her visits to the bookmobile definitely paid off.

I did not meet the standards to arrange the same deal with my English teacher, but I was happy to receive Alison’s proofreading expertise.

Our interests eventually shifted from the bookmobile to sneaking Alison’s father’s revered red Fiat Spyder convertible from the driveway. Late in the evening, one of us got in the driver's seat, lifted the handbrake, and put the car in neutral. The other pushed, and slowly, we inched silently down the driveway. With jerks and grinding noises, we both learned how to drive the gear shift – and without getting caught.

With the fervour of teenage imaginations, we created our own fantastic stories about what her father had gotten up to in that Fiat – perhaps a good start toward a book I might myself write one day and find on the shelf of a bookmobile.

***

Glenys Smith Elliott is a retired mental health and addiction educator who now enjoys sharing her time with family and friends, is obsessed with fitness but never fit, and has a newly found curiosity about writing. She is inspired by how people endure hardship and make changes in their lives.

She has lived in Auckland, New Zealand, Vancouver, and Toronto while raising her family. She looks forward to extended travel to exotic places in retirement.

Her earliest memories of writing are poems about her own childhood emotions in early grade school, and she wishes she could find some of them now.

Through Genealogy, Glenys has explored her family’s rich history, reaching back to World War II and plans on writing a memoir to honour some of these brave stories.

See Brian Henry's upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend retreats here.

For more essays and other pieces about books or about reading, writing, and the writing life, see here (and scroll down).

You have until Feb 28 to submit your Kid Lit manuscripts to Groundwood Books and your adult manuscipts to House of Anansi

House of Anansi Press (for adults)

and Groundwood Books (for children)

128 Sterling Road
Lower Level
Toronto, Ontario

https://houseofanansi.com/

House of Anansi Press was founded in 1967 by writers Dennis Lee and David Godfrey to publish work by Canadian writers. The House got its start publishing authors such as Matt Cohen, Michael Ondaatje, Northrop Frye, Austin Clarke, Harold Sonny Ladoo, Daphne Marlatt, Roch Carrier, and Margaret Atwood (who also worked for the press as an editor).

Now under the ownership of Scott Griffin, House of Anansi Press aims to continue breaking new ground with award-winning and bestselling books that reflect the changing nature of the country and the world.

Anansi publishes about 35 books a year, including fiction, poetry, drama, French-Canadian writers in translation, lifestyle, and authors from around the world.  Anansi also publishes children’s literature under its Groundwood imprint….

Groundwood Books publishes literary picture books, fiction, poetry, nonfiction and graphic novels from Canada and around the world. The press is home to award-winning authors and illustrators, such as Deborah Ellis, Marie-Louise Gay, Sydney Smith and Jillian Tamaki, among many others. 

Groundwood is open for submissions August 1–September 30 and February 1–March 31.

In Picture Books, Groundwood seeks beautifully written manuscript, featuring distinctive stories and children in real-life situations.

Groundwood is always looking for new authors of book-length middle grade and young adult fiction. Their mandate is to publish high-quality, character-driven literary fiction with a strong narrative voice. They do not generally publish stories with an obvious moral or message, or genre fiction such as horror or high fantasy.

Groundwood is also looking for nonfiction for children of all ages, from informational picture books to issues-driven works for middle grade and young adult readers.

For middle-grade and YA nonfiction, they do not require a completed manuscript. Please submit a proposal that includes a compelling introduction to and argument for the book, followed by a chapter outline that conveys the proposed content of the work, plus one or two sample chapters that convey the proposed tone and approach. 

Please also include a bio and/or previous publishing credits that demonstrate credentials relevant to your book or give you authority on the proposed subject.

Groundwood is also looking for Canadian illustrators. 

Submit to Groundwood through their submissions  portal here.

But first, look over their detailed submission guidelines here.

---

Note: Patricia Ocampo, Senior Editor with Kids Can Press, will be a guest speaker for our “Writing for Children and for Young Adults” workshop on  Saturday, March 1, 2025. Details here.

Also, I'll be one of many speakers at the Prairie Horizons Conference for Kid Lit writers, May 16 – May 18, 2025, in Saskatoon. Details here.

Finally, I'll have a new weekly Kid Lit course starting this spring. Email me, if you want to get to the front of the line for joining the class: brianhenry@sympatico.ca ~Brian

---

House of Anansi Press is open for direct submissions from authors {as opposed to agented authors} only in August and February. In all areas, they’re open to submissions from new authors, as well as established authors.

In fiction, they seek literary, upmarket, and genre novels, plus short story collections.

In nonfiction, they look for creative nonfiction, essay collections, “book-length deep dives,” and life-style oriented projects. Currently they’re not looking for personal memoirs or autobiographies.

In poetry, they’re pursuing “experimentations with lyric traditions.”

Like everyone else, they especially welcome “work by writers from historically underrepresented communities, including—but not limited to—those who are Black, Indigenous, people of colour, disabled, neurodivergent, and LGBTQIA+.”

Anansi is also particularly interested in authors debuting later in life or without an MFA.

Full guidelines here.

Note: If you’re interested in meeting an agent and in getting published, don’t miss our upcoming “How to Get Published” workshop. Details here.

See all of Brian Henry's upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and four-day retreats here.

Navigation tips: Always check out the Labels underneath a post; they’ll lead you to various distinct collections of postings. For more children’s and young adult publishers, see here {and scroll down}. For book publishers in general, see here {and scroll down}.

You have until Feb 28 to submit to Orca Books: board books to middle grade, fiction and nonfiction, plus books for reluctant readers

Orca Books

1016 Balmoral Road
Victoria, BC

https://www.orcabook.com/

You can now get new postings on Quick Brown Fox delivered straight to your Inbox as I publish them. Subscribe to the new Quick Brown Fox page on Substack here:  https://brian999.substack.com/ ~Brian

Founded in 1984, Orca Book Publishers is an independently owned Canadian children’s book publisher. With over 1,000 titles in print and more than 80 new titles a year, Orca prides itself on publishing Canadian authors (only) and bringing them to a wider market.

Orca accepts submissions in February and August. Look for announcements on their social media: OrcaBook Publishers on Facebook or @orcabook on Twitter, and doubtless they’re on other platforms, too. To submit to Orca, create an account on CanSubmit.

In February and August (only), Orca will be looking for manuscripts in the following genres:

Board Books

Manuscripts should have minimal text and be aimed at ages 0–24 months.

No art should be included with board book submissions unless you are a professional illustrator. Original art should never be included.

Please send submissions to the attention of Sarah Howden and Vanessa McCumber.

***

Note: Patricia Ocampo, Senior Editor with Kids Can Press, will be a guest speaker for our “Writing for Children and for Young Adults” workshop on  Saturday, March 1, 2025. Details here.

Also, I'll be one of many speakers at the Prairie Horizons Conference for Kid Lit writers, May 16 – May 18, 2025, in Saskatoon. Details here.

Finally, I'll have a new weekly Kid Lit course starting this spring. Email me, if you want to get to the front of the line for joining the class: brianhenry@sympatico.ca 

***

Picture Books

Good stories, well told. Any lesson or moral should be secondary to credible characters, an engaging plot and strong writing. The point of view should invite the child reader into the story.

Even if you have written a series, please send only one submission. We rarely publish sequels to our picture books, and then only if the first book has been very successful.

Picture book manuscripts should typically be 1,500 words or less.

No art should be included with picture book submissions unless you are a professional illustrator. Original art should never be included.

Complete manuscripts (no queries, please) should be sent to the attention of Sarah Howden  and Vanessa McCumber.

Orca Echoes

Early chapter books aimed at ages six to eight

Contemporary stories or fantasy with a universal theme, a compelling, unified plot and a strong, sympathetic child protagonist who grows through the course of the story and solves the central problem him/herself

Currently seeking stories where humour, imagination and play are at the forefront. Any lesson or moral should be well-disguised, and secondary to an engaging plot, strong characters, and child-appeal. 

6,000 to 8,000 words (max.)

Submissions should be sent in their entirety to the attention of Sarah Howden.

Middle Grade fiction

Contemporary stories with a universal theme, a compelling, unified plot and a strong, sympathetic child protagonist who grows through the course of the story and solves the central problem themselves

35,000 to 50,000 words

Target audience: readers for this genre can range anywhere from 8 to 12 years old. Please be clear about the target age group for your work in your cover letter.

A cover letter and the complete manuscript should be sent to the attention of Sarah Howden.

Orca Currents

High-interest novels aimed at reluctant readers ages 9-12, with a reading level of grades 1.0-4.5

Protagonists are between 12 and 14 years old and should be appealing and believable.

These stories should have middle-school-appropriate story lines (family issues, humor, sports, adventure, mystery/suspense, sci-fi/fantasy, etc.).

14,000 to 16,000 words, 12 to 16 chapters.

Submit a cover letter, a short (100–200 words) synopsis, and a chapter-by-chapter outline, and a sample chapter to the attention of Gabrielle Prendergast.

Orca Soundings

High-interest novels aimed at reluctant readers aged 12 and up, with a reading level of grade 2.0-4.5, preferably closer to 3.0

Protagonists are between 14 and 17 years old and should be appealing and believable.

These stories should reflect the universal struggles that young people face. They need not be limited to "gritty" urban tales. Can include adventures, mystery/suspense, performing arts, romance, sport, and sci-fi/fantasy

14,000 to 16,000 words, 12 to 16 chapters

Submit a cover letter, a short (100–200 words) synopsis, a chapter-by-chapter outline, and a sample chapter to the attention of Gabrielle Prendergast..

Orca Anchor: High-interest novels for reluctant teen readers ages 12 and up, with a reading level below grade 2.0, preferably closer to 1.0

Protagonists are between 14 and 17 years old and should be appealing and believable.

These stories should reflect the universal struggles that young people face. They need not be limited to "gritty" urban tales. Can include adventures, mystery/suspense, performing arts, romance, sport, and fsci-fi/antasy

6,000 to 8,000 words, 8 to 10 chapters

Submit a cover letter, a short (100–200 words) synopsis, a chapter-by-chapter outline, and a sample chapter to the attention of Gabrielle Prendergast.

Graphic Novels

Orca is looking for stories for all ages that can be told in graphic novel format, but no manga or anime.

Submissions should include a cover letter, synopsis and full text of the story. The more complete the submission, the better. If you are working with an illustrator, please include samples of their work and any finished art (copies only).

Orca Footprints

Nonfiction books about the complex environmental issues that kids face every day. 

Each 48-page book aims to inspire kids to take action.

Geared to readers ages 9 to 12 who are asking questions about the state of the natural world. 

Please submit query only to Kristie Hudson.

Orca Think

Nonfiction books that introduce readers to the issues making headlines today

Well-researched topics by authors with a connection to the subject matter

Please submit query only to Kristie Hudson.

Orca Timeline

Nonfiction books that explore how big ides have shaped humanity in the past, present, and into the future.

Well-researched topics by authors with a connection to the subject matter

Material should be appropriated for middle-grade readers, ages 9 to 12

Please submit query only to Kristie Hudson.

Navigation tip: For more children’s and young adult publishers, see here {and scroll down}. For book publishers in general, see here {and scroll down}.

Orca Wild

Nonfiction books that challenge us to think about our relationships, both good and bad, with vulnerable species and habitats.

Well-researched topics by authors with a connection to the subject matter

Material should be appropriate for middle grade readers, ages 9 to 12

Please submit query only to Kristie Hudson.

Other Nonfiction

Orca is looking for unique projects that will have broad appeal to young North American readers. These could be nonfiction picture books for elementary readers (ages 4 to 8) or books for middle grade readers (ages 9 to 12) outside the scope of the series above. Material should be age appropriate.

Please submit a query only to Kristie Hudson.

To submit to Orca, create an account on CanSubmit.

See full submission guidelines here. See guidelines for illustrators here. 

***

See all of Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, one-day workshops, and weekend writing retreats here.