Saturday, September 12, 2026

Congratulations to Jane, Denisha, Pierre, and Sandra!

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. 

Email me at: brianhenry@sympatico.ca



Hi, Brian: 

Summer greetings! Pleased to tell you that “Baby Love,” a story workshopped with you in Intensive Creating Writing has been published in The Ravens Perch. See here.  

And you can read story #2 published this week “Mother Love,” here.

All the best,

Jane

Jane Finlayson

For information on submitting to The Raven’s Perch (and a fewer other places), see here.

 

Hi, Brian.

I just wanted to reach out and say hello. I hope you’ve had a good summer despite the air quality.

I’m working on a teleplay right now with someone I met at the Pennwriters Conference last year, Diana Dru Botsford (https://dianabotsford.com/). It’s put my other writing projects on hold.

My poem, “Cowboy Sonnet,” was accepted for publication in The Saddlebag Dispatches so it hasn’t been a complete failure of a summer for poetry at least. My passion project is to write a chapbook of Cowgirl poems. I’ll let you know how that goes.

Hope to get back into your workshops one of these days!

All the best,

Denisha

denishanaidoo.com

See the submission guidelines for Saddlebag Dispatches here.

 

Hi, Brian.

Thank you, after many years I have now self-published a YA novel with Friesen Press.

For a long time, I kept this story inside me. I wasn’t sure the world was ready for it. Then I realized — maybe the world needs it right now.

Dad at 14 is my debut novel.

It tells the story of Edwin Barker-Ouellet — a 14-year-old boy who discovers he is a father.

No warning.

No preparation.

No manual.

Just a baby boy named Joshua — and a decision that changes everything.

When Joshua’s mother walks away, Edwin faces a choice most adults would struggle with.

He chooses to stay.

While balancing school, hockey, friendships, and fatherhood — Edwin discovers something most people spend a lifetime learning: Growing up isn’t about age. It’s about responsibility.

This book is for every parent who sacrificed everything quietly.

For every teenager who had to grow up too fast.

For every family that found strength they never knew they had.

I wrote this because I believe stories have the power to change how we see the world.

Dad at 14 is available now. Visit the official website here.

Kindest Regards,

Pierre Gagnon

 

Hello, Brian;

I am thrilled to announce that I’ve just published my new picture book, When the Moonbeam Comes to Call published through Friesen Press. During these troubled and anxiety-provoking times, this picture book is a lyrical swim through cousins connecting over summer in nature.  Exquisitely illustrated by Madison Appleby, this picture book is the perfect summer bedtime story or cottage hostess gift. 

Follow us on Instagram @When.The.Moonbeam

Thank you, Brian, for your courses and critique groups. Every book takes a community to bring it into the world. Quick Brown Fox has provided such a community for many of us. 

Write on;

Sandra Appleby

When the Moonbeam Comes to Call is Available from Chapters / Indigo here.


See where else your fellow writers are winning accolades or getting short pieces published here (and scroll down). And see more new books by your fellow authors here (and scroll down).

See all of Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, afternoon workshops, and wonderful writing retreats here.

Wednesday, August 26, 2026

Congratulations to Connie, Sue, Yvonne, Evelyn, and Nella!

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. 

Email me at: brianhenry@sympatico.ca



Hi, Brian.

Been a while since I wrote this during your writing classes in Burlington and Mississauga, but The Queen of Swords: A Tarot Card Murder Mystery is finally out. It’s available on Kobo, Kindle, Friesen Press publishing and on Amazon. Many thanks to you and the fellow writers I met along the way.and for your help in my first book published in 2021, Follow the Money, A Diana Darling Private Investigator Novel.

Kind Regards,

Connie Cook

Read more about The Queen of Swords here and Follow the Money here.

 

Hi, Brian.

Two publishers are interested in A is for Ancestor and CANSCAIP just longlisted Grandmother Moon.

Colour me happy – couldn't have done it without you.

😊🩷

Sue Kelly

 

Hi, Brian.

Views to Die For is longlisted for CANSCAIP. I like the competition – it keeps me writing. Now I better get this book done. I do have it sketched out. See you in the fall course for sure! 

Couldn’t do it without you and the class :-)

Yvonne Denomy

 

Congratulations also especially to Andrea Bishop, Kyla McGrath, Sally Wylie and to everyone else who made the longlist for CANSCAIP’s Writing for Children competition. Full list here.

 

Hi, Brian.

I'm pleased say I won 2nd prize at the writing contest hosted by the Friends of The Library here in Linsday for a short story that I submitted. There were 27 entries and this was my first entry into this contest.

I actually won last summer as well. The Town of Lindsay had a promo for the bus shelters called “Words While You Wait.” I was awarded a $200 honorarium for it. My words were paired with an artist who happens to be a writing friend but had no idea who the owner of the words was, so for me it was a double win.

Thanks Brian

Evelyn Anne Nielsen

 

Dear Brian,

I am writing to let you know that my collected translations of Carol Shields' poetry, La Poesia di Carol Shields, have been published by I Quaderni del Bardo Edizioni di Stefano Donno in Italy. I have just returned from Italy where the Italian launch was generously hosted by Carol Shield's daughter, Anne Giardini. What a wonderful way to release this unique collection! 

My hope is that this work will bring awareness of Carol Shields' unique poetic voice to readers who may know her only as an accomplished, award-winning novelist.  Before the novels, though, came the poems, her initial foray into the world of literature. 

This is a first bilingual collection, with facing English and Italian versions of the poems. It is now available from the publisher, IQdB Edizioni, or from Amazon. I attach the cover image and hope you will pass this information on to your wide circle of followers, including my past classmates from your wonderfully helpful workshop sessions. 

With my warm regards and thanks,

Nella 

Nella Cotrupi 

Writer, Scholar, Translator
Member, The Writers' Union of Canada
www.NellaCotrupi.com

La Poesia di Carol Shields is available here.

 

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

And see more new books by your fellow authors here (and scroll down).


See all of Brian’s upcoming weekly writing classes, afternoon workshops, and wonderful writing retreats here.

Friday, July 24, 2026

Congratulations to Chang, Susan, Catherine, and Dianne, plus Writer to Writer

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. 

Email me at: brianhenry@sympatico.ca 

 

Hello, Brian.I hope you're keeping well!

I'm so excited to share that my debut picture book, Greetings, Floof! won the 2026 Magnolia Book Award — the Children's Choice Award for the state of Mississippi! I’m so honoured that children in grades Pre-K – 2 chose the book as their favourite.  

You were instrumental in helping me to get published. Thank you so much for all your help and support over the years!

Warmly,
Chang
C.J. Hong
Children's Book Author
Greetings, Floof! (Kids Can Press, 2024)
cjhong.com

***

Note: If you’re interested in writing books for children or teens, don’t miss our Kid Lit workshop coming up Aug 23 with guest speaker, Patricia Ocampo, senior editor, at Scholastic Books. See here.

*** 

Hi, Brian.

I'm looking forward to the Oct 18 – 22 writing retreat at Sherwood and will start fasting now. 

I signed with Three Seas Literary in February and my agent is Kara G.   We are currently getting one of my interactive stories ready so she can start submitting. 

Also, within two weeks of this, inbetween books offered me a contract to publish my picture book A Monsters Guide to Children. (You helped me a lot with this).  Hoping for a release in late 2027.   I still don't think I've really even processed this yet but definitely want to thank you for all of your support and feedback to help A Monsters Guide to Children come to life.

Can't wait for the fall retreat.

Susan Wollison

For information about submitting to 3 Seas Literary Agency, see here. 

inbetween books is a new children’s publisher, and they’re looking for manuscripts. See more about them here and, for submitting, see here.

For information about our fall writing retreat (at Sherwood Inn on Lake Joseph in Muskoka), see here.

 

Hi, Brian.

I wanted to share that I submitted one of the short stories I wrote during one of your Creative Writing courses to All Your Stories and Poems, and it was published in their June 2026 issue of All Your Stories.  

It's a convoluted website (I think it is) but the webpage with my story in it is this edition here.

It's a simple story and one of my first ever efforts but pleased to see it in a collection with other authors!

All the Best,

Catherine de Korte

 

Hi, Brian.

I'm having a wonderful spring and summer for news. As always, thank you for cheering us on and sharing your knowledge and expertise. Here's my little update.

Two exciting writing gifts found me in the last couple of weeks while I have been recovering from surgery.

I received copies of the French version of My Amazing Race Car Brain. I am super proud of Mon incroyable cerveau -voiture de course. Thank you, DC Canada Education Publishing, for believing in this project and message.

My TV Pilot, Moosekeg County FM, was #44 in the Capital Fund Screenplay Competition Hot 100.

I don’t know much about this list, but it says, “This well-respected list is published and provided to film industry financiers around the world and includes the top 100 Scripts of the year.”

No one has called and waved wads of cash in my face for the script, but I did receive an email this morning informing me that I earned a ten-cent royalty from Draft to Digital for a collaborative novel, which brings my total to $1.67. Don’t worry, they already took off $0.26 for tax.🤣🤣

I'm looking forward to your fall classes.

Enjoy the rest of your summer!

Dianne Koebel-Pede

To see what kind of books a publisher publishes, always check out their recent catalogue(s). For DC Educational Publishing, see here. 

See their submission page here.

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

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

 

Writer to Writer

Hi, Brian.

It was nice to see you at the Muskoka Authors’ Association Publishing Summit (here)! At the time you asked what everyone was working on and I'll admit, I held back. Besides the Middle Grade Novel that I'm doing a final edit on, I had an inspired idea to create a journal in February and was able to bring my vision to life! I'm self-publishing and had the prototype completed in June.

A Creative's Journal is unique in that it provides a highlighted section at the bottom of each page to store inspired ideas until you're ready to work on them. I journal almost every day and often writing ideas come through and I would have to stop to look for my "ideas" notebook, or if I didn't, it was often hard to find those ideas later when I was ready to work on them. One of the key ideas that came through was to create such a journal.

 Here are some key highlights:

- Hard Cover, Black leatherette

- 365 lined pages and several blank pages for sketching

- Quotes about creativity included throughout.

It's now available for pre-order on my website: www.catherineleighmccallum.com

This is meant for all types of creatives – from writers to artists and other professionals.  I thank you in advance for sharing with your readership!

All the best,

Catherine McCallum

https://clmccallum.substack.com/