Wildlife Rescue Series!

Williams Lake Young Authors’ Conference

Filed under: Uncategorized, Author Events, Conferences — Diane at 1:46 pm on Thursday, April 30, 2009

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Happy Earth Day!

Filed under: Uncategorized, Author Events, School Visits — Diane at 10:00 am on Wednesday, April 22, 2009

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Diane Haynes Presents on GAIA WILD

Filed under: Uncategorized, Author Events, Conferences, School Visits, 3 All About Gaia Wild — Diane at 6:28 pm on Monday, April 20, 2009

April 22nd — EARTH DAY

York House School

Vancouver, BC

April 27

Williams Lake Young Authors’ Conference

Williams Lake, BC

May 27

Word Warriors — Christianne’s Lyceum of Art & Literature

Vancouver, BC

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Gaia: What’s in a name?

Filed under: Uncategorized, Author Events, School Visits, Educators, 3 All About Gaia Wild — Diane at 11:16 am on Tuesday, April 14, 2009

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Diane Haynes “Travels” to Toronto with Gaia Wild, Thanks To Madame Bentivoglio!

Filed under: Uncategorized, Author Events, School Visits, Interviews, Educators, 3 All About Gaia Wild — Diane at 11:27 am on Friday, March 27, 2009

Di at Wildlife Rescue Association

Originally uploaded by Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series

HELLO TO MADAME BENTIVOGLIO’S CLASS FROM DIANE HAYNES!!!

Hi everybody! How are you doing? Thank you so much for inviting me to ‘visit’ your class to talk a little about my latest book, Gaia Wild! I’ve been visiting Madame Bentivoglio’s classes since 2005, when we first met at Earth Rangers, and we always have a great time. I’m really thankful for all the support she’s shown me as a new author on the Canadian publishing scene, and her students have always been among the most thoughtful I’ve encountered as I travel around the country.

It was in the fall of 2003 that I first pitched the idea of doing a book about an elephant to my publisher-to-be, Whitecap Books Ltd. I was actually pitching a series, and their editors wanted to see synopses for three books, and the first chapter of the first book. Because I was planning to base the series on my own volunteer work with the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC, I didn’t have much trouble choosing subjects for the first two books: I would write about an oil spill, because that’s how I first became involved with wildlife rescue and rehabilitation; and I would write about crows, because the media had gone crazy the year before when our little rescue centre chose to euthanize crows rather than put its staff and volunteers at risk of West Nile Virus. The third book idea was proving to be more of a challenge, though, because I couldn’t get an elephant out of my mind … and we sure as heck had never had an elephant at the rescue centre!

In the summer of 2003, Tina the elephant made the front page of the paper and the six o’clock news every night for over a month. At 34 years old, she had been held in captivity the whole of her life, and had spent most of that time alone, in a small, barren enclosure devoid of the companionship of others of her kind. By this time, she was overweight and sick, her feet were badly infected from the pressure of standing on concrete day after day, she was refusing to lie down, even to sleep, and she bobbed her head back and forth uselessly, for hours on end, in a behaviour called a “stereotypie” that is typical of caged wild animals who have become despondent and depressed.

Worst of all … I knew her. When I was six and my little sister was four, my mom and dad took us to what was then called The Vancouver Game Farm to see the animals, and one of the main attractions was a baby elephant the owner had bought from the United States to give rides to little kids. My sister and I lined up with the others and waited our turn to climb the crude wooden stairs up to the platform that was the same height as baby Tina’s back. From there, we climbed onto the colourful woven rug that covered her back, and then her keeper led her around a dusty dirt yard. The ride couldn’t have lasted more than a few minutes, but I can still remember the smells — the wild, musky smell of this wild animal, the dirt and leaves in the summer sunshine, the fresh, wet-hay smell of her poop! — and the thick, bristly, wrinkly feel of Tina’s skin. I absolutely loved her. I begged my parents to take us back to the Game Farm every chance I could, and in fact we went for two more summers, while Tina was still giving rides. When she got too big, we stopped going, and other than the times I looked at the photographs in our family album, I’m ashamed to say I forgot all about her.

But then, in 2003, there she was again, in the news every day. The reason? Her current owners — the managers of the Greater Vancouver Zoo, as it is now called — had decided she was no longer of any use to them, and wanted to sell her to a circus in Ontario. It was soon discovered, though, that the circus owner was known for beating his animals, including his elephants. In fact, he said so himself to a reporter. This fact made the news in Vancouver, and soon everyone in the city who had ever known, visited or loved that baby elephant — children like me who were all grown up by this time — was in an uproar about Tina!

Okay … want to know more?? Well, how about I blog some more for you next week. Meanwhile, I’d love to hear your comments and questions (you can post them directly to this blog), and I’d also love to know what section you’re on in Gaia Wild and what you think of the book! Can’t wait to hear from you! Talk to you again soon.

Diane

p.s. Think this can’t happen today? Do some detective work and see what you can find out about Lucy at the Edmonton Zoo …

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Publicizing Your Book

Filed under: Uncategorized, Author Events, Media, State[ment] of Mind — Diane at 9:33 am on Saturday, September 20, 2008

Authors Pam Withers and James McCann, both of the Children’s Writers and Illustrators of BC (CWILL), weighed in thoughtfully on the subject of self-promotion for authors this morning. I’d like to share their ideas with you (N.B. James was a bookseller with Vancouer Kidsbooks for many years):

From Pam Withers:

Recent discussions around facebook, myspace, blogs, etc. have inspired me to
share this great quote with those who write fiction. Publicity is good, but in
the end, we should put most of our effort into our writing.

from Writing the Breakout Novel by Donald Maas (Writer’s Digest Books):

“Two thirds of all fiction purchases are made because the consumer is already
familiar with the author… The next biggest reason folks buy fiction is that it
has been personally recommended to them by a friend, family member or bookstore
employee… Reviews? Few see them. Awards and nominations? Most folks are
oblivious to them. Covers?.. only wrapping. In reality, there is one reason, and
one reason only, that readers get excited about a novel: great storytelling.”

Pam Withers

From James McCann in response:

That’s a great quote Pam, though I would disagree about the covers just
being wrapping. You’re more likely to sell your book to a first-time
reader due to a great cover than you are because of great writing. After
all, how can a first-time reader unfamiliar with your work know your
writing is any good? They can’t. Yet it takes only seconds to decide the
fate of a book based solely on the artwork presented.

We have a saying in the bookstore industry: “While you can’t judge a
book by its cover, you can certainly sell one.”

As for what I think the spirit of the quote said, I agree with it 100%.
(That time is best spent foremost writing, and secondly promoting.) I
was given the same advice from Kristine Kathryn Rusch and Dean Wesley
Smith at the Surrey Writers Conference a few years back. In fact, they
went as far as to say the author should spend zero time in publicity, as
they feel what sells your first book most will be your second book.

James

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Canadian Book Camp … Six More Sleeps!

Filed under: Uncategorized, Author Events, Conferences — Diane at 7:27 pm on Tuesday, August 5, 2008

I won the lottery … I’m a workshop leader at this year’s Canadian Book Camp at the Vancouver Public Library! Running from August 11 through August 15, all day every day, young aspiring writers and avid readers will gather ‘below the books’ to hear authors speak, to participate in interactive workshops, and, of course, to write. By the end of the week, campers will have completed at least one piece that will be published in the camp’s annual anthology.

My workshop is entitled INSPIRATION STUDIO: Tap into your own powerhouse of inspiration! It runs every afternoon in the Alice MacKay room from 1pm-2:45pm. Participants will be amazed to discover what they can use as sources of inspiration for some of their best writing ever!

Watch here for more information leading up to the start of the Canadian Book Camp 2008. See you there!

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If I Was A Professional Skateboarder — by Keaton

Filed under: Uncategorized, Author Events, Conferences, Educators — Diane at 9:22 am on Monday, June 30, 2008

When I got back from presenting at the Williams Lake Young Writers’ Conference in May, I promised to post writing produced by the students in my workshops. I received three submissions. Here is the third, a story by Keaton, written in my “Animal Writes!” workshop (scroll down for more student writing!):

If I Was A Professional Skateboarder

If I was a professional skateboarder I would be famous and rich. I would own my own skateboard park and could land any trick I wanted to on my skateboard.

I would have sponsors because I am so good and get free stuff from my sponsors. I would be rich and could get anything I wanted. I would win every competition I would be in and become a better skateboarder than Tony Hawk.

I could travel to every place and continent I wanted to and get V.I.P. passes into any concert. I’d be friends with every famous person.

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Apple Pie — by Mason

Filed under: Author Events — Diane at 9:56 am on Saturday, May 31, 2008

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The Dream Machine — by Austin

Filed under: Uncategorized, Author Events, Conferences, Educators — Diane at 12:01 pm on Sunday, May 18, 2008

When I got back from presenting at the Williams Lake Young Writers’ Conference, I promised to post writing produced by the students in my workshops. So far I have received three submissions. Here is the first, a “news column” by Austin, written in my “Animal Writes!” workshop (stay tuned here for more student writing!):

The Dream Machine

There was a man who got the Dream Machine. So far we don’t have his name, where he lives or anything about him. If you see him around, catch him and bring him to Creatures.Inc.

The Dream Machine copies anything you want and you can get a complete replica of it. It doesn’t matter whose it is. He will copy it and get his own. It is not good if only one person has it. Everyone should have it.

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Williams Lake Young Authors’ Conference

Happy Earth Day!

Diane Haynes Presents on GAIA WILD

Gaia: What’s in a name?

Diane Haynes “Travels” to Toronto with Gaia Wild, Thanks To Madame Bentivoglio!

Publicizing Your Book

Canadian Book Camp … Six More Sleeps!

If I Was A Professional Skateboarder — by Keaton

Apple Pie — by Mason

The Dream Machine — by Austin

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