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16 Ontario School Library Association audiences required so much travel and research. The themes were broader and heavier - I needed more time and thought over many years to bring the narratives to fruition. A Winter's Tale was the novel that brought your first Forest of Reading White Pine Award nomination. What did that mean to you as a Canadian author? The forest of reading nominations have changed my life as a Canadian author - they put me on the literary map, so to speak. I am forever grateful for being read and recognized. A Winter's Tale will always hold a special place in my heart (as indeed the entire Ingamald series does). I often stop and think of the amazing librarians who've shaped my career. I doff my cap to them! You have worked collaboratively on multiple projects, in particular, Jamie's Got A Gun and In the Graveyard. What is rewarding about these projects? ooh! Pictures are such delight! working collaboratively with Spyder yardley-Jones was so rewarding. how often does a writer get to see her words become images? It's very rare! every time Spyder brought over a new collection of drawings was like opening a gift! and he is a gift. what an illustrator! I wish more people knew his work. How do you decide what stories need to be told and/or what your next project will be? Many of my stories for young adults come from what I've witnessed as a teacher over the years. young people have so many struggles. That they make it to adulthood is sometimes heroic. growing up takes courage. I like to write about that courage and about misfits. I guess, in essence, all of my novels are about outliers. My next ya project will focus on a famous group of Canadian women's basketball players, but it will also look at discrimination against yet another alienated youth. Any final words? Advice? Shout out? here's a shout out to all the fine and fabulous english language arts teachers and teacher- librarians everywhere in this country! The world needs more of you! z …continued from page 15 Connect with Gail Sidonie Sobat gailsidoniesobat.com sobina@telusplanet.net Visit her at gailsidoniesobat.com/blog Gail visits schools and libraries: authorsbooking.com/ wp/gail-sobat/ Her latest work is the award-winning graphic novel, Jamie's Got a Gun, illustrated by Spyder Yardley Jones.