Writers retreat in Alberta

Taeko, a friend in Tokyo, asked by email: you haven't blogged for a long time. Have you been very busy?

Yes, Larry Loyie and I have been busy. And it's been fun.

We toured Alberta this winter (got caught in a snowstorm or two). Then we decided it was time for a change and so we departed from Vancouver (for the time being) and we're now living near High Prairie, Alberta.

We have a forest, a river and soon to be finished (we hope before snow flies), a little log house that will make the perfect writer's retreat.

Three new books are in progress.

"Rabbit Hill" -- the first of the Lawrence Trilogy, which includes When the Spirits Dance (Theytus Books) and As Long as the Rivers Flow (Groundwood Books). Larry is working backwards to complete the trilogy which began with As Long as the Rivers Flow.

A chapter book on his last few months in residential school and his adventures after leaving school at 14 to work on farms and in a logging camp. We are working on this one now thanks to a grant from the Canada Council. Thank you, Canada Council.

"Remember the Children" -- a history of residential schools in Canada for young readers. This book is dedicated to Gail Valaskakis, our mentor and friend at the Aboriginal Healing Foundation. We mourn and miss Gail who passed away recently.

PLUS we will be traveling this fall -- to be part of NWT Literacy Council week, and WordFest in Calgary. Both will be exciting trips (our second to NWT, this will include Yellowknife, Inuvik, and Aklavik). Also our second time to WordFest and Book Rapport events. Last time only one children's book, now we have three.

We'll stay in touch and blog more often...

Larry and Constance