So you think you can write?

This week marks the beginning of Orca’s novel contest. New and established Canadian authors are invited to submit contemporary, realistic teen fiction. Entries should be between 30,000 and 60,000 words, not published elsewhere and not previously submitted to Orca. Only one entry will be accepted per writer, so send us your best, and don’t forget to check out the complete list of eligibility requirements and rules on our contest page.

The winner of the contest will receive $5000, a publishing contract with Orca, and a trip to BookExpo Canada in Toronto, June 2008.

The deadline is October 31st, 2007—so get writing!

YALSA Quick Picks

Nightwalker - The Warlocks of Talverdin, a recent teen novel by KV Johansen, has been nominated for the 2008 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers list. The list, sponsored by YALSA and the American Library Association, selects the best books to appeal to those who are reluctant readers. The final list will be voted on at ALA MidWinter in Philadelphia.

KV Johansen is also the author of The Cassandra Virus.

OLA Forest of Reading Awards

The Ontario Library Association this week announced the winners in all sections of their “forest of reading” children’s choice awards. Any Pet Will Do, by Nancy Shouse was the winner of the Silver Birch Express category. Two Orca titles - Peggy’s Letters by Jacqueline Halsey and Casey Little, Yo-Yo Queen by Nancy Belgue, were named Honour Books.In the White Pine category for older teen readers, Holly Bennett’s The Bonemender was named an Honour Book.

• Any Pet Will Do, 9781551433547
• Peggy’s Letters, 9781551433639
• Casey Little, Yo-Yo Queen, 9781551433578    
• The Bonemender, 9781551433363

Arthur Ellis Awards

The nominations for the 2007 Arthur Ellis Awards were announced this week. Tell, an Orca Soundings novel by Norah McClintock was nominated in the “Best Juvenile Crime Book ” category. This year marks the 24th anniversary of the prestigious awards, named after the nom de travail of Canada’a official hangman.

The winners will be announced at the Arthur Ellis Awards dinner on Thursday, June 7, at Mysteriously Yours…Dinner Theatre in Toronto. Please visit www.crimewriterscanada.com for more details.

Tell is also a YALSA/ALA Quick Pick. Norah is the author of Snitch, Bang and the upcoming Down. CM Magazine said of Tell: “Fast-paced and edgy…Tell will satisfy any reader eager to solve a case…A clever, modern who-done-it. Highly Recommended”