Hosting a Teddy Bear Picnic, by J.C. Kavanagh

The Twisted Climb - Darkness Descends
Short-listed for Best Young Adult Book 2018 at The Word Guild, Canada 

I've never been to a Teddy Bear picnic. In fact, I didn't know there was such a thing. But when imagination is rampant and your two granddaughters are visiting from Ottawa for a week - well then, everything and anything that is entertaining comes into play.

The imagination of a child is beautiful to behold. Unfettered, it is limitless. Witnessing the unfolding of ideas gives me great joy and is a powerful reminder to tap my own imagination when it comes to writing. The adventures that take place in the playground of your mind can be shifted to real life. Ask any child and they will show you how it's done.

So our Teddy Bear picnic adventure began with a dress code: stripes. Paddy, the name of our big teddy, was too big to carry so we carted him around in a stroller. He was dressed in a striped shirt too. A light lunch was prepared (PB&J wraps, granola bars, grapes) and we headed outside and took a walk through the trails on our property. We had to stop regularly to give the bears a 'drink' of water. Of course, the girls had to have a drink too. We pretended the bears could talk and we held silly conversations with them. I stepped back in time and became a silly kid too.

Their visit became a refresher course for me in the art of creative thinking.

Sometimes we have to pretend our minds have no boundaries.

Because imagination is not just for kids.

J.C. Kavanagh

The Twisted Climb - Darkness Descends (Book 2)
voted BEST Young Adult Book 2018, Critters Readers Poll and Best YA Book FINALIST at The Word Guild, Canada
AND
The Twisted Climb,
voted BEST Young Adult Book 2016, P&E Readers Poll

Novels for teens, young adults and adults young at heart

Email: author.j.c.kavanagh@gmail.com

www.facebook.com/J.C.Kavanagh

www.amazon.com/author/jckavanagh

Twitter @JCKavanagh1 (Author J.C. Kavanagh)

A night to remember, by J.C. Kavanagh

The Twisted Climb - Darkness Descends 

Short-listed for Best Young Adult Book 2018, 

The Word Guild

I was recently honoured to have a book review of The Twisted Climb - Darkness Descends included in the 25th anniversary booklet for the South Simcoe Arts Council - a southern Ontario organization dedicated to promoting local writers, artists and artisans. Here is the review: 

J.C. Kavanagh, award-winning author of The Twisted Climb books


“Word-movie.” That’s what a good book should create in the mind of the reader says local author J.C. Kavanagh. “A truly good book,” she says, “will draw the reader into the playground-mind of the writer so that they both ‘see’ the same word-movie.” 


It is this concept that Kavanagh continues in Darkness Descends, the second book in her Twisted Climb series (both published by Canadian company BWL Publishing). The books follow the journey of Jayden, Connor and Max as they side-step in and out of an ominous dream world where the diabolical Richard Hatemore dwells. It’s the dreaded place where the only way to ‘fall’ asleep is to ‘climb.’ Their fantastical adventures unite them as a team and ultimately bring them together to confront their greatest fears. The stark and often terrifying descriptions of the dream world, combined with the unique personalities of the main characters, bring vividness to the book that will delight readers both young and old. As one reviewer wrote: “J.C. Kavanagh does a superb job of creating a vast and puzzling dream world... unfolding the characters and bringing this story to life. I would love to see Darkness Descends grace the silver screen, or possible cable series.” Another reviewer wrote: “The clever plot twists make Darkness Descends an absolute page-turner.”


Both books have earned Kavanagh the Best Young Adult book award; in 2016 for The Twisted Climb, and again in 2018 for Darkness Descends. They are available at the South Simcoe Arts Council store on Victoria Street, at Chapters stores across Canada, and online wherever digital books are sold.

www.amazon.com/author/jckavanagh

http://www.bookswelove.net/authors/kavanagh-j-c-ya-urban-fantasy/

A night to remember

Last month, The Twisted Climb - Darkness Descends, was short-listed by Canada's The Word Guild, in the Young Adult - General market category. The Word Guild is an organization of Canadian writers, speakers, publishers, booksellers, librarians and other write-minded individuals who are Christian. Darkness Descends does not point to a specific religion, thus, the 'General market' category. The book, however, explores the empowerment of love and unity in a broad format. The characters ultimately recognize that 'good' overpowers all.  

The Word Guild hosts an annual writers' conference and black-tie Awards Gala in Hamilton, Ontario. There were 31 award categories, ranging from inspirational column, poetry and song, to academic, book cover and best manuscript. More than 100 finalists made the short-list, as determined by a panel of six judges. The Awards Gala took place on June 14 and I was privileged to be there with my partner, Ian. We dressed up! For those who regularly read my blog, you'll know that when it comes to attire, I'm closer to nature than high heels. But we cleaned up pretty good, I'd say. I didn't win the award but I was inspired and honoured to rub shoulders with this elite group of writers.

Me and my 

handsome partner, Ian

Spring season is underway here in Canada. Well, maybe. The water in Georgian Bay is 4 degrees Celsius. That's 39.2 Fahrenheit. That is daaaarn cold. Nonetheless, I was swimming in Beausoleil Bay on June 9 and in the water for a full five seconds. Five seconds longer than necessary. Yes, there may have been some wine involved. The water is normally about 10 degrees Celsius at this time of year but this does not appear to be a 'normal' spring. Still beautiful, though!

Take a few moments today to enjoy nature.

J.C. Kavanagh

The Twisted Climb - Darkness Descends (Book 2)

voted BEST Young Adult Book 2018, Critters Readers Poll

AND short-listed for Best Young Adult Book 2018, The Word Guild, General Market Category

AND

The Twisted Climb,

voted BEST Young Adult Book 2016, P&E Readers Poll

Novels for teens, young adults and adults young at heart

Email: author.j.c.kavanagh@gmail.com

www.facebook.com/J.C.Kavanagh

www.amazon.com/author/jckavanagh

Twitter @JCKavanagh1 (Author J.C. Kavanagh)

When a rope is not a rope, by J.C. Kavanagh

The Twisted Climb - Darkness Descends, 

Short-listed for Best Young Adult Book, The Word Guild

It's that time of year again when we haul off the canvas tarps, fire up the buffer, and prepare our sailboat, Escape Route II, for the sailing season. I do so love prepping, but it always involves the purchase of: 
Compound ($50)
Wax ($60)
Cleaning solutions ($50)
VC17 keel paint ($100 per can and we need two cans)
Varathane ($50)
Cetol ($50)
And the list goes on.....
Everyone knows what the acronym for BOAT is, right? 
It's Bring Out Another Thousand.
Yes, sailing and owning a boat is an expensive undertaking. The price for material used for 'marine' purpose is at least quadruple what you'd pay for another purpose. Example: the cost of a marine water pump is $800. The cost for the same item, used in a motor vehicle, is $100.
However, the pure joy of harnessing the wind to bring you from Point A to Point B, is - priceless. 
And anchoring? Pure bliss.
But back to spring fitting. 
Our spring fitting (the terms used for prepping the boat for the sailing season), usually involves four or five weekends of hard, physical work. First, we remove the canvas tarps and dismantle the winter structure. This takes one full weekend.

Then we spend two more weekends cleaning the interior of the boat (the interior is referred to as 'down below'), applying compound to the hull, waxing the hull, buffing the hull, washing the decks. I also bring back all my reading materials, cushions, spices for the 'galley' (kitchen), materials for the 'head' (bathroom), sunscreen and insect repellents. (All liquids are removed for the winter and returned in the spring.)

'Down below'

Then another weekend is dedicated to hooking up batteries, changing oil and water filters, testing the engine, and painting the bottom. The mast also needs to be cleaned and the rigging inspected (that's the steel cables, chains and turnbuckles that connect the mast to the body of the boat, as well as the spreaders, shrouds and halyards).

FACT: The ropes from the foresail, aka Genoa, aka Genny, are called 'sheets.'
FACT: Ropes are not referred to as ropes on a sailboat. They are 'lines,' 'sheets' or 'halyards.'
FACT: 'Halyards' are the ropes from the top of the mast leading to the foresail and the mainsail.

When everything has been inspected, cleaned and waxed, then it's time to paint the bottom of the boat and the keel. The keel on our 36' Catalina sailboat is made of lead and weighs approximately 6,600 lbs. The boat when empty, weighs over 14,000 lbs. My partner likes to joke and say when I provision the boat, it weighs 20,000 pounds. NOT TRUE, but funny. Provisioning means I've provided food, water and important materials to survive on the sailboat.

FACT: The lighter the boat, the faster it sails. 

Finally, it's time to launch the boat. A large and powerful wheeled transport 'lifts' the boat from its cradle (the metal structure that holds the boat while it's out of the water. A sailboat sitting on the cradle is referred to as being 'on the hard.')

FACT: the main part of the boat consists of the dining area which is 'down below.' This is referred to as the 'main salon.'

FACT: Bedrooms are called 'staterooms.' Our boat has two staterooms: the v-berth in the forward section of the boat (which is called the 'bow'), and the aft cabin, which is in the stern or 'aft' section of the boat.
FACT: the left side of the boat is called 'port.' The right side of the boat is called 'starboard.'

Last, we use the mast crane to lift and position the 54' mast into place. The shrouds and turnbuckles are attached to the decks; the forestay is locked into place along with the backstay. These 'stays' hold and prevent the mast from falling forward/back. The shrouds maintain the mast's centre position. Then the sails are hoisted into place.

There's one last check to ensure the rigging is not too tight and not too loose.

Then.... the sailing season begins!

Some exciting news to share.... The Twisted Climb - Darkness Descends has been short-listed by The Word Guild in the Young Adult Book, General market category. The winner will be announced at their awards/gala event in June. I'll keep you posted!

Take a few moments today to enjoy nature.

J.C. Kavanagh

The Twisted Climb - Darkness Descends (Book 2)

voted BEST Young Adult Book 2018, Critters Readers Poll

AND

The Twisted Climb,

voted BEST Young Adult Book 2016, P&E Readers Poll

Novels for teens, young adults and adults young at heart

Email: author.j.c.kavanagh@gmail.com

www.facebook.com/J.C.Kavanagh

www.amazon.com/author/jckavanagh

Twitter @JCKavanagh1 (Author J.C. Kavanagh)