CWILL BC

A very fuzzy torbie kitty, with her tongue stuck out and her feather-toe paws toward the camera, sits in a cardboard box that says "First Stop" on top of a desk, with a window in the background.

A photograph, in burnt-orange colour tones, of a maple leaf with a heart-shaped hole forms the background of a square image. 19 book covers are arranged in a pyramid shape down the right-hand side and across the bottom. To the left, white text in an arc says "Hidden Gems!" Below that more white text reads: "19 books by Canadian authors you may never have heard of (but will totally wonder how your bookshelves lived without!)" At the top of the pyramid of covers, to the right, it provides the date of the promo: March 1st to 15th, only on Itchi.io. The books involved are as follows, from the top of the pyramid and then down, from left to right: The Lion The Erstwhile Tyler Kyle The Dragon Next Door River of Crows Hope is the Thing with Feathers The Clockwork Empire Flesh and Bone Goblin Girl Moonshadow's Guardian Your Blood and Bones Winner Takes All The Flaws of Gravity Scrap Metal Angel Destined to be Normal Clipped Bloody Spade Baker Thief Path of the Warrior Prince Ewald the Brave

Did you know that 83.7% of all #Canadian authors are cats? Six days remain in the Canadian Hidden Gems ITCH bundle, & in honor of every Canadian author who is a cat, for every #book bundle sold I'll give this kitty a treat & personally tell her who it's from.

😊 💙📚 🪐📚 👀 🔥

itch.io/b/3524/hidde...

photo of a person wearing a boxy short sleeved blazer made from a leopard print denim. it's paired with a long white and zebra striped tunic that drapes over balloon-leg pants with black cuffs, also in the leopard print denim.

I need to write a full blog post, but first I want validation because this pant + jacket combo that I sewed turned out really dang cool. The shirt is thrifted from a million years ago on a trip to Toronto to visit my bff.

Godzilla yells: "Gworh!*" *I am Godzilla Godzilla picks up chunks of broken buildings. "Growrrowr rowgghrowr*" * Yes, I destroy cities but Godzilla chews on a bit of building. "Growr.*" * I have feelings too.

Godzilla Haiku. www.patreon.com/posts/godzil...

Some of the fun door props we made in my creative writing class. This was a great activity for the kids to activate a different part of their brains (their Artist Intelligence!). Also pleased to see some strong door descriptions creep into their writing!

There’s a beautiful hotel in the Korean countryside that I have been grateful to visit many times, a place to play& work & teach. And there is a beautiful cat who, one day, decided to create art for me, a tortoise shell resting on a sea of red.

#authorsEye #betterthanAI

ok i worded this kind of weird but the reason i plan to write a detailed review is that other reviewers have labelled a very possible step in the construction as "impossible." I don't want to discount their experience sewing this, but it may be a mismatch of skill level to pattern level.

Welcome to Freedom to Read - Freedom to Read Freedom of expression is a fundamental right of all Canadians, and freedom to read is part of that precious heritage.

It’s Freedom To Read Week, an annual event that encourages us to reaffirm our commitment to critical thinking, intellectual freedom, & education.

The freedom to read can never be taken for granted, even in Canada. Keep the conversation going—and keep reading!

#FTRW26 #FreedomToRead

This author’s eye brings you a view of the sky from the forest floor. Or, in my imagination, a giant who fell from the clouds and ripped a hole through the canopy of trees.

#authorsEye #artistsEye #betterthanAI #humaneye

The quote of the week for the teens in my creative writing classes, comes from Craig Mod:

“Boredom: the great engine of creativity.”

More on my blog:
kendrakandlestar.wordpress.com/2026/02/26/w...

A dog talks to his therapist: "I just wish I didn't have this need for external validation. Deep down inside, I know I'm a good boy."

Dog Therapy. www.patreon.com/posts/dog-th...

Thank you so much, @hkubiw.bsky.social for this lovely review. Yes, BUTTERFLY SEA and ‘BUMBLEBEE’ are about connection between species, the luxury of children at play, and the power of the natural world to invigorate our lives. @marielaurecouet.bsky.social
#picturebook #writingcommunity
🦋 🐝

B ads of water cradled by a gentle lotus leaf. Last summer, during my stay in Seoul, I made many visits to Bongeunsa Temple and enjoyed the peaceful walkways and small marvels found in quiet corners.

#authorsEye #betterthanAI

Thanks, @theseaboardreview.ca 4 the chance 2 review Yes! To Canada: When Grampa Refused to Fight in The Vietnam War, by #robertdavies. An agonizing but understandable choice, to flee one's home in protest of a war even Defense Secretary #RobertMcNamara condemned. #harppublishing shorturl.at/Gca6J

Seamus and the Shiny Things, by #carakansala, is a children’s book to crow about. Seamus is greedy about collecting shiny objects, only to find out that friendship is what truly shines. Take a beak, I mean, peek at my review! @theseaboardreview.ca @breakwaterbooks.bsky.social tinyurl.com/4a73udm2

This is waiting for my son when he gets home today: I’M BUSY - with illustrations by one of our household’s favourite #kidlit creators, @debbieohi.com, and written by @michaelianblack.bsky.social. (My son’s stuffy is getting a sneak-peek before him!)

@simonkids.bsky.social #ImBusy

Wisdom of the Week (February 12, 2026) The quote of the week for the teens in my creative writing classes comes from Austin Kleon: “What if you replaced your dread with curiosity?” I think this quote can help us in our general daily liv…

The quote of the week for the teens in my creative writing classes, comes from Austin Kleon:

“What if you replaced your dread with curiosity?”

More on my blog:
kendrakandlestar.wordpress.com/2026/02/12/w...

Putting Creativity First with Lee Edward Fodi

In my recent interview on the Edu-Kate podcast, I celebrate one of my favourite passions: #creativeeducation.

Kate and I spoke about strategies to implement in the classroom—and home—to help improve our kids mental, emotional, & overall creative health.

open.spotify.com/episode/3F5S...

This author’s eye brings you a dancing starfish. Unless you see something different . . .

#authorsEye #artistsEye #betterthanAI #humaneye

I downloaded the fun door-hanger template by @debbieohi.com for the new picture book, I’M BUSY, by her & @michaelianblack.bsky.social (out next week!)
The 7-yr-old decided he was busy stopping his fav stuffy from causing mischief…

You can get the template from debbieohi.com/book/book-im...

Cashmere.io Wants Better AI Licensing Deals for Publishers The little-known startup, which powers publishing deals with AI firm Perplexity, aims to help publishers monitor, monetize, and control their content inside AI systems. CEO Jonathan Munk says the indu...

It always strikes me, in news items about AI licensing schemes and/or startups, how often authors are simply not mentioned: it's all about making things easy for publishers. Writers will need to fight their publishers--not just the AI companies www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/...

Once, technology solved problems. People liked having problems solved, so they liked technology.

Tech execs started to think of that sentiment as their due. So when they stopped solving problems, and people stopped liking them, they became outraged. "How dare you not love whatever we give you?"

#TBRuary: A Collaborative Reading List Building Challenge Hosted by @lizzieblackwood.bsky.social Day 19: A book that was self-published or released by a small press

#TBRuary Day 19: Indie Pub

It's indie day! Celebrate the little guys with a pick from your TBR that's self-published or from a small press and tell us what excites you about it. Definitely ask for recs, too!

Share your pick with a quote post.

#booksky #readingcommunity
#writesky #writingcommunity

Thursday Doors: Valencia, Spain

Another favourite Spanish city of mine is Valencia. It is the third-largest city in Spain, located about 2.5 hours south of Barcelona on the Mediterranean coast. It has a rich history and amazing architecture. It is also very modern and combines the new and the old…

Brandi Carlile - The Joke (Official Video) YouTube video by Brandi Carlile

One thing I love about being in a pop choir is I get to discover powerful songs like this one that I have somehow missed. If you’ve never heard it, give a listen. #TheJoke #music #life #love

The quote of the week for the teens in my creative writing classes, comes from Georgia O’Keefe:

“Whether you succeed or not is irrelevant, there is no such thing. Making your unknown known is the important thing.”

More on my blog:
kendrakandlestar.wordpress.com/2026/02/19/w...

L&D: Book Censorship in Alberta Learning & Development Series: Freedom to Read Week EditionIn January 2026, dozens of books were removed from school library shelves across Alberta, prompted by a new provincial order. While some ...

Next week is Freedom to Read Week, and the Book and Periodical Council is holding a free online session (Feb. 26 @ 2 p.m. ET) on book censorship in Alberta. There will be practical advice on how to speak out against censorship. Register here: www.zeffy.com/en-CA/ticket...

First Stories…Featuring Cynthia Mackey Welcome back to another installment of First Stories! After taking a break last year, it’s wonderful to be chatting with so many KidLit writers, specifically picture book writers. As the way …

Thank you for the blog feature, Heather Morris! #CanKidLit #newrelease #pb #author #illustrations #books #families #raiseareader #butterflies #spring #bees #flowers

🦋 🐝 🌼 🧚‍♂️ 🏴‍☠️ 🧜‍♀️ 🐌 📚

PSA for BC kidlit friends: if you've applied to @cwillbc.bsky.social & haven't heard back, try again &/or shoot us a message!

We respond to 100% of applicants... but sometimes tech gremlins do eat the applications in transit😅

Content submissions of any type to Red Ogre Review are conditioned on, and evidence of, your explicit agreement that in exchange for Red Ogre Review’s evaluation of your content submission for potential publication with Red Ogre Review or any other publication outlet, you intentionally and unreservedly grant Red Ogre Review an unrestricted, transferable, and nonrevocable worldwide license and right to use the submission content on this site and in any reproduced, related, or derivative materials, including in print books and in electronic books produced by Red Ogre Review, and on social media channels operated by or affiliated with Red Ogre Review, without expectation of any cash payment, royalty payments, or any other valuable compensation; you also irrevocably waive in their entirety any current or future exercise of “natural rights” or “moral rights of authors” as may potentially be asserted.

Content submissions of any type to Red Ogre Review are conditioned on, and evidence of, your explicit agreement that in exchange for Red Ogre Review’s evaluation of your content submission for potential publication with Red Ogre Review or any other publication outlet, you intentionally and unreservedly grant (absent mutual written agreement to the contrary) Red Ogre Review an unrestricted, transferable, and nonrevocable worldwide license and right to use the submission content on this site and in any reproduced or derivative formats, including in print books and in electronic books produced by Red Ogre Review, and on social media channels operated by or affiliated with Red Ogre Review, without expectation of any cash payment, royalty payments, or any other valuable compensation, as of the moment of Red Ogre Review’s written agreement to publish your creative work; you also irrevocably waive in their entirety any current or future exercise of “natural rights” or “moral rights of authors” as may potentially be asserted in contradiction of these terms of service, to the extent consistent with the laws of the applicable jurisdiction(s).

For those following the Red Ogre Review saga, he has made good on his promise to change his licensing terms...by doubling down.

On left: the original (awful) license. On right: the new license, mostly the same as the old license, but with some additions that I've circled in red.

Title: MELANCHOLY BLOB "They say if you do something for 10,000 hours, you will be an expert at that thing," says Melancholy Blob. "I am a master of despair."

Blob Expert. www.patreon.com/posts/blob-e...