• Lee Edward Fodi (a.k.a. Mr. Wiz)

• Kallie George

• Diane Haynes

• James McCann

• Dan Bar-el

• Shelley MacDonald

• Lori Sherritt Fleming

• kc dyer

• Joon-hyoung Park (Founder)

Lee Edward Fodi (a.k.a. Mr Wiz)
Children’s Book Author & Illustrator

Known to the student of workshop as “Mr. Wiz,” Lee Edward Föd specializes in presentations and workshops for elementary-aged children. He has taught programs in Canada, the United States, England, and South Korea and is a founding member and lead mentor of Dream Workshop.

Mr. Wiz draws on the imaginative arts, such as illustration and other experiential activities, to help kids find inspiration and create their own stories. Students who enroll in his classes may find themselves drawing themselves as an imaginary beast, dressing as a fantasy character, or even brewing their own magic potions!

As for himself, Mr. Wiz has been writing and illustrating stories about magic, monsters, and mystery for as long as he can remember, self-publishing countless books as a child.

It wasn't all wonders though! Growing up on a farm, he was subjected to various horrible chores such as cleaning up after chickens, pigs, geese, and younger siblings. He continually craved adventure and often found himself searching between the cracks of here and there in hopes of discovering an enchanted world populated with magical creatures, talking animals, and other creatures of faerie.

Several years later, he had the stroke of good fortune to stumble upon the secret Land of Een and now he is most pleased to have the official title as chronicler of the adventures of Kendra Kandlestar.

Mr. Wiz enjoys traveling, and especially exploring castles, mazes, tombs, and temples around the world—not to mention tiny places hidden between the cracks of here and there.

Födi studied at the University of British Columbia and has a degree in English Literature and a diploma in Fine Arts. He is a member of several organizations dedicated to children's literature.

For more information about Lee Edwward Fodi, visit leefodi.com, kendrakandlestar.com, and authorslikeus.com.

PUBLISHED WORKS

Written and Illustrated by Lee Edward Fodi
Kendra Kandlestar and the Box of Whispers (2005)
Kendra Kandlestar and the Door to Unger (2007)
Kendra Kandlestar and the Shard from Greeve (2009)
Corranda's Crown (2002)

Illustrated by Lee Edward Fodi
The Chocolatier's Apprentice (2007)
Gwynne, Fair & Shining (2006)
Martha Anne's Quilt for Queen Victoria (2006)
I'll Follow the Moon (2005)

Kallie George
Children’s Book Editor & Author

Kallie George grew up next to an enchanted woods where encounters with fearsome bears, tricky ravens and wise owls were common. She never saw Hansel and Gretel or Sleeping Beauty, but she did discover a waterfall for elves and a troll’s bridge. No wonder as soon as she learned how to hold a pencil, she began writing and drawing fantasy stories, which she self-published as a child.

Her adventures didn’t stop as she grew up: While finishing her Masters of Children’s Literature at U.B.C in 2007, she got lost in the labyrinth of the ancient library where she unearthed rare tomes. Thankfully these books were invaluable in her quest to finish her thesis.

Editor for both Tradewind Books and Simply Read Books, she works on projects as multi-varied as wordless picture books, board books, early reader books, middle grade novels and young adult fantasy fiction. She has done marketing and publicity work, as well as acquisitions.

Currently she is putting all her adventures and magical happenings to good use, working on a series of fairy tale type stories, the first of which is due out with Simply Read Books in 2010.

Kallie lives in a quaint apartment in Vancouver, where she collects some peculiar objects such as antique lockets and keys to giants’ castles. She often travels back to her childhood home where she still roams the enchanted forest.

PUBLISHED WORKS

The Melancholy Mermaid (2010)

James McCann
Young Adult Novel Author

James McCann grew up a “reluctant reader,” which basically meant that adults thought he hated reading. Actually, McCann loved reading. He just didn't like the kind of books that adults thought he should like.

Growing up, McCann mostly read comics. And, thanks to a three-day bus ride from Winnipeg to Kelowna that his family took every summer, he read dozens of comics.

As a teen, he became involved in Dungeons and Dragons. This gave him the tools necessary for story-telling. He used maps and pictures as a source of inspiration; a technique
he still uses today. From this he discovered a love for reading, and devoured everything fantasy.

Now a resident of Vancouver, McCann writes novels for teens. In addition to being an author, he is also a bookseller at Vancouver Kidsbooks, president of CWILLBC, and a regular in schools and teacher-conferences as a speaker on inspiration through map-making.

His work can be seen in the Canadian Children's Book News, and on the shelves of bookstores in Canada, the US and Australia.

PUBLISHED WORKS

Flying Feet (2010)
Pyre (2008)
Rancouver (2006)

Shelley MacDonald
Actor/Screen writer and Arts Programmer

Shelley MacDonald began her stage and film career in Toronto after receiving a Bachelor of Theatre degree from Brock University in St. Catharines Ontario.

In August 2002, Shelley won best actor in Vancouver for the short film she co-wrote, Such A Fine Girl. The film also placed second for best film as part of the Reel Fast 48 hour film competition.

Shelley has written plays and performed for the Vancouver Fringe Festival and the Beaumount Playhouse.

She can be seen in the television series for ABC television, Masters of Science Fiction, and recently finished filming the television comedy Snug as a Bug for DB digital TV.

In addition to her acting career, Shelley has worked at the Shadbolt Centre For the Arts and different schools throughout the lower mainland developing fine arts programs such as the very popular Harry Potter Wizard Club,Kidzart visual and performing arts camp and CineKids, film making program.

CineKids is a ten-week program in which the students learn how to write a film script and then turn that script into a movie using a video camera.

Cinekids films have been shown at different film festivals acoss Canada including the Halifax Children’s Film Festival and at Vancouver’s Cineworks.

Shelley taught script writing at Creative Writing for Children’s Winter Camp this January, helping students explore scene writing through the magical world of Harry Potter, Movie magic and develop short film scripts based on the CWC’s 2006 anthology of prize winning Stories.

Shelley is very excited to be returning to CWC this summer to teach drama.

Diane Haynes
Award Winning Author & Wildlife Expert

Author and animal welfare activist Diane Haynes began volunteering with the Wildlife Rescue Association of BC after witnessing a canola oil spill in Vancouver’s Burrard Inlet.

Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series grew out of her own experiences with animals; Flight or Fight and Crow Medicine are available now, and Gaia Wild is coming out in fall 2008.

An 18-year veteran of the publishing industry, Diane has worked as an editor, circulation manager, marketing director, advertising rep, copy writer and freelance feature writer.

Recently nominated for a National Magazine Award, she’s written about fashion, whales, art, television production, storms, mental illness, eligible bachelors and dangerous jobs – and argues convincingly that being a writer is right up there!

Distinctions & Awards

Author, Crow Medicine and Flight or Fight, young adult novels in animal rescue series published by Whitecap Books Ltd. (Fall 2005 and 2006; Gaia Wild coming in Fall 2008)

Silver medalist, Council for the Advancement of the Society of Educators (CASE), “Change Your Mind,” TREK Magazine (2003)

Nominee, National Magazine Awards, “Change Your Mind,” TREK Magazine (2003)

Dan Bar-el
Children’s Book Author

Dan read all kinds of things when he was a kid. Although he can remember some children’s books that made an impression on him like Pippi Longstocking, The Trumpet of the Swan and later, The Chronicles of Narnia, he also remembers reading newspapers, comics, inappropriate “adult” books like James Bond and lots and lots of Mad Magazine.

Writing has always been a constant in Dan’s life but it’s only as a children’s writer that it has taken centre stage. His first passion was acting and theatre. From grade four to grade 12, his sole activity outside of school was theatre and performing. Finishing high school, he attended three years at the Ryerson Theatre School in Toronto and later worked on stage and on film.

With a particular interest in humour both as a reader and in his writing, Dan later explored comedy. With a writing partner, he formed a sketch comedy troupe that toured Canada. He still continues writing comedy professionally when opportunities arise.

When Dan moved to Vancouver, he threw himself into the vibrant poetry scene, publishing several chapbooks, getting published in several magazines and journals including Sub-terrain and The Amethyst Review and co-producing the Raincity Review.

It was also here in Vancouver that Dan discovered a great enjoyment in working with children. He worked for many years at Britannia’s Out-of-School program, initiating media projects with children like creating a monster movie from scratch, or writing and producing comedy sketches that were later broadcast on public radio.

In 2003, he became a licensed Early Childhood Educator at the same time as his first children’s book was published. But these days, although no longer a preschool teacher, Dan facilitates a storytelling program that he runs in daycares, preschools and kindergartens. He also tours schools across Canada both as a children’s author and as a storyteller.

Dan has four published children’s books:

Things Are Looking Up, Jack (2003)
Things Are Looking Grimm, Jill (2006)
Alphabetter (2006)
Such a Prince (2007)

Kari Lynn Winters
Creative Writing Teacher & Author

When Kari-Lynn Winters began to create children’s picture book manuscripts and submit them to publishers about seven years ago, people often advised her to write novels instead. “It is so difficult to get picture books published in these times,” they said. But Kari persisted, continuing to collect, read, and write picture books.

Her persistence paid off. Today Kari is the author of Jeffrey and Sloth (Orca Book Publishers, 2007), an award-winning picture book about overcoming writer’s block; Runaway Alphabet (Simply Read Books, 2009), an alphabet book which focuses on the sounds of the letters; When Chickens Fly (Gumboot Books, 2009), a picture book about a chicken who wants to compete in the 2010 Winter Games; On My Walk (Tradewind Books, 2010) a board book about a walk in Stanley Park; and PunctuACTION (Gum-boot Books), a picture book about a girl who uses doodles to figure out what punctuation marks mean.

Several of Kari’s poems and short stories have appeared in magazines such as ChickaDEE, KNOW, Fandangle, and Chameleon.

Kari also wrote The Meaning Maker and Whatever I Write with Lori Lee Sherritt-Fleming, two children’s plays about reading and writing strategies currently touring throughout the Lower Mainland and Calgary. A graduate of Brock University, Canada’s National Theatre School, and the University of Toronto, she continues to perform with the Vancouver children’s theatre group Tickle Trunk Players.

Kari is also a teacher. She has instructed a range of students in Canada and the United States, including pre-school, special education, primary and intermediate, high school, and now university teacher education. She is currently completing her coursework for a Ph.D. in the Language and Literacy Department at UBC. Her research interests include creative writing, children’s literature, print literacy, and multimodal forms of learning. In addition to her creative works, Kari has had academic chapters and articles about teaching drama and literacy published by Heinemann, The Reading Teacher, and The Dragon Lode.

For more information and to read selections of Kari’s academic and creative work, please see www.kariwinters.com

Lori Sherritt Fleming
Creative Writing Teacher & Actor

Lori has been known to wear many hats and can juggle any number of responsibilities. “It’s all about balance!” She can be heard to say as she smiles down at you from her perch atop her stilts. “Add a little magic, a little imagination, a little support and we all find that we can be what we dream and more!” With a wave of her wand the glittering Shamrock fairy continues down the city’s parade route, four feet above the crowd.

Lori is not only as a stilt-walker and circus ‘engineer’ but also an accomplished writer and actress. “The Second Sight”, a short story for young adults was published in the 2005 edition of “Chameleon Magazine” and “The Junkmobile” was published in 2006. As artist in residence at West Point Grey Community Centre in Vancouver she wrote a book exploring the area’s living history and designed a photo and story mural. She worked on Portrait V2K, the City of Vancouver’s Millennium Project gathering and writing stories for “A Hurricane in the Basement”, a book celebrating life in Vancouver. Recently she celebrated Kitsilano’s 100th birthday by creating a series of public markers celebrating the people and places of the Kits community. Lori celebrates life in many ways as well. She is currently working on some poetry about skateboarders and some picture books, one about Vancouver’s Polar Bear Swim and another about a grumpy girl named Gertrude, as well as producing plays in Vancouver and Calgary.

As an actor, Lori has donned red braids to become Anne of Green Gables, has worn a rabbit head for a production of The Velveteen Rabbit and has given children a royal welcome as the Snow Queen in The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe.

Passionate about combining learning with the arts, Lori founded the Tickle Trunk Players in Vancouver and has been using theatre, storytelling and rhythm to encourage students to make active and creative connections to literature.

Their most recent accomplishment was to perform at the Vancouver International Children’s Festival in 2007.

Lori is delighted to be part of the team of engaging and talented young writers at CWC for the third year in a row. She loves looking at things from different perspectives and is enlivened by the opportunities that connecting with teachers and students brings!

kc dyer
Young Adult Novel Author

kc dyer was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, has lived in Toronto, Seattle and Vancouver and has traveled extensively throughout Europe and North America. She taught high school in Calgary and Toronto, and earned her Montessori certificate while teaching for five years at Toronto Montessori Schools in Richmond Hill, Ontario. After moving to British Columbia, kc dyer worked as a freelance journalist and editor, with hundreds of articles under her byline with The Seagull, The North Shore News and The Business Edge. In 2002, kc dyer was awarded the Surrey International Writers’ Conference Chamber of Commerce Special Achievement Award for her contributions to the local writing community. She continues to be involved with the Surrey International Writers’ Conference as the Conference Coordinator and Writing Contest Coordinator.

kc dyer has had four historical and contemporary novels for young adults published in Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom. Her second novel, THE SECRET OF LIGHT, was nominated for a Chocolate Lily award and her third, SHADES OF RED, was voted an ‘Our Choice’ selection by the Canadian Children’s Book Centre. kc dyer has spoken to thousands of students in schools around the Lower Mainland and this fall will tour Ontario for Book Week as a selected author in the Toronto Dominion Book Week tour. kc dyer lives with a large collection of children and animals north of Vancouver, British Columbia, where she is currently writing a new series for teens set in the UK.

MS. ZEPHYR’S NOTEBOOK, Boardwalk Books, The Dundurn Group, Toronto, 2007.
SHADES OF RED, Boardwalk Books, The Dundurn Group, Toronto, 2005.
SECRET OF LIGHT, Boardwalk Books, The Dundurn Group, Toronto, 2003.
SEEDS OF TIME, Boardwalk Books, The Dundurn Group, Toronto, 2002.
"The Swim", (short story) SHORELINES: A Millennium Anthology, The North Shore Writers' Association, Vancouver, October, 2000.

Various freelance articles, published by THE SEAGULL: Lions Bay's Community Newspaper, THE NORTH SHORE NEWS, North Vancouver, and BUSINESS EDGE, Calgary, Alberta.

Park, Joon-hyoung
- Intercultural Educator and Author

A well-known intercultural educator and author, Joon-hyoung Park, is the founder of CWC and Dream workshop—a program to enhance children’s confidence, creativity, and capacity through creative writing and artful workshops. His dream to help children weave creativity into their writing began to blossom and find fruit in 2004 when he met children’s fantasy book author Lee Edward Fodi at a café in Vancouver, Canada. Joon asked Lee to develop a unique educational curriculum for creative writing and in the Fall of 2004 the two experimentally started the first Dream Workshop in North Vancouver with a class of twelve rambunctious students.

Now, four years later, Dream Workshop has developed into a full fledged program, with regular classes held all over the lower mainland of British Columbia. Over 250 children each year take part in CWC’s Dream Workshop and, as result, publish their own books. Even young talent writers in countries as varied as Korea, the USA, Japan, New Zealand and the Philippines get access to CWC through on-line programs, and are able to delve into the world of creative writing and art.

Reflecting on these past four full years with CWC, Joon recently published a book in Korean- ‘내 아이 창의력을 키우는 영어 글쓰기(Weave Creativity into Writing)’, compiling his educational critics and columns, which have appeared in newspapers and other media in Vancouver and Seoul. The book poignantly tackles problematic English education in Korea and suggests to Korean parents and educators the fundamental change of perspectives on how to read and write in a comprehensive way. Keeping the vision he’s shared with CWC’s authors and staff, he will strive to keep on exploring, experimenting, and expanding new creative areas on English education, sticking to the firm belief that kids are born as naturally creative beings and it is our role, as educators, to help them nurture and expand this creativity through robust and educational circumstances.