KONNECTION // September 2024

 

WORD ON THE STREET // Celebrating Black Canadian Young Adult Literature & Writers

"The Word On The Street’s 35th Annual Festival returns to its iconic fall weekend, September 28th and 29th, at Queen's Park.⁠ Please join Nadia Hohn, Kern Carter, Wanda Taylor, and Kevin heronJones as they celebrate the incredible strides Black Canadian authors have made in the last decade, especially in the realm of Young Adult fiction!⁠"

"WOTS is 100% free to attend. Join us for what is sure to be an unforgettable weekend celebrating Indigenous and Canadian storytelling in Toronto!⁠"

SANKOFA'S PEN // Celebrating 10 Years

Founded in 2014 by Nadia L. Hohn, Sankofa's Pen (formerly known as African-Canadian Writers for Children and Young Adults, ACWCYA) is a group that supports writers and illustrators of African or Caribbean descent and paves a way of opportunity for Black writers and illustrators for children and young adults currently living or formerly residing in Canada. LEARN MORE

NUIT BLANCHE // BIPOC Literature Event

12 hours of BIPOC Literature, curated readings, and poetry! DATE: Friday, October 5 - Saturday, October 6, 2024 TIME: 7 PM - 7 AM LOCATION: A Different Book List, 779 Bathurst St, Toronto Carlos Anthony is bringing together an incredible lineup of Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour authors, poets, and spoken word artists for an unforgettable night of storytelling and inspiration. EVENT SCHEDULE:

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE: - Bedtime stories featuring Black Canadian picture books curated by Nadia Hohn - Young adult and adult readings by talented authors like Eddie Kawooya, Carlos Anthony, Elle De Lyon, and many more! - Poetic Justice, featuring the powerful performances of Daniel Maluka and Affrica Spence Be part of this literary celebration of social justice and community during Nuit Blanche! DETAILS HERE

OPPORTUNITY // Fiction for Children & Teens

Lorimer Kids is currently open for children's and teen fiction proposals from experienced Canadian writers. Visit their website for complete details and submission guidelines.

WATCH ONLINE // Canadian Reggae Docuseries

"The National Film Board of Canada docuseries Sounds & Pressure: Reggae in a Foreign Land is now available to stream on NFB.ca! Through rare archives and infectious beats, this captivating five-part anthology series takes you from Kingston to Kensington Market to see and hear how reggae made roots in Canada against all odds." VIEW DOCUSERIES

Interested in learning more about Canadian reggae and Jamaican culture, or looking for related resources and commentary? Visit Kya Publishing's Jamaican Canadian Zone archive for videos, articles, and directories Read the teen novel Dancehall Rebel from Lorimer Kids Listen to the Dancehall Rebel reggae and dancehall playlist on Spotify

"This lively true-to-life portrayal of teen lives and relationships puts a very contemporary spin on the cultural conflict often between more traditional families and their young family members." Dancehall Rebel is available now from Amazon, Indigo, and Barnes and Noble! "

COPYEDITING // For Independent Writers

Kya Publishing combines a passion for storytelling with the technical expertise of editing, working to ensure your work shines while keeping the process smooth and supportive. We promise to provide personalized, high-quality editing and publishing services that enhance your story while respecting your voice and vision... READ MORE

SURVEY // Books for Teens & Young Adults

As writers, we can help shape the future actions and beliefs of our youth. We'd love to hear your thoughts and related experiences reading and writing influential young adult literature. Please take a moment to complete our short survey; your insights and suggestions will help us enhance our programs and support systems. CLICK HERE FOR SURVEY Thank you :)

KONNECTION // August 2024

 

SURVEY // Books for Teens & Young Adults We invite you to take our brief survey by clicking the image below; your feedback and recommendations will help us with our programming and activities. Thank you :) YA LITERATURE // Writing Difficult Themes The UNLV College of Education addressed the importance of approaching dark and/or difficult themes within young adult literature, including family violence, sexual abuse, suicide, religion, drugs/alcohol, racism, mental illness, and poverty. Are you thinking about writing a novel for today's youth? Their recommendation: "Don't shy away from books that take on challenging topics." Read the full article here for insight. Interested in learning more about this genre through related research? Here are a few additional resources: Sankofa: A Journal of African Children's and Young Adult Literature The 30 Greatest Young Adult (YA) Novels (Forbes.com) The Summit on the Research & Teaching of Young Adult Literature TORONTO TALES // Novels & Short Stories The Toronto Tales collection amplifies voices, relationships, and experiences rooted in the soul and vibration of Black Canadian communities. View and order the books here, paperback or digital! OPPORTUNITY // YA Novel Submissions James Lorimer & Company, Publishing is currently open for children and teen book submissions from experienced Canadian writers and social justice experts. If you're interested in developing a manuscript proposal, visit their website for complete details and guidelines. DANCEHALL REBEL // Young Adult Novel "An accessible, realistic cross-cultural coming-of-age novel about seeking a balance between tradition and change. A teen challenges family norms and navigates her sexuality in this novel centering on an Afro-Caribbean Canadian community. Denise, a Black girl born and raised in Ontario by Jamaican immigrant parents, is about to go away to college to study business. Her upbringing has been deeply entrenched in Jamaican culture, and she proudly possesses a deep love of the food and language—and especially dancehall and reggae music. She follows in her father’s footsteps as a DJ and branches out into online streaming..." Continue Reading Full Kirkus Review... Book now available from Amazon, Indigo, and Barnes and Noble! CARNIVAL SEASON // Guide for Playing Mas The Caribbean Carnival season in our hometown of Toronto came to an end earlier this month; Notting Hill Carnival in the UK just took place this past weekend, and it's almost time for the West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn, for Miami Carnival, and for the start of a new carnival season as we head into 2025. In the spirit of preserving, enhancing, and operationalizing the culturally significant event that is Caribbean Carnival, Kya Publishing has created a template that can be used in any city, for those who are looking to select a group to participate in the parade with. Access to the downloadable template--where you can enter specifics about each masquerade band, to assist your decision making--is available in Kya Publishing's Carnival Spotlight archive. Here's a soca mix from Toronto's DJ Buzz B, to help keep the Caribbean carnival spirit and good vibrations high throughout the rest of the year! Enjoy :)

KONNECTION // July 2024

 

WRITERS // Creating Stories for YA Readers

Preparing to write a story for middle grade or teen readers, but aren't sure where to begin? Here are a few things to think about while planning your YA novel: Consider the perspective of your narrator Match your character's age to your audience Develop a realistic voice and language for your character Approach sensitive topics with care Additional insights to help you on your writing journey: Smells Like Teen Spirit: How to Write Young Adult Fiction (by Nisha Tuli) The Ultimate Guide To Writing YA Fiction (by Mackenzie Belcastro) How to Write a Young Adult Novel (by Robert Lee Brewer)

James Lorimer & Company, Publishing is currently open for children and teen book submissions from Canadian authors! If you're interested in developing a proposal, visit their website for complete details and guidelines.

YA LITERATURE // Benefits of Reading

The Teen Magazine has a few articles outlining why youth need to read more. Here are a few highlights about how reading YA literature can benefit children and teens:

THEY NOT LIKE US // Hip Hop Culture Across the Black Diaspora

Commentary about hip hop music and culture across the Black and African Diaspora, written from a Canadian perspective. Posted this month on Kya Publishing's "Reflection & Reason" blog: They Not Like Us: A Drake Thinkpiece (Part 1) They Not Like Us: Hip Hop's Accreditation (Part 2) Related book recommendations, for your reference:

DANCEHALL REBEL // A Caribbean Canadian Teen Novel

"An accessible, realistic cross-cultural coming-of-age novel about seeking a balance between tradition and change. A teen challenges family norms and navigates her sexuality in this novel centering on an Afro-Caribbean Canadian community. Denise, a Black girl born and raised in Ontario by Jamaican immigrant parents, is about to go away to college to study business. Her upbringing has been deeply entrenched in Jamaican culture, and she proudly possesses a deep love of the food and language—and especially dancehall and reggae music. She follows in her father’s footsteps as a DJ and branches out into online streaming..." Continue Reading Full Kirkus Review... Book now available from Amazon and Indigo U.S. release date: August 1, 2024: Barnes and Nobel

YA LIT // More Black Canadian Stories

Take a look at these young adult stories from Black Canadian authors Kevin HeronJones, Jawara Pedican, and Carlos Anthony; visit Lorimer's website to browse the full catalogue of their diverse authors and contemporary themes.

We invite you to take our brief survey by clicking the image above; your feedback and recommendations will help us with our programming and activities. Thank you :)