Lori Wolf-Heffner's Blog: Lori Straus' Blog, page 5

Writing about Anger While Keeping the Story Uplifting & Real

Have you ever read a story or watched a movie only to be disappointed in the ending because the protagonist won too easily? Don’t get me wrong: sometimes I enjoy a little cheese in my entertainment, especially at Christmastime, but I can only handle so much of it. I prefer books that keep it real without getting depressing. That’s why it’s so important to write about anger in a way that’s true to a character but that doesn’t just dissipate at the end because, heck, that’s the way life is. In the...

What Did Elisabeth Wear? Clothing in Semlac

Clothing in Semlac is perhaps the hardest detail to keep track of in Between Worlds. I have photos, but they don’t match the exact years that Between Worlds takes place in. Fashion in between the wars did begin to modernize, but to what extent I don’t fully know. In this blog post, I’ll take you through what I do and don’t know about how Elisabeth would’ve dressed.

My Own Preconceptions

It’s important to start here. I’ve always enjoyed looking through old photos, and there was certainly no...

What to Do at Home During Covid-19 Pandemic

I have to admit, everything shutting down because of the pandemic caused by Covid-19 has angered me. But I suppose thats a normal reaction when a lot of important and happy moments are being cancelled. If your family is like mine and your kids are now staying home during Covid-19 because of school closures, you may be stuck wondering how youll cope. You may even beenlike I am, justified or notangry at such a drastic change to your schedule. Ive put together a few ideas for you to help you see...

Talking Arts: Kate Hilliard About Her New Piece, …this happened

Kate Hilliard is a Toronto-based artist and the Artistic Director of Granite Motion Gallery. What fascinates me about her work and…this happened, her new, contemporary piece at Compagnie + Citadel in Toronto, is how she combines different art forms: dance, poetry, and the visual arts. We chatted about her new show, how she hopes audiences will connect with it, and about her observations on arts education today.

Lori: Let’s start off with …this happened. It’s poetry and dance and that...

10 Facts About Shell Shock and World War I

“Shell shock” was the term used to describe initially inexplicable symptoms in soldiers in World War I. Although similar reactions to war have been recorded throughout history, World War I was the first industrialized war, i.e., instead of men carving arrow heads in their spare time, shells were produced on the assembly line in factories. This meant that hundreds of thousands of men had become incapable of fighting because of their symptoms. Below you’ll find a list of ten facts about “shell s...

Book Launch in Waterloo! Between Worlds 5: Hide and Seek

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I’m holding my first book launch in Waterloo! It’ll take place on Monday, November 25th, in Waterloo, for Between Worlds 5: Hide and Seek. Join me for a relaxing evening, including a tea and hot chocolate bar and yummy treats, and some good discussion based on a good story. The series follows the journey of one family from chaotic post-World War I Europe to hyper-busy, modern-day Kitchener. This is the fifth instalment in Between Worlds, my series that is being enjoyed by teen and adult readers alike.

Juliana...

“Between Worlds,” a Book Series for Teens, Gets a New Look

Starting later this month, you’ll see a new look to my book series for teens, Between Worlds. My graphics designer made some changes to her business, so it no longer made sense for the two of us to work together. I’m unveiling the new look today!

Meet Michelle Fairbanks of Fresh Design

I found Michelle Fairbanks, a Canadian book cover designer, through a referral. With almost 20 years’ experience in graphics design, Michelle took the time to get to know the series, and we bounced a lot of ide...

Kylie Thompson: When Collaboration Brings Opportunity

A good portion of my dance training involved dance exams. In the case of tap, I even had to memorize step definitions. “Tap: strike the floor with the ball of the foot, releasing it immediately.” Or, “Shuffle: a combination of a brush forward and a brush back, done in one count or less.” So when hip-hop came onto the scene (but we didn’t call it that back then—it was still under jazz), some steps had names, e.g., running man and Roger Rabbit, but many didn’t. It was undefined, and my mind was...

Between Worlds 4: What Friends Do

Its officially out! Between Worlds 4: What Friends Do can be ordered starting today. In this instalment to my young adult series, Elisabeth and Juliana are forced to make difficult decisions that come with strong, social ramifications. But events like these are one of the hallmarks of growing up, arent they?

Learning Context as We Become Young Adults

When were children, life is black and whitewe want something or we dontbecause the context for our desires includes only us, not other people....

What Can You Expect from Between Worlds 4: What Friends Do?

It’s officially out! Between Worlds 4: What Friends Do can be ordered starting today. In this instalment to my young adult series, Elisabeth and Juliana are forced to make difficult decisions that come with strong, social ramifications. But events like these are one of the hallmarks of growing up, aren’t they?

Learning Context as We Become Young Adults

When we’re children, life is black and white—we want something or we don’t—because the context for our desires includes only us, not other peo...