The Author's Biography

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Biography

Sheree Fitch wrote her first book of nonsense verse, Toes in my nose, for her two year old son Jordan when she was twenty. After many rejections and rewrites, the book was published when she was thirty. Illustrated by celebrated Canadian female war artist, Molly Lamb Bobak and launched in 1987 by Doubleday Canada, Toes was a Canadian best seller. Two years later, Sleeping Dragons All Around, illustrated by Michele Nidenoff, published by Doubleday Canada, was released. An interview by Peter Gzowski on Morningside brought Fitch's words to a national audience. Sleeping Dragons All Around won the Atlantic Bookseller's Choice Awards in 1990 and the hearts of a generation of readers. Often described as a much loved Canadian “classic, a 20th anniversary edition of Sleeping Dragons All Around was published in 2009 by Nimbus.

A contract for a third book and a Canada Council Arts Grant “B” in 1988, convinced Fitch, then a single parent of two, it was time to risk. After completing her course work for her masters in English with a focus on children's literature, she made an intentional choice to make a living as a full-time writer. She has been a working writer ever since.

As a regular panelist on “Good Friends” panel on CBC's Morningside for two years in the early nineties, Fitch credits Peter G and his producers, as well as the power of radio as one of the reasons her books began to have a readership. The other reasons? Teachers, librarians, independent booksellers. The twenty or more books following Toes have garnered numerous awards. Fitch received the prestigious Vicky Metcalf Award for a body of work inspirational to Canadian Children in 1999.

Inspired by many writers living and dead, Fitch believes, as William Blake did “imagination is divine .“ But writing was and is also her “job” and her livelihood.. “ It's a job like any other except you get to daydream and call it work. You put in long hours and there's no salary.” For years Fitch said yes to nearly every request for readings, criss-crossing Canada and journeying into many small communities outside of urban areas. A popular visiting author in schools, libraries, and daycares—Fitch's poem-telling, teaching, and speaking put food on the table, paid the rent and sold some books. This “eyeball to eyeball and cheek to cheek communication” also convinced a grateful Fitch that writing was about sharing and books were about forging community. “Souls not sales.“ Her master's thesis, years in the completing.,explored the complexity of childhood nature through the poetry of Dennis Lee and examined how the oral tradition of children's poetry creates and is dependent upon community. This web of interconnectedness has been a theme in her work and informed her work in education and social justice. Fitch's multi-award award winning book, If You Could Wear My Sneakers, illustrated by Darcia Labrosse, was based on the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child . Commissioned by Unicef. published by Doubleday, the book marked another turning point for Fitch. Writing with intent on issues she cared about was as satisfying as it was different than writing from inspiration.

Her work as literacy educator lead her to the Arctic as eight-time poet laureate for Peter Gzowski's fundraisers for literacy. She has continued working in the Arctic with women and children, most notably in the innovative land based literacy program called Somebody's Daughter. In the country of Bhutan, she taught writing to college students and teachers to help foster an indigenous literature for the children of Bhutan. She participated in that country's first National Reading week. Author readings in schools. libraries and communities have taken her to Africa: Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, China, Belize, Mexico and the US. In 2010 she will visit Thailand and Vietnam.

A favourite author at major Canadian literary, writers and reader's festivals, in demand as writing workshop leader, keynote conference speaker and visting in libraries and communities, Fitch still divides her time between home and away. When not at her desk, she's on the road. “A book cannot be book unless it is read, a poem cannot be a poem unless it is said.” She's taught Children's Literature at St.Thomas Univeristy and Teaching poetry and Writiing in the Faculty of Education at the University of New Brunswick.

Currently, Fitch is Honorary Spokesperson for the New Brunswick Coalition for Literacy.The coalition initiated the Sheree Fitch Adult Learner Scholarships given out annualy from monies raised by Peter Gzowski Invitational Golf Tournaments for Literacy. She is also Honorary Spokesperson for the Nova Scotia Read to Me Program. This program provides literacy information to new parents and books for newborns. Kisses-Kisses Baby-O!, illustrated by Hilda Rose, a board book for babies, was given to every new born in Nova Scotia in 2008. In 2009, it was translated into French by Joanne Elder and Miq ma by Bernie Francis. Each year Fitch sponsors a writing competition for New Brunswick Youth for NB Writers Federation.

Fitch's written work, both children's and adult, has been described as “exuberant, joy filled and wise.” Her readings have been described as magical, her presentations as inspirational. In 1988, Fitch was described as “an important artistic presence” in the National Globe and Mail. Twenty years later, in the February 2008 issue of More Magazine. Fitch was included in their Top forty over forty list of Canadian women. In July 2009 her first novel for adults Kiss the Joy as it Flies had its launch ad was shortlisted for the Stephen Leacock Award for Literary Humour. Fitch’s novel for Doubleday for senior teens Pluto's Ghost, will be out in the fall of 2010.

A new enterprise begins in 2010 with the formation of ARTSPARK TEACHING STUDIO EAST. Governor General award-winning playwright Catherine Banks and actor, dramaturge and director Mary Vingoe along with Fitch will launch a creative arts teaching studio for those interested in writing, acting and performing. Based out of Halifax, the trio’s long term goal is to create an East Coast School of the Written and Performing Arts, for artists of all ages and all stages of their development.

After almost a decade in Washington, D.C. Sheree’s back home in her beloved Maritimes and lives with her husband, Gilles Plante in Dartmouth and River John. She studies theology formally and informally, enjoys the outdoors, gym time, yoga and amateur gardening.

Interview:

• Click Here for my interview with Linda Richards.
• Click here for my interview with Tara Elliot and Gene Justice.
• Click Here Quill and Quire Author Profile

Podcast Interview

Thanks to the podfather Mark Blevis and tireless work both he and Andrea Ross do for kids and books and authors at Just one More Book.

• Podcast 1

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to the generosity of Laurie Pauch. She nudged and gathered and wrote and worked for free and convinced me I needed a website. Without her, I would nor have this place or space or website, let alone a biography. This site was designed by a true artist and extremely patient man, Jim Grove, from AetherQuest Solutions, Many thanks for guiding me through my webophobia.