mail	S8, C5, RR#1 South Slocan, BC V0G2G0
ph	250-359-7936
e	annalma@shaw.ca
web	www.annalma.ca

Biography

Ann Alma, even as a toddler, was a story teller and traveller. Her first journey came when she walked, surrounded by her bottomless playpen, off the lawn, down the drive and onto the road into town. Her first stories were gibberish which turned into tales of adventure when she entertained her siblings on their one-hour walk to and from school.
From her first day in kindergarten, Ann knew she wanted to be a teacher. She has always loved doing projects and working with young people.
Ann, born and raised in the Netherlands, soon combined her hobbies by travelling, writing travelstories and reading them to her students. Ann taught public school for 25 years in Holland, Japan, New Zealand and Canada. She travelled around the world twice on her own. Nowadays she goes on the road with her camper van and her border collie, Shira, a major character in her two latest novels. Now that she has decided to become a full-time writer, her hobbies are camping, travelling, hiking and gardening. She lives in the wild Kootenay mountains with her dog and a cat, Miepke. Bears, deer and elk visit her gardens frequently while coyotes sing her a story at night.

book types: non fiction about WWII; juvenile adventure novels with realistic themes

Book types: juvenile fiction, juvenile nonfiction

Guest speaker/presentation information

Ann gives lively, humorous author talks. She intersperses her educational snippets about life as a writer (vs. a teacher), getting published, and how to self edit with short samples from her published books. She used PowerPoint images to enhance her talk about BRAVE DEEDS, and shows additional photos and keepsakes from WWII. She always delights the crowds with at least one African adventure story and loves to answer students' insightful questions. Shira, the dog, helps Ann by stealing the show.
Frequent teacher comments are: "Can I ever tell you were a teacher. You had the kids' attention throughout and kept them spellbound." "You can read the audience so well." "You've helped me get started with my writing program." "I know your books won't be on the shelf all year."
Ann gives one-hour talks for grades 4 to 7 and/or half-hour talks with her live prop for grades K to 3 (flexible.) She also does one-hour sessions for grades 8 to 12 and/or adults about the writing process. For this she uses samples of her published adult travel stories and cancer poems.

Geographic region: Canada-wide -- B.C., Alberta, Sask with dog. Farther afield by plane without dog.
For rates and package deals contact Ann via her website.

Presentation geographic range: Vancouver, Coast, Lower Mainland, Gulf and Vancouver Islands, Thompson Okanagan, Northern British Columbia, Cariboo Chilcotin Coast, Kootenay Rockies, The Territories, Canada - beyond BC, USA

Presentation audience age groups: primary school, grades K-3, grades 4-6, grades 7-8, high school, college/university/adult

Published work

NON FICTION FOR AGES NINE AND UP:
BRAVE DEEDS How One Family Saved Many From the Nazis, Groundwood, 96 pages, spring 2008.
NOVELS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE: Summer of Adventures, Sono Nis Press, 2003, 144 pages.
Summer of Changes, Sono Nis Press, 2001, 171 pages.
Skateway to Freedom, (Orca Publishers, Vancouver, Spring 1993.) Reissued Dundurn, 2008, 150 pages.
Something to Tell, Riverwood, 1998, 156 pages.
Under Emily's Sky, Dundurn, (Formerly Beach Holme) 1997.

Awards & recognition

Recognition:
-- Silver birch Award nomination, 2008/09, BRAVE DEEDS.
-- Silver Birch Award Regional Winner, 2003, Summer of Changes. Nominated, 1995, Skateway to Freedom.
-- Summer of Changes: Nominated for Red Cedar, Diamond Willow, Chocolate Lily, 2004.
-- OUR CHOICE, Summer of Adventures; Summer of Changes; Skateway to Freedom; Something to Tell.