Canadian Corner

Descriptive Language that Sparkles

Kill your darlings! Get to the point! Plot over prose! How many times have you heard advice about simplifying your writing for middle...

Russell Hirsch

Oct 25, 20232 min read

We all know the feeling of finding our tribe. Whether we were kids discovering new friends on the playground, teens navigating a new...

Russell Hirsch

Oct 10, 20231 min read

Today, we continue to unravel that most dreaded of all fantasy writing phenomena… EXPOSITION! Oh, so messy… Writers know that getting...

Russell Hirsch

Jul 18, 2023

With 100 published books (and counting!) Gordon Korman has delighted generations of readers with his signature blend of humor, adventure,...

Russell Hirsch

Jun 21, 2023

This week, I have the pleasure of reviewing Game of Secrets, a YA Victorian thriller, by Kim Foster, who just so happens to be Canadian,...

Russell Hirsch

Jul 25, 2018

As a kid growing up in the Harry Potter generation, I devoured fantasy novels—and since a new HP book only landed on the shelf every two...

Russell Hirsch

Jul 10, 2018

Happy Canada Day! This July, I highlight underrated Canadian fantasy novels for kids, especially those from decades past that still stand...

Russell Hirsch

Jul 1, 2018