January 16, 2010 update: Creative Writers: join us at the School of Writing at CMU, now in its 4^th year. From May 10-14, 2010, Margaret Sweatman (fiction), Barbara Nickel (poetry), Joanne Klassen (life writing), and Anita Daher (writing for children & young adults) will be offering courses in a supportive and challenging environment for writers of many skill and experience levels. The School of Writing is held at Canadian Mennonite University in Winnipeg, a beautiful and hospitable environment. Cost is $520, which includes some meals; inquire about bursaries. Accommodation is available. More information can be found at www.cmu.ca/schoolofwriting or email schoolofwriting@cmu.ca. Application deadline is March 1, 2010.

October 17, 09:  Two Foot Punch is now a best seller in Canada!

October 16, 09: Two events coming up quick--on Saturday, October 17, 1 pm, Anita will present at the Winnipeg Millennium Library's Meet the Author teen book club event, also featuring Martha Brooks. Then on Saturday, October 24, Anita will present and take part in a panel discussion at the 2009 Enterprising Women's Conference, "Navigating Your Way to the Top." Panel "More Than Words" too be mooderated by Charlene Diehl, and features fellow panelists Chandra Mayor and Deborah Schnitzer, 

Anita has been invited to teach at the Spring 2010 CMU school of writing. Details soon!

August 1, 09: Anita is not currently accepting requests for public readings outside of Winnipeg, or school bookings.

May 23, 09: Anita will be leading two workshops in support of the Manitoba Writers' Guild. The first, The End, What Next? concerns preparing and submitting a manuscript, and will take place on Saturday May 30. The second, All Up in the Koolaid: the 411 on Writing for Teens will take place on June 20. Email Anita for details.

May 23, 09: Shaw TV interview with Anita (and Wager) about On the Trail of the Bushman available online here. Best viewed with Internet Explorer.

April 27, 09:**Autographed copies of  On the Trail of the Bushman  now available. Email  for details**

March 20, 09: Spider's Song has been named finalist for a Manitoba Book Award! The awards will be announced during a gala event April 25, 09 at the Winnipeg Art Gallery

February 10, 09: Racing for Diamonds named finalist for the 2009 Diamond Willow Saskatchewan Reader's Choice award!

February 6/09: On September 21st Anita was on a Greyhound bus in Northern Ontario when a stabbing occurred. The court proceedings were drawn out, but finally there is closure. News stories from immediately after the event, and following the accused pleading guilty are here. 

December 5/08: Workshops and Presentations page has been updated.

November 23/08 Update: Podcast of Anita as radio personality Ron Robinson's "In Conversation" guest on stage at Aqua Books available here, on the Anita's media page, and on the Aqua Books media page.

October 1/08 Update: Anita will speak, blue pencil, and lead workshops at both Brantford Book Camp and Summer Writing Workshops in August 2009.  Coming up a little sooner, Anita will be long time Winnipeg radio darling Ron Robinson's guest during his next edition of In Conversation at Aqua Books, coming up November 20, 08.  Check Appearances for details. 

September 14, 08 Update: Poacher's in the Pingos launch will be Tuesday, October 14, 08 at McNally Robinson Grant Park in Winnipeg

May 30, 08 Update: Anita will be presenting at Simon Fraiser University's Symposium on the Book on July 12, Vancouver Campus. Ten authors will discuss "From Thrillers to True Crime: Inside the Art and Craft of Crime Writing."

Also, she's been invited to extend her stay at writer-in-residence at Winnipeg's Aqua Books until the end of August.21

May 1, 08 Update: Both Spider's Song and Racing for Diamonds have been named finalists for the 2008 Arthur Ellis Award for Best Juvenile crime fiction. The awards are coordinated by Crimewriters of Canada, and will be handed out on June 5th in Toronto.

March 25, 08 Update: Upcoming Event. Saturday, May 31, 6:00 pm: Speaking Volumes, Prairie Fire Magazine's 15th annual benefit banquet, Winnipeg, MB. , with voyageur-style hatchet throwing, interpretive cabins and a truly scrumptious dinner. After dinner, relax by the cozy fireplace and open your mind to readings by award-winning authors Faith Johnston and Anita Daher. Details here:http://www.prairiefire.ca/news.html

March 11, 08 Update: Racing for Diamonds has been named a finalist for the 2008/2009 Hackmatack Children's Choice book award!

January 22, 08 Update: New appearance details available here. In addition to conducting school visits and writing workshops, Anita is scheduled to present at the Northwords Writers Festival in Yellowknife, NT, June 2008, and at Bushplane Days in Sault Ste. Marie, ON, September 2008.

December 30, 07 Update: Sound Files of 2007 Winnipeg International Writer's Festival Spider's Song and Racing for Diamonds presentations are now available as Windows Media Files on Books as well as Media pages. Spider's Song Q & A includes discussion concerning cutting.

November 30 Update: CM Magazine (Canadian Review of Materials) has given Two Foot Punch a prized 4/4, Highly Recommended rating. You can read the review in the Dec. 7/07 issue.

November 7 Update: On Friday November 9 Anita will be stepping in for Sandra Birdsell and will read and sign at the 10th St. Emporium in Brandon, MB, as part of the Words Alive Literary Festival. She will also lead a previously scheduled blue pencil session on Saturday November 10 at the library.

November 2 Update: Two Foot Punch is now available! Call your favourite bookstore to reserve/order your copy. A few online options in Canada: McNally Robinson, Amazon.ca, or Chapters.ca (though Chapters seems to be a little behind as of this date). Coming soon in the US: Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble.

July 26 Update: Anita will be leading a portion of the Manitoba Writer's Guild youth writing camp, Spell It Out. She will also appear on the school stage during Thin Air, the Winnipeg International Writer's Festival. See Appearances page for details.

April 29 Update: Anita is the recipient of the 2007 John Hirsch Award for Most Promising Manitoba Writer. (Okay, Anita is trying to maintain her composure, but as the kiddies say, SQUEE!!)

April 17 Update: Anita has been selected for the 2007 TD Canada Trust Children's Book Week tour.

March 23 Update: Anita has been named a finalist for the 2007 John Hirsch Award for Most Promising Manitoba Writer. Congratulations to all awards finalists!

March 23 Update: Anita will appear on episode six of A Total Write-Off, a show that has been described as a cross between Just for Laughs, and Whose Line Is It Anyway? The show will be aired across Canada on BookTelevision and CLT. Check local listings.

February 24 Update: Racing for Diamonds (Orca Young Reader) is now available!

February 24 Update: Running for His Life (Working title, Orca Sports imprint) has been accepted, and will be published fall 2007

December 7 update: Millennium Library has been confirmed as the host for Anita's Racing for Diamonds launch. Also, Anita will be reading as a part of The Writers' Collective / Aqua Books Free Your Mind Reading Series on Wednesday, March 21. See Appearances for details.

November 21 update: Both of Anita's new books, Racing for Diamonds (An Orca Young Reader) and Spider's Song (A Penguin Canada young adult psychological thriller) will be launched in April 2007. See Appearances page for details.

November 18 update: Anita will teach two workshops for the Winnipeg Writer's Collective, one in January, and one in February. See Appearances page for details.

November 18 update: Anita is now accepting bookings for 2007. See Appearances page for dates available, and here for details on presentations and workshops.

October 2 update: Anita's nine week Writing for Children class begins Thursday, October 5. Details on Appearances page and through the Manitoba Writer's Guild. Correspondence option available. For more information contact Jamis at the Guild at 942-6134 or email info@mbwriter.mb.ca .

August 15 update: Anita will be teaching a Writing for Children Class Thursday nights through October and November 2006, hosted by the Manitoba Writer's Guild.

August 15 update: Anita will take part in the Winnipeg International Writer's Festival Children's Book Panel at the Winnipeg Millennium Library, 10 am to 12 pm, September 23, 2006.

May 30 update: Offer accepted from Penguin Canada for young adult novel, to be published Spring 2007.

May 29 update: Workshops and Presentations page updated to show more detail for workshops offered grades 5&6, 7&8, 9 through 12, and adults.

May17, 06 update: Contract received from Orca Book Publishers for "Racing for Diamonds," to be published in 2007.

May 17, 06 update: Grant award received from Manitoba Arts Council for young adult novel, first draft to be completed November 2006.

May 17, 06 update: I've signed on with Marie Campbell of the Transatlantic Literary Agency.  Marie is talented, enthusiastic, and has a lovely sense of humour. Indeed, the beginning of something beautiful :-) 

April 13-05 update: Thank you to Canadian North and The Manitoba Arts Council for agreeing to sponsor my next book research trip.  In May, 05, I will be travelling to Yellowknife, NT, and Norman Wells, NT.

April 13-06 update: A second Blue Pencil Session for the Manitoba Writer's Guild will be held on May 20, 06, to accommodate writers not able to participate on Saturday, April 15, due to the session being full.  These sessions are for anyone interested in writing children's literature, and workshopping a work-in-progress.

February 26-06 update: In July I will be leading a one week writing workshop for teens at YouthWrite, an annual writing camp for young people in Bragg Creek, AB, founded and coordinated by writer Gail Sidonie Sobat.

February 26-06 update: I will be leading a Blue Pencil Session for the Manitoba Writer's Guild on Saturday April 15, 06.  This session is for anyone interested in writing children's literature.

February 26-06 update: I will be offering a full, two-book interactive presentation at Winnipeg's Millennium Library on Thursday, March 30, 2:00 pm.  

December 17-05 update: I've just received word that in February, 2006 I will be visiting the northern fly-in communities of Uranium City, Fond du Lac, Black Lake, Stony Rapids, Wollaston Lake (2), Southend, Brabant, Grandmother's Bay and Neimeben River.  Details on my Appearances page.

Imminent appearances:  Anita will be at the Saskatchewan Book Awards in Regina, SK on November 25th.  She will also be signing copies of her books on December 1, 6 to 8 p.m., at McNally Robinson Grant Park, and on December 8, 6 to 8 p.m., Chapters Polo Festival, Winnipeg, MB.

September 28-05 update: Flight from Bear Canyon is a 2005 Canadian Children's Book Council Our Choice selection!

June 3-05 update: Flight from Bear Canyon is on this weeks McNally Robinson Best Seller list!  Thank you to everyone responsible...this is quite a treat!

May 24-05 update: My presentations brochure is now available in Portable Document Format (PDF).

April 28-05 update: The La Ronge, SK Arts Council has invited me to present at the La Ronge Public Library on May 7, one day after the Willow Awards gala.  

April 28-05 update: I've added information about a new workshop for young writers to my Presentations  page.

April 27-05 update: Flight from Big Tangle is on the McNally Robinson Recommended Books List!

March 24-05 update: Lynn from McNally Robinson tells me my creative writing class for young people (to begin April 5) is full!  Ten brilliant young minds have registered...we'll squeeze in one or two more if need be.

March 18, 2005 update: I've added forums for markets, contests and miscellaneous topics to my For Writers section. 

March 11, 2005 update: For those interested, I've now three "all about me" choices (short, shorter, shortest) each with unique detail, on my Bio page. 

March 7, 2005 update: There is a terrific review in the March 2005 Hi-Rise newspaper (Toronto) for Flight from Bear Canyon.  

I also came across a Canadian Children's Literature review for Flight from Big Tangle.  It's all good, baby :-)

March 3, 2005: I will be presenting on behalf of Great Plains, along with three Great Plains authors at The Manitoba Library Conference, May 4, 2005.  Subject: The Importance of Stories from Home.

March 3, 2005: I've been invited to present at schools during the week leading up to The Willow Awards Gala to be held May 6, 2005 (Flight from Big Tangle is nominated for a Diamond Willow award). 

February 20, 2005: Interested in writing for children but don't know where to start?  I've posted nine work-at-your-own-pace lessons in a workshop available on my For Writers page.  The workshop is free, but you must register. [Sorry, this class is no longer available on line.  I do teach it in person from time to time.  If you would like to be notified about when the next class will run, email me]

February 14, 2005: I begin work as marketing director at Great Plains Publications.

January 7, 2005: Appearance Updates.  I will be participating in the 3rd annual Freedom to Read Marathon on February 26.  Also, the good folks at McNally Robinson Grant Park in Winnipeg, MB, have invited me to lead their April creative writing workshop for young writers (over three sessions).  

December, 04: I will be signing books at the 2005 Ontario Library Association Super Conference, Feb 3-5 in Toronto.  See you there!

December, 04: Many thanks to Greyhound Canada and Up Here magazine for sponsoring my Flight from Bear Canyon book tour, now complete.  

October, 04: I am offering an online Writing for Children course through Sootoday.com, Arts. The course will run from November 1 through 29 with lessons updated twice weekly. 

October 5, 2004: Flight from Bear Canyon is now available! Ask your local book store to order it:
Flight from Bear Canyon by Anita Daher
ISBN 1-55143-326-5 ages 8-11 122 pages $7.95 CDN 
Autographed copies now available for purchase here.

February 20, 2004: Whee! Flight from Big Tangle has been nominated for the 2004/5 SYRCA (Saskatchewan Young Readers' Choice)Willow Awards, Diamond Willow category :-)

January 2004: Over the past few weeks I've learned that Flight From Big Tangle not only made the made the Resource Links "Best of 2003" list (Canadian library publication), but also the Canadian Toy Testing Council’s 2003-2004 Recommended Books list in the 9 to 11 year old category. 

October 2003: Great News! The Writers Union of Canada has introduced a Writers-in-the-Schools program for Northern Ontario. Applications will be accepted after January 1, 2004, and successful elementary and secondary schools will have Canadian authors (members of TWUC only) visit their classrooms at no cost to the school. TWUC will subsidize the full cost of the author's fee.  
Ehem...I am a TWUC member.  

 August 2003: Time to start booking school visits! I'm now a member of The Writers Union of Canada, which means school can apply for financial assistance through the Canada Council for the Arts National Public Readings Program, and the Ontario Arts Council Writers-In-The-Schools Program. Not that I'm terribly expensive...but it's nice to earn something of an income for what I do.

July, 2003: Flight from Big Tangle has made the Halifax Public Library recommended summer reading list, a list of "Books Fit for a Hero!"  

July 5, 2003: Saskatoon Star Phoenix article by Bob Florence (he wrote about several City Park Collegiate Institute alumni in honour of our 75 Years Reunion. This is just my bit.)

Feb 19, 03: Just found out the sequel to Flight From Big Tangle will be published in 2004.

Jan. 10, 03: The Teacher's Guide for Flight From Big Tangle is now available from Orca!

Jan. 8, 03: Very cool news :-) I just heard from my publicist at Orca that Flight From Big Tangle made the long-list for the Canadian Library Association Childrens Book of the Year!!!!! The short list will be out in a few months, then the winner announced in June.