K.V. Johansen

Background

K. V. Johansen is the author of twenty-some books, including the Sunburst-nominated epic fantasy Blackdog, the teen fantasy series The Warlocks of Talverdin (which includes the Ann Connor Brimer Award-winning Nightwalker) the Torrie books (a secondary-world fantasy series for children), and the children’s near-future science fiction Cassandra Virus trilogy. She grew up in Kingston, Ontario, where after reading The Lord of the Rings at the age of eight she developed not only a lifelong love of fantasy literature, but a fascination with languages and history which would be equally long lasting and would eventually influence the development of her own writing, leading her to take a Master’s degree at the Centre for Medieval Studies at the University of Toronto. In addition to fantasy for adults, children, and teens, she has written the Pippin and Mabel/Coquine et Mabelle picture books and two works of literary criticism on the history of children’s fantasy literature, has won several awards and been shortlisted for others; various of her books have been translated into French, Macedonian, and Danish. While spending most of her time writing, she retains her interest in medieval history and languages and is a member of the Tolkien Society and the Early English Text Society, as well as the Science Fiction Writers of America, the Writers’ Union of Canada, and SF Canada. She was also the editor of the posthumously-published final volume in Donald Jack’s triple Leacock Award-winning Bandy Papers series, Stalin Versus Me.

Visit her online at www.kvj.ca (for more information about her adult books), www.pippin.ca (for everything else) or at her blog, www.thewildforest.wordpress.com.

Publications

The Leopard (Pyr 2014)
The Lady (Pyr 2014)
Gods of Nabban (Pyr 2016)
Blackdog (Pyr 2011)
The Black Box (Sybertooth 2011
Rhe Shadow Road (Orca 2010)
Torrie and the Dragonslayers (Sybertooth 2009)
Warden of Greyrock (Orca 2009)
The Storyteller and Other Tales (Sybertooth 2008)
Treason in Eswy (Orca 2008)
The Drone War (Sybertooth 2007)
Nightwalker (Orca 2007)
Torrie and the Snake-Prince (Annick 2007)
Beyond Window-Dressing: Canadian Children’s Fantasy at the Millennium (Sybertooth 2007)
Torrie and the Firebird (Annick 2006)
The Cassandra Virus (Orca 2006)
Torrie and the Pirate-Queen (Annick 2005)
Quests and Kingdoms: A Grown-Up’s Guide to Children’s Fantasy Literature (Sybertooth 2005)
Pippin and Pudding (Kids Can 2001)
Pippin and the Bones (Kids Can 2000)
Pippin Takes a Bath (Kids Can 1999)
The Serpent Bride: Stories from Medieval Danish Ballads (Thistledown 1998)
Torrie and the Dragon (Roussan 1997)

What I Offer

I usually combine a reading with an art session, talking to the students about the sorts of things an illustrator might consider when working, then reading a chapter and getting the students illustrate it. For grades K-2, I read from my Pippin books and have the children make some related art. I allow time at the end for students to ask questions about the story and about writing. I also do writing workshops for grades 4 and up, in which I discuss some aspect of fiction writing with the students and have them work on a story, concentrating on whatever I had discussed (point of view, narrative voice, setting, heroes and villains, etc.). Please note that I will not travel far in the winter months. I prefer to do school visits in the fall. I am generally available only Monday to Wednesday.