Jacqueline currently lives and writes in Qualicum Beach, British Columbia.
Her award winning books are unique in that many of the main characters come from different ethnic backgrounds including First Nations, Inuit or Metis. Her well-drawn characters face issues common to every child such as bullying, blended families and physical challenges and are strong role models for today’s youth. Always popular with readers, Jacqueline’s sports books combine action, humour and a love of the game. Her historical novels present Canada ’s vibrant past as an exciting adventure every reader, young and old, will enjoy. Her young adult mysteries address teenage problems in a sensitive way while still providing a thrilling page-turner.
With twenty years experience, Jacqueline has a wide variety of presentations suitable for each grade level and all are curriculum connected. Jacqueline’s interactive curriculum-based Metis Presentations are a hit with students and are of interest as they incorporate her own background as she shows how the Metis people are a strong part of the fabric of Canada ’s past. Her Easy Key Writing Workshops provides the EasyKey Method to facing a language arts essay and winning! Her other presentations cover topics such as dinosaurs, the transatlantic cable and world-wide communications, World War 2 and Canada’s war effort on the home front plus a host of others which allow Jacqueline to present to many different grade levels in the school on the same day.
Jacqueline has presented to students and educators in Canada, the United States, Tanzania and Ghana. She has participated in Mamawenig, the Saskatchewan Aboriginal Literacy Gathering, and has performed pro-bono workshops at the Edmonton Young Offenders Centre. She has also presented for the Cultural Diversity Institute, University of Calgary; University of Victoria; Manitoba Association of Teachers of English; MASC Conference in Ottawa; Alberta Association of Library Technicians; Saskatoon Reading Council Teachers Conference; Dreamcatcher Aboriginal Conferences; Batoche Historical Site and participated in Back to Batoche Days and Fort Calgary ‘s Metis Cultural Festival, plus she has presented at the American Library Association and Billings Public Schools in the United States. Jacqueline has also worked with the Young Alberta Book Society Taleblazers Festival, Youth Write, Wordpower Tour, TD Book Week and a host of other Writers’ Conferences too numerous to list.
Jacqueline was the Creator-In-Residence for the Canadian Children’s Book Center; Writer-In-Residence for the Escuela Canyon Meadows International Spanish Academy and St. Claire Elementary School in Calgary.
She has also been the Writer in Residence for the Marigold Library System and a member of Calgary Arts Partners in Education Society.
During 2014 and 2015, Jacqueline volunteered with CODE in Tanzania to teach adult writers how to create engaging novels in English for their own young readers. In 2017, she journeyed to Ghana to work with adult authors helping them create a new generation of novels for their readers. Encouraging new writers is an exciting and rewarding challenge she enjoys.
Jacqueline is the recipient of the prestigious Indspire Award for the Arts, formerly the National Aboriginal Achievement Award.
In 2016, Jacqueline received the incredible honour of being named to the Order of Canada for her ongoing efforts in the world of literacy.
Awards:
Canadian Children’s Book Centre Our Choice Award: Hat Trick, Free Throw, Rookie Season, Rink Rivals, A Goal in Sight, Soccer Star, Belle of Batoche, Secret Signs, and Wild Ride
Hackmatack and R.Ross Annett Award Nominee: Secret Signs
Arthur Ellis Mystery Award Nominee: Wild Ride
Golden Eagle Finalist: Wild Ride, Rookie Season, Rink Rivals, A Goal In Sight
Red Cedar and R.Ross Annett Award Finalist: Belle of Batoche
Ontario Library Association Best Bet Selection: Belle of Batoche
Edmonton Public Schools Best of the Best Award: Belle of Batoche
Moonbeam Gold Medal Winners: Ghost Messages and Outcasts of River Falls
Moonbeam Bronze Medal Winner: The Comic Book War
2012 OLA Forest of Reading Silver Birch Award Finalist: Ghost Messages
Young Adult Book, 2013 High Plains Book Awards Finalist: Ghost Messages
2015 OLA Forest of Reading Red Maple Award Finalist: The Comic Book War
Hackmatack Award Finalist: Secret Signs
Manitoba Young Readers’ Choice Award Finalist: The Comic Book War
Jacqueline is a member of the following organizations:
Writers’ Union of Canada
Writers Guild of Alberta
Young Alberta Book Society
Canadian Society of Children’s Authors, Illustrators and Performers (Canscaip)
Canadian Children’s Book Centre