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Alison Lohans

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Member profile details

First Name
Alison
Last Name
Lohans
Province or Territory
Saskatchewan
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Professional information

Bio
I was born and raised in Reedley, California, and have been writing all my life: at age 9 I decided I wanted to become a writer; at age 10 I began submitting short stories to magazines (and began learning about rejection slips); at age 12 had my first short story published in Wee Wisdom Magazine. I immigrated to Canada in 1971 and have lived in Regina, Saskatchewan since 1976.

I taught beginning band instruments for three years in Regina schools, and then "retired" to start a family - and work more intensively on my writing. My first book, Who Cares About Karen? was published in 1983. Since then I've done hundreds of readings and workshops at schools, libraries and conferences across Canada, and have taught writing for many years, including teaching teen writers at the Sage Hill Teen Writing Experience. It was a great honour to serve as Writer-in-Residence at Regina Public Library in 2002-2003. Other jobs included editing, work as research assistant, teaching assistant, and project associate for the Faculty of Education at the University of Regina. During recent years I returned to teaching music again and, until the COVID-19 pandemic, taught recorder to a wonderful group of older ladies.

Writing fiction provides a fascinating avenue for exploring all sorts of life questions. By "becoming" my characters, I grow as I take on new perspectives and explore the human aspects of the situations posed by my stories. My novel Don't Think Twice (1997, 2009) is set in two different eras, and This Land We Call Home (2007) allowed me a close-up view of the World War II Japanese internment camps. Timefall (2018, 2020) has allowed me to explore time travel and aspects of survival in a post-apocalyptic world, while Picturing Alyssa (2011) has a time travel component that takes readers to the rural Iowa Quaker community of my mother's childhood. To date I've published 29 books, 27 of them for young people and two romance novels. Many of my books have been finalists for awards, and a few have won: most recently, my picture book The 1-Dogpower Garden Team (2021) garnered a Silver Moonbeam Medal as well as a couple of "almosts". Tyler Evans the Great will be out in 2023.

In addition to writing, I have decades of experience evaluating manuscripts - whether for peers, or through manuscript evaluation services such as the ones offered by The Writers' Union of Canada, and the Saskatchewan Writers' Guild. In recent years I edited novels for Radiant Press and Coteau Books (sadly, now no longer in business).

I still enjoy music, playing cornet, cello and recorder in various amateur groups. Reading and travel are other passions, and I enjoy jigsaw puzzles. Life in Regina keeps me busy with all sorts of activities - as do my dogs Sebastian and Sassy. I have two adult sons.

Education:
B.A. (Music), California State University at Los Angeles, 1971
Postgraduate Diploma in Elementary Education, University of Victoria, 1976
M.Ed., University of Regina, 2002
Available For
School and library readings for grades K through adult
Writing workshops
Conference presentations for writers and educators
Teaching
Editing and manuscript critiquing
School Visits
Available for author talks grades K through adult
Publications
Adult

Strong as a Pharaoh
BWL Publishing, 2022

Canine Cupid
BWL Publishing, 2021

Tunings (a poetry chapbook)
B-) Print Editions, 2005


Young Adult Fiction

Timefall
Kindle Direct Publishing, 2020 (2nd edition); Five Rivers Publishing, 2018

Crossings
Bundoran Press, 2012

Collapse of the Veil
Bundoran Press, 2010

Don't Think Twice (new edition)
Your Nickel's Worth Publishing, 2009

River Rat
Pearson Education New Zealand, Nitty Gritty Novel Series III, 2008

This Land We Call Home
Pearson Education New Zealand, Nitty Gritty Novel Series II, 2007

Don't Think Twice
Thistledown Press, 1997

Laws of Emotion
Thistledown Press, 1993

Foghorn Passage
Stoddart/Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 1992

Can You Promise Me Spring?
Scholastic Canada, 1986

Who Cares About Karen?
Scholastic Canada, 1983


Pre-Teen Fiction

Caught in the Crossfire (forthcoming, delayed)
Pearson Education Australia, MainSails Literacy Series

No Place for Kids (new edition)
Heritage House, 2014

Picturing Alyssa
Dundurn, 2011

Doppelganger
Pearson Education New Zealand, Nitty Gritty Novel Series I, 2010

Old, Tired Dog
Reed Publishing New Zealand Ltd., MainSails Literacy Series (grade 6), 2006

No Place for Kids
Roussan Publishers, 1999


Children's Fiction

Coming soon:
Tyler Evans the Great
Your Nickel's Worth Publishing, 2023

Germy Johnson's Piano War (new edition)
Kindle Direct Publishing, 2023
Sandra Norman (illustrator)

The 1-Dogpower Garden Team
Your Nickel's Worth Publishing, 2021
Gretchen Ehrsam (illustrator)

Germy Johnson's Stolen Skateboard
(new, revised edition of Skateboard Kids)
Kindle Direct Publishing, 2021
Sandra Norman (illustrator)

Leaving Mr. Humphries
Your Nickel's Worth Publishing, 2013
Gretchen Ehrsam (illustrator)

Stop That Pup!
Pearson Education New Zealand, Sails Literacy Series, 2012

The Break
Pearson Education New Zealand, Sails Literacy Series, 2012

Dog Alert
Pearson Education New Zealand, Nitty Gritty Novel Series 0, 2011

Germy Johnson's Piano War
aemWORKS Publishing, 2010
A.E. Matheson (illustrator)

Germy Johnson's Secret Plan (new edition)
aemWORKS Publishing, 2008
A.E. Matheson (illustrator)

The Raspberry Room
Orca, 2006
Gillian Newland (illustrator)

Waiting for the Sun
Red Deer Press, 2001
Marilyn Mets and Peter Ledwon (illustrators)

Skateboard Kids
Roussan Publishers, 1999

Sundog Rescue
Annick, 1999
Vladyana Langer Krykorka (illustrator)

The Lunchbox Mystery (re-issue of Mystery of the Lunchbox Criminal)
Scholastic Canada, Literacy Place (grade 4), 1999
Janet Wilson (illustrator)

Getting Rid of Mr. Ribitus
Hodgepog Books, 1998
Barbara Hartmann (illustrator)

Nathaniel's Violin
Orca, 1996
Marlene Watson (illustrator)

Germy Johnson's Secret Plan
Scholastic Canada, 1992
Janet Wilson (illustrator)

Mystery of the Lunchbox Criminal
Scholastic Canada, 1990
Janet Wilson (illustrator)
Performances and Exhibitions
1999-2000 McKenzie Art Gallery Theatre
Six performance scripts on the lives of famous musicians

1996-1998 schools, libraries, bookstores
20 public performances of the musical version of Nathaniel's Violin
Awards
2022 Silver Moonbeam Award for The 1-Dogpower Garden Team

2012 Regina YWCA Woman of Distinction Award for the Arts

2008 Saskatchewan Book Award for Young Adult Literature
Category: writing
For: This Land We Call Home

2006 Saskatchewan Arts Board creative grant (literary)
Category: writing
For: Picturing Alyssa (to be published by Dundurn in 2011)

1996 Young Readers' Choice Award
Category: writing
For: Mystery of the Lunchbox Criminal

1994 Young Readers' Choice Award
Category: writing
For: Can You Promise Me Spring?
Other Memberships
Saskatchewan Writers' Guild
The Writers' Union of Canada
Saskatchewan Children's Writers' Round Robin
Saskatchewan Romance Writers

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Phone: 1-416-515-1559

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