I am thrilled to share the news that my next middle grade novel The Winnowing will be published by Scholastic Canada this fall. Here is the official description:
Marivic Stone lives in a small world, and that’s fine with her. Home is with her beloved grandfather in a small town that just happens to be famous for a medical discovery that saved humankind — though not without significant repercussions. Marivic loves her best friend, Saren, and the two of them promise to stick together, through thick and thin, and especially through the uncertain winnowing procedure, a now inevitable — but dangerous — part of adolescence.
But when tragedy separates the two friends, Marivic is thrust into a world of conspiracy, rebellion and revolution. For the first time in her life, Marivic is forced to think and act big. If she is going to right a decade of wrongs, she will need to trust her own frightening new abilities, even when it means turning her back on everything, and everyone, she’s known and loved. A gripping exploration of growing up, love and loss, The Winnowing is a page-turning adventure that will have readers rooting for their new hero, Marivic Stone, as they unravel the horror and intrigue of a world at once familiar but with a chilling strangeness lurking beneath the everyday.
This will be my fifth novel for kids and veers into new territory for me. Specifically sci-fi and speculative fiction territory. Surprised? Let me take you back a few years. . .
On Friday nights in grade seven you could find me in the basement, in the dark, watching the X-Files. Conspiracy theories? Loved them. Alternate histories? Couldn’t get enough. Ghosts? Into it. Aliens? Obviously. My obsession culminated in a friend and I traveling to Mississauga to attend an X-Files convention. We listened to panels and bought merch and wore FBI badges made in Microsoft Paint— hers said Mulder, mine said Scully—but the highlight was a pitch session, at which I got up in front of a conference room full of much older “X-Philes” and a panel of screenwriters to pitch my idea for an episode.
At first glance, The Winnowing might seem at odds with my previous work. But at its core this is a “Vikki VanSickle book.” What do I mean by that? Essentially I’m exploring my perennial themes—relationships, puberty, coming of age—set in a world that could have been. I’m interested in what ordinary people do in extraordinary situations.
The Winnowing is a love letter to the X-Files and the worlds and concepts that show opened up for me. But it’s also about the everyday, inescapable conflicts of adolescence: fighting with your best friend, being forced to work with your arch-nemesis, constantly worrying about your appearance and what other people think, and wondering where you fit in the world.
Oh, and that X-Files pitch session I entered back in 1995? I won.
The Winnowing will be available in fall 2017 from Scholastic Canada. I would be absolutely tickled if you would pre-order a copy at your local indie, Indigo, Amazon, or wherever you buy books. More details to come!
Vikki VanSickle 
Congratulations Vikki! I will look forward, as always, to reading everything you write!
Congrats, Vikki–this sounds AMAZING!!Cheers,Bev
From: Vikki VanSickle To: bevrosenbaum@yahoo.ca Sent: Thursday, May 18, 2017 12:02 PM Subject: [New post] New Book Alert: THE WINNOWING #yiv5962447041 a:hover {color:red;}#yiv5962447041 a {text-decoration:none;color:#0088cc;}#yiv5962447041 a.yiv5962447041primaryactionlink:link, #yiv5962447041 a.yiv5962447041primaryactionlink:visited {background-color:#2585B2;color:#fff;}#yiv5962447041 a.yiv5962447041primaryactionlink:hover, #yiv5962447041 a.yiv5962447041primaryactionlink:active {background-color:#11729E;color:#fff;}#yiv5962447041 WordPress.com | vikkivansickle posted: “I am thrilled to share the news that my next middle grade novel The Winnowing will be published by Scholastic Canada this fall. Here is the official description:Marivic Stone lives in a small world, and that’s fine with her. Home is with her beloved g” | |
EEk! Thanks, Bev!
This is the best – cant wait to read it!
It’s on my calendar, Vikki.
I will check with Nikole to see if she will preorder me a copy.
All good wishes for ever more success.
Warm regards,
Sally
Sally Bender
Books for Kids
Sal’s Fiction Addiction
1151 22nd Street
Brandon MB R7B 2P6
(204) 728-4027
benders@wcgwave.ca
http://salsfictionaddiction.blogspot.com
Thanks so much, Sally!
Counting the days until this is released! You had me at X-Files!!!
Yayayayayaya! Were you a fan TOO?!
Hi Vikki,
This is such a fun book.
I have been reading it in classrooms as Father’s Day approaches,
and as the year winds down.
All good wishes,
Sally
Sally Bender
Books for Kids
Sal’s Fiction Addiction
1151 22nd Street
Brandon MB R7B 2P6
(204) 728-4027
benders@wcgwave.ca
http://salsfictionaddiction.blogspot.com
Good morning to you!
Congrats on the upcoming launch.
I love this book, as I loved the one about spiders. I have placed them on my grandgirls book shelves.
I will look forward to sharing them when they come back again to visit.
All good wishes to you,
Sally
Sally Bender
Books for Kids
Sal’s Fiction Addiction
1151 22nd Street
Brandon MB R7B 2P6
(204) 728-4027
benders@wcgwave.ca
http://salsfictionaddiction.blogspot.com
Good morning,
Lisa Graff is such a good writer.
I enjoyed this new book, and know exactly who I should pass it on to – thank you!
All good wishes,
Sally
Sally Bender
Books for Kids
Sal’s Fiction Addiction
1151 22nd Street
Brandon MB R7B 2P6
(204) 728-4027
benders@wcgwave.ca
http://salsfictionaddiction.blogspot.com
Good morning,
I hope we get a chance to meet Flavia again.
I love to share her stories.
Best wishes,
Sally
Sally Bender
Books for Kids
Sal’s Fiction Addiction
1151 22nd Street
Brandon MB R7B 2P6
(204) 728-4027
benders@wcgwave.ca
http://salsfictionaddiction.blogspot.com
Good morning!
Happy Labor Day ….
I love these Cat books and so do many little ones.
Happy to share it with everyone.
Thanks so much,
Sally
Sally Bender
Books for Kids
Sal’s Fiction Addiction
1151 22nd Street
Brandon MB R7B 2P6
(204) 728-4027
benders@wcgwave.ca
http://salsfictionaddiction.blogspot.com
I loved the X Files as well and am excited to see how the show influenced your work. I also think sci fi/futuristic genre is a refreshing change from the high fantasy and paranormal romances I usually read. Looking forward to your new novel! Congrats on the fall release!
Thanks, Amanda! I hope you enjoy it!
I read it, and it’s so amazing! It’s such a unique concept, and I’ll be thrilled if you write more stories like this in the future!
Thanks so much, Bella!
Hi Vikki! I’m currently reading your latest book “The Winnowing” and absolutely love it! I joined the Red Maple reading club at school and everyone’s been talking about your book in particular. Supposedly there’s also going to be some sort of convention taking place in April with all the nominees there! I really hope I get the chance to meet you! Thank you so much for everything! Best wishes!
Hi Maya! Thank you for dropping by to let me know about your book club. I’m THRILLED that you’re enjoying The Winnowing. I will indeed me at some of the festival events, hopefully we’ll get to meet! xo
I loved this book, I was reading it in class and am now doing a report on it. I loved how you made the scenarios relate-able for someone my age. (I’m in Grade 7)
Thanks so much, Danielle! I always like to imagine myself in a novel when I’m reading, so I’m glad you were able to put yourself into the situation!
I absolutely loved the winnowing and was overjoyed at seeing the red maple award go to this book and you, Vikki Vansickle!!! I am sooooo happy! Are you going to write a sequel? I really hope you do. That would be amazing and I would reaed it as soon as I could get my hands on a copy. I love your books. Please never stop writing!