Annette's Blog
What inspired me to write Circle of Cranes
An interview with a Canadian foster parent inspired me to write Circle of Cranes. Patty Lister (not her real name) was a foster parent who had worked for the British Columbia Ministry of Children and Families for many years. After a migrant ship was grounded off the...
Migrant ships in Circle of Cranes
I found it hard to believe that people, particularly children, could survive a two-month journey in a dark and cramped hold of a migrant ship with little food, only rice and water, and no toilet facilities. I doubted it could be that bad until I interviewed a Canadian...
Snakeheads in Circle of Cranes
I became fascinated with snakeheads the way I am fascinated, but repelled, by people who commit horrible crimes. The Chinese call people smugglers snakeheads because of their ability to slither through borders and transport people without documents into different...
Craniac
My husband, Michael, is a craniac –– a person who is fascinated, maybe even obsessive, about the tall wetland birds called cranes. Michael is not alone. There are thousands of craniacs in the world, watching in awe as these birds dance, take flight and sing....