Meet the Author
Born and educated in Toronto, Canada, Elaine Forder spent her early adult life exploring Europe and finally settling in Italy where she married and her two sons were born. Returning years later to her native Canada, a new and lasting inspiration took hold when she entered the teaching profession. Working with young people proved to be her true calling, and one she would pursue for a 30-year career.
Elaine first began writing stories to entice her elementary school students to read. Her journey as an author soon expanded to include adult fiction, although her love of travel, athletics and working with children will always find a way into her writing.
Elaine currently resides in Toronto, Canada with her husband and a varying number of pets.
Books by Elaine Forder
Nothing but Trouble
by Elaine Forder
Illustrated by Frank J Zhang
Stevie didn't want to get people mad at him... it just happened. No matter how hard he tried to be good, things just seemed to go wrong, again. The worst was when his best friend moved away. Now he was sure life would be boring. That was before he met Victor, the cuddly little chow chow pup. He may have looked like a teddy bear, but he was a real disaster waiting to happen. That's all Stevie needed... now there were two of them!
​
Whether battling ghosts, fighting bullies or chasing bank robbers, adventure always followed them wherever they went. But they did learn one thing: that no matter what, you always stick together. What else can you do when your best friend is nothing but trouble?
What kids have to say about Nothing But Trouble...
Nothing But Trouble will always be my favorite book because it is fun and not boring.
Rebecca
I really liked Nothing But Trouble. I signed it out of the library and read it again. It made me feel happy sometimes and sad sometimes.
Lilly Chen
Thank you for letting us read Nothing But Trouble in class. It was funny and sad and it painted pictures in my head. I hope you write another one about Stevie and Victor.
Prieya
I am glad we had to read Nothing But Trouble in class because I really liked it and now I am not afraid of long books. I hope you write more books. I will read them.
Rahul
Double Trouble... and then some
by Elaine Forder
Illustrated by Frank J Zhang
Stevie didn't need help getting into trouble; he did very well on his own. And having a dog as his best friend wasn't always easy. Having two of them was just plain crazy. But when you add two dogs and a bratty kid, you now have double trouble, and then some.
​
Whether it was trick or treating, or on ski trips or camping in a tent, things always turned upside down. Maybe I'm jinxed, Stevie thought. Luckily, Victor, his loyal chow chow, was always on his side no matter what.
​
​
What kids have to say about Double Trouble... and then some
I wish I had a brother like Stevie. He is fun and finds crazy things to do. I only have 2 sisters and they are boring.
Jeremy
I wasn't going to like this book because I don't like reading. But I did like it. I hope one day my dad will let me have a dog and I will call him Victor.
Sammy
I liked it because it has pictures. They helped me understand the words. I liked Victor because he is smart and a good friend. I wish I had a friend like him.
Raymond
I loved this book so much. I wish I could write stories like you do. It's the best book ever. I didn't want it to end.
Jamila
Beyond Gold
by Elaine Forder
During the 2004 Olympics, American diver, Michael Weiss, and his equally athletic mother, Jordana, find themselves embroiled in romance, conspiracy and betrayal as their stay in Athens becomes much more than a once-in-a-lifetime competition.
​
Framed for a crime he did not commit, Michael is then kidnapped before his gold medal event. Now forced to rely on their resourcefulness, his mother and teammates struggle to decipher the mystery that has entangled the mother and son since arriving in Athens. Not only Michael's chances at a first place win, but even his life, may depend on it.
​
In the end, the true prize is not the gold, but what lies beyond.
A Higher Love
by Elaine Forder
After years of planning this trip, 22-year-old Catherine finally arrives in Rome. Now liberated from her sheltered existence in the USA, she is determined to experience Italian life to the fullest, unaware that a novice female tourist is an easy target for unscrupulous Romans. High-spirited and reckless, her first impulsive move is to buy a Vespa, an act which instantly impacts the entire course of her summer.
​
Within the first week, Catherine has chance encounters with three very different men. Each one touches her emotionally and in turn exposes her to all the beauty, the danger and the often ugly side of the city that she has grown to love.
​
Everything comes to a head when her fiancé from back home invades her three-month stay in Rome. Now no longer the person she was when she left the US, serious decisions regarding her future must be made, as well as the higher love she has discovered there.
I really enjoyed reading A Higher Love by Elaine Forder. This book about young Katherine’s adventurous summer in Rome drew me in right away. Well paced. Just when I thought I knew how the story was going to play out the author introduces another turn and we are off on another exciting excursion. The descriptions of the city’s sites and food were wonderful to read. A good book to read in summer paired with coffee and biscotti or maybe some gelato.
Patricia McDonald
Tips for Parents
to help foster a love for reading
In her 30 years of teaching elementary school, Elaine worked with children of all levels of reading... and enthusiasm for it. While every child has that love of reading inside them, some need some extra encouragement to light that spark. Here, Elaine shares with you her learnings over the years, both as a parent and a teacher, in hopes that you too can help your child to not only choose to read, but to genuinely enjoy it!
Tip #1
Ask them about what they are reading and what they like about it. Even ask them to read their favorite part to you, and listen carefully without correcting errors.
Tip #2
Easy or hard, let them read what interests them. Even comic books are reading! The idea is that they read for enjoyment.
Got a question for Elaine?
Submit your question in the form below and Elaine will do her best to answer, as well as add it to the list above to help other parents!
Get in Touch
Do you have a question about helping your child learn to (or love to) read, or want to contact Elaine for any other reason? Use the contact form or email address below and Elaine will get back to you as soon as possible!