It has been a very busy time of late. I had three school readings in Parry Sound on Wednesday. It’s a four hour drive from Brantford so drove in the night before. Shannon and Laura, the two teachers who had arranged my invitation, suggested that we meet for dinner on the Tuesday when I got into Parry Sound. I thought that sounded like a great idea, and I suggested that they contact local writers to join us, and they did.
As it turned out, a friend’s father died a few days earlier and the funeral was on the Wednesday. I couldn’t go to the funeral but I wanted to at least pay my respects at the visitation, which started at 2pm on Tuesday. I packed, got dressed up, and drove to the funeral home. It was so packed that I could hardly find a parking spot. I quickly paid my respects and then drove to a fast food place and changed into jeans in the bathroom and hopped on the highway. I got into Parry Sound just after 6pm and met with Laura, Shannon, Emily and local writers for dinner. The conversation was great! Writers have the best anecdotes!
The next morning, I went to Shannon’s high school and first did a presentation about my books and the history behind them. I had been told that many of the students in the group were not particularly fond of books but I found them to be an extraordinarily attentive audience. I was glad that I had my chattervox personal audio system because this presentation was in one section of a very large open concept library and the group of students was fairly large. Everyone could hear me though, and I didn’t have to scream.
After that presentation I did a writing workshop with one of Shannon’s English classes plus her Young Writers Group. The kids were fantastic! So creative! There is nothing more energizing for me than to be in a roomful of creative people who are actively thinking and writing. After we brainstormed our characters and chose a setting, I gave everyone ten minutes to write a paragraph. Some students wrote a couple of pages! I was really impressed with the quality of what these kids wrote! Fabulous stuff. Shannon is doing a great job!
In the afternoon, I went to the public school where Emily and Laura teach and presented to the grade 7 & 8 students. It was a fairly big group and was in the gym with very bad acoustics, so again I was glad that I had my chattervox. I asked how many kids hated reading and books and half of the kids put up their hands. I would never have guessed it by their enthusiasm though. These kids asked great questions and listened attentively and when I gave them their choice between hearing my excerpts (vomit, beating up, or abduction) there was a chanting contest between beating up and vomit. I read vomit first and then beating up and their response was every author’s dream. They clapped enthusiastically and wanted more more more!
After that presentation was over, I skedaddled (it was 3 already) because I wanted to get out of town before all the school buses started rolling through. All my way home, I listened to a book on CD but listened to the weather reports from time to time. I missed the big snow storm by just a little bit and I got home at 7pm.
It sounds like you and the kids had a great time! I’ve heard you do a presentation, though, so I don’t doubt the kids had a blast! And when you offer teens a choice between vomit, beating up or abduciton, how can they not help but listen!
I’m glad you missed the snow – it’s no fun being on the highway in the middle of a blizzard!
Julie
Hi Julie,
Doing presentations in schools is one of my all-time favourite things. And I love doing writing workshops too. I tend to do about 3 times as many presentations as I do workshops so it’s always a treat when I do one. The other neat thing about the high school is that they had a little cafe that was run by students and the food was prepared by students. Shannon and I shared peanut butter pie for dessert. It was glorious! You know me and my sweet tooth!
What’s the weather like in Winnipeg right now?
Wow, I missed this reply totally!
Mmmmmmmmmmm, peanut butter pie – that sounds terrific! I’ve found another few good places for desserts, so the next time you’re in Winnipeg, we’ll have to go. Baked Expectations has a delicious (and addictive) trifle that I long for at this time of year !
I’m glad you got to sit down with some budding writers and encourage them. If we’d had someone come to our school, it would have been so exciting, I think. Who knows where my creative writing would be then? (Probably a lot further along than three chapters!)
Well, the weather is pretty cold, but it’s supposed to be warming up by the end of the week. Just the first big lot of snow, though, so maybe it’s going to behave for a bit. We heard the forecast is for a long, cold winter, though – yay Canada!
How’s the weather in your neck of the woods?
J
Hi Julie,
I don’t understand the allure of trifle. Isn’t it just soggy cake?
I wish we’d had author visits when I was a kid too. I never met an author til I became one.
It’s chilly here and I have a cold. Yuck. Mind you, it’s sunny and crisp and clear, so very beautiful outside.
Sorry to hear about the cold – I’ve been sleeping rather poorly, but I don’t think I’ve got a cold so far.
Feel better soon!
J
Thanks, Julie. I hope you don’t get a cold and that you get a good night’s sleep soon!
Well, got a good night’s sleep last night, so thanks for the wishes. Note quite enough sleep to get writing again, but maybe I’ll get something done over the holidays!
Hope you’re feeling better,
Julie
The next morning, I went to Shannon’s high school and first did a presentation about my books and the history behind them. I had been told that many of the students in the group were not particularly fond of books but I found them to be an extraordinarily attentive audience. I was glad that I had my chattervox personal audio system because this presentation was in one section of a very large open concept library and the group of students was fairly large. Everyone could hear me though, and I didn’t have to scream.
After that presentation I did a writing workshop with one of Shannon’s English classes plus her Young Writers Group. The kids were fantastic! So creative! There is nothing more energizing for me than to be in a roomful of creative people who are actively thinking and writing. After we brainstormed our characters and chose a setting, I gave everyone ten minutes to write a paragraph. Some students wrote a couple of pages! I was really impressed with the quality of what these kids wrote! Fabulous stuff. Shannon is doing a great job!
In the afternoon, I went to the public school where Emily and Laura teach and presented to the grade 7 & 8 students. It was a fairly big group and was in the gym with very bad acoustics, so again I was glad that I had my chattervox. I asked how many kids hated reading and books and half of the kids put up their hands. I would never have guessed it by their enthusiasm though. These kids asked great questions and listened attentively and when I gave them their choice between hearing my excerpts (vomit, beating up, or abduction) there was a chanting contest between beating up and vomit. I read vomit first and then beating up and their response was every author’s dream. They clapped enthusiastically and wanted more more more!
After that presentation was over, I skedaddled (it was 3 already) because I wanted to get out of town before all the school buses started rolling through. All my way home, I listened to a book on CD but listened to the weather reports from time to time. I missed the big snow storm by just a little bit and I got home at 7pm.
It sounds like you and the kids had a great time! I’ve heard you do a presentation, though, so I don’t doubt the kids had a blast! And when you offer teens a choice between vomit, beating up or abduciton, how can they not help but listen!
I’m glad you missed the snow – it’s no fun being on the highway in the middle of a blizzard!
Julie
Hi Julie,
Doing presentations in schools is one of my all-time favourite things. And I love doing writing workshops too. I tend to do about 3 times as many presentations as I do workshops so it’s always a treat when I do one. The other neat thing about the high school is that they had a little cafe that was run by students and the food was prepared by students. Shannon and I shared peanut butter pie for dessert. It was glorious! You know me and my sweet tooth!
What’s the weather like in Winnipeg right now?
Wow, I missed this reply totally!
Mmmmmmmmmmm, peanut butter pie – that sounds terrific! I’ve found another few good places for desserts, so the next time you’re in Winnipeg, we’ll have to go. Baked Expectations has a delicious (and addictive) trifle that I long for at this time of year !
I’m glad you got to sit down with some budding writers and encourage them. If we’d had someone come to our school, it would have been so exciting, I think. Who knows where my creative writing would be then? (Probably a lot further along than three chapters!)
Well, the weather is pretty cold, but it’s supposed to be warming up by the end of the week. Just the first big lot of snow, though, so maybe it’s going to behave for a bit. We heard the forecast is for a long, cold winter, though – yay Canada!
How’s the weather in your neck of the woods?
J
Hi Julie,
I don’t understand the allure of trifle. Isn’t it just soggy cake?
I wish we’d had author visits when I was a kid too. I never met an author til I became one.
It’s chilly here and I have a cold. Yuck. Mind you, it’s sunny and crisp and clear, so very beautiful outside.
Sorry to hear about the cold – I’ve been sleeping rather poorly, but I don’t think I’ve got a cold so far.
Feel better soon!
J
Thanks, Julie. I hope you don’t get a cold and that you get a good night’s sleep soon!
Well, got a good night’s sleep last night, so thanks for the wishes. Note quite enough sleep to get writing again, but maybe I’ll get something done over the holidays!
Hope you’re feeling better,
Julie