I'm the guest blogger over at Vision and Verb today. I chose to write about my journal. I absolutely love the photo Marcie used with my post. Thanks so much, Marcie! http://visionandverb.com
The best part of my job
One of the best parts of my job is meeting kids. And listening to what they write. If you are a fourth or fifth grader and live in Metro Boston, or you are a parent of a fourth or fifth grader, please think about signing up for my fiction creative writing workshop on Sunday, November 7, at the Waban Library Center. Here's the Link: http://wabanlibrarycenter.org/course-catalog/ Hope to see you there!
Changing our country one girl at a time
The girls, Laurie Halse Anderson, and me. Thanks Deborah Sloan for taking the picture!
Last night I had the great privilege to hear Laurie Halse Anderson speak to a packed crowd at the Brookline Public Library. I’ve been a big fan of Laurie’s work ever since I read SPEAK ten years ago. My kids love her work, too. She was entertaining, honest and completely accessible as she talked about her childhood and early writing career.
But I noticed a big change in her body language and voice when she started to talk about slavery, the subject of her novel, CHAINS. Her voice grew louder, more passionate. Her hands started to fly. It is her wish, she said in so many words, for our country to come to grips with our long, complicated and complicit history with racism.
That’s quite a tall order.
Can we really change our culture with a book?
As she got into the details of her research, I looked around at the crowd. The younger ones were starting to fidget. The middle schoolers looked ready to bolt. And I wondered, how do we change our culture? We have come so far, in many ways. A black governor. A black president. And yet…
And then I saw this girl in the back who was watching so intently that I thought her eyes might pierce a hole in Laurie’s forehead. In the Q and A she asked a very insightful question. And later I saw her bend over Laurie, asking a different, maybe more personal question. And Laurie, full of grace and patience, seemed to give her all of the time in the world – even though there was a long line of people waiting. Finally the girl straightened and walked away. The look was still on her face.
I know that look. Because I’ve received it a few times and I’ve most certainly given it. It’s a look that says "you are my hero. You have helped me. Your books changed me. I will never be the same again. Thank you. Thank you."
And that’s when I realized, this is how you change our culture. One girl at a time.
The real Pierson Point
I set my new novel, A MILLION MILES FROM BOSTON, in a fictional town in Maine that was inspired by this wonderful place, Mere Point. See the dock we're standing on? It's where Lucy spends an awful lot of time.
Thanks to the Floyds for introducing us to paradise!
Writing Workshop for Kids
I'm once again hosting a writing workshop for fourth and fifth graders. If you live in Boston metro and have a kid who likes to write, sign 'em up! Here's the info: Back by popular demand: Waban Library Center presents....
Creative Writing Workshop, Grades 4 and 5 only!
On Sunday, November 7th, the WLC is hosting published local author Karen Day for another creative writing workshop for children in grades 4 and 5! After a tremendously successful workshop last month, we are lucky to be able to offer another opportunity for budding young writers to meet and work closely with the well-known middle grade fiction author of published titles TALL TALES and NO CREAM PUFFS.
The workshop will be held from 3pm-4:30pm at the Waban Library Center, 1608 Beacon Street, and is sure to be inspiring!
We expect to fill quickly. Please email us at wabanlibrary@gmail.com to register or receive more information. A donation of $20 is requested.