School Visit Fun

backdrop created by third graders at Odyssey Charter School



Librarian Linda Baker and parent/fellow writer June Brown with me

I had a great time visiting Odyssey Charter School in Palm Bay, FL today...did two presentations--one for grades 3 and 4, based on KNOWING JOSEPH, autism, and how to become a good writer, and one for grades K-2 based on IT'S TIME, also talking about writing as well as autism. There was only one little glitch, when the projector closed down because of a power surge, and I was told they probably would not be able to get it back up while I was talking. But then it fixed itself, so all's well that ends well.


The kids were great and had some wonderful questions. I was particularly impressed with the K-2 group, where the kids were sitting on the floor and were packed in to the media center like sardines in a can, but they were still attentive and asked good questions. Most of them thanked me or otherwise complimented me as they filed out...one little girl told me that she liked that I was 'fashionably dressed.' That's really something for me, who is totally unfashionable in just about anything I wear. My thanks to Linda Baker, who coordinated the visit, and especially to June Brown, who set up the visit with the school!

When I got home, I was thinking I was done with the special projects for May, but then remembered that I have a 3000 word 'letter to new grandparents' to write for inclusion in an upcoming book, and a six-hour class to prepare lessons for as an instructor at the Creative Writing Institute here in Melbourne from May 17-22. So off to work I go.

Happy Mothers' Day to all you mothers out there!

'Tis the Season!

Hubby has started decorating the house and yard for the Christmas season...and LOOK! My maple tree has chosen NOW to turn red and be part of our Christmas scene!

In other news, I am happy to announce that I have a contract for my easy-reader/picture book, Ryan's Victory, with Jason and Nordic Press. The book is due out in the spring.

This is a busy month as far as my books go. Tomorrow I will be with a group of SCWG authors at the large craft fair in Cocoa Village, next Friday I am doing three sessions at Career Day for a school in Merritt Island, and next Saturday I will be at an SCWG Children's Book Fair at the Merritt Island Library. I don't usually sell a lot of books at these events, but I enjoy meeting all the people and often make some good connections with people who are connected to autism in some way, or to education, and sometimes, it's fun just talking to people who stop to look.

Hope you all have a happy and stress-free pre-holiday season.

First Official School Visit

Yesterday I had my first official school visit since KNOWING JOSEPH came out, and it was fun. I made a powerpoint presentation, which I have not done in YEARS (surprised I could still figure it out) and presented to a sixth grade for their career day...on being a writer, of course. They asked some really good questions, more about their writing than the career aspect of it. One boy said that he heard that no one can EVER make their writing perfect, and did I agree with that? And of course I do--I could go back through Joseph now, and make MANY changes that I think would make it better...I have learned so much about writing between the time I finished it four years ago and now.


Thanks, Mrs. Dodd, for inviting me.



I also visited Ms. Troxle's fourth grade class and talked about "Show, don't tell," in writing. We didn't have very much time, so I didn't get to finish the whole presentation, but hopefully they got something out of it. I enjoyed being back in the classroom, anyway.

Then later that afternoon I ran into (literally) another teacher from Palm Bay in a parking lot...a preschool special needs teacher...and we had a very nice conversation about autism and teaching, etc., while waiting for the policeman to arrive to fill out an accident report.So mostly it was a good day...but not completely.