Even though I haven’t taught for many years, I haven’t lost my love of working with children.  And to combine that with my love of writing, well what a great job.  Recently I designed a power point presentation for students to teach them what writers do.  I made a Kindergarten program, 1-2 grade, 3-5 and 6-8.  Each class was progressively longer. 

I wanted them to understand that writers do more than write books.  They write articles and stories for newspapers and  magazines, work for advertising companies, write movies and songs, create those lovely textbooks they eagerly pull from their desks and lockers, and write the instruction manuals that come with things like – cell phones.  I shared my experiences with the lack of instruction in my cell phone book.  Created a few laughs.

I shared where writers get their ideas, where they write (mainly anywhere they want, but they did get the correct idea that my favorite place is anywhere outdoors), how a story is created and how books get published.  They learned what it takes to be a writer – being able to work alone (unless working on a newspaper or magazine staff), setting and keeping deadlines, how how to keep voices of characters from intruding all the time.

With the older children, I added technology.  I showed them how I clean up old pictures, use the clone tool to replace missing parts of pictures, how to take pictures from color to black and white and sharpen them.  While using the cloning took, I had one of those AHA moments.  What a great opportunity to share with them how magazines and newspapers make models look perfect and how that perfection is unrealistic.  How they can take the face of one person and put it on the body of another.  As the fourth-grade teacher said:  “You can’t believe anything you see anymore, can you?”  This was the favorite part of the presention – especially when I put the face of a woman on the body of a man.  I also showed them how they can take a not-so-great body (by industry standards, not mine) and change it to look “perfect.”  Since I was talking at a Catholic school, I was able to say that God made us they way He wants us to look so why change His perfection.”

The message must have reached at least some of them because while subbing for junior high at the same school on Thursday, I overheard some girls and boys talking about a picture in a magazine.  The comments were:  “I’ bet she doesn’t even really look like that.’  ‘Why did they have to make her look so thin?’  ‘I wouldn’t want to look like that.’    ‘I like the way I look.’”  I could have done cartwheels.  I just hope they remember the lesson.

The day after the presentations, I subbed at the same school.  The first grade teacher said that as soon as I had left the room, the kids took out their writing notebooks and started writing.  Yay!!!!  The second-grade class asked me to come and listen to them read the stories they wrote.  I wasn’t able to do that until I subbed last week.  They were so cute and the stories were amazingly good.  Kudos to their teacher.  It was funny how they were all nervous to read their stories before “A real writer.” 

They had a lot of questions – many very typical.  But one fourth-grader pulled one out that has never, ever been asked.  “Do you ever forget what you are writing about or forget who your characters are?”  Oh, man, did he hit the nail on the head. I laughed at that one and then showed them front page of the notebook I am using for my current fiction.  “See these names in the top corner?” I asked?  “I had to write them down because I keep forgetting what their names are – especially if it is a character that doesn’t appear that often.  I have also suddenly taken a name from a previous book and started using it in the middle of a current piece of work.”  Man, what a great question. Do I ever forget?  Man-oh-man, do I ever.   Makes me wonder if he’s been writing and has had the same problem.  Wish I had thought to ask. 

All-in-all, it was a great experience.  I need to tweek a few things – the kindergarteners were way more advanced than I gave them credit for – but I cherished each and every hug I received from them as I left the room.  I plan to design a brochure and promote this to schools – including high school where I figure I could use it in English and History classes, but will refrain from computer classes as they will probably know way more than I do about the technology aspects.

One very exciting thing (for me anyway) was when one woman came in to have me sign her son’s book and told me she found someone in the book she thinks is a relative.  The man served in the Civil War and, according to what I wrote, was from the same town as other of her relatives.  The woman said his picture looked just like her grandfather.  I pulled out the City of Bloomer book because the name was familiar and thought he had run a business in town at one time.  I found his obituary in  the book.  The woman was shocked to find out his wife had the same first name as another relative.  It was such a thrill for me to see her excitement.  She checked out the city book and was going to contact the family historian.  It’s one of the many reasons I write these history books – to help people locate family members.

Another gentleman was happy because, in his military information, I included articles I found in the paper.  It was information about his ship he had completely forgotten.  All-in-all it was a fun night.

This morning as I put books in my van, I went throught the guessing game of how many to bring. When I get to the signing the guessing game of how many to bring into the building starts.  I’ve convinced myself that if I bring in too many, it will jinx the sales.  Besides, I then have to lug them back when the sale is done.  Fear grips me.  Will anyone stop; will anyone buy; does anyone even care?  At least I’m in the library in a room where I’ve done hundreds of interviews and many booksignings.  If no one shows up - no one will see.

I have sold as many as 100 books at a signing and as little as – well – none.  At least today, I know I will sell at least five – if the person requesting that many remembers to come.  And I won’t be lonely for a few brief moments because someone iscoming to have me sign a book they already purchased.  All is not lost – if I sell one, it’s one more I don’t have to lug back home.

I was so excited about finally being up-to-date with all the social media sites.  And then I opened one of my writer’s magazines the other day and read an article entitled:  “Five Online Marketing Tools You’ve Never Heard Of.”  Of course I’ve never heard of them – I’m a baby at this stuff.   So – now I’m behind and I just got started.  Now I know how a turtle felt in the race against the rabbit.  Maybe I’ll win in the end.

I’ve learned several things since jumping into the future.  One is – DO NOT get a new cell phone the same week you get a new website.  Too many techie things to learn at once.  Going from a standard cell phone to a Droid has been a true lesson in patience.  For instance – HOW DO I ANSWER THE DARN THING!!!!  I thought I had it figured out, but suddenly kept losing calls as I tried to get out of sleep mode and then unlock it.  Very frustrating – especially while one of my granddaughters was in the hospital and I needed to stay in touch with my daughter.  I finally asked my son-in-law what to do.  Of course he knew.  My grandchildren could have figured it out.  I had my daughter set up my Facebook account on the phone.  It took me a week to gather the courage to download my first app and now actually have tried it twice.  Still haven’t figured out how to find songs to use as my ringtones.  I’m worried I bought the wrong plan and will be racking up hundreds of dollars of time on the phone.  Occasionally I’ll press a button to see what it is, only to panic when I see a notice that this will take a lot of data.  Do I accept or not accept.  NOT!  Then I worry that it downloaded anyway.  My children were less worrisome than this phone.

I tried taking a movie of my four-year-old granddaughter’s dance class.  Somehow I got the beginning and the end – nothing in the middle.  I even practiced with her beforehand.  Next time, Emmi.  The photos I’ve taken so far have all been blurry and I love taking pictures and take a lot of them with my regular camera.

I know I’ll get the hang of it – probably by the time I get to upgrade to whatever will be available two years from now.  Until then, I’ll plod along like the proverbial turtle and keep asking questions.

Note:  Monday morning:  I guess I didn’t do it right as this blog didn’t publish.  Guess that’s what the publish button is for!!!

Please check out me new site, but also, follow me on facebook and twitter.  The majority of my updates will be through facebook, twitter and my blog. The twitter will also feed into my website.  I just typed what Thuy told me to type – I’m still a little dazed and confused.

My latest book is out and I will share much more with you in the near future.

Check back for my new website!