Summer, Plot, and Meat

Author visits during the summer months tend to take on a whole new spin.

This week, I'm talking with girls at the Abbott House here in Mitchell.  It's kind of funny -- The last time I was in this building was back when it was Eugene Fields Elementary School.  I remember speaking to second graders about writing, even though I'd never published a book.  Little did I know that I'd be returning with eight.

Anyway, my presentation was much looser than my usual "school visit talk."   Afterwards, I had a chance to talk with the teacher to see how I could tweak it.  She clued me in that a lot of the kids were still struggling with definitions of nouns and verbs.  

"However," I said.  "They all know 'story.'"

I guess that's what I'm trying to communicate to the girls. Story is character.  Story is problem.  What does the character love?  What does the character want?  What are the obstacles that must be fought and/or overcome?

Unfortunately, my classroom exercise produced a generic, shallow plot.   However, as the girls started writing, I walked around the room to see how they were handling the concept of "problem."

One girl quietly revealed her story's problem, challenge, and beginnings of resolution.   I said, "Yes! That is the meat of your story."

"The meat?" she said.  "I like that word."

I like it, too. 

Story.  Character.  Meat.   Now I have something to chew on...

Turtles and a Moustache

Why am I in Hankinson, ND?  Yesterday I had a school visit at the elementary school where I did four presentations about four different books, followed by a Title I family night.  Whew!  But seriously, this is the icing on the cake when it comes to being an author. 

There's nothing that matches the kids, their questions, and the stories that they tell when they're supposed to be asking questions.  Me:  "Does anyone have any questions?"  Kindergartner:  "One time a turtle crawled over my grandma's foot."

The family night featured kids dressed up as the people from one of my Mount Rushmore books.  My favorite was the lanky boy who dressed as Doane Robinson (the man who had the first idea for the carving in the Black Hills).  It's amazing what a hat and a suitcoat will do to a fifth-grader! (In fact, it reminds of the time my son bought a suitcoat from Goodwill to dress as Santa Ana, but that's another story.)

After the whole presentation was done, the kids had plenty of questions about Mount Rushmore. The best one of the bunch?  "How long is Teddy Roosevelt's moustache?"  (Did I mention that I'm in North Dakota???)

Beginnings

I'll eventually explain the name of my blog.  Until then, I'm just amazed at myself for getting started.  I was the kind of kid who always hid her diary inside of her pillow case and wrote horrid notes of doom to anyone who dared to read it. So the idea of going public with rambling thoughts is somewhat crazy. 

But as an author, I'm supposed to have a blog.  A public presence, per say.  Okay, Jean.  Time to be brave and jump in where you are...

And where am I?  At a tiny little motel in Hankinson, North Dakota.  More on that tomorrow.