What, you must be wondering, would cause me to describe an afternoon as "double happy"? Even a writer like me who lives in a world of words finds it hard to tell you why I had so much fun today at Allion Elementary School. So how about I make a list of the various things that contributed to make me double happy?!
I met a student whose hair grows in what is called a widow's peak. The peak has a distinct V shape -- and I just looked it up and apparently it runs in families. Anyway, I've always liked widow's peaks and I think I'd better include a character who has one in my next book. The student with this unique trait is named Jamie-Lee and she's next to me in today's pic.
Also in the photo is a student named Harmony. I told the kids that I "steal" children (not to keep them, just to borrow them for my stories!!) -- and I also collect names for my future characters. I think the world needs some stories with HARMONY in them, don't you agree?
I worked with two groups from Grades Five and Six, and when I asked for two notetakers in each group, I had many volunteers (this rarely happens, and shows the positive spirit in the crowd today). So special shout out to my notetakers: Lea, Celia, and Ozias and Austin.
When I told the students how I sometimes get good story ideas in the shower, a student named Myles told me he recently got a great idea when he was in the shower too: "My ideas was what if I mixed all the soaps and shampoos together to make a secret potion." I like that Myles, but you should probably keep that for a book because in real life, your parents might get annoyed if you did that!
One of my favourite questions ever came from Luca, who wanted to know, "Did any of your books ever flop?" The answer: of course! I wrote three or four manuscripts before I sold my first one in 2004. Making flops is part of how we learn and get better at what we do!!
Another great question -- after I told the students how a big part of my writing life has been inspired by my mum's childhood experience as a prisoner in a Nazi concentration camp -- a student named Nathan raised his hand to ask me, "What about the dad?" And so I told the students one of my big regrets: that I was unable to get my dad to really tell me about what happened to him during the war. Because he was half-Jewish, he was not sent to a concentration camp. Instead he lived on a farm away from the rest of his family.
Something else: THE PRINCIPAL CAME TO HEAR MY TALK! Let me tell you that I have done hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of school visits and this has only happened to me three or four times. So big shout-out to Ms. D'Adamo. And guess what? When I last visited Allion Elementary, she also came to hear my talk -- so she accounts for two of the four principals who have attended my presentations! It's a big compliment to the author, but also an amazing example to the students of an adult who is still open to learning.
I think you now understand what made my afternoon double happy. I need to thank librarian Ms. Tiffany for inviting me to her school and for being a #1 librarian. Thanks also to the teachers for sharing their kids with me today: Ms. Tanya, Ms. Gabriella, Ms. Tracey, Ms. Lobna, Mr. B, Ms. Sheilagh, Mme Sarah and Ms. Cameron. Thanks most of all to the students who dazzled me with their kindness, intelligence and sense of fun. May you all have many double-fun afternoons in your lives ahead!