Oakville Library visit and other things

I did an author visit at the White Oaks branch of the Oakville Public Library yesterday. The wind was incredible during the drive down. White Oaks is a very nice library — all open concept and with lots of outdoor light. There were about 50 grade six students and their teachers in the audience. At the beginning of my talk I asked who hated books. At first no one put up their hands, but then after some grins and nudging, two boys put up their hands. I asked them why they hated reading and both stated that it’s because books are boring. How true. So many are! And a dream book for one reader can be as boring as all get-out for someone else.

I talked about how I hated books too when I was a kid and how one book turned it all around for me. One thing that I like to point out is that if you can’t see the action in your head as you’re reading a book, that’s a good sign that the book is not enjoyable. I let the kids vote about what selection from my three young adult novels they’d like to have read. I have nicknamed those three portions Vomit, Bullying and Abduction. They voted for Vomit. As I read the vomit scene from The Hunger, there were groans and guffaws from the audience. I kept on peeking up from my reading to see how those two book haters were responding. Both sat with rapt attention. Once I was finished, I asked them if they could see the scene in their head. Both grinned and nodded. Nothing like a graphic vomit scene to make a movie play in your brain!

The kids asked fabulous questions and after the presentation the librarians took me into a back room and much to my delight and surprise, they had prepared a beautiful luncheon! I couldn’t stay long because I was meeting with Andrew Gregorovich, a Ukrainian historian par excellence, in Toronto later the same afternoon. However, in between showing the librarians some fabulous preliminary pencil sketches that my illustrator Muriel Wood has done for Aram’s Choice, I managed to scarf down a tasty sandwich and some lovely desserts!

Oh, and I got to use my brand new chattervox for the first time. It worked like a dream. Here’s what I’m talking about:

http://www.chattervox.com/index.htm

Author: Marsha

I write historical fiction, mostly from the perspective of young people who are thrust in the midst of war.

17 thoughts on “Oakville Library visit and other things”

  1. Now, isn’t blogging easy, Marsha?

    I haven’t ordered my chattervox yet, but plan to do so tomorrow. As you wear your hair down, it’s easier for you to hide the contraption. Me, I shall look as if I am wired for sound.

    G

  2. Now, isn’t blogging easy, Marsha?

    I haven’t ordered my chattervox yet, but plan to do so tomorrow. As you wear your hair down, it’s easier for you to hide the contraption. Me, I shall look as if I am wired for sound.

    G

  5. Oakville Library visit

    I’m sure you really “hooked” them with the vomit scene. Talk about playing to your audience 😉

    That was a great way to get the boys to buy into your presentation. I’m sure you made a huge impression on them!

    Hélène B

    1. Re: Oakville Library visit

      Hi Hélène,
      The librarian emailed me to let me know that once school let out, the students were back in the library to sign out my books. Fingers crossed that maybe those two who said they hated reading also came back …..

  6. Oakville Library visit

    I’m sure you really “hooked” them with the vomit scene. Talk about playing to your audience 😉

    That was a great way to get the boys to buy into your presentation. I’m sure you made a huge impression on them!

    Hélène B

    1. Re: Oakville Library visit

      Hi Hélène,
      The librarian emailed me to let me know that once school let out, the students were back in the library to sign out my books. Fingers crossed that maybe those two who said they hated reading also came back …..

  7. Congrats on another successful visit! Sounds like you got those boys right into the story. I think it’s great that you tie your own person experiences in to those kinds of kids – makes them feel not alone in the book thing, and giving them a whole new way to look at reading!

    Julie K

    1. Hi Julie,
      Yes, it’s so good for kids to hear about failures and struggles and how they can be overcome. Whether in between the covers of books or in person, that’s what life is all about.

  8. Congrats on another successful visit! Sounds like you got those boys right into the story. I think it’s great that you tie your own person experiences in to those kinds of kids – makes them feel not alone in the book thing, and giving them a whole new way to look at reading!

    Julie K

    1. Hi Julie,
      Yes, it’s so good for kids to hear about failures and struggles and how they can be overcome. Whether in between the covers of books or in person, that’s what life is all about.

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