WRAD – Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch

Questions and answers

Ms Haskins writes:

We loved having you join us for World Read Aloud Day at Cave Spring Middle School in Roanoke, VA.

What a great speaker! The students (and adults) were enthralled. The kids who asked questions loved speaking with an actual published author, but specifically you! I have found that my middle schoolers are very interested in historical fiction. They want to know personal accounts of what happened. You really connected with our group.

We did have some questions that didn’t get asked. You mentioned that if I sent them, you would reply with answers.

Question: If you could pick one of your books that describes your personality the best, which one would it be and why? (Laurel)

Probably Stolen Girl, because it’s set in my hometown of Brantford. I was married in the church that Nadia (Larissa) and her parents go to, and the mansion that terrifies her is one I mused over a lot when I was a kid. It was across the road from a warehouse that my father owned and at that time it was vacant and looked haunted. Also, the library that Nadia goes to is the one where I went when I was her age and even the books she takes out are ones that I took out as a kid. The superintendent that terrifies her is based on one who came to my school.

Question: Where or how do you get your ideas for all your books? (Destiny)

I leave my mind and imagination open for stories. I ask a lot of questions. I listen to the answers.

Question: Who is your favorite historical figure and why? (Rhett)

Roxolana. She lived in the 1500s in what’s now Ukraine. She was captured on a slave raid and sold to into the Ottoman Empire (now Turkey). She ended up marrying the sultan and co-ruling. She also helped to end the slave raids.

Question: Why do you like writing historical fiction? (Isaiah)

Because what we forget we are bound to repeat. There is so much in history that has been erased, distorted, forgotten. I love finding quiet heroes and shedding light on what they lived through.

More WRAD pics

This is a pic from my WRAD presentation with Pioneer MS in Plymouth MI. I loved the opportunity to read to the students as they were having lunch. Good questions and lots of connections.

WRAD — eleven schools!

I did ten virtual WRAD sessions today, plus the one on Monday night with Tashkent International School. Fantastic students, fantastic questions. Great organizing by educators! The top pic is from Highland MS, Libertyville IL. The bottom is from Allendale MS, MI. The bottom pic shows two books that I think students will enjoy reading. Sheryl Azzam’s Red Flags and Butterflies, and Chrystyna K. Lucyk-Berger’s Swimming With Spies.

Virtually visiting Tashkent I. S.

World Read Aloud Day started a bit early for me this year, as last night at 11pm I met with 4th grade students from Tashkent International School to talk about Adrift at Sea, about Tuan Ho’s perilous escape from Vietnam.

A Q&A instead of a read-aloud on WRAD

Ms Slapnik of Batesburg-Leesville Middle School North Carolina had scheduled a slot with me for her students, but forces beyond her control foiled our plans. Her students were assigned unexpected mandatory testing and weren’t available. She had a list of questions from the students, so I agreed have the Q&A zoom session recorded.

My one and only Canadian school during WRAD

Eleven of my twelve World-Read-Aloud-Day donated virtual visits were claimed by American schools, but one I gave to Melita School in Manitoba, and it came about when two grade 8 students, Chaz and Zander, were doing a project on one of my books and asked to meet with me virtually. Normally, I would have had to say no, but World Read Aloud Day was coming up, so I suggested we meet on that day, with their whole class. It was a wonderful visit with Ms Anderson and her students! Here are some pics.

More pics from WRAD

Discussing Winterkill with Colchester Middle School, VT

World Read-Aloud Day

WRAD is always a very nifty day. It’s like running a race, hoping that no technical barriers or complications arise at the last moment. The wonderful Kate Messner posts author availability early each New Year and educators rush in to nab their brief free virtual sessions. It’s a great way for schools who could otherwise never afford an author visit to let their students interact with a live author.

On the other side of the screen, it can be a challenge for authors. I’ve heard stories of authors being booked for a full day and then when WRAD approaches, being faced with a string of cancelations when educators opt for a “better” author — how humiliating. Also, this can leave an author with an uneven day. I’ve heard of authors generously setting aside a 12 hour span to cover a wide number of time zones, carefully planning the day with brief intervals in between, but then when the day arrives, being confronted with no shows or last minute cancellations. This leaves the author in limbo, still needing to be on the ready, but having big gaps between presentations. Not a respectful way to treat authors who’ve kindly donated their time.

One way that I get around this is to not give a slot to any educator who sends a mass message to authors or who sends a canned message to me. In order for me to volunteer my time to speak to a school the educator must demonstrate that they’re familiar with me and my work and that their students want to hear from me. Also, I book short sessions — just 15 minutes each — and book them back to back with no downtime in between. This year I booked 12 in three hours. All of my slots were filled within 48 hours of them being posted. Today I did 11 of them. One educator had unresolvable zoom problems. But I was thrilled to speak with students for three hours straight and still have the rest of the day to concentrate on writing. A win-win all around.

Here are some students from today:

Sterling students thanking me with their school cheer: “You’re the best at SGS. Go Bearcubs!”

students from Tucker Creek Middle School, NC

World Read-Aloud Day!

On World Read Aloud Day (WRAD) I’m donating 12 back to back 15 minute readings / quick chats with 12 schools. Many thanks to Kate Messner who helps distribute a listing of authors willing to volunteer their time on WRAD so that students who might otherwise never hear an author read, get to do so! My schedule filled up within a day or so of being posted. The final slot was an add-on because two Manitoba students (Zander and Chaz) wanted to interview me, so I offered them this instead. Their whole class is joining in.

10:15-10:28: Sterling Grade School

10:30 – 10:43: Colchester Middle School

10:45-10:58am: Tucker Creek Middle School, NC

11am to 11:13am: Batesburg-Leesville Middle School NC

11:15-11:28am: 6th grade Mamaroneck UFSD

11:30 – 11:43: Seneca East Local Schools, Attica Ohio

11:45 – 11: 58: S. C. Lee Junior High ccisd.com

12-12:13: grades 5/6 Gideon Welles School, Glastonbury, CT

12:15 – 12:28: 6th grade, Polly Ryon Middle School in Rosenberg, Texas

12:30 (9:30 pacific) – 12:43: 8th grade, Paakuma’ San Bernardino City, California

12:45 (9:45 pacific) – 12:58: Orland California, CK Price MS

1pm – 1:15: 8th grade, Melita School, Manitoba

Tag: WRAD