I'm getting around, but only because of the help of others.
Ms. Mary Jo Walsh, the Principal at
Fell Charter School contacted me a few weeks ago. She'd seen an article about me/my book in the newspaper. She invited me to speak to her students about the process of researching and writing. So this past week, I had the opportunity to talk with about 40 inquisitive 7th and 8th graders at Fell Charter. They were finishing a unit on Holocaust literature and were familiar with the basics of the Nazi era and its propaganda. As a class, the 8th graders are reading
The Book Thief, and they are obviously really into it
. One student even asked me if I visited
Himmelstrasse while I was in Munich! (That's where Liesl, the protagonist of
The Book Thief, lives.)
Ms. Walsh's purpose for my presentation was to introduce the students to 'someone who has done it.' My own purpose was to let them know that I dreamed it and I did it, so if they dream it, they can do it too. During the presentation, I gave them each four different colored sticky notes to jot down their ideas - 1) for the main character, 2) for the setting, 3) for what the character wants, 4) for what problem he/she has to overcome in order to get it.
Hopefully I gave them encouragement to follow some of their own ideas into creation of a story.
A couple weeks ago, my friend Brenda Davis told me that she'd attended a
WWII exhibit at the
Everhart Museum in Scranton. While there, she'd spoken about my book and my presentation to an Everhart employee. So this past week, I followed up and spoke with Stefanie Colarusso who coordinates programs at the Everhart. She has arranged for me to present my research as part of their D-Day Community Day activities on May 31st. So, thank you to Brenda for being my PR gal!
And then my friend Eleanor Kane invited me to participate in the Grand Re-opening of the
Factoryville Public Library. I'll be doing a book signing and have some of my primary materials on display on Friday April 18th from 6:30-8:30 during their Grand Re-opening reception. Cool, huh?
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to take part in a commemoration of D-Day at the Everhart Museum in Scranton. As reported in the Scranton Times, the museum housed a display of photographs and personal items from late in WWII, focusing of course on France in 1944-45. As is usually the case when touring exhibits from horribly difficult times and places, I found myself looking for street scenes, small clips of the lives of ordinary people. What would it have been like to live there then, to be going to work or raising a family while tanks rolled down the streets of your town? 
How did it affect your ability to get to the store, check on elderly family members, or walk the children to school? I find it fascinating to put on someone else's skin so to speak, to learn about an era and think, "What would I do if..."
