VERY FIRST AUTHOR VISIT

for

“The Rocking Chair Rescue” 

Wednesday April 30^th started out much the same way Tuesday night ended, I was a bundle of nerves! “What have I got myself into?” I kept asking. I was going to be speaking to over one hundred children at J. W. Inglis Elementary School, was I nuts!? No, not at all.  I had spoken to Mr. Landy, Librarian/teacher, several weeks earlier and he told me it would be fine. I still had my doubts, but if I was going to do this I had to take that leap of faith. The week before my visit I went in and spoke to Mr. Landy again. I wanted to be sure exactly what I was going to be doing. He very patiently went over the program with me and it sounded so easy, that is, until the night before.

I rehearsed, in front of my mom, what I was going to say. It reminded me of the one and only time I was in a school play, I was so afraid I would forget the two lines I had. Next I wrote down an outline of what I was going to say the next day, just in case I got stuck you understand. I went to bed feeling a bit better about things.

I read somewhere that you should dress for success; people remember the first impression. So I was going to look the part of an author, even though I wasn’t sure what that was. About half an hour before we had to leave for the school I put on my favorite brown shirt, a nice blouse and a light sweater. Once I had my cowboy boots on I was ready for anything!

We arrived at the school with enough time to bring in the rocking chair that my brother and I had rescued so many years before. “If nothing else I’ll have the kids sit in it, ya that will keep them busy,” I thought.

Shortly after the last bell, the first class came filing in, about forty-eight of them. They were all sitting on the floor in front of me. We had set out some of the original artwork that had been done for the book. And having the newspaper articles also posted near by made me almost feel, like a somebody!

Mr. Landy introduced me and I went for it. I started off by telling the children my name and then I told them a little about my book and why I wrote it. So far, so good. Then Mr. Landy read the story, Wow! What a great story, who wrote that? Oh, I did. I had never heard anyone read it before. Talk about reading with inflection! This man knows how to read a kid’s book!

After he was finished we opened the floor up for questions, noticed how I said we opened up. Yep, I was feeling great by this time. This was easy stuff! The children were great and they asked great questions. Like, is the story true?

Answer, yes it is.

Is that the rocking chair there? Yes, it is.

How old are you? I was about five when this happened. Good, slipped that one by.

Where’s your brother now? Can I have the rocking chair? Would you ever sell it?

The time flew by and before I knew it, the last class was being ushered in. These were the older kids, the grade three classes. Was it going to be as easy as the grade one and grade two’s. We’d soon find out.

By now I had the routine down pat. This wasn’t so tough. However this time the children were a little more interested in how the book came to be. We touched on that process a little and then time for more questions. They were more or less the same.

Which story is your favorite? Answer, the one about my Uncle Cornie, he was a dwarf.

How old are you? What’s with this age thing? My answer? “I’ve been told that a lady never reveals her age.”

How old is your mom? Yes, my mom was there with me; somebody had to take the pictures. I turned to her and said, "Do you want to answer that?”

“Why not,” she replied causally. “I’m eighty-three,” she told them. There were gasps all around the room, I think because she doesn’t look that old. Good for you mom!

One question I thought was really good, was the one from a little girl who asked what my least favorite story was.

I had to stop and think about that. Then I did what any daughter would do when she is stuck, I turned to my mom. She didn’t hesitate, “When you were in the hospital,” she said with a sigh. Of course, I knew that! Yep, mom comes through for me again.

All too soon it was over. I felt sad, I really enjoyed talking to the children. They paid attention and asked great questions. Even a few teachers asked some questions.

As Mr. Landy carried the rocking chair back to our car he thanked me again for coming and mentioned that he would be contacting some of the other schools in the area.

“That’s great! I really enjoyed today,” I told him, then added. “Careful I think you may have created a monster here.”

He just laughed and said, “No no, this is good for you!”

So when do I go back? I’m not sure, but hopefully when the second episode is released. I will keep you all posted on my future Author Visits! Until then, be well.J

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