Reflections from the Road: Liberty Park, Riverchase, and Berry Middle Schools

This week was an incredibly fulfilling but Herculean tour of three schools in three days, across which I spoke to a total of approximately 2, 193 sixth to eight grade students about my Thrones & Bones series.

On Tuesday, I visited Liberty Park Middle School in Vestavia Hills, Alabama. My visit started off by speaking to all 470 students in their gymnasium. After this, I went to their library to sign books at their Scholastic Book Fair. It was tremendous to once again see the awesome sign that Scholastic has made for their edition of Frostborn, the first time I've seen the sign in action (as when I saw it last that school's fair had already

ended). Then I had a bit of a break, during which I lunched with the teachers and talked about all things geeky. After lunch, I conducted a writing workshop in the LPMS Library for a small group of students who were all up and coming storytellers. The whole day was very nice. The students and teachers were great. I was very impressed by the students' questions after my book presentation, and I'm sure I've met the next generation of talented authors who will one day give the rest of us a run for our money. Thanks to everyone at Liberty Park, especially Librarian Jean Deal and Assistant Principal, Roger Dobnikar.

On Wednesday, I spoke to 523 students at Riverchase Middle School in Birmingham, Alabama, divided into five separate groups, with a book signing after each presentation. This was a day long undertaking, with books on hand courtesy of Little Professor Book Center.  The most talking I've ever done in one day before was four back-to-back sessions and that left me exhausted, but I've got a lot more experience presenting to schools since that time and this was both a blast and a breeze. The kids were great and had fantastic

questions. Highlights were being asked "Are you a feminist?" (after I described my reasons for writing Thianna the way I did) and meeting a girl who introduced herself as "the shortest person in my school" who said she felt an instant kinship with my half-sized giant character. Thank you to Librarian Kathy Collins, and all the teachers and students, for a wonderful day. 

Yesterday, I returned to Berry Middle School. I'd visited them during their Fall Scholastic Book Fair in September, but I came back to speak to all 1,200 students in there gymnasium across three sessions of 400 each. I did all three presentations back to back, speaking to the sixth, seventh, and eight grades separately. Once again, great questions from the kids and their enthusiasm was just tremendous. One girl is obviously the Berry Middle School resident expert on mythology and fantasy, as she answered four of my questions in a row! Finally, we ended

midday with a lunch with a student, several teachers, Media Specialist Ginger M. Hewitt, and Principal Dr. Chris Robbins.  Thank you to Ginger Hewitt, Dr. Robbins, and everyone at Berry for another great visit. (And to The Heavenly Donut Co.! Mmmm!) 

Talking with students about the world of my books has got to rank up there as one of the most fun things I've ever done. I'm grateful to everyone at Liberty Park, Riverchase, and Berry for such a fantastic week! 

Next week is three more schools on the Nightborn tour. I'll be back with another report then.

Reflections from the Road: Saint Rose Academy

This past Wednesday, I visited Saint Rose Academy and spoke to 81 students in the fifth through eighth grade. As she has done before, the wonderful Sara Gassman from Little Professor Book Center in Homewood, Alabama went with me to facilitate book sales for the signing. As she was setting up, a group of kids came running into the gymnasium where I would be speaking and mobbed her table. I came over and was instantly pelted with questions. I explained that they should save their questions for the end of my talk, but they informed me that they were all fourth graders and wouldn't get to hear me. So I answered their questions and gave them all Thrones and Bones trading cards.

Then I spoke to the fifth through eight grade. They were a great bunch of kids. Really enthusiastic and engaged, and the Q&A afterwards was very lively. Lots of questions about the forthcoming books in the series, other areas of my world, how history influences my fantasy, and, of course, the games!

I could have talked for hours--the questions didn't slow down--so eventually I called a halt myself. But it was a really fun time. Thank you to Administrative Assistant & Admissions Director Vivian Hults for arranging a great visit. And thank you to the students and faculty of Saint Rose.

Reflections from the Road: Oak Mountain Middle School

Yesterday, I spoke to 400 kids at Oak Mountain Middle School in Birmingham, Alabama.

The kids were divided into two groups, with a fun activity session in between.

First, I spoke to 200 first in the gymnasium. Kids sat on the floor and I had a wireless microphone, which is my favorite set up because it lets me walk out into the audience and ask questions. (where I was impressed with what the OMMS students knew about historical Viking helmets.)

Next, they put me in the library, and children who purchased Frostborn were allowed to take their lunches into the library and talk with me while they ate. We did two 20-minutes "lunch with Lou" sessions. I didn't realize how short their lunch period is, so only the second session really got to play, Thrones & Bones. But we played four quick games then, and that was a blast.

Then, after I got my own lunch, I went back to the gymnasium for another presentation to 200 kids.

Highlights of the visit included talking with one particularly enthusiastic fan (Hi "H"), being asked to sign a book with the rather odd "To 'Dad'" for someone's father to daughter Christmas present, and meeting "the Asian Viking." I queried this and the boy explained, "My dad is from Norway and my mother was born in Singapore." So there you go.

A big thanks to Library Media Specialists Whitney Howton and Kim Piper, for making this such a wonderful visit.

Thanks also to Little Professor Book Center for facilitating preorder sales.