Wednesday, March 10, 2010

A Child Dreams of Authorship

Mrs. Palacio is 5th grade teacher in California; she is also my sister. She asked me to come to her school and talk to her students about writing a book. Surprisingly, many of her kids desire to be authors; some are already really good writers!

Anyhoo, after I returned home to Oregon, I received by snail mail some notes the kids had written after I left. I want to share them with you to show how admired and respected you are as published authors; people who were able to fulfill a dream. But more so, because they’re just really cute! I’ve desperately tried to re-write them as they are written, but of course they lose a tad bit of their authenticity when typed out and spell check keeps wanting to correct where I don’t want to!

Now, just so you know, the “authors” of these letters may be reading this Blog, so feel free to address a comment to any or all of the kids.

The Day Seeing Carol! Written by Kaja

Today we had a guest coming So I was expecting a guest, but not a superstar. I’m just kiting but she is a Author and a Writer! A super writer! She was nice to very nice she even gave us autograph. Her autograph was pretty. She said Best wishes! I like that part of the day. It was cool because I liked her. Your sister is nice that you. Thank you Ms. Palacio. Thank you Ms. Carol.

Nervous & scared, unsigned

Oh, Mrs. Palacio I have so much to tell you so…Ahhhhh, I can’t believe I saw a real author, you must be so lucky. Well, anyways, I learned that reading can be fun. And if you don’t have confidence in yourself then you will not might to get what you didn’t believe. Thank you for letting us see your sister Carol. I felt so nervous and so excited at the same time. Oh my gosh, I just don’t much have to say, I mean I don’t have much to say. So anyways, thank you, thank you, thank you.

Dear Mrs. Palacio by Maria

Today I learned that making a book is acutly a little easy and being a author is really hard so I think I will love to be a author. Also I learned that Mrs. Carol wrote 6 books and she probally writting another book. Also I learned that Mrs. Carol is a really cool person and she is going to give her autograph to us. Also I learned that her favorite book was how to make a book. Sincerly, Maria

Today I have met an author, unsigned

Today I have met an author. Actually, it was my teacher’s sister. Her name is Ms. Carol. Wow, she is so inspiring! I wish, when I become an author, that i’m like her.

Add comments or notes to the kid’s below in the comment section.


14 comments:

Joseph J. Breunig 3rd said...

Those were cute responses from the children. Thanks for sharing these delightful tidbits.

--Joe Breunig
Reaching Towards His Unbounded Glory

Sheila Deeth said...

Lovely responses - takes me back to when I was a small schoolgirl frantically writing my first "novel" on mismatched pieces of paper tied together with string. (I still have it, at the bottom of a cardboard box, and the string's still intact.)

Carlene Rae Dater said...

When I lived in Massachusetts, the local school system had a program for 4th, 5th & 6th graders where - they wrote their own books! I did a feature article on the program for the newspaper. The kids started in fourth grade and continued the project on as they moved through the grades. They not only wrote their books, they illustrated them, went on field trips to learn how paper is made, and did their own book covers! It's was wonderful and ALL the kids were very creative.

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Those are great!
And the perfect example of why we do what we do as authors.

Suzanne Lieurance said...

Hey,

I just love going to schools as a children's author. The kids treat authors like rock stars, for one thing.

But, more importantly, when we can inspire kids to become authors themselves--and even start writing and publishing their own books at school--then that's REALLY magical!

Thanks for sharing!

Joanne Olivieri said...

Fantastic responses from kids.

Littluns said...

To all aspiring authors and dreamers who want to go from what is to what can be and the infinite possibilities beyond:

Everybody has creative ideas and dreams. It's the courageous few, through their determination and perseverance who turn dreams into tangible realities, with sustainable consumer needs, and/or purposes in industry or the marketplace.

Playing it safe and doing nothing usually ends with unfulfilled dreamers, looking back over their lives, asking the question, "What if?" What if I followed my bliss and took a chance? What might have happened? Could I have been successful and would I now be more happy and content than I am? Those that do nothing will never know.

When first starting out on the road to independence, self realization, and fulfillment, young dreamers feel invincible, visualizing the world at their feet with unlimited possibilities. If at first the world doesn't share the dreamer's enthusiasm, it doesn't necessarily mean that the dreamer is wrong, or that their vision doesn't have any value. It does mean that the dreamer will now have to figure out why, and then go on to the next step, or move on to their next big idea. The obvious problem with this process is that everybody has to make a living. Unless the dreamer is very rich or gets lucky and the dream actually starts generating an income for them, finding a paying job soon becomes a priority.

Along the way, if the dreamer is not careful, soon the trappings of life replace the dream with tangible possessions, which includes the responsibilities and commitments to sustain them. The dreamer's focus changes from what could be, to what is.

Life, time, and space are so finite and at best uncertain with death the only certainty and inevitable outcome for all existence. With that understanding, keeping up with the Joneses hardly seems as important as following one's bliss. When courageously taking any first step, in an attempt to rise up above complacency; realize our dreams, to give us more value and completeness, and fulfill our potentials, we all soon find that if it were easy, everybody would be doing it.

If everyone played it safe succumbing to their own self-inflected limitations, we would all still be living in the middle ages. We all benefit from the risk takers, if only to inspire us to reach our full potentials. Personally, I gravitate to people who think outside the box; not afraid to try new things. As Theodore Roosevelt said, "...there place shall never be with those timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat." It's an exciting place to be, even if it takes a lifetime to get there. We are all better off from those who are actually in the arena, pushing the envelope beyond what is, to what can be, while constantly reaching ahead of us to the infinite possibilities beyond.

There are countless stories of people who were ahead of their time, with their work only appreciated after their death. Whether they succeed in life or not is not as important as their determination to make it all happen, and after years of hard work, to finally realize their dream as something real and tangible. By doing nothing, the dream remains but a dream, and dies with the dreamer - as so often tragically happens. At least the courageous followed their bliss and took a chance with that first step to a higher calling instead of just leaving the dream a mere fabric of their unfulfilled imagination.

So follow your bliss, dream big dreams, hold your standards high, reach for the stars - and by all means remember that nothing really good comes easy because if it did everyone would be doing it.

http://www.littlun.net

Littluns said...

Sorry, I left the (s) off of the "Littluns" URL

http://www.littluns.net

and /or the "Littluns" BLOG at

http://www.littlunsblog.com

Ariella said...

To all the kids-
Hey! I've wanted to be an author since 3rd grade. I'm really getting there. At our school we have an author come each year, and I get how you feel.
Good luck guys!

Carrie Cooper said...

Carrie @ comfortedbyGod.blogspot.com

I absolutely LOVE the impact that you made on these precious children! Its obvious they held on to your every word. Maybe youve inspired a few and their lives will forever be changed. Beautiful story!

To the kids--
You dont have to wait until youre an adult to start writing a book--get started now!

Marion Roach Smith said...

Lovely. Write on, sister.

Glynis Peters said...

How wonderful that you inspired them to write about their meeting of you.
One day we will read an acknowledgement inside a book, it will tell us the author was inspired by you.

Anonymous said...

Each comment was sweet and I hope that they find what they love to do and become what they are supposed to be :O)

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