Manchester Writes

7th and 8th graders get ready to write with guest writer Caragh O’Brien at Manchester High School, Thursday, May 12, 2016.

My visit to Manchester High School was full of happy and thoughtful moments. Working with students from the high school and nearby Illing Middle School, I talked a bit about my process, answered questions about my novels and publishing, and led workshops where students wrote for ten minutes and shared their work afterward. 

Writing fiction in a low-stakes, open-ended way with just the nudge of a new idea or a new skill to try can be liberating and fun. I always offer a second option to write anything, in any form, which is often embraced by poets. The volunteers who read their work aloud produced heartfelt, inspiring drafts, and I was in awe.

From l. to r.: Leah Lourie, Caragh O’Brien, David Lee, and Megan Lacey.

I’m so thankful for the team of teachers, librarians, and administrators who brought me to Manchester, especially David Lee, Leah Lourie, Megan Lacey and Loretta Sullivan.  I was honored to come!

Artist S. H. shares her drawing inspired by The Vault of Dreamers.

Tonight starting at 6:00, I’ll be chatting, hanging out, and signing books at the Barnes & Noble in Manchester, CT in support of the Manchester High School Book Fair.  Any purchases made in the store with code 11831138 will earn a donation to the school, which is rather nice.  Stop on by and say hello!