A Bright Darkness, Book 3 of the award-winning Twisted Climb series
I was invited to speak to the Grade 9, 10 and 12 English-class students at a local high school. What a fantastic and invigorating experience. I say 'invigorating' because it revived my heart and soul for the future of human-kind. These teens were engaged and curious. Life for them as young adults was just beginning and from what I observed, they were embracing the future whole-heartedly.
Yes, these teens were also inquisitive about all aspects of creative writing and quite receptive to my own tips on writing - factually through research, and creatively using 'the playground of the mind' as I like to call it. Or "Word Movie." The kids loved that phrase.
I think it's the combination of true and accurate facts weaved into the fiction that keeps the reader in tune with the author.
There were approximately 30 students per class, with the exception of the final class. That class was a combination of grades 10 and 12, a huge, double class of 50 teens. Judging by the amount of questions in the Q&A segment the kids enjoyed hearing about my writing experiences as well as my reading a few excerpts from The Twisted Climb series.
I ended each 75-minute session with a creative writing segment. I provided five key words and the class was then divided into five or more groups. Each group had to write a story based on those five words. What a hoot!
Examples
Class 2, Grade 9 group: key words - picture frame, thunder, stopwatch, puppy, museum
Story: Caribou
Once upon a time, there was a boy named Powell. Powell was takimg a stroll and went into the museum because he heard thunder. When he stepped into the building, he heard the thunder getting louder and louder, like a roaring lion. BOOM - lightning struck him and he was transported into a different world. He noticed that all the objects that were painted in the museum's picture frames had somehow been transported. He was in a special place. And lying dog with a stopwatch pulled up to Powell. "Hey," the dog said, "you're in a different dimension. It's called 'Caribou.'"
* * *
Class 4, Grade 12 group. Key words - lightning, scissors, cedar tree, bookcase, mosquito
Story: Stressed Steven
It's a day before final exams. Stress is lingering in the air. It's late at night, with the full moon gleaming through the library windows. Steven frantically searches for the source of noise from the cedar wood bookcases cluttered together in the back of the library. Suddenly, the lights begin to flicker and a shadow emerges onto the wall on front of the bookcases. Steven jerks his head back, but is presented with a large mosquito gliding through the air. He lets out a sigh of relief. The sky, which was clear just moments ago, produced a purple strike of lightning, which mirrored the shape of scissors. It momentarily lit up the sky.
Steven jumped in shock. "It's a sign," he muttered. "I'm going to fail my exam tomorrow."
* * *
That's just two of the 30 stories! The encouragement of creativity in this school is most impressive. Bravo to the high school teachers!
It's only days from Christmas and I would like to wish you and yours a safe and blessed season.
J.C. Kavanagh
