The Luckiest Writer in the World

The Carnegie Library in Washington Court House is full of creative kids and terrific librarians. How do I know? Because last week my dear friend Kathy (who is also a writer) and I traveled there to conduct a creative writing workshop.

We braindropped. We painted with words. We used our senses to create the most descriptive showing sentences you've ever seen. And most of all, we had fun.

Every time I spend an hour or two with kids, I'm reminded why I love to write so much and why I'm so inspired by kids. They have more creativity in their thumbs than I have stashed in my very old memory. All Kathy and I have to do is create an environment that says, "What you have to say is valued and respected and we are honored when you share it with us!"

The children's department at Carnegie is lucky. Their children's librarian, Anne Quinn, is the kind of educator all children deserve to have. She brought out the best in me, so it's easy to see why kids flock to the children's department. Her rich laughter is contagious. If I were a kid, I'd park myself as close to Anne as I could get and soak in every book she suggested I might like to read.

My guess is that if the kids in Washington Court House like to do journal writing, half their journals would mention Anne, the library, and summer fun.

My school visits are over for the summer. Now it's on to more library visits. I think I'm the luckiest writer in the world!