“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”
–Albert Einstein
Author, Charlotte Agell led her televised appearance at The Portland Public Library’s First Friday Author Talk (to be broadcast on CTN) with the above quote and the advice that quoting a genius on TV can only make you look good.
Curious City invited 80 King Middle School students who are studying Science Fiction to attend the filming of Charlotte’s talk about her YA dystopia novel, Shift. We solicited Charlotte’s permission to copy the first 4 chapters for students to read before the event.
Charlotte captivated the students with apologies for the swearing in the book (she never does, but her frustrated character just had to), advice on writing (throw a penguin in for comic relief), the revelation of symbolism (the compass is also a cross), the revelation of hidden meanings (the city of AtroCity is an …atrocity), and encouragement to ask WHAT IF? as a writer.
Charlotte spoke to the gathered students as fellow writers taking down the walls of the author/reader relationship or teacher/student relationship. She further demystified herself and writing in general by talking about her weaknesses as a writer and the odd paths both political and personal that led to the novel.
She really drew the students in when she confessed that she agreed with a middle school student critic that the climax of the novel passed too quickly. She invited students to write that missing chapter for her to post on her website. The offer flew through the room like an electric charge.
The Q&A was equally as compelling as the students had read a portion of the book and the fabulous faculty at King Middle School had worked with them on questions. Questions flew like, “Was Adrian’s fascination with birds symbolic of something?”
Read more about how this picture book author/illustrator was pushed to write a cautionary endgame of a novel about a wounded America taken over by a (rather non-Christian) Christian totalitarian government in this fabulous interview.
More Pictures from the event.
Wee Thoughts for Creators:
-Build your audience for appearances. Don’t expect the venue to do all the work. Think about who should be there and what is in for them. In this case, we pitched a “free field trip.”
-Give something away. No book sales will be harmed by giving away chapters. (Ask publisher permission, of course.)
