Armchair travel to Iran with author Susan Fletcher Thursday, June 23

Local author Susan Fletcher talks at the Library Thursday, June 23

Camels, caravans, and Kurds, oh my! 

Join us for a special Dewey Talk Thursday, June 23, at 6:30 p.m., where Susan will tell of her 5-year odyssey to write Alphabet of Dreams—her YA novel about a boy who has prophetic dreams, the teenage sister who tries to protect him, and a suspense-filled camel caravan journey across ancient Persia. 

She’ll show pictures of the journey she took to Iran to research the book, and tell how her travels took her to places beyond what she was capable of imagining beforehand: to a picnic with a Kurdish family near the Iraqi border; to a caravanserai on the old Silk Road; to an ancient Persian village; to a camel trek in the desert, and more. 

For the writers and aspiring writers in the audience, Susan will reflect on using a sense of place as inspiration for fiction.

Susan Fletcher is the author of nine books for young readers, including The Dragon Chronicles Series (Dragon’s Milk, Flight of the Dragon Kyn, Sign of the Dove); Alphabet of Dreams, Shadow Spinner; Walk Across the Sea, and Dadblamed, Union Army Cow. She has received two Oregon Book Awards and the Willamette Writers’ Distinguished Writer Award. Some other honors her books have received: American Library Association Notable Books for Young Readers; American Library Association Best Books for Young Adults; Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books Blue Ribbon; and School Library Journal Best Books. Susan has an M.A. in English from the University of Michigan.  She has taught in the M.F.A. in Writing for Children program at Vermont College.

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Dewey Talk: “Going Beyond Imagination” with author Susan Fletcher
Thursday, June 23
6:30-8:00 p.m.
Oak Room
Free

Author/Illustrator Nicole Rubel to speak at the library Sunday, Sept. 19

Nicole Rubel

The 2010-2011 season of the Northwest Author Series gets off to a great start on Sunday, September 19, with children’s book author and illustrator Nicole Rubel. She will talk about finding your voice and using it in a children’s book.

Learning to express your thoughts and feelings is an important theme in Nicole Rubel’s work. In this 90-minute presentation, she will share the childhood story of how she started finding her voice thanks to an inspirational art teacher’s project. For Rubel, growing up as a twin eventually sparked some imaginative, poignant and comical storylines but there was a time when it also impeded her self-expression. Attendees will learn about the challenges of finding a voice and the rewards of learning to use one.

Nicole Rubel is an author and illustrator known for her uniquely colorful illustrations and charming stories. She has over sixty books to her credit and is the co-creator of the popular Rotten Ralph series, which has sold more than one and a half million copies. Her work has garnered awards from The American Book Association, The American Institute of Graphic Arts, and American Booksellers. She currently resides with her husband on a farm in Aurora, Oregon.

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Northwest Author Series:
Nicole Rubel “Find Your Voice: Use It in a Children’s Book”
Sunday, September 19
3:30-5:30 p.m.
Oak Room
$5 at the door

Learn tips for writing romance novels

author Deborah Schneider

Join us Sunday, April 18, at 3:30 p.m. for an afternoon with author and librarian Deborah Schneider who will present “Romance 101: Tools of a Steamy Trade.”

Do you know the subgenres of romance and how your manuscript fits into one? What are the basic story pieces necessary to construct a romance novel and how is a romance different from other types of books? Learn how to heat up the pages, torture your hero, and find your niche in one of the best-selling genres in publishing. This workshop will also include suggestions for marketing your manuscripts to agents and editors. Leisure Books published Deborah Schneider’s first historical romance, Beneath A Silver Moon, in 2002. Her next book, Promise Me, will be released in 2010 by The Wild Rose Press.

Deborah is employed as the Public Programming Coordinator by one of the busiest library systems in the country. She is responsible for developing programs for all ages and author events at forty-six sites in King County, near Seattle, WA. She has been awarded two grants from the National Endowment for the Arts to participate in The Big Read and was named Romance Writers of America Librarian of the Year 2009.

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Northwest Author Series
Sunday, April 18
3:30-5:30 p.m.
Wilsonville Public Library – Oak Room

$5 at the door

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The Northwest Author Series is a literary speaker series sponsored by the Wilsonville Public Library, the Wilsonville Friends of the Library, and the Wilsonville Arts & Culture Council. The series is organized and hosted by Wilsonville author Christina Katz.