I have never been able to write poetry. Not good poetry, anyway. Give me 70,000 plus words to write and I’m happy. Give me 700 words for a flash fiction piece and I grit my teeth and write because the publisher pays me (and sends me glowing notes about how wonderful my stories are – […]
Louder Than A Bomb Read More »
On Friday I traveled the 144 miles to Bloomington Illinois to meet with freshmen at Bloomington High School. I was invited by Keran Johnson, the school\’s retiring Library Media Specialist (she\’s in full countdown mode). We met last fall when I spoke at the Illinois School Library Media Association in Springfield, and she mentioned how
End of Year School visit Read More »
February can\’t end soon enough. The snowstorm hit at the worst time, just as I am preparing to finish teaching my on-line class for authors who want to learn more about writing using the male POV. I have also just begun my duties as the contest coordinator for a writing contest for adult romance writers,
Good Writing Talks to Your Soul Read More »
On February 15, I visited the Oswego East High School\’s Reading Club where I did a book talk with members of the club and other individuals. There attentive audience watched the Book Trailer for PULL, listened to a reading from the book and learned some inside secrets on how the book came to be. There were questions about
School visit to Oswego East High School Read More »
May 25, 2011, the culminating ceremony for the Area 17 Chicago Young Authors celebration was held at the Dr. Alexander Bouchet Math & Science Academy, and I was there as a guest of the coordinator, Tina Franklin-Bertrand. Author B. A. Binns and Area 17 Youth Authors Coordinator Mrs. Franklin-Bertrand Many of the winners were stories
Young Chicago Authors – the Area 17 ceremony Read More »
I spent today in Chicago judging at the annual Young Chicago writers competition, that includes poetry, fiction and instructional stories by kids from first grade through 8th. I am amazed at the quality of some of the writing there. My very first read – a book of poetry of all things (I am not usually
Young Chicago Authors are GREAT writers Read More »
In honor of National Library Week I did a bunch of school and library visits last week. I\’m finding these visits a blast, and loving the witty repartee with the students. At least I was, until I walked into an 8th grade class. These kids are different. They stare at you. Even the second graders I
Eighth grade school visits Read More »
I visited with Langston Hughes Elementary school on Chicago\’s south side yesterday. I spent the d ay there, speaking with 2nd, 4th, 5th and 8th grade classes. Talk about the need to be versatile! What works for one group leaves the other yawning, so I had to be able to change on a dime as I kept
A visit to the Chicago Public Schools Read More »