Award-Winning Author Rita Williams-Garcia Speaks at Shore
Friday, May 1, award-winning children's and young-adult author Rita Williams-Garcia spoke with grade 6-8 students in Shore's Library Resource Center.
Known for their realistic portrayal of teens of color, Williams-Garcia’s works have been recognized by the Coretta Scott King Award Committee, PEN Norma Klein, American Library Association, and Parents’ Choice, among others. She recently served on the National Book Award Committee for Young People’s Literature and is on faculty at Vermont College MFA Writing for Children and Young People.
Most recently, Williams-Garcia is the author of Gone Crazy in Alabama, a follow-up to One Crazy Summer, the winner of the Coretta Scott King Award and the Scott O’Dell Prize for Historical Fiction as well as a Newbery Honor Book and National Book Award finalist. Her other works include: Jumped (2009), No Laughter Here (2004), Every Time a Rainbow Dies (2001), Catching the Wild Waiyuuzee (2000), and Like Sisters on the Homefront (1995).
During her talk at Shore, Williams-Garcia recounted the story of how she began writing, noting that her mother's encouragement of her early tall-tale-telling ability was critical. Williams-Garcia told of selling her first story to Highlights magazine at age 14, and she advised students, "Young authors must be hungry readers. Devour everything. Novels, non-fiction, poems, plays, comic books, graphic novels, articles. Listen to and observe the world around you. Keep a journal and set fifteen minutes aside to write daily."
Several students questioned Williams-Garcia about the length of time she takes to complete a book and about her sources of inspiration. They learned that Garcia can take two years or more to finish a story, and that for inspiration, "I daydream, observe, listen to music, read, walk and love art."
The author's visit to Shore supported Wondermore, a non-profit organization that brings author to underserved urban schools to inspire a love of reading and writing.
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Known for their realistic portrayal of teens of color, Williams-Garcia’s works have been recognized by the Coretta Scott King Award Committee, PEN Norma Klein, American Library Association, and Parents’ Choice, among others. She recently served on the National Book Award Committee for Young People’s Literature and is on faculty at Vermont College MFA Writing for Children and Young People.
Most recently, Williams-Garcia is the author of Gone Crazy in Alabama, a follow-up to One Crazy Summer, the winner of the Coretta Scott King Award and the Scott O’Dell Prize for Historical Fiction as well as a Newbery Honor Book and National Book Award finalist. Her other works include: Jumped (2009), No Laughter Here (2004), Every Time a Rainbow Dies (2001), Catching the Wild Waiyuuzee (2000), and Like Sisters on the Homefront (1995).
During her talk at Shore, Williams-Garcia recounted the story of how she began writing, noting that her mother's encouragement of her early tall-tale-telling ability was critical. Williams-Garcia told of selling her first story to Highlights magazine at age 14, and she advised students, "Young authors must be hungry readers. Devour everything. Novels, non-fiction, poems, plays, comic books, graphic novels, articles. Listen to and observe the world around you. Keep a journal and set fifteen minutes aside to write daily."
Several students questioned Williams-Garcia about the length of time she takes to complete a book and about her sources of inspiration. They learned that Garcia can take two years or more to finish a story, and that for inspiration, "I daydream, observe, listen to music, read, walk and love art."
The author's visit to Shore supported Wondermore, a non-profit organization that brings author to underserved urban schools to inspire a love of reading and writing.
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Williams-Garcia speaks to Shore students
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