"I have always imagined that Paradise will be some kind of library." ~ Jorge Luis Borges

Friday, January 30, 2015

We're getting ready for Kate Messner's visit!

The wonderful Kate Messner will be visiting with our fourth and fifth graders next week.  
We are big fans of all of her books. We were lucky enough to get a few copies of her latest book, which is being passed along from reader to reader.

To prepare for the visit, the students visited Kate's Website and read the "About Me" section along with the Q&A. 

The students shared what they learned about Kate?

We learned that Kate uses characteristics from multiple people and mash them together to make one person. 

Kate has a son and a daughter.

Kate writes everywhere but her favorite place to write is her special writing room at the back of her house.

She is allergic to cats and dogs.

She carries a notebook everywhere with her  and when she gets ideas she scribbles them in her notebook.

I learned that it takes 2 years to write a book, also she lives on lake
Champlain.

One thing I learned about Kate is that she taught middle school for 15 years and got a National Board Certification in 2006.

Another thing I learned about Kate is that she lives on Lake Champlain and loves spending time outside; she kayaks in the summer and skates on the frozen lake when it is winter and it gets cold enough.

I learned that Kate taught Middle school for 15 years. I learned that she got her inspiration for her books from her real life. Her favorite color is blue.

It takes a while to write a book that needs research.

She has a daughter and a son. The daughter ice skates.

Kate has loved writing since she could hold a pencil.

That she likes chocolate ice cream.

Her daughter has two pet rats.

Kate Messner is an Award-Winning author. Kate spent 15 years of her life teaching middle school. She loves kayaking and skating.
That Kate has two dumbo rats and he kids help her edit.

She has two kids, allergic to cats and dogs, carries a notebook with her at all times in case she has an idea, so she can write it down, and she has passion for all of her books and develops a love for her current project. 

I learned that Kate got inspiration to write from "Harriet the Spy."

That she has two kids and they are one of her first readers once her new books come out.

She writes all over the place – even while she's watching her daughter at skating practice or waiting to pick up her son.

After reading the Q&A, the students shared questions some of the things they are wondering about Kate and her books.

If you could meet one of your characters who would it be and where would you go?  

What inspired you to write Wake Up Missing? Are the characters in Wake Up Missing based on real people? 

Which type of book, (picture, novel, mystery, chapter, historical,) do you most enjoy writing? 

Have you ever made a character that has some of your own characteristics?

Do you put yourself in your characters point of you to help you write?

How much time of the day do you devote to writing, in hours?

Are you writing a book now?

How do you feel when you complete a book?

Have you ever finished a book, then found that there are some things you didn't like or wanted to change?

What is the book you are reading right now?

Do you travel to do research?

What steps (in order) do you have to go through with a book? What's your favorite season to write in? What grade(s) did you teach? What were your favorite subjects?

How do you decide what your first sentence of your book is going to be?

Do your children like writing?

Do you start writing and then write something crazy, but just go with it?

What is your next book going to be about?

When did you first develop the urge to write books for kids. Why did you stop teaching did something go wrong or did your passion to write cause you to pursue the job to write books.

Are any of your characters based on you?

Do you ever start a book and then give up on it?  Do your kids ever help you write your books?

Which was your hardest book to write?

Are you the only writer in your family?

Did you or did someone else you know have a head injury like Cat or Sara in your book, "Wake Up Missing"? 

What calms you down when you are frustrated about having no ideas?

Why are there frogs on your home page?

Based on the questions right above, I think it is going to be a great visit.

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