By Mason W. Canales
Killeen Daily Herald

The Central Texas Reading Council will be offering local, young writers a chance next week to learn about their passions.

The council has organized the Young Authors and Illustrators Conference 2008 for Feb. 9. The program will run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Parker Academic Center at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.

"Overall what we want is to encourage creativity by writing, storytelling and illustrating," said Lisa Youngblood, Harker Heights library director, who helped organize the event.

The conference is a chance for writers from the first through 12th grade to meet published authors, said Nichole Broemer, Central Texas Reading Council president.

Speaking about their publications will be Laurie Lazzaro Knowlton, a children's author; Richard Trout, an adventure novelist; and Ashleigh Weyemer, a local songwriter.

Knowlton has written picturebooks titled "Why Cowboys Sleep with Their Boots On" and "Red, White, and Blue."

Trout writes adventure novels that target middle and high school students. They include "Cayman Gold: Lost Treasure of Devil's Grotto" and other books from his MacGregor Family adventure series.

Weyemer, of Copperas Cove, writes her own music to entertain children and also has written and produced music for adults and young adults.

"It is good for them to meet the authors and illustrators, but it is also helps for the children to talk to their peers," Youngblood said.

Young writers and illustrators are encouraged to bring their work to the conference. Attendees will get the chance to discuss their works with each other in several workshops and breakout sessions, which will focus on a variety of genres: mystery, poetry, fantasy, comic books and manga.

"I can tell them 100 times, but it is more meaningful coming from their peers," Youngblood said.

The conference is for anyone who shows interest in writing, Youngblood said. It doesn't matter whether the children are novice writers, write every day, or just need help on their writing skills; the conference will have some to offer them.

"It is just to show them a positive recreational side to writing," Broemer said. "It's to show they can have a passion for writing that is not school writing of TAKS (Texas Assessment of Knowledge Skills) writing."

For those interested in attending the conference, there is a charge of $25 for the first child and $15 for additional children.

People interested in attending the conference can pick up information and applications at the Harker Heights Library, located at 100 E. Beeline or at the Harker Heights Parks and Recreation building, located at 307 Miller's Crossing.

"We want them to have a positive reaction to reading, writing and illustrating," Youngblood said. "We want them to walk out of there thinking: I can write, I can read, and I can draw."

Contact Mason W. Canales at mcanales@kdhnews.com or call (254) 501-7554

---

 

Comments

Advertisement