Do author visits make a difference? Do they truly encourage readers and writiers? Over and over I have been told "yes!" by teachers, librarians and parents.
But the real proof happened last year when I received an unexpected e-mail. A student who had grown up in a community very much the size of the one above, a location I had visited 20 years ago, was writing to tell how well she remembered my author visit. She remembered that I hadn't just shared my success, I'd shared my failures too....the number of times I rewrite, the times my stories are turned down, And she remembered how much I still loved (and still DO love) the creation of stories.
On that day, 20 years ago, she had decided to become an author. Today she was writing to tell me she had just signed a contract for the publication of her own very first novel.
Author visits DO make a difference but it takes teachers, librarians, parents and supportive community members to make them possible. Thank you literacy lovers everywhere!
