Last week, when I was doing an author visit at Pemberton Secondary School, I showed the students photos of many of the books I wrote as a teenager.
The book I could NOT show them? The cringy teen romance I wrote when I was sixteen or seventeen. I can’t remember the title exactly, but I think it was “Summer Dreams” or something like that, which gives you an approximation of the cringe level.
It had been typed out on my electronic typewriter, which mean there was only one copy. Well, when I was in my early twenties, I was visiting my parents and found the manuscript tucked away in an old box or drawer.
I gave it a read.
Big mistake.
I was so utterly mortified by it that I took it outside, into my parents’ yard, and burned it. Literally burned it. So that there wasn’t a single page left.
I now regret my moment of arson. I mean, how much fun would it be to show students that manuscript? They could instantly stop beating themselves up about the quality of their own writing, because all they would have to do is read what I wrote at their age!
Thankfully, I did NOT give up on writing. So, what’s the message? Keep going forward. You don’t have to be born a great writer, or a great anything. But if there is something you’re passionate about, you can be better at it today than you were yesterday.
Which is why, even though I don’t publish books for young adults, I often present to them because I can relate to the process of writing at their age and can talk about different approaches and craft techniques that might help them avoid all those emotional pit falls along the way.
I wrapped up a writer-in-residency at a local school, Southpointe Academy, in April. It seems like a lifetime ago because, since then, my family has moved homes for the first time in eighteen years (more on that in a future post, I imagine!).
I’ve now had time to reflect on the residency and look back at some of the photos from my week at the school. We accomplished a lot of writing and storytelling!
I was asked to develop a plan for K-5 and so came up with a different project for each grade.
Kindergarteners: Costuming a Character
Grade 1s: Magical Boxes
Grade 2s: Enchanted Trees
Grade 3s: Secret Doorways
Grade 4s: A Spellbinding Shopping Trip
Grade 5s: Lost in the Library
I kicked off the week with one general presentation to the entire school, which allowed me to introduce myself—and my philosophy—so that I didn’t have to repeat this each time I visited the specific classrooms.
The fantastic aspect of a residency is that I get to spend multiple blocks with the same class. In general, the system was the same: enter the classroom, introduce the project with some brainstorming and scene starters, then follow up in additional sessions with more specific writing advice, presentation, and an in-depth Q & A.
Of course, the format was tweaked depending on the age.
Another positive to spending an entire week at the school was that I could set up my museum of artifacts in the library and students could come view them throughout the week for extra inspiration.
Finally, the school asked me to write a story about them during my time there and I did just that. This turned out to be a lot of fun, and I ended up writing about an imagined misadventure with the Grade 5 classroom’s mascot, Yorick the skeleton.
Afterward, I was happy to receive these kind words from Southpointe’s writing coordinator:
“Everyone at our school loved having Lee as our Author-In-Residence, as he is such an engaging and inspirational writer and teacher! He connected with all our students from K to Grade 5 who loved his fun, interactive workshops, which focused on making the writing process accessible to all! I would recommend Lee without hesitation.”
Verity Pritchard Southpointe Academy
More info about my residencies can be found on my website.
Later this month, I’ll be doing an intensive one-week writing residency at a school. I’ve led many of these before, but this is my first one going to the school every day for a week since before the pandemic. Needless to say, I’m looking forward to it!
I’ve been fine-tuning my planning and programming for the various groups. I’ll be doing multiple sessions with each of the grades, K-5, and I’ve arranged a specific topic for each of the groups that we can sustain over the week.
Many of these topics I do as part of a single school visit—I like to do a regular author introduction combined with a specific brainstorming activity. The follow-ups allow me to dig into some more detailed writing approaches. The programs with the younger grades (Ks and 1s) will concentrate on visual literacy and oral storytelling, while my workshops with the older kids will deal with some more in-depth scene building and story writing.
Here are the topics I’m rolling out this week:
It will be a wild week, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the students come up!
More information about my author presentation, craft workshops, and residencies on my website.
It’s kind of a rule when you’re an author seeking inspiration. And not only did I recently descend into the cavernous, spiralling pit that I found . . . I took the five-year-old.
But first things first! This is Part 2 of a recap of the big family trip we took in March to Europe. My wife and I are accustomed to going on long, exploratory trips to build inspiration for our writing (me), acting (Marcie), and teaching careers (both of us), but this is the first sort of epic journey we’ve taken with our son.
Ups and downs—literally and metaphorically
After spending time in Spain, we made our way to Portugal. It was a long travel day that involved a car ride to the airport, then the flight itself, followed by subway hopping to arrive at our hotel, which was just on the outskirts of Lisbon’s main quarter.
Hiro was exhausted by the time we arrived—not just from the travel day, but from all the unceasing days of adventure we had spent so far. Did that make us pause and take a day off for rest?
Nope.
Our first full day out, we were charging around the city, checking out Elevador de Santa Justa, which is a 19th century elevator that transports you up from the Baixa district in Lisbon to the Largo do Carmo, where you can visit the Museu Arqueológico do Carmo. Hiro was already showing signs of fatigue here, so I went into the archaeological site by myself while Marcie and Hiro rested in the square outside.
I had the time to trek beneath the roofless arches and explore the different corners of the site. The medieval convent was ruined in the earthquake of 1755, and some of it has been restored for visitors to explore. It was a fantastic experience, and the cost to enter was only five euros!
By the time I got out, we could tell that Hiro was fading fast. We headed back to the hotel, and for the next two days his fever bounced around, going up and down and causing us a lot of anxiety. Thankfully, we had a really good farmacia nearby and their English was excellent. I was able to get the right combination of fever medication for Hiro.
A maze, a castle, and some vainglorious chickens
Well, we were forced to hunker down while he recovered. Marcie and I spent shifts looking after him, while the other one of us went out and did our own exploring. I took the opportunity in the morning to visit the nearby Parque Eduardo VII, which featured a long set of decorative mazes. They only went to my knees—so not really that tricky, but I had my notebook with me and it was a good place to sit in the sun and do a bit of writing.
Afterward, I decided to train into the heart of Lisbon and trek up the hill to visit Castelo de São Jorge. It was quite the hike up there, but I enjoyed the switchback streets and all the old sights along the way—including the main weathered and storied doors.
The castle itself was a marvellous experience, offering many breathtaking views. I enjoyed climbing up to the various turrets and rampart walkways. I’m not the best with heights, and the stones of this castle are worn and weathered to smoothness, but there are plenty of railings. Still, I was amazed to see people perching between the crenellations, taking selfies. All I could think of was how simple it would be to plummet off the edges.
I was also thankful Hiro wasn’t with me. He bounces around so much, and has NO fear of heights. My imagination would have been going wild if he had been with me, charging along those narrow walkways and trying to lean out for a view.
After exploring the walls, I made my way back to safety and weaved my way past the peacocks (or as I like to think of them, gradiose chickens) who populate the castle grounds.
Next it was time to relieve Marcie and take some time with Hiro.
A place of palaces
Eventually, after two days of rest and sleep, our little explorer had recovered and we set off for some day trips. The first trip was to Porto, but I’m going to leave that for another post! The second trip was to Sintra, where you can visit palaces and castles.
We had grand ambitions of visiting all the sites there, but we quickly realized that wasn’t going to happen, especially with Hiro (we started to realize that we needed to slow down!). So we decided to focus on two sites: Palácio da Pena and Quinta da Regaleira.
Sintra, like so much of Portugal, is situated in the hills, which means it’s not entirely easy to navigate to the different sites. We opted on getting a bus pass, but found this to be a bit inefficient and quickly realized why so people opted for the motorized tuk-tuks. I will say that Hiro loved the bus rides though—the dramatic winding roads made for a lot of fun, kind of like a rollercoaster ride. His “oohs” and “ahs” definitely entertained our fellow passengers.
Still, busses can only take you so far to the sites. Climbing is inevitable!
Still no photos, please!
Palácio da Pena is branded as a fairytale palace—and we saw why, firsthand.
The brightly coloured spires and turrets and the lavish interiors offer many photo opportunities—though Hiro still fought us on the poses. Marcie managed to capture one great photo with Hiro and I, but when we tried to get a family photo . . . well!
Speaking of “well” . . .
Our next stop at Sintra was Quinta da Regaleira, which features the famous Initiation Well, which was built for ceremonial purposes, to conduct rituals based upon arcane or esoteric beliefs. Really, it’s like a subterranean tower, with a set of stone steps spiralling every downward into the dark and damp. In other words, it looks like a set straight out of Star Wars or Game of Thrones, and I desperately wanted to go down it.
Marcie was straggling, so Hiro and I headed into the well without her. I immediately wondered if I was making the wisest of decisions because it wasn’t immediately apparent how to exit the pit, since it was a one-way flow. This worry was underscored by the woman right behind us who had her baby on her front carrier. She asked me, “Should I take my baby down here?” I pointed out that maybe I wasn’t the best one to follow.
But follow us, she did! Downward we spiralled and the way grew darker and damper. I kept expecting Hiro to panic, but he didn’t—in fact, he was having the time of his life. When the woman behind us bumped into us at one point, Hiro laughed and said, “I just got kicked in the head by a baby’s foot!”
Eventually, we ended up in the labyrinth of tunnels at the bottom of the well and had additional fun exploring them. Eventually, we found Marcie down there and we all exited at the same time, through a cozy grotto patrolled by a guard. I asked the guard if they ever had to go into the cave to find lost stragglers and she admitted “sometimes.”
I have to say that well was one of the absolute highlights of my trips. I’m definitely going to take inspiration from this place in my writing.
Inspirational doors
I leave you with some of my favorite doors from Portugal.
I’ve been annoying the intraweb this past year with posts about Spell Sweeper (but don’t worry, I’ll still talk about it, because promotion is just part of a modern author’s duties). . . but let me take a break from Spell Sweeper matters and talk about a different project that I worked on, a project of EPIC proportions.
My friend Mike recently unearthed a precious artifact from the past…a script we wrote for our own epic Space Opera when were in elementary school. I introduce to you EXTROIS, taking place in the distant future (uh . . . 2000 A.D.). Yes, the future—where “everything is destroyed, and the people are destroyed” (so I’m not sure how a plot is possible with no characters or setting available, but let’s not nitpick).
It might be the best thing I’ve ever worked on. Though, as Mike pointed out, to try and release this now may result in various lawsuits from Lucasfilm and the estates of J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis. As I recall, one impediment to this project was that we didn’t actually own a camera to film on. This is now easily rectified, but it’s going to be hard to get the old crew together.
Our costume designs might need some reworking to fit our, uh, advanced body shapes.
Other books and stories from my childhood have survived, and I regularly show my creative writing students, to prove to them that I wasn’t born with some magical talent, but this is the first time where there is a direct comparison between my creative output and a peer’s. I mean, honestly! Mike must have been a joy to teach—his printing is neat, considered, and cleanly spaced. My sections looked like I was writing with my hands tied behind my back! (So, apologies, Mrs. Clough…I can’t believe I made you struggle through my scrawl on a daily basis!)
For all of you out there who think your writing is good enough, and you’ll never get there, then please use this as Exhibit A.
I remembered Mike and I working on this, but thought the script had been lost in time, so it was quite the gift for it to suddenly turn up.
By the way, yes, my last name is spelled differently here. It’s the name I grew up with, but when I was a young adult, I legally changed it back to its original Hungarian form (when my Grandfather immigrated, they anglicized his name, which was often the case back in those days).
Hey, Spell Sweeper fans—you deserve a gift for all the love you’ve given this book. So, I’m releasing today a free e-book of “EXTRAS,” which you can download HERE.
(If you’re looking to get a copy of Spell Sweeper itself, then check out HarperCollins’ purchase page.)
Lots of goodies here! First, I’ve got some deleted scenes for you (some of those intervening moments where Cara talks about aspects of her life or Dragonsong Academy). It was a hard decision to cut these scenes; even though they are quite short, they slowed down the pacing of the main narrative or, in some cases, I felt the information was covered well enough elsewhere. But if you were dying to know what kids at Dragonsong like to dress up as for Halloween, you won’t have to wonder any longer!
Second, I have included two of the “wizard fairy tales” that are referenced in Spell Sweeper: The Tale of Eurybia the Eradicator and The Tale of Theradune the Betrayer. These tales present the origin stories of two important talismans that impact the plot of Spell Sweeper, but they’ll also give you a glimpse into Cara’s thinking. I never did intend to include these stories in the main book. I just often conceive these kinds of myths as part of my world-building process.
Third, are some Spell Sweeper inspired recipes and, finally, some of my own sketches of the characters (Maike Plenzke’s versions of these characters on the cover are much better than my own, but at least you can see how I was thinking of them).
Well, how many times have I been asked over the last few months: “Will there be a Spell Sweeper sequel?” I’m thankful so many people want one! But I did pitch this book as a stand-alone, so if I ever return to Cara’s story it won’t be quite yet. However, you can enjoy more of Cara’s voice and world RIGHT NOW!
Of course, if you haven’t read Spell Sweeper yet, these extras will provide you with a glimpse of Cara’s voice and, well, let’s just call it her swagger. Either way . . . enjoy!
Unlike Cara Moone in my latest middle-grade book, I never went to magic school as a kid—but I was in a classroom that was incredibly magical.
It started in Grade 3 when I was sent to the hall to sit at a lonely desk and fill out a piece of paper. I thought I was in trouble at first! There was a sheet of paper with rows of circles, and the instructions said to draw.
I can’t remember what I drew exactly, but it definitely wasn’t confined to within those circles. In the weeks ahead, there were a few other tests, and at least one interview with some old guy that came across as very scientific. In my imagination, he hooked me up to electrodes and tested my brain patterns (but I actually think he just asked me complicated questions).
Grade 4 . . . everything changed. I was put into a “creative learning” class with Mrs. Clough. We had a giant room with a small number of students. Some of the students came and went, but as for me, I was in that same classroom with the same teacher for three years.
During those three years, my creativity was nurtured and enflamed. I was given permission to be me. (I grew up on a farm in a small rural town and let’s just say that painting pictures or writing stories did not have many practical applications).
Being in Mrs. Clough classroom was a foundational experience in my life. That room was my haven, a place where I could write, draw, build and explore. Many stories and ideas blossomed within those walls. I became a critical thinker, a dreamer, an enactor.
Mrs. Clough’s classroom helped make me who I am today, both as a writer and arts educator.
How can you ever repay those teachers in your life? It’s impossible, but I’m doing my best today by sending Mrs. Clough signed copies of my books.
Incidentally, that classroom still exists. Eventually our school was turned into a town center and our classroom was converted to become part of the public library . . . so, yep . . . my books are sitting on shelves in the place where I learned how to embrace my creativity.
Over the past eighteen years, I’ve met thousands of kids at school visits, library events, writing conferences, and creativity workshops—many of them while visiting overseas.
One of the things that has come up, time and time again, is how much they love books about magical schools (hello, Harry Potter!)—but what also comes up is how they can’t see themselves as a part of the story, except maybe as a periphery character.
This was something that played heavily in my mind as I wrote Spell Sweeper. I wanted the kids in my life (including my own son) to see that the “Chosen One” in this type of story can look like them—not just in another time and place where all the characters might look like them, but in the world at large. Does that make sense?
I also liked playing with this idea that you might have the most wonderful thing in the world happen to you, like being chosen to go to wizard school . . . but then you’re NOT the “Chosen One.” How many of us had dreams come true (like being published!), but then don’t become New York Times bestselling authors, and either beat ourselves up or stew in jealousy? But even if you’re not at the top of the ladder, does that mean you should devalue the fact that you made it on the rungs in the first place?
It’s a struggle that I am witness to all the time: in myself, in my friends, in my kids. So, I guess I wanted to say…welcome to the magical world. You’re in it, no matter who you are.
I revisited many “magical learning” and “broom” books as I was working on Spell Sweeper, and one of my favorites is Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono. (The classic book that inspired the beloved film of the same name.)
Thirteen-year-old Kiki sets off, in the tradition of witches, to find a town to serve for a year. When she arrives at the seaside town of Koriko, she starts her own business—delivering parcels by broomstick. At first, she assumes it will be easy—hey, she’s Kiki!¬—but she soon discovers that winning over the locals of Koriko is not so easy. Thankfully, she’s got her wise-cracking cat Jiji on her side . . . as well as her magical broom.
This book has many charming details, but I think my favorite is the silver bells that Kiki’s mother hangs from the treetops—when they ring, they signal that Kiki’s has zoomed into them.
The book in the photo is translated by the version I have is translated by Emily Balistrierie and illustrated by Yuta Onanda.
My own book, Spell Sweeper, is available in hardbound, digital, and audiobook formats from your favorite outlet.
Today, my new middle-grade fantasy book SPELL SWEEPER officially comes out with HarperCollins Children’s Books. A particularly big thank you to my agent Rachel Letofsky, my editor Stephanie Stein, and to the wonderful cover art by Maike Plenzke (I feel like I won the lottery)!
Spell Sweeper is my tenth MG novel. Hard to believe, and I’m grateful and humbled by all the support from readers, teachers, librarians, and fellow kidlit creators.It’s been my honor to have worked with so many kids—thousands of them—in classrooms and libraries all around the world, sometimes via technology, sometimes right on site (I’ll never forget the monsoon in Bangkok!).
I am so grateful for every review, rating, letter, email, fan art, photo of a fan in a costume, and acknowledgement or nudge of encouragement along the way. I could have never done it alone. Do I have another ten books in me? I’ll keep you apprised!
Even though Spell Sweeper is my tenth book, it’s very different from any other I’ve written. This isn’t simply because it’s written in first-person present tense, but because it’s the most personal, drawing on some of my own insecurities I experienced as a kid (well, who am I fooling; I still experience them). These are the same insecurities that I see in so many of the young people in my life. It’s a burning desire to be something better—coupled with the fear that you simply aren’t good enough . . . and what that will mean for your place in the world.
I hope Spell Sweeper takes you on a fun ride, but that it also shows you the beloved story of a chosen hero who must face the darkness from a different perspective. We are all significant!
Spell Sweeper is available at your favorite retailer as a hardback, digital, or audio book. Check out order links HERE.
And, hey, if you want to know some top ways to support authors (without buying their books), then check out a previous post.
Between the Cracks of Here and There 