** Career Day at Castlio Elementary **

I was one of the speakers today at Castlio Elementary School (Francis Howell School District, St. Charles, Mo.) It was Career Day for all the 4th grade classes. There was at least one fire fighter, a nurse, a doctor, an engineer from Boeing, etc......But I was the only writer.

I told each class right in the beginning that I certainly was not a famous writer (yet!) and that's why they'd never heard of me! I talked about pursuing their dreams in life, no matter what they were. I talked about the Chicken Soup for the Soul books I have stories in, the Iowa newspaper that I write the weekly column for, other anthologies, etc. I had a couple of hand-outs and specifically told them about the Big Read and the youth writing contest this fall.

I think some of them actually enjoyed what I had to say.... :-)