Karin Adams is a children’s author and creative writing instructor. She is the author of five humorous novels for middle-grade readers, including the acclaimed Frostbite Hotel.
I was so excited to learn that Frostbite Hotel has been nominated for the 2016 Diamond Willow Award! Many, many thanks for this wonderful honour! Checking out the list of other nominees, I am so humbled and thrilled to be included. It is so cool to know that Saskatchewan readers will be meeting Kirby, Marvin and the rest of the “Frostbite” crew. I hope you enjoy the story and would love to hear your thoughts (and maybe you’ll be inspired to build some snow hotels of your own – post some pics! :)!)
I am incredibly pleased and so excited to share that “Frostbite Hotel” has been nominated for Atlantic Canada’s 2016 Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award (English Fiction). Thank you for this wonderful honour! It’s thrilling to see my book listed with so many other amazing stories and authors. I know that Hackmatack participants are going to have a great year of reading ahead of them! And I LOVE that creative activities tied to themes in the books are a part of the process – what a great way to bring a book to life. (I wish I was a student again and went to your schools! 🙂 – good thing one is never too old to keep ‘on reading!)
Please keep me posted about your reading adventures – and do check out the exciting list of Hackmatack Nominees for 2016:
My name is Karin Adams. I’m an author who will be coming to work with you in a few weeks through Engaging Fusion. I write novels for readers in Grades 3-6 (and for anyone of any age who enjoys a humorous story! 🙂 ) I’ll be sharing some of my stories with you, but mostly I’ll be showing you the steps I take to write a book. You’ll get to try out my tips, tricks and approach as we explore the fiction writing process together. I know we’ll have fun and a very creative time!
I’m looking forward to answering your questions about writing and what it’s like to be an author…but mostly to going on a ‘writing journey’ with you! I always learn a lot by working with students and teachers, so I’m sure I’ll be picking up amazing tips from you all, too. Can’t wait! 🙂
Over the years, I’ve had several opportunities to work with the fabulous students, teachers and staff at Ecole James Nisbet Community School. We’ve had mini-workshops and readings; some classes have invited me to be a guest reader and listener in their classrooms as they’ve shared their own creative writing. Last week, I had the amazing experience of a week-long Artists in the Schools residency at Nisbet where I worked with four groups on creative writing. It was a writing whirlwind, crackling with creativity and ideas!
One group of Grade 3s worked on writing animal fables. We learned a lot, didn’t we? By studying fables together, we learned the main features of an animal fable (my favourite feature is still “Teacher Creature” – so many ryhmes!). Then, we planned our main characters. You had some terrific ideas here, especially when it came to imagining ‘personalities’ for your various animals. We brainsparked lessons for our fables based on P.E.A.C.E. and the 7 Teachings. Then we put it all together with a main action, and wrote rough copies. We even filled the board with juicy words to use when our animals talk and move in our story (they no longer just ‘say’; they ‘roar’ – they no longer just ‘go’ – they leap, hop, slither and soar!) Check out the pictures below and see if you can find your group’s work (And sorry to all about the crazy glare in the photos – also, the room numbers didn’t always show up, but I bet you can still find your juicy ideas!).
With another group of Grade 3s, we knuffle-bunnied our way through fantastic short stories inspired by Mo Willems’ Knuffle Bunny books. Characters came to life in webs. Then, by collaborating with your wonderful teachers, we developed a fun template for your “lost object” stories. I loved how each of you took that template and put your original stamp on it. You thought hard about your character, and what was important to that character. Then, you sent your character on a search for what they had lost, using juicy words, escalation and obstacles, even a final challenge in some cases – wow! Not only that, you practiced one of the most important ideas in writing “Show, Don’t Tell” and did a great job. Keep at it!
Next, it’s time to talk about more “Mo”! Inspired by other hilarious Mo Willems’ books, a grade 4 and 5 group were pairing animals friends and gearing them up for the mayhem of misunderstanding. Even though Mo Willems’ style is very visual, there is story structure and vivid language beneath the pictures, and that’s what we worked on! We went deeper with characters, focusing especially on how our characters were different from one another. Then we plotted and planned with storyboards, being sure to escalate the action. We even practiced ‘show, don’t tell’ in our writing – not only will you end up with lively writing, you are actually making a plan for your visual storytelling (for instance, if you wrote: Sammie spider’s eyes became as wide as dinner plates. “Eek!” she shrieked. – boy, have you got some great ideas for a picture!). Great work!
And with yet another talented group of Grade 4 and 5 writers, we explored story writing techniques as you wrote stories for your Reading Buddies (how great is that? Your buddies are going to love them!). You delved into the major areas of story dreaming and planning – character webs, storyworld dreaming, planning with storyboard, and show, don’t tell (which you absolutely excelled at, by the way. I felt we could have brainsparked ‘show, don’t tell’ examples for the entire class. Knowing that – don’t forget to ‘go there’ in your writing!). You had a very real author-challenge as well: consider your audience as you write. This affected every step of the process as you always had to consider who you were writing for. You had to decide what kind of story would entertain your audience, be appropriate for the age group, and perhaps have a lesson or theme that would be understood by your audience. Your teachers prepared you very well for this important concept – really solid work!
For all the organizers and participants involved in this artist residency, thank you for a great week – till we meet again!
I was thrilled to have the chance to work with King Edward School through an exciting (and new-to-me) program called Engaging Fusion. This Winnipeg One School Division initiative pairs artists with classrooms, and all sorts of creativity results! ( I heard amazing stories of musicians, actors, dancers coming through this wonderful school – so glad they wanted a writer, too!) As a side note, the Sistema program is at King Edward, too. Students shared their knowledge of violas and violin and cellos and double-bass with me (they practice for 3 hours a day after school – AMAZING!) . Lucky me – I was immersed in the arts every day (YES!).
We worked hard together, didn’t we? In four short weeks, each student in five classes at King Edward built the foundation of a short story. From character development, to bringing a storyworld to vivid life, to making storyboards, first drafts, and honing descriptive language skills, we did it all – whoosh! I understand that you are continuing to work on your stories (after all, writing is a process!). I hope you’re having fun with them and would sure love to hear about them when you’re ready to share.
The range of characters you developed really impressed me – from realistic characters something like you (but not quite) to mystery detectives who crave adventure, your stories have a personal stamp that you can be proud of. I was also intrigued by the writing risks many of you were willing to take; like completely altering your beginning after we talked about an ‘opening hook’ (even some seasoned writers find it hard to re-think their writing; but it’s really, really important – and as you saw, you often get a much better result!). Some students even decided on their own to write entirely dialogue-based stories (perhaps we have a few playwrights in the group!); this is a great opportunity to bring out character by giving each different character an authentic voice – keep at it! A couple of stunning graphic novels popped up as well – I admire your skill and careful work in “visual storytelling”!
Among everyone, I could see hard work and hard thinking going into your writing projects. I hope that you remember our time together and bring some of the writing concepts we talked about into your future written work – remember to make your writing shine!
Karin 🙂
P.S. What a friendly school – staff and students were always greeting me, holding open doors, showing me where things were, and even carrying my suitcase full of drafts (YOU know the one I mean). Thank you King Edward for your welcoming spirit!
Sunday, January 18 – the Winnipeg launch of “Frostbite Hotel” at McNally Robinson Booksellers!
Thank you so much to everyone who came out for the Winnipeg launch of “Frostbite Hotel”! It was exciting to see Winnipeg readers, family, friends, fellow writers, teachers, librarians, journalists, arts program coordinators…and the absolutely AWESOME students that I’ve had the pleasure to work with through Artists in the Schools along with their families… all gathered in once place!
Wasn’t it all just so FUN? It was really special for me to get a chance to read from “Frostbite Hotel”, to answer your thought-provoking questions about writing and the “Frostbite” universe, to chit-chat with you at the book-signing, and then mingle over yummy hot chocolate and mini-marshmallows (mmmm…..) Hope you enjoyed meeting Kirby Katz, Marvin DaSilva, The Bear ….and are wondering (or currently reading about!) what happens to these characters next…
A huge thank you to Lorimer Children’s and Teens and McNally Robinson for putting on such a tremendous event. The posters were just “too cool” (hey – how appropriate!), Lorimer’s Frostbite Hotel bookmarks are amazing (you can still pick some up along with signed copies of the book at McNally)…and I feel so very lucky to have launched my story into the snowy stratosphere with such style and with such an amazing crowd!
Thanks to my readers, Frostbite Hotel jumped onto Winnipeg’s bestseller list for the week of January 11, and reached NUMBER ONE for the week of January 18. (Serious “woots” are in order!)
Frostbite Hotel in good company!
Thanks, everyone. Now, curl up with a book and stay warm…or get out there with your friends and build yourselves a snow hotel empire!
I was extremely fortunate to be invited for a second writing residency with the Grade 6 students at Gray Academy (plus, I got to see some familiar faces among this year’s Grade 7s, too!). The residency tied into the novel-study of an amazing book – “Stargirl” by Jerry Spinelli. The students thoroughly enjoyed the book and were eager to plunge into its themes and characters. I love it when a book lives beyond its own pages, don’t you? You feel as though you carry it inside you somehow. Stargirl certainly has this quality, and it was exciting for me to be a part of that “living story” journey with you.
What I looked forward to most about coming to Gray every day was how engaged and interested you all were in the writing process itself. We filled our time together not only learning tips and techniques for writing, but analyzing and appreciating how Jerry Spinelli brought his own story to life. Story is so much more than plot, isn’t it? It’s about drawing the reader in with the senses – not just the intellect. It’s about character conflict and using punchy, juicy words that show more than they tell, making you feel instead of simply witnessing…see? This is why I love writing!
We had so many wonderful discussions about writing as an art form – too many to list here. But one of my favourites was when you raised something that you have observed – that reading and writing can connect us to others and deepen our sense of empathy. WOW! I certainly learned a lot from your perspectives and see my residency at Gray as a time that I myself grew as a writer.
You did a great job on your stories, from first draft through final draft, with each iteration showing growth and development.
Brainsparking Words…More Words
I understand from your terrific teachers that many of you are using the techniques we practiced together – I’m so glad and honoured that I could play a part in your creative writing journeys.
I certainly hope we meet again – all the best until then!
The energetic and wonderfully creative students at LaVerendrye spent Monday, December 1 with us creating “Scraphic Novelties” – interesting pop-outs, puppets, sliders, box fold critters and objects that make Scraphic Novels special. It was our last session together until 2015. We will miss seeing your faces each day and the inspiration we received as we watched you develop your stories and Scraphic Novel ideas!
We were amazed and delighted by the novel creations in each class – check them out in this post! (Our sincere apologies to the Grade 5s – we ran out of time to put together and photograph a poster – EEK! You did AMAZING work and created truly ‘novel novelties’, especially in a shorter class time. Mme. Anita and I will be sure to do something special on our site to highlight your art work when we return in the New Year!)
My fellow artist Anita Lebeau and I are thrilled to announce the debut of our brand new arts program, Scraphic Novels! We are working with two schools this year – Ecole LaVerendrye and Ecole Margaret-Underhill. In fact, our residency at LaVerendrye is well underway, and it’s been a blast so far (we’re counting down the days until our return in February/March)!
Scraphic Novels are “a lively mash-up of creative writing, comic strips, graphic novels, and scrapbooking.” Through a series of writing and arts/crafts workshops, students develop their own original Scraphic Novels. READ MORE ABOUT SCRAPHIC NOVELS HERE!
The clever and super-fun books can also integrate with other subjects being studied (at LaVerendrye, students are making Scraphic Novels inspired by Animals and the 7 Teachings, Legends, Habitats; at Margaret-Underhill students will be bringing their knowledge of The Arctic to their stories).
Look for more posts in the coming months – we just couldn’t wait to start sharing the news!
Come on out to McNally Robinson Booksellers for the official Winnipeg launch of Frostbite Hotel by Karin Adams!
The event takes place on Sunday, January 18, 2015 at 2pm in the Atrium. What a perfect way to spend a frosty January afternoon! There will be a lively reading by the author (that’s me!), a Q & A, and a book signing and chance to mingle. It’s open to all – so please come and join me!
I’m already counting the days. Hope to see you there!
