Last week I received a batch of letters from a 1st Grade classroom in Texas asking if I would Skype with them for their "Pirate Week." How many letters does it take for a writer to agree to do something like that? The answer is not very many. After reading two or three of them, I was instantly in a good mood. Letters from children are not only sincere and heartwarming, they are also funny.
After some technical difficulties on Wednesday, I was finally able to "visit" with them this morning. The great thing about classroom visits, beside the obvious nudge to one's ego knowing that someone out there actually appreciates the work you do, is the enthusiasm of the kids. Though it was early in the morning, by my terms anyway, they were wide awake and eager to hear from me. And for all those people out there who don't believe teaching is one of the hardest jobs around, try spending five mornings a week with energetic six-year-olds and then tell me how easy you think it is.
The kids were great. I wore my pirate outfit, which I often wear for any visits concerning my Pirate School series. We talked about my own tendency to get icky-sicky on boats and my bossy older brother who inspired the know-it-all character. In turn they told me about cruises they'd been on and a particular bossy four year old younger sister. Yet another way in which the internet helps authors connect to their audience.
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