Susan Signe Morrison's Blog, page 4

Please Join me at Malvern Books, April 14th at 7 p.m.

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Germanophiles! Malvern Books, who hosted the book launch of Grendel’s Mother: The Saga of the Wyrd-Wife, contacted me out of the blue to help launch another writer’s new memoir. I’m delighted to join Rebecca Schuman when she reads from Schadenfreude, A Love Story about the trials of her time in Germany. I lived in Germany in the 1980s and am starting work on a memoir about my time teaching in East Germany. On the 14th I will read from a few of my published works about legendary and historical German women–and maybe say a word or two about the Stasi file that purports to have all the information about me!

 

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Old English Words and Anglo-Saxon Culture

What can Old English words for fingers, anger, old age and pigs tell us about Anglo-Saxon culture?

via Old English Words & Anglo-Saxon Worldviews — Dutch Anglo-Saxonist

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Kids Love Runes or How Politics even drifts into Elementary School

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Showing picture books I brought along.

Every year I love participating in the Young Writers’ Workshop at Travis Heights Elementary School. 20 professional writers teach various workshops to 3rd-5th graders. I teach a class called “Take a step back in time..But beware! Watch where you step! Ogres, dragons, and evil knights await!”

 

This year, as usual, I shared the runic alphabet and some kids took delight in writing their stories in runes. Amazing.

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Kids working

I also give them a Story Element sheet with categories like Hero or Heroine (knight, princess, peasant); Place (castle, deep forest, deserted city); Person with Special Powers (could be good or evil: druid, magician, wise healer); Monster or Monstrous Creature (werewolf, green knight, dragon); and Faithful Animal Companion (deer, board, swan).

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A story with a nice drawing

This year was special because one kid chose as his place Trump Tower, and as his monster Donald Trump.

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The student’s Story Category Sheet

In his story, the Illuminati are tasked with dealing with the monster Trump who keeps wanting to build a wall. I have to say the story was pretty clever! But I was also a little sad. In a school with a majority of Hispanic kids, Trump’s pronouncements are clearly trickling down into family discussions at home and worrying our beloved neighbors in our city.

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The bad guy’s pronouncement

These kids are so creative and reflective–it has been an honor and pleasure working with them!

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Drain the Fens OR How the Anglo-Saxon World is Always Relevant

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A parody twitter account.

It’s wonderful to see how folks take Anglo-Saxon politics and apply it to the world today. No matter your political strip, I hope we can all agree that a historical long view–and a sense of humor–are good things! Be sure to check out more tweets from Donaeld The Unready. My favorite? Drain the Fens.

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#NotMyConqueror and a Much Older Women’s March

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Group of women in the Old English Hexateuch – Pussyhats added © The British Library, Cotton Claudius B.iv, fol. 92R

The Dutch Anglo-Saxonist strikes again! This time with #NotMyConqueror. Do read!

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Dragon Recipe Tips

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Dragon in fifteenth-century Italian herbal. © The British Library, Sloane 4016, f. 38

When I see Chopped on the Food Network, the basket contains all sorts of unusual stuff. What would you conjure up if some dragon were in your assorted items? The Dutch Anglo-Saxonist tells us what to do in that case….

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“Women Preserve the Past For Those in the Future”

“Women preserve the past for those in the future.”~ Susan Signe Morrison, Author, Grendel’s Mother Words on Wings Award Recipient

I didn’t even know what a meme was until a couple of years ago. Now, Literary Classics has created a meme from material from my book.  They did this for all the top award winners, including Grendel’s Mother.  I hope you enjoy it!

 

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An Anglo-Saxon comic book collector: Cuthwine and the Carmen Paschale — Dutch Anglo-Saxonist

Illustrated medieval manuscripts and severed babies. Cuthwine, bishop of Dunwich, had a taste for comics and gory details.

via An Anglo-Saxon comic book collector: Cuthwine and the Carmen Paschale — Dutch Anglo-Saxonist

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Fun to be in the Spotlight….Or should I say Seal-Oil Lamplight?

Snakey and Lambykin, from my 3rd grade storytelling days.

WHEN DID YOU FIRST KNOW YOU WANTED TO BE A WRITER AND WHY?

In 3rd grade, I would bring my stuffed animals with me to school. My teacher let me perform little spontaneous plays with the stuffed animals as characters and me supplying the voices. I guess that was when I knew.

Laughing in the front yard

 

When Grendel’s Mother received an award, Literary Classics interviewed me. That was months ago and I’d almost forgotten about it. Now it has been posted. The segment above comes from that exchange which you can read in its entirety here.

 

When I went to Las Vegas for the award ceremony, we had a fabulous time! Here are photos from that event.

And then…

The fun never ended…

And then…

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“Grendel’s Mother” wins Top Honor Award!

Literary Classics and Children’s Literary Classics International Book Awards and Top Honors Book Awards youth book awards

I was so excited to go to Las Vegas this past week for the Literary Classics awards ceremony. Grendel’s Mother won the Top Honors award for Young Adult literature.

The award, Words on Wings Book Award, “recognizes distinguished fiction for a young adult audience.”  I was thrilled to receive the award, needless to say.

The pool with shark tank at the Golden Nugget

 

The ceremony, held at the Golden Nugget Casino and Hotel, was wonderful. We got to swim in a pool with a shark tank!

 

 

Best of all, all the other awardees in different categories were utterly delightful! So nice and friendly.

And Dianna Fuchs, the Executive Director Literary Classics, was utterly supportive, fun, and charming. In addition to a Networking Presentation and Round-Table Discussion, she arranged for us all to do readings and sell books at the Vegas Valley Book Festival. I was delighted to meet the delightful parents of my dear colleague, Eric Leake, there! Eric also gave me lots of tips on visiting Vegas.

I was especially happy that John and Jim could join me.

One person I’ll always treasure is the Silver Award Recipient of the Literary Classics Young Author Award. I really appreciate Dianna Fuchs and her team for creating an award for writers under the age of 21. That inspires so many of us! John was particularly thrilled to meet Sahana who is certainly a role model for him, as he is writing fantasy too. You can buy Sahana’s books on Amazon.

We had a fun time, met wonderful people, and won an award. Who could ask for anything more? John took some beautiful photos on the plane for our return. They look like Monet paintings to me.

Here is a movie of me receiving my award!

 

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