Simon Rose's Blog, page 216

Writing Historical Fiction - Classes for Writers in Calgary with Chinook Learning Services

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The Calgary Board of Education provides adult and continuing education through Chinook Learning Services. This winter, I am pleased to be offering the following classes in Calgary.

Writing Historical Fiction - Tuesdays, starting February 22 Do you want to bring history to life? Then you need to know what history to put in and what to leave out. In this course you will examine the writing of historical fiction and the need to fully immerse yourself in a particular time period to make your storytelling more believable. You will learn how to write effective, authentic and appealing historical fiction, how to turn your ideas into compelling stories, understand what exactly defines historical fiction and different historical time periods, how to create believable settings and plausible characters and how research plays a crucial role in the creation of your novel. Historical fiction, when it is done right, when its facts are compellingly used, will take the reader into the story of real people from long ago.
Register now at Chinook Learning Services.

Britain's Colourful Pub Signs - Part One @ Dark Roasted Blend

Check out my article, Britain's Colourful Pub Signs, at Dark Roasted Blend
Britain's colourful pub signs speak volumes about the country's equally colourful history, as well as depicting folklore, heraldry and social customs. Pubs were never named by accident and each sign invariably has a story behind it. The artwork on Britain's pub signs is inspired by royalty and nobility, religion and the church, military heroes and battles, occupations and trades, myths and legends, sporting activities and pastimes, along with numerous other sources.
Dark Roasted Blend is among the finest locations online to find the weird, the wonderful and the fantastic, crammed with great articles, stunning photography, plus fabulous new content appears daily.

Author Visits, Presentations and Workshops at Schools and Libraries

Throughout the school year, I offer presentations, readings, author in residence programs and conduct workshops for children at schools and libraries all across Canada, the United States and around the world.
An author visit can be highly inspirational, inviting children to unlock their own creative potential, whatever form that may take, and encouraging them in their own writing. 
Younger students especially are almost always thrilled to meet a published author, particularly if they have read their books.For schools and libraries, I offer a wide variety of presentations for grades three to eight, but can work with grades one and two as well. I cover such topics as where ideas come from, story structure, editing and revision, character development, time travel stories, history and research, plus many other aspects of the writing and publishing world. I will present to around one hundred students at a time, although the smaller the audience the more participation from children, as a rule. We can also look at workshops with smaller groups or individual classes. I am very flexible and able to modify material in consultation with teachers and librarians. 
For my Author in Residence program, I can be at your school for a week or longer. This allows me to cover certain topics in much more depth than would be possible during a regular author visit. I have also worked on playwriting with the Calgary Arts Summer School. Each of my novels can provide teachers with a wide variety of ways to explore projects in the classroom with their students and you may find some suggestions on the Study Guides and Classroom Resources page and class sets of books are also always available from my online store.In schools, I have worked with many special needs students and have experience with children from Calgary's deaf and hard of hearing community.
For a list of available presentations, visit the Presentations and Workshops page. However, please note that this list is by no means exhaustive and I am very adaptable. I am always pleased to work with teachers and librarians to build a group of sessions best suited to your students and also offer workshops for teachers.Contact me directly for details of fees and availability for school and library presentations at info@simon-rose.com.

Writing and Publishing Your Children's Novel - University of Calgary, Saturday, February 26

[image error] Each year, the Continuing Education department at the University of Calgary serves over 20,000 lifelong learners and offers thousands of courses taught by more than 1,000 instructors – all experts in their fields.
Writing and Publishing Your Children's Novel - Saturday, February 26 This workshop deals with getting started as a writer for young readers and the subsequent path to publication. You will examine the writing process from initial concept through to the finished manuscript, including how to turn ideas into stories, story structure, developing characters, the creation of outlines and the importance of editing and revision. You will also examine ways to research publishing houses where you can submit your work, cover letters, synopses and sample chapters.
Learn more about the Writing and Publishing Your Children's Novel workshop and how to register here

Writing Children's Books - Classes for Adults in Calgary with Chinook Learning Services

[image error] The Calgary Board of Education provides adult and continuing education through Chinook Learning Services. This winter, I am pleased to be offering the following classes in Calgary.


Writing Children's Books - Mondays, February 7 to March 21Examine the writing process from initial concept through to the finished manuscript, including how to turn ideas into stories, the creation of outlines, story structure, character development, the role of research and the importance of editing and revision, as well as examine ways to research and submit to publishing houses.
Register now at Chinook Learning Services.

Real Life Spy Gadgets @ Dark Roasted Blend

Check out my article entitled at Dark Roasted Blend entitled Real Life Spy Gadgets - For the secret agent in all of us.
Espionage, whether between governments or industrial espionage between companies, remains very much with us. Yet, despite the cool gadgets seen in movies, the technology of the spy world is never quite as advanced as Hollywood would have us believe.
However, with the ever-increasing pace of technology, things that once seemed very much in the realm of science fiction are now most assuredly science fact and some gadgets are readily available to the general public. Obviously, there may be some really cool devices currently in use by the world's various spy agencies, but for obvious reasons, details and photographs are hard to come by. Consequently, this article focuses on the spy gear that is currently on the market for us mere mortals.
Dark Roasted Blend is among the finest locations online to find the weird, the wonderful and the fantastic, crammed with great articles, stunning photography, plus fabulous new content appears daily.

Writing Badges for Brownies, Guides and Pathfinders in Calgary and area

I am please to be working locally in Calgary with Girl Guides of Canada, and am available for lively, interactive and fun-filled creative writing sessions to help your brownies, guides or pathfinders attain their writing badges.
Topics covered can include where writers get ideas from, the writing process, story structure, time travel stories, character development, editing and revision, dramatic beginnings and cliffhanger endings, the importance of research and more. However, I am very flexible, able to adapt programs to the requirements of the various levels of writing badges and always happy to discuss whatever you feel will be best suited to your unit.

I am able to work with a wide age range and sessions are suitable for brownies, guides and pathfinders. The fee for a session is $120, plus GST. For further details on how I can assist with your writing badge work, please contact me directly at sorcerersletterbox@gmail.com.

Classes with Chinook Learning Services in Calgary, Saturday March 12

[image error] The Calgary Board of Education provides adult and continuing education through  Chinook Learning Services . This spring, I am pleased to be offering the following courses.
Writing Children's Books: Intro - 9.30 am to Noon March 12In this workshop you will discover how to balance youthful imagination with adult professionalism, and gain awareness of writing for various age ranges. This workshop explores the do's and don'ts of writing for younger readers, turning ideas into stories, the writing process, the importance of editing and revision, story structure, and the role of research. Come and get a taste of a wonderful craft!
Forming Fictional Characters - 1.00 pm to 3.30 pm March 12Characters are the heart of every story - their actions drive the plot. Their individuality is what readers or audiences most remember. This workshop explores where writers get ideas for characters, and how to use descriptive language to build them. Participants will invent their own unique characters and learn how to write engaging dialogue and lifelike scenarios. Create an unforgettable story with unforgettable characters.
Register now with Chinook Learning Services.

Ship Figureheads: Symbols of the Sea - The latest article @ Dark Roasted Blend

Check out the latest article at Dark Roasted Blend entitled Ship Figureheads: Symbols of the Sea
The elaborate decorative wooden carvings known as figureheads were found on the prow of ships built between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. Many depicted human females or animals, but other designs could be found as well. This article looks at the glorious, or sometimes frightening, "hood ornaments" for ships.
Ship Figureheads: Symbols of the Sea is now published at Dark Roasted Blend, among the finest locations online to find the weird, the wonderful and the fantastic, crammed with great articles, stunning photography, plus fabulous new content which appears daily.

Writing Historical Fiction - Classes for Writers in Calgary with Chinook Learning Services

[image error]
The Calgary Board of Education provides adult and continuing education through Chinook Learning Services. This winter, I am pleased to be offering the following classes in Calgary.

Writing Historical Fiction - Tuesdays, starting February 22 Do you want to bring history to life? Then you need to know what history to put in and what to leave out. In this course you will examine the writing of historical fiction and the need to fully immerse yourself in a particular time period to make your storytelling more believable. You will learn how to write effective, authentic and appealing historical fiction, how to turn your ideas into compelling stories, understand what exactly defines historical fiction and different historical time periods, how to create believable settings and plausible characters and how research plays a crucial role in the creation of your novel. Historical fiction, when it is done right, when its facts are compellingly used, will take the reader into the story of real people from long ago.
Register now at Chinook Learning Services.