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It’s day three of being the facilitator of the "writing for young adults" lab at Sage Hill Writing Experience. Yesterday, I called myself an instructor, but truthfully facilitator is a much better word. I'm just here to make things run a little more smoothly. All the students are here for the various classes now and the retreat centre is popping with action (there was even drumming, banjoing, and fiddling last night). Oh, and many people tried out the maze. Great thing is-if you get lost, you can walk over it.
There are plenty of walking paths and the Saskatoon berries are ripe. What? There should be writing and reading? Well that's happening, too.
All our discussions are in the "new" meeting room. I tell you, we have the best meeting room of all. There are even wheels on the chairs and a lectern that I can stand behind if I want to feel important. Today we had our first individual meetings. It's always hard to show your prose to other people, but there is something about the closed-off environment of a retreat centre that makes it a little easier. And being among a friendly group of like-minded people.
Our topics of discussion today: Point of view--3rd person? 3rd person singular? 1st person and the pros and cons. There were no fisticuffs! Present tense vs past tense? I seen what you mean, I said. And can you really make money from this business? (canned laughter here) Gee, what'll we talk about for the remaining nine days?
Well, it’s day one of teaching young adult writing at 
This is my room. You know those Franciscan friars didn't need much space. At least there's a nice view (though the view is rather curious since we're looking across a valley at a highway--odd to sit in this peaceful place and to see all these people whizzing by). Ah, well, I better do a bit of "prep" work.
In 1837 the first sighting of Spring Heeled Jack occurs in England. He was tall and thin, had metallic claws, fiery eyes and could leap great distances. He committed various devious crimes then would leap over a wall or fence to escape the bobbies. The last reported sighting was in 1904 (at which point he must have been a Spring Heeled Jack with a walker).
I love book covers. I admit it. And I often do judge a book by its cover. Then later on I judge it by the story, etc., But a cover is your first introduction. It's the book saying, "Hello, how are you, pleased to meet you."
Odd Victorian Factoid#24: It took fictional character Phileas Fogg 80 days to go around the world. In 1889 Nellie Bly (a real person) did it in 72 days. She was a journalist and her real name was Elizabeth Jane Cochran. She also faked insanity in order to study a mental institution from the inside.