Andy Spearman

Readings

Andy reads a chapter from Barry, Boyhound, followed by an interactive discussion about the joys of reading using examples from his own library of children's books and a Q&A session

Special Equipment:

n/a

Book Sales:

n/a

Workshops

This is an interactive workshop to encourage aspiring young writers, to demystify the writing, process, and to make story-writing fun. The group discusses the anatomy of a story and explores ways to generate ideas. Writing exercises are left behind for students to complete at their discretion.

Special Equipment:

Flip chart and markers.

Book Sales:

n/a

Biography

Andy Spearman was born in Niagara Falls, but was promptly rescued and led a normal childhood where the main bedtime reading was the latest Hardy Boys adventure and a set of encyclopedias so ancient they didn't even come with a DVD. No wonder that his first book, Barry, Boyhound, features improbable events, curious old facts, and a mishap involving a body of water resembling Lake Erie.

True, the book does contain real information on historical figures such as George Washington Carver and St. John The Baptist. There's also a handy guide to The History of the Universe and tasty peanut butter sandwich recipes. But this outward appearance of educational merit is intended to trick parents, teachers, and librarians into thinking that the book is suitable for young readers. Don't tell anyone, but the actual story is about a boy who turns into a dog on the inside (not the outstide), then smelly, nasty things happen. Even so, there are valuable lessons to be learned from Barry's misadventures, including:

Somewhere between being born and writing Barry, Boyhound, Andy Spearman did other stuff.

Andy Spearman proudly wants you to know that he has a trophy for throwing a Frisbee farther than anyone else. This is the greatest thing he has ever won, not counting free donuts for rolling up the rim. (Also not counting serious Advertising awards, but he doesn't want to bore you with that.)

Andy Spearman has rock star junk all over his house: a bunch of guitars, a fuzz pedal, and a set of drums. No one has had the heart to tell him that maybe he's too old for that kind of nonsense, that he's a bit lousy on guitar anyway, adn that everybody, including passing traffic, hates it when he sings "Roxanne" in the car.