Irene N. Watts

Readings

Irene begins with a short reading of five to ten minutes and she talks about the world of the story.

Irene shares the special demands made in writing the Historical novel- having to avoid burdening the reader by including too many facts and details of the period. She describes how she blends real World characters and events with imaginary characters and incidents.

Students are asked to think about what they feel they have in common with the characters in the book, and any differences they discover about then and now. After a short discussion, students are asked to work in twos or small groups and role play a situation of their choice. If they have not read the book yet, Irene suggests one or two incidents (from the novel) such as the discovery of the missing child and how they would deal with it, or how to handle an unruly younger brother or to persuade an employer to hire them.

Irene shares what inspired this novel, how she decides the voice in which to write (always different with each novel) and the form it might have taken. Sometimes a short story or poem or play might be an alternate choice, and Irene gives examples, and ask for student input.

The group will talk about research, how much time and travel is invested in research before the actual writing begins; Irene brings examples of materials she has discovered during the process.

What is the importance of the title and cover art? Irene asks students to tell her what makes them want to read a book. After Irene has introduced the role of the Editor in the shaping of the final work, she answers their questions during the last ten minutes of the 50- minute to one hour session.

Special Equipment:

n/a

Book Sales:

I will autograph if books are brought in by host.

Workshops

CREATING NARRATIVE: How many ways to tell the story?
A practical workshop in which the class participates by creating Plot, Dialogue, Character and Tension and the many ways to incorporate them. The students explore through words and movement, words only, poetry, dramatic scenes and third person story telling. They work in pairs, threes or small groups as well as together as a class. Workshops begin with both physical and mental warm up games (this workshop requires sufficient space for students to move around) and each student will produce a piece of writing in the genre of their choice as part of the workshop.

1 hour (longer by request) Based on my book: Making Stories, Pembroke Press.

Workshops are geared towards Grades 4 to 6, Grades 7 to 9 and for teacher and librarians.

Special Equipment:

n/a

Book Sales:

I will autograph if books are brought in by host.

Biography

Like the characters Marianne and Sophie in the Trilogy about the Kindertransport: Good-bye Marianne, Remember Me, Finding Sophie; and Lillie and William in Flower the story of the Home children, I too traveled to another country as a young child. Moving alone from Germany to England as a Jewish refugee shortly before the outbreak of WWII, and during six years of war to Wales, I too experienced new languages and cultures in a variety of different homes.

My love of stories began as a little girl in Germany when I was given a puppet theatre by my Grandfather. I had to leave everything behind but imagination and stories can be taken everywhere. When I grew up I became a Kindergarten teacher, and later specialized in English and Drama. Then I turned to Acting, Directing plays for Young audiences and to writing plays for them.

In 1968 my family and I moved to Canada where I taught in Hobbema, Alberta before becoming Director of Alberta’s Touring Company for schools: The Citadel on Wheels and Wings. We toured with plays and workshops into schools all over the Province for nine months of each year, and even flew in a DC9 into the North West Territories, where we performed for remote Inuit communities.

I have been a B.C, resident since 1977 though I have lived and worked in many parts of Canada, including six years at Neptune theatre Halifax, N.S. A city that, like London, England, is rich in history and stories.

I write full time now, and write many versions in long hand before sitting down to my computer. I love to rewrite. The hardest part of my work is saying good-bye to characters I have lived with for maybe two years or more, and starting all over again.

Recently a student asked me,“Do you suffer from writer’s block?” My answer was,
“Always” I have four adult children and nine grand children.