It was storytelling day at the Front Porch Library. I started by telling a story from my life, and then read a scene from “Crossing Jordan” that was based on that event. I wanted to show how stories begin and grow–and sometimes become useful to a writer.
The kids told stories from their lives. Mr. John too. He told the story from the day at the FPL when we found a lizard stuck to a piece of tape and how he spent ages carefully, carefully freeing the lizard. “Everyone lost interest it was so slow.” When the lizard was freed it was only missing one toe.
Olivia was especially good at adding hand gestures, pauses, changes of voice–a natural storyteller.
I broke out my photo collection. These are pictures I use to teach creative writing. Each of us chose one as a spur to creating a story. Kelby had a photo of soldiers in a Humvee speeding away from an exploding horizon. He turned the men in the vehicle into himself and his friends from Brooklyn (some years down the road).
Brianna, of course, chose a photo with dogs. Klark, kept setting the timer–who knows why? There is no hope at the FPL of doing anything in a specified time frame.
Another day of stories at the FPL.
The Front Porch Library 