Dayton Metro Library welcomes Miami Valley teens to the first annual STORYCON: TEEN on Saturday, April 28, 12:00-5:00 p.m. The free festival of teen writing, illustrating and publishing takes place at the Main Library, 215 E. Third Street in Dayton.
“Three of the best writers of teen fiction today are leading workshops at STORYCON, so teens can get first-hand experience and advice from writers they like,” said Steve Moser, Dayton Metro Library Teen Services Coordinator. “We’ve also got graphic novel artists who will walk participants through the process of creating a comic book.”
Authors Cinda Williams Chima, Mike Mullin, and Nic Stone start the day’s events with a panel presentation, then participants can choose from several workshops to attend.
“The new Main Library has perfect spaces for us to offer a big, multi-faceted event like this,” said Moser. “It’s exciting that teens who are interesting in writing or illustrating and enjoy good fiction have this opportunity to meet and learn from our awesome presenters.”
Presenters are:
CINDA WILLIAMS CHIMA is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who writes fantasy fiction for teens of all ages. She is the author of theHeir Chronicles, the Seven Realms series, and the Shattered Realms series. Her workshop is “Worldbuilding: Writing Your Own Fantasy Fiction.”
MIKE MULLIN is the author of the Ashfall series: Ashfall, Ashen Winter, Sunrise and Darla’s Story. Mullin’s breakout session is a “Writing Funshop,” including group activities and lots of writing practice.
NIC STONE brings diverse voices and stories to her work. Dear Martin, her first novel, is loosely based on true events involving the shooting deaths of unarmed African American teenagers. In her workshop, “Rodents, Vegetables, and Solid Storytelling,” Stone shares a mnemonic she uses for her writing process, and leads participants through a writing activity.
SPARKLE COMICS is an independent comic book company based in Dayton, making comics that span the genres of action, adventure, fantasy, and horror for pre-teens and up. They will take participants through their creative process – from concept, through storyboarding, to the final product.
STORYCON: TEEN also features journal-making and book crafts, a bookstore where the presenters’ books will be available for purchase and autographing, and door prizes, including two Kindles.
“We intend to make STORYCON an annual festival to celebrate the best of teen fiction and encourage teens themselves to pursue their own creativity through writing or illustrating,” said Moser.
STORYCON: TEEN is free and intended for grades 7-12. For more information, including details on the workshop sessions and a complete schedule for the event, visit DaytonMetroLibrary.org or call (937) 463-2665.
Have your ever visited the cemetery to take a tour? If no, why not? Woodland Cemetery is one of the best and most beautiful cemeteries in Dayton and Ohio and the nation. Here, you can see a great view from the Lookout Tower, study the architecture of the family mausoleums, explore the geology of the grounds, learn about Dayton’s history, discover the cemetery art work on stones more than 175 years old and so much more. There is never any fee to enter and all of the tours are free and open to the public. Bring your bike or wear a good pair of walking shoes and explore for yourself the timeless beauty that is Woodland Cemetery.
