Children’s Winter Writing Workshops Sneak Peek

It may only be the middle of November, but we’re already busy at work planning for next year’s events and workshops! We have fun things in store for our children’s programming and want to give you a sneak peek at what you can look forward to.

Do you have a young writer itching to express his or her creative side? Our Writing Wizards workshops are back and being held each Saturday, January 28 through February 25. From science fiction, to narratives, to poetry and more, we have the area’s most talented writers and teachers bringing the magic of writing to classes for all ages.

Second and Third Graders:

Mad Scientists – A Laboratory for Story Creation with Sylvia Jackson

Young writers will become the “mad scientist” of their own tales in this class that focuses on the worlds of science and science fiction writing.

Animal Stories, from Aardvarks to Zebras with Jan Williams

Your child’s creative juices will be flowing as they are challenged to write stories and poems about their favorite animals – real or imagined.

Fourth and Fifth Graders:

Enter the Exciting World of “Warriors” with Linda Forte-Spearing

Inspired by Erin Hunter’s “Warrior” series about a domestic cat trying to survive in the wild, participants will explore how to create a story from an animal’s perspective.

So You Want to be a Writer! with Paul Hammock

Participants will get down to the basics of writing and learn narration and dialogue techniques, character creation and how to make your story a page-turner.

Sixth, Seventh and Eighth Graders

The Amazing Writing Race with Sarah Magill

Join our version of the TV show, The Amazing Race, to travel places near and far, gathering clues at pit stops to discover different genres of writing including poetry, stories and travel logs.

Attack of the Killer Plot Device with Kathy Matthew and Dan Mushalko

Stretch your imagination (and writing skills) as we dive into tales of aliens, dragons and more! Learn how to use science and logic to craft your own “invasion plot” storyline.

Registration is now open, so don’t delay as classes are on a first-come, first-serve basis and will fill up quickly! The deadline for enrollment is January 13. Click here to register online. For more details on time and location, visit our website.

Top Cookbooks for the Holidays

Turkey, sugar cookies, hot chocolate, cranberry sauce and mashed potatoes. Our mouths are watering and stomachs grumbling just with the thought of these delicious dishes! As the holidays quickly approach, we’re getting ready to break out our favorite festive recipes and cookbooks. At Thurber House, we love celebrations that include delicious food. To prepare for the upcoming holidays, we’ve compiled a list of 20 cookbooks, sure to impress your hungry friends and family – whether you’re cooking a five-course Thanksgiving feast, or participating in a cookie swap at work.

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Do you have a favorite family recipe you’ll whip up this season? Share it in the comments!

The Slightly Less Than (Mostly) Official Wrap Up: Karen Russell

Last Thursday we wrapped up our Evenings with Authors series for the season. The audience had a fantastic time with Karen Russell as she dove into the heart of her acclaimed novel Swamplandia! Here are some photos from the event:

"Swamplandia!" is Russell's bestselling novel set in the Florida Everglades about the Bigtree family and their adventures in trying to save their alligator theme park.

Russell takes the stage to share inspiration behind the story and offer a glimpse of how she gave life to the hysterical band of alligator wrestlers.

The audience listens intently as Russell captivates their attention with the novel's creative storyline and hilarious characters.

After the reading and Q&A, Russell met with fans and signed their copy of "Swamplandia!"

Thank you Karen! We had a wonderful evening and were so honored to have you as our guest!

Overall the evening was a huge success and the perfect conclusion to the Fall Evenings with Authors series. If you weren’t able to make it out this fall, stay tuned to our website, Facebook and Twitter as we’ll soon announce our Winter and Spring series line-up!

Event Preview: Final Evenings With Authors Featuring Karen Russell

Whew … We can’t believe how quickly the fall has flown by! It’s been a busy season with many fantastic authors stopping by, and this week is no exception as we wrap up our Fall Evenings with Authors series.

Join us this Thursday for our final event featuring Karen Russell who will read and discuss her bestselling novel Swamplandia! This rip-roaring story takes readers down to the Everglades of Florida and introduces them to a clan of alligator wrestlers who own a rundown tourist attraction.

Russell has garnered attention from bestseller lists across the country and received accolades from numerous reviews. She is a recipient of the National Book Foundation’s 5 Under 35 Award; featured in The New Yorker’s list of “20 under 40 Authors to Watch”; was nominated for the Orange Prize; and is currently a writer-in-residence at Bard College in upstate New York.

This is one event you won’t want to miss out on! The reading begins at 7:30 p.m. and takes place at the Columbus Performing Arts Center. Tickets are still available and can be purchased here (along with more details).

We hope to see you there!