Connecticut Author Visits With Middle School Students

As part of a reading initiative, Read Across America and National Library Week, Connecticut author Robert Holland of Woodstock spent the morning on Monday, April 3, visiting with Newtown Middle School students.

Many of the students had read at least one of Mr Holland’s sports/mystery titles and eagerly inquired as to why he chose a particular setting or why bodies appeared headless. The author shared insights as to his writing craft, saying, “Writing is a skill that makes you think.” The author told the students he pursued writing as a career because it gave him control. He said that he loved stories and tall tales as a child and just always read a lot. “I liked good stories that took me places I couldn’t go,” he explained.

Mr Holland’s books are aimed at middle school male readers. He explains that boys like action, adventure, and not much detail, because that slows things down. He also does not reveal a lot of detail because he wants the reader to use the power of the imagination to transport them through time.

Mr Holland takes about a month to write a first draft, but must revise and edit each copy about ten times before they go to press. He left the students with this message, “Reading is the door to everything you will learn. You need to be curious.”