"Oregon Stories" Book Launch

Oregon Stories was launched today in an event at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland. I felt so honored to be a part of it! Even more fun, as I read through the table of contents, I discovered that quite a few Oregon City HS students were included in the book.

I think I did a fairly credible job of reading my story. Mark was assigned to take photos, but alas, they all came out blurry. :( So you'll just have to believe that I was there in front about 50 people, reading my story. I did remember to read slowly, and use expression as I read.

And what would an author be without her mother in the audience? My sweet parents had already come into town on Thursday to visit with Katie, Bryan and Olivia, but they stayed an extra day to come to the book launch. Thank you, Mom and Dad! Julia, Michael, and Maddy, and Katie, Bryan, and Olivia were there, too.

The other Oregon City authors I found in the table of contents...Heather Wickersham (my teaching buddy from last year, who now teaches in Hawaii), Jeff Lovelady, Jaimie Hays, Eli Hermanson, Andrew Schell, Kayla Livesay, Terra McClellan, Dallas Crone, and Kelly Luke.

All but two of them are my former students, and I can assure you that a couple of those boys did not consider themselves writers when they first came to my classroom. I hope they are pleased to be published...as their writing teacher, I am just thoroughly tickled to have validation for what I keep telling my students: you are all writers, and you all have stories to share.

The book is listed on Amazon.com. I've only had a chance to read a few of the stories yet, but I have enjoyed all of the ones I've read so far. There is quite a diverse range of Oregon stories in the collection. I recommend it!