Tri-County Citizen

NY Times bestselling author visits NLHS






New York Times Bestselling author Margaret Peterson Haddix paid a visit to New Lothrop Area Public Schools on Wednesday, March 14. During her presentation in the auditorium, she shared her inspiration for some of her books; held a question and answer forum with students; and held a book signing.

New York Times Bestselling author Margaret Peterson Haddix paid a visit to New Lothrop Area Public Schools on Wednesday, March 14. During her presentation in the auditorium, she shared her inspiration for some of her books; held a question and answer forum with students; and held a book signing.

NEW LOTHROP – Renowned New York Times bestselling author Margaret Peterson Haddix paid a visit to New Lothrop High School on Wednesday, March 14 to an auditorium filled with students in grades fifth through ninth.

The school has been on the waiting list for nearly three years to have a visit from Haddix; she is popular among students there, administrators said.

Haddix’s books were one of the choices for the school’s required summer read, high school principal Kim Kuchar said.

She added that students created posters of Haddix’s book covers in anticipation of the event. The posters were hung in the hallway in addition to a display built in the library that showcased the author’s books.

During her presentation the author explained the inspiration for some of her most popular books, including “Among the Hidden” series, “Found” series, and her newest release “Children of Refuge.” She also included a question and answer forum; and a meet and great with book signings.

The author’s books were a part of the required summer read program for New Lothrop students. Students in the fifth through the ninth grade attended the March 14 presentation. Haddix’s advice to young aspiring authors is to read and write often. She said she was thrilled with her visit to New Lothrop and was glad to see their enthusiasm for books and reading.

The author’s books were a part of the required summer read program for New Lothrop students. Students in the fifth through the ninth grade attended the March 14 presentation. Haddix’s advice to young aspiring authors is to read and write often. She said she was thrilled with her visit to New Lothrop and was glad to see their enthusiasm for books and reading.

She grew up on a farm in Ohio and graduated from Miami University (of Ohio) with degrees in English/ journalism, English/creative writing and history.

Her writing is rooted in journalism; her years before becoming an author were spent as a newspaper copy editor in Fort Wayne, Ind.; a newspaper reporter in Indianapolis; and a community college instructor and freelance writer in Danville, Ill.

“When my daughter was in third grade, she brought home a list one day that described what everyone in her class wanted to be when they grew up. Most of the kids clearly picked the same jobs their parents held. As a kid, I also longed for a career that I didn’t actually believe real people got to do,” Haddix said in her biography.

“The only authors I’d ever heard of were, well, just in books.”

She said the early years of her life were spent amassing things to write about, though her years spent as a journalist really gave her the experiences from which to take ideas.

“It was being a reporter that really gave me the opportunity to meet lots of different people, in vastly different circumstances. It never failed to amaze me that I could sit down with people, and begin asking really, really nosy questions, and because I was from the newspaper, they would almost always answer,” the author said.

“For most of my time as a journalist, I worked as a general assignment reporter, which meant that I could be covering a fire one day, a scientific breakthrough the next, a politician’s news conference the next. (Or, on really busy days, some combination of several vastly different events, all at once.) Somehow, for me, hearing so many different stories from so many different people–and witnessing so many different events–didn’t just inspire me to write it all down. It also inspired me to play with different plots and characters and settings in my head. Facts weren’t enough for me. I still also wanted fiction.”

She said she went through a long phase of submitting work and collecting rejection letters. She sold her first two books when she and husband Doug’s daughter Meredith was a year and a half old.

Her advice for young aspiring authors is to read and write often.

“Read a lot. Write a lot. Think a lot. Enjoy what you read, write and think about.”

Haddix said she was pleased with her visit to New Lothrop.

“It was great to see the kids’ enthusiasm for books and reading, and I was impressed with their thoughtful questions,” she said.

“One of my favorite moments was when a student came through my signing line specifically to ask me a few extra questions “author to author.” I love being able to encourage young writers like her.”

She has written more than 40 books for kids and teens, including “Running Out of Time; Double Identity;” “Uprising;” “The Always War;” the “Shadow Children” series; the “Missing” series; the “Children of Exile” series; the “Under Their Skin” duology; and “The Palace Chronicles.” She also wrote “Into the Gauntlet,” the 10th book in the “39 Clues” series. The author’s books have been honored with New York Times bestseller status, the International Reading Association’s Children’s Book Award; American Library Association Best Book and Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers notations; and numerous state reader’s choice awards, according to her biography. They have also been translated into more than 20 different languages. She and husband, Doug, reside in Columbus, Ohio.


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