FM #579 - Franklin author Susan K Hamilton - 07/08/21 (audio)

FM #579 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 579 in the series. 

This session of the radio show shares my conversation with Franklin author Susan K Hamilton.  Susan has just published her second fantasy novel, The Devil Inside.  

We talk about Susan’s Franklin story. How her interest in writing was instilled early on but she really only started exploring this while in college. Her two most recent publications were in the realm of fantasy albeit different from each other. Her next work might be something in women’s literature..

The recording runs about 33 minutes, so let’s listen to my conversation with Susan outdoors on the Town Common

Audio file -> https://player.captivate.fm/episode/fe74e376-8c86-4d57-8204-2da089aad717

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Susan K Hamilton’s web page  https://www.susankhamilton.com/ 

The Devil Inside ->  https://www.amazon.com/Devil-Inside-Susan-K-Hamilton/dp/1950301206/ 

The Shadow King -> https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-King-Susan-K-Hamilton/dp/1947848984 

The Writing Bloc writing group mentioned during our conversation ->  https://writingbloc.com/ 

NYC Midnight writers challenge -> http://www.nycmidnight.com/ 

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.  

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

 

How can you help?

• If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors

• If you don't like something here, please let me know

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news/

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana"  c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

 

Franklin author Susan K Hamilton (courtesy photo)

Senior Story Hour: May 2021 (audio)

The Franklin Senior Center reads short stories, essays, poems and more. This episode aired on Franklin Public Radio for May 2021. 

Audio link = https://player.captivate.fm/episode/a0aee039-8203-4172-8edb-087c70547974

Friday: 11 AM, 2 PM, and 8 PM = “Senior Story Hour” – Senior Center Scribblers Group Original writing presented by the authors  Listen each week on the air at 102.9 FM, and online at our website, wfpr.fm 

Subscribe via Google Podcast (or your favorite podcast app)

https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zZW5pb3Itc2NyaWJibGVycy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vcnNzZmVlZA?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwiw1vuEwanxAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQIg 

Senior Story Hour: April 2021 (audio)

The Franklin Senior Center reads short stories, essays, poems and more. This episode aired on Franklin Public Radio for April 2021. 

Audio link = https://player.captivate.fm/episode/e93d98b9-5ba6-4146-83ea-842209526130

Friday: 11 AM, 2 PM, and 8 PM = “Senior Story Hour” – Senior Center Scribblers Group Original writing presented by the authors  Listen each week on the air at 102.9 FM, and online at our website, wfpr.fm

Subscribe via Google Podcast (or your favorite podcast app)

https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zZW5pb3Itc2NyaWJibGVycy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vcnNzZmVlZA?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwiw1vuEwanxAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQIg 

Senior Story Hour: March 2021 (audio)

The Franklin Senior Center reads short stories, essays, poems and more. This episode aired on Franklin Public Radio for March 2021. 

Audio link = https://player.captivate.fm/episode/ae5d74e9-5862-4223-86c5-f3665477b467

Friday: 11 AM, 2 PM, and 8 PM = “Senior Story Hour” – Senior Center Scribblers Group Original writing presented by the authors  Listen each week on the air at 102.9 FM, and online at our website, wfpr.fm

Subscribe via Google Podcast (or your favorite podcast app)
https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9zZW5pb3Itc2NyaWJibGVycy5jYXB0aXZhdGUuZm0vcnNzZmVlZA?sa=X&ved=0CAMQ4aUDahcKEwiw1vuEwanxAhUAAAAAHQAAAAAQIg

Franklin TV: When? (Oh, I do hope it’s soon.)

by Pete Fasciano, Executive Director 04/11/2021

When?

Members of our writer’s group were popping into our Zoom meeting, and that was the first question – right after the HiHowarya.

In the pecking order of that whowhatwhenwherewhy key info, ‘when’ tends to float somewhere in the middle of the pack. But, as the word came down that the Senior Center was starting to set plans in place to reopen, that was the first question on everyone’s lips. When?

Now ‘When’ is the kind of question that can telegraph the questioner’s state of mind. 

State ‘A’:  Enthusiastic anticipation. (I can’t wait!)
State ‘B’:  Nervous apprehension.  (uhh…  I can wait.)

Clearly, they were all about state ‘A’. When?  How soon?  Now?  (Oh, please let it be so.)

Well – we don’t quite know yet.  But, soon. (Fingers crossed.)

It speaks to the notion that getting together – socially engaging IRL (in real life) or ITF (in the flesh) is something that we all deeply dearly miss.

The Senior Center’s reopening raised another question for me. How do we help those who can’t physically attend? I believe that Zoom meetings are not just a service, but a societal game-changer – a social phenomenon wrought by technology.

I foresee Zoom engagement as part of many Senior Center gatherings ongoing, and we at Franklin●TV are researching how best to assist and achieve that end. We have been investigating the best video systems and tools to make this possible and ensure that Senior Center gatherings and events are more easily accessible to all.

Our Senior Center Writer’s Group convenes every week on Wednesdays at 1pm. If you  would  like  to  participate  in  our weekly  gatherings  and scribblings  (and  we would be thrilled to have you), just let us know at: info@franklin.tv

And – as always –
Thank you for listening to wfpr●fm. 
And, thank you for watching.

Get this week's program guide for Franklin TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) online  http://franklin.tv/programguide.pdf  or for archive purposes  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1h2jbEfpjV14TvwC_mqdMQlcASaCn2fcu/view?usp=sharing
 

Franklin TV: When? (Oh, I do hope it’s soon.)

Easy Write schedules writing workshops at FHS - registration is open

On Tuesday, February 4, at Franklin High School, a weekly series of writing workshops begins by Easy Write -- a Franklin-based academic enrichment program. The workshop is targeted for Franklin students (8th grade through college).

"Easy Write teaches students to write proficiently and will give them an advantage on tests, essays, research papers, and the SAT. 

The workshops teach students writing skills not ordinarily taught in a traditional English class."

Information on the workshops can be found online
https://easy-write.com/workshop/

Information on Easy Write can be found online https://easy-write.com/

Information brochure can be downloaded here
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczekdhUnk0WXNWODVTdm5sZEJDWEpyaThqN0lF/view?usp=sharing

Easy Write schedules writing workshops at FHS - registration is open

Franklin Public Library: Resume Writing Workshop - May 21

One of a series of employment workshops offered at the Franklin Public Library is the "Resume Writing" workshop scheduled for Tuesday, May 21, 2019.

Franklin Public Library: Resume Writing Workshop - May 21

This was shared from the Town of Franklin page
https://www.franklinma.gov/franklin-public-library/bulletins/resume-writing-workshop

“had a feeling that there was a story hiding in that idea”

From the Milford Daily News, articles of interest for Franklin:

"Susan Hamilton can trace her beginnings as a serious writer to a particular college assignment. 

“My freshman writing professor challenged us to write ‘something creative,’” she says. 

Until then, most of her writing was for school. This time, the assignment was a tipping point. 

“I enjoyed the story I wrote so much, I set out to write a novel,” the author shares."

Continue reading the article online (subscription may be required)
https://www.milforddailynews.com/news/20190517/telling-faerie-tales-franklin-author-delves-into-fantasy-realm

SUSAN K. HAMILTON

Related post
https://www.franklinmatters.org/2018/11/franklin-author-susan-k-hamilton.html

You can find Shadow King on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-King-Susan-K-Hamilton-ebook/dp/B07H84LK7Z

and Goodreads  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40250160-shadow-king

Franklin Author: Susan K. Hamilton fantasy genre novelist

Dark fantasy readers will find themselves spellbound by Susan K. Hamilton’s Shadow King (Oct. 2, 2018, InkShares). In the midst of a tumultuous Boston, a Fae Seer, Seireadan, begins to fall for Aohdan, the Fae Patriarch of the city’s criminal underworld. Despite her best intentions to stay away from him, the fierce passion begins to consume them both. While Aohdan to expand his power base, Seireadan searches for the Fae who killed her family, straining their still-new relationship. Soon, they’ll both have to make choices that will drastically change the course of their lives.

SUSAN K. HAMILTON: Susan K. Hamilton is the author of three novels in the fantasy genre: Shadow King, Darkstar Rising, and The Devil Inside (forthcoming in 2019). Shadow King landed on the Top Ten finalist list of the 2016 Launchpad Manuscript Competition out of over 1,000 entrants from 24 countries, and was published by Inkshares in October 2018. 

SUSAN K. HAMILTON

The Devil You Don’t reached the Top 25 finalists list the following year and will be published under the name The Devil Inside. Susan lives near Boston, Massachusetts with her husband and cat. An avid equestrian, you can often find her at the barn when she’s not writing. She rediscovered her love for writing at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst when her writing teacher freshman year told the class that their last assignment was “to write something creative.”

You can find Shadow King on Amazon
https://www.amazon.com/Shadow-King-Susan-K-Hamilton-ebook/dp/B07H84LK7Z

and Goodreads  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40250160-shadow-king

"If I could tell my seven-year-old self one thing it would be to refuse to shrink"

In a random scroll among the Twitterverse, I stumbled upon this contest. There is time to apply!

"In our continuing efforts to inspire and promote voices in girls’ and women’s sports, the Awesome Sports Project is excited to launch the Awesome Sports Writing Contest. Male and female writers of all ages and level of writing experience are welcome, but the submission must be nonfiction and about girls’ and women’s sports. The work must be previously unpublished in any form. 

The reading fee is $7 per entry, and will help us with the cost of running of the contest – please contact us if the fee is an obstacle to participation. Multiple submissions from a single writer are welcome. We also look forward to reading international submissions, but all writing must be in English. There is a 3,000-word limit, with no minimum."

More about the writing contest can be found online
https://awesomesportsproject.com/2017/11/21/2nd-annual-awesome-sports-writing-contest/

Contest details can be found here
https://awesomesportsproject.com/contest/

A recent sample of the writing posted to this site and the source of the quote
https://awesomesportsproject.com/2017/12/19/refuse-to-shrink/

"If I could tell my seven-year-old self one thing it would be to refuse to shrink"

Franklin VFW announces Patriot's Pen - essay contest for grades 6 to 8

"This is our first year trying the Patriots Pen (grades 6-8). We've done the Voice of Democracy for several years. Our post winners are honored at our annual dinner in March, Rep. Roy is usually in attendance and sits with the winners and their family. They are presented with a small cash prize, a certificate signed by the Speaker of the Mass House, and a certificate from the Post. 

Post winners advance to the district competition (Franklin Post 3402 is a part of Norfolk District 5, which covers Norfolk county VFW Posts). District winners advance to the state level competition. And the state winner goes to nationals in D.C.

Patriot's Pen

Each year more than 132,000 students in grades 6-8 enter the VFW’s Patriot’s Pen youth essay contest. The first-place winner from each state competes for national awards totaling $54,500, with each first-place state winner receiving a minimum of $500 at the national level. The national first-place winner wins $5,000 and an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C.

The essay contest encourages young minds to examine America’s history, along with their own experiences in modern American society, by drafting a 300- to 400-word essay, expressing their views based on a patriotic theme chosen by the VFW Commander-in-Chief.

VFW's Patriot's Pen essay contest

THE 2016-17 THEME IS: THE AMERICA I BELIEVE IN

Students can ask a teacher or youth group leader to supervise their progress in the competition. Then students can contact a local participating VFW Post and establish a contact person who is a member of that Post or its Auxiliary.

Essays must be no less than 300 words and cannot exceed 400 words. They should be submitted to the Post, along with the completed Patriot's Pen entry form no later than the November 1 deadline.

JUDGING CRITERIA:

• Knowledge of the theme is worth 30 points. You must show a thorough knowledge of the theme in your work. Demonstrate you have researched the issue extensively.
• Theme development is worth 35 points. Answer all relevant facts about the theme such as the who, what, where, when and why. Relate the theme to your own experiences.
• Clarity of ideas is worth 35 points. Write your essay in an easy-to-understand format. Leave your reader with a clear understanding of your explanation of the theme.

Additional information can be found here http://www.vfw.org/PatriotsPen/


The entry form and brochure can be found here
http://www.vfw.org/uploadedFiles/VFWorg/MY_VFW/PatriotsPenEntryFormandBrochure.pdf

Franklin Library: Creating a Gmail account and creative writing workshop

On Tuesday afternoon, there is a session on How to Create and Manage a Gmail Account. Gmail is the name for Google's email service. Gmail is a free email service. The session will walk through setting up and how to manage the account.

The session starts at 1:00 PM. Space is limited, please call the Library (508-520-4940) to register.

Create and Manage a Gmail Account

This was shared from the Library page
http://franklinpl.blogspot.com/2015/04/create-manage-gmail-account.html

Creative Writing Workshop

For youth in grades 6-12 there is a creative writing workshop from 6:30 to 8:00 PM.

creative writing workshop

This was shared from the Library page
http://franklinpl.blogspot.com/2015/04/creative-writing-workshop.html

Keep those pens and pencils around

When writing, your hand is used to form the shapes of the letters, therefore engaging your brain in the process. Handwriting requires a hand-eye coordination. As you write, your brain must work to recognize and remember the shape of the letter. This method exercises your brain and keeps it sharp and fast, especially as you get older. When you type, you are repeatedly striking corresponding key, which does not bring about the same effect in the brain. Typing involves less brain activity, and therefore doesn’t bring about the same results in the thought process. 

Next time you take notes, close your laptop cover and use pen and paper; you will retain more information and you will keep your brain healthy.

See more at: http://pantherbook.org/news/2014/10/05/its-right-to-write/#sthash.hZqGjbfE.dpuf

Pantherbook article on using pen/pencil for notes

Age appropriate there and here

Bernie DeKoven, the Chief Deep Funster, writes;

John Taylor Gatto’s article, The Curriculum of Play, is visionary in its scope, and deeply validating for anyone who believes in the kind of education that takes place when children are free and at play. Perhaps I am so drawn to it because I’ve spent so much of my life, since 1971 and the publication of my Interplay Games Curriculum, and the years of teaching and training that led up to it. Nevertheless, dear Deep Funster, I decided to assume that at least some of Gatto’s article would be as affirming to your beliefs as it was to mine. I am not in total agreement. But if I were, it probably wouldn’t be as much fun to read.

He also includes this video about "Schools of Trust"





So coming off the post and video, I find out that at least Franklin teachers will be doing a 45 writing prompt for K-2 to prepare something for the teachers in September to use. Students in 3-5th grade will get 2 forty-five minute periods for this writing exercise. This is not part of the Writers Workshop curriculum that is used by the district. So excuse me! 45 minutes for a K student without assistance? And Franklin touts their age appropriate educational experience? You gotta be kidding?


You can read Bernie's full posting here
http://www.deepfun.com/fun/2013/05/the-curriculum-of-play/


I would be curious to find out how widespread this writing prompt exercise is. Unfortunately, I have not been  able to attend many School Committee meetings due to my work with the Food Pantry. If you hear of this in your school, please share.