Preparing for Renovation: A Podcast of "Angela's Wisdom"

Angela’s Wisdom, published at the 2001 Worldcon, was written by a mother and daughter. The daughter,- now 18, reads a story about the importance of literacy.

When you listen to the podcast episode you will hear that the producers Dave and Ben recorded a brief introduction (in addition to the usual AboutSF podcast intro) which includes information on RFF and information about the workshop at Renovation, the 2011 Worldcon.

The podcast and interviews are mentioned on the AboutSF website, too. There you can listen to the podcast, read more about the education workshop at Renovation from the AboutSF perspective, and then explore the many lessons and book reviews available on the site. You can also check out the AboutSF forum on science fiction.


Visit the podcast production site to get a link that can be used on Facebook, your website, email or your blog:

http://aboutsf.podomatic.com/entry/2011-04-23T11_33_40-07_00

A Message from Ben

"All of these more technical issues aside, what a wonderful story! I want to thank all of you so much for your great efforts and your willingness to share "Angela's Wisdom" with people through the AboutSF podcast. Also, I hope that the podcast episode will help to advertise the workshop at Renovation reno-teachingsf@renovationsf.org.

"So far this month we've had 231 new subscribers to the podcast, and I believe last month there were 180 new subscribers. Hopefully the podcast will encourage people to attend Renovation and to sign up for the workshop.

"Thanks again, to everyone, for all of your help!"

~ Ben Cartwright, Volunteer coordinator, AboutSF

Full details of the workshop program and information on how to register can be found at renovationsf.org/te achingsf.php
Sign-up for the workshop ends on June 30, 2011.

Additional information is at Reading4Future@gmail.com

About the Organizers

Reading for the Future, Inc (www.readingforfuture.com) is a grassroots volunteer organization whose aim is to help young people develop a love of reading and intellectual adventure through the vehicle of science fiction, fantasy and speculative fiction.

AboutSF (http://www.aboutsf.com) is a resource center for speculative literature, science fiction, and education. It is a joint project of the University of Kansas, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and the Science Fiction Research Association, with generous support from Tor Books, The Heinlein Prize Trust, and several individual donors.

~written by Dave Anderson and Valerie Coskrey

Interview with Angela Lott, Co-author "Angela's Wisdom"

About "Angela's Wisdom"

"Angela's Wisdom" is a short story by Lynda Williams and daughter Angela Lott. It deals with the value of literacy and the experience of learning to read.

It was written when Angela was 8 years old and given to RFF a few years ago. Now it has been given to RFF, Inc. It will be used on the educational CD/DVD that will be given to the first 70 participants of the educator's workshop at Renovation.

I asked Angela to tell us about her memories of the story. Her responses confused me, so I asked Lynda Williams about how the story was written. She credits the story to both herself and her daughter because, "Angie doesn't remember 'co-writing' the story because her part in it was ad hoc. I constrained myself to working, word for word, with what she and Tegan actually said. I had to build the story around it."

Note: Questions were emailed to Angela in sets. Rest assured, I really did not rudely ask her loads of questions before listening for a response.

Valerie's Interview with Angela

Valerie: How did the short story come about? Who's idea was it? How old were you at the time of writing the story?

Angela Lott in 2011

Angela: I am not totally sure how this story came about. My best guess would be that it had something to do with my mother feeling like an alien while being totally immersed in the technical revolution. She was starting to doubt the need for written literature and since she is a very creative person she put the two together and created a story.

It was my mother’s idea as I was too young to be involved in writing it at the time. When this was written I was as young as I am in the story. As a matter of fact I believe that what is said and done in the story is actually what happened except for the fact that my mother wasn’t being controlled by an alien. She was just trying to act like one to get a reaction from her children. I have a vague memory of her asking us questions while recording it all on a tape recorder.

Valerie: How did you work together to get the story done? What process did you use to collaborate? Was it more or less challenging to work with your Mom on the story than it is to work with your lab partners at school? Was it weird working with your mom? Who had the most ideas about the story, you or your mom? What did you do to get around periods of writer's block? How many days or hours did it take to write the story?

Angela: As I have said in my previous answer I did not write the story. I was the inspirations while I was younger and recorded the story just a week or so ago. This means that my mother and I did not work together to make the story, but when we have worked on things together in the past I have always found it fun and easy to work with her. It is much easier to work with her than a school partner that you don’t know. I have only started writing within the last year and then only fan-fiction, which is writing with someone else’s character and/or within someone else’s universe. I am not sure how long it took my mother to write that story but since she is an experienced writer and the story is not long I can’t imagine that it took her very long.

Note from Valerie: Angela recently recorded the story as a pod-cast to be distributed at Renovations.

Valerie: What do your friends say about the story? What do they say about you as the co-author? What do you say to your friends about writing stories?

Angela: Most of my friends haven’t heard the story since it was written such a long time ago, and the ones who have probably haven’t thought much about it. I am not the co-author. I am the reader and the inspiration. Most of my friends have written stories but like me they write fan fiction. We talk about our plot lines sometimes and help each other by reading each other’s work and giving them feedback.

Valerie: Have you written other stories?

Angela: As I have said previously I have so far in my life only written stories in other people's universes except for one story that I wrote for my grade 12 history class. All of these stories are on both Fanfiction.net and DeviantArt.com. I have one in the Bones universe, one in the Harry Potter universe and one in the Torchwood universe. The original story I wrote for History is only on DeviantArt.

Note from Valerie: I used one link for both references. The Fanfiction.net links to all 3 stories and to Angela's DeviantArt home page using her online avatar JelloDVDs.

Valerie: What do you want to say to Young Adults about science fiction and fantasy?

Angela: The most important thing to me about Science Fiction and Fantasy is that it is the most creative and enlightening kind of fiction there is. You can learn from it and enjoy it. Science Fiction and Fantasy push the boundaries there by helping us to understand ourselves and our way of life better by taking us away from both ourselves and our way of life. By showing us through our own imagination that there is more to life than we know and that there is more in the universe than we can see.

Interview by Valerie Coskrey

At 18, Angela Lott has posted 4 short stories online along with numerous photos and photo collages. Start with the link to her FanFiction site to read 3 stories; and follow the link to her DeviantArt site for another story and numerous photo collages. Angela is on Facebook, where she posts several wonderful photo albums of both nature and people.

Lynda Williams is the original author of the Okal Rel Universe series, to which several other authors have contributed. She teachers writing and other subjects in Canada. Lynda is an active member of RFF and part of RFF, Inc.

Listen to the story "Angela's Wisdom" as read by Angela Lot in this podcast.

RFF and AboutSF Sponsor an Educational Workshop at WorldCon Renovation

Renovation, the 2011 World Science Fiction Convention
August 17-August 21, 2011

Press Release of Monday, April 18, 2011

-- Reno, Nevada, USA --
Want to build an alien or explore science fiction in the classroom?

Renovation, the 69th Worldcon, today announced "Teaching SF", a workshop for teachers, librarians and parents on how to use science fiction as a teaching tool.

Workshop speakers will include Renovation Guest of Honor Tim Powers, Peadar Ó Guilín, Mary Robinette Kowal, John DeChancie, Daniel M. Kimmel, Gary K. Wolfe, L. E. Modesitt, Jr. and G. David Nordley. The workshop is a collaborative effort, organized and presented by Reading for the Future, Inc, from a proposal by AboutSF at the University of Kansas.

The workshop will be held alongside Renovation in the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, running from 9 a.m. to around 6 p.m. on Wednesday, August 17. Renovation members with full attending memberships can attend the TeachingSF workshop at no cost, but must sign up in advance as space is limited.

Adults who are not Renovation members may attend the workshop for a $40 fee; this fee includes a one-day pass to attend Renovation on Wednesday after the workshop. Young Adults (those aged 21 or under on the day of the workshop) may attend for a reduced fee of $25.

Full details of the workshop program and information on how to register can be found at www.renovationsf.org/teachingsf.php Sign-up for the workshop ends on June 30, 2011. Additional information is at Reading4Future@gmail.com

About the Organizers

Reading for the Future, Inc (www.readingforfuture.com)is a grassroots volunteer organization whose aim is to help young people develop a love of reading and intellectual adventure through the vehicle of science fiction, fantasy and speculative fiction.

AboutSF (http://www.aboutsf.com)is a resource center for speculative literature, science fiction, and education. It is a joint project of the University of Kansas, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and the Science Fiction Research Association, with generous support from Tor Books, The Heinlein Prize Trust, and several individual donors.

Announcement: RFF Teams with AboutSF for Roadshow at Renovation

 

About Renovation

AboutSF/Reading for the Future Roadshow @ Renovation

Roadshow @ Renovation

a workshop on using science fiction to promote literacy

9:00am - 5:30pm,
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Reno-Sparks Convention Center
Reno, NV

The AboutSF/Reading For the Future Roadshow is a collaborative effort designed to encourage teachers, librarians,  parents, and the general public to incorporate science fiction as a teaching tool. Other Roadshows have been held at Denvention and at Anticipation.

Roadshow participants include Renovation GoH Tim Powers, L. E. Modesitt, Donna Young, Helge Moulding, Lindalee Stuckey, David-Glenn Anderson, and Val Ontell.

The AboutSF/Reading for the Future Roadshow will be at Renovation in the Reno-Sparks Convention Center, beginning at 9am on Wednesday, August 17 and run until about 5:30pm.

For more information: reading4future @ gmail.com

Find out more about Reading for the Future and more about AboutSF

Renovation, the 2011 World Science Fiction Convention

Renovation is an international science fiction annual convention presented by WorldCon.

The organization can be reached at by email at info@renovationsf.org.

You can also write a snail mail: Renovation, PO Box 13278, Portland, OR 97213-0278, USA.

Besides the fun & games, and the chances to meet one's favorite authors and artists, to dress in the stylistic costumes, and to share in the comraderie, there is an academic program. Below is quoted from the Renovation site:

Academic Program

Renovation will be running an Academic Program through the middle three days of the Convention, from Thursday August 18 to Saturday August 20, 2011. The subject of this special conference is "Speculative Frontiers: Reading, Seeing, Being, Going", reflecting Renovation's overall theme of The New Frontiers. You can read the Call for Papers here. http://www.renovationsf.org/program-intro.php

~Valerie

Currently in the Works: Workshops for Teachers, Homeschoolers, Librarians, and Anyone Else Interested

David-Glenn Anderson has reported that many members of RFF are working with AboutSF on presentations for Worldcon in Reno, NV, August 17-21, 2011.

According to messages in the various groups, Dave and a group of RFF members, some who are also members of AboutSF, currently are working to update the lesson files, book lists, and workshop data in the RFF group files and the AboutSF website. Much of this work is in preparation for the Worldcon workshops. Some of it will be used in other sci fi con workshops and local school and library preparations.

Recently, Dave made this announcement in the rff group messages.

A Proposal for a Worldcon Workshop

as quoted from an emailed message from David-Glenn Anderson, 11/1/10

One of the projects we at AboutSF are currently working on is a proposal for a SF roadshow for Renovation, the upcoming Worldcon in Reno, Nevada. AboutSF is excited to partner with Reading for the Future (RFF) on this project. Together, AboutSF and RFF are suggesting five hours [of] work shop[s] for general public, homeschoolers, teachers and librarians.

The proposed roadshow explores the social importance and implications of science fiction and helps educators and others begin the process of choosing SF texts to teach. Presenters will also offer suggestions for how to structure formal SF courses and how to get course approval.

As AboutSF and RFF work to finalize the roadshow proposal, we'd love to hear feedback from you. Additionally, if you have any contacts with local teachers or librarians or others in Reno, please let us know. We're also interested in hearing from those who might want to help organize the roadshow in Reno (if we're accepted!). If you'll be attending Renovation and are interested in getting involved, send us an e-mail at aboutsf@....

AboutSF has hosted day-long workshops at Worldcons in Denver and Montreal and provided materials and panels for many other conventions over the last four years. Both AboutSF and RFF are enthusiastic about the possibility of bringing information about the SF workshop to audiences at Renovation.

~DGA

So, everyone, send us your list of suitable speculative fiction, lesson ideas, book reviews, book critiques, suggestions, whatever. If you cannot make the convention itself, you can still help with information. Join the Reading for the Future group and send your email, or visit the Reading for the Future page on Facebook and add your discussion or comments. Or comment here. RFF welcomes your involvement.

The Heinlein Society

Sharing common goals, some RFF members have worked closely with
The Heinlein Society, http://www.heinleinsociety.org, on projects in the past. The two organizations even have members in common. Expect more collaborative efforts from these two organizations.

Get to know the Heinlein Society

Actively promoting the works and philosophy of Robert Heinlein, The
Heinlein Society has many programs, including these: 

• donate books to libraries
• award scholarships and grants
• organize and sponsor the Pay It Forward blood drives at science fiction conventions;  For schedule:  http://www.heinleinsociety.org/blooddrives/bloodconform.html
•  award the Heinlein Prize for accomplishments in commercial space activities 
• provide a CD of workshop resources, science fiction stories, teacher resources and other materials free to teachers and librarians; for a description; table of contents; and to order a copy, visit http://www.heinleinsociety.org/education/index.html
• run teacher workshops at science fiction conventions.

RFF has often collaborated in some of the programs, especially the
workshops for teachers and librarians. RFF assisted in the development
of the Heinlein Society Educator's CD, http://www.heinleinsociety.org/education/index.html and many of the RFF members take part in the presentation of the workshops.

Overheard in the rff Yahoo! Group Messages, 10/8/10

The conversation kicked off with a message from David-Glenn Anderson:
"Geo -- Tell Valerie about the Heinlein Society please.  Robert was
goh at the Seattle worldcon.  'All I could see was naked studs...' The hotel was still under construction." Dave then asked a few leading questions for Geo to answer.

"Blood donations were one of Heinlein's concerns (they saved his life
at one point), and in the 70s he promoted blood drives at SF
conventions. When THS started in 2000, we continued that tradition as
well, and to date have collected over 7,400 pints of blood at blood
drives the Society has participated and promoted at various
conventions over the years." wrote Geo Rule, member of both THS and
RFF, in the email conversation of 10/8/10; He was answering Dave
Anderson's question, "Why does the society support blood drives?".

In the same conversation, Maurine Starkey, another member of both
organizations, credits THS with, "My introduction to the Heinlein
Society was with ConJose 2002 as the Blood Drive Coordinator. It was
the best experiance anyone could want with a new organization."

Geo went on to tell us that Robert Silver was the past
president/chariman of The Heinlein Society; Mike Sheffield is the
current leader. ( http://www.heinleinsociety.org/Transition.html )