Author Deanna Adams offers advice to writers

Author Deanna Adams offered advice to writers, both professionals and hobbyists, during her recent visit to Mentor Public Library.

She stressed the importance of observation, reading, and participating in writers' events.

"Those who want to write for a career should start early and go to a lot of writing events," she said, "be part of the writing community, be part of writers's groups, hang out with other writers and learn from them. Because writing is a very solitary field. So you want to get out and embrace of the aspects of life and other people."

Adams' newest book is The Writer’s GPS: A Guide to Writing & Selling Your Book.

She also wrote Rock ’n’ Roll and the Cleveland Connection, Cleveland’s Rock and Roll Roots and Peggy Sue Got Pregnant.

Additionally, Adams discussed the role that music plays in her writing.

"I'm a baby boomer. Music was always important to us," she said.

"Music defines your life, in many ways."

For more author interviews, visit Mentor Public Library's Facebook page

Wands, Wizards & Writing this MLK Day at Mentor Library

It's going to be a Harry Potter party this Jan. 19 at our Lake Branch. (Don't worry. No snakes are invited.)

Schools are closed this Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, but we'll be open with a full carte du jour of programs for teens and kids.

If your kids are looking for something fun to do on their day off, we have you covered.

At our Lake Branch, we're throwing a Harry Potter party at 6:30 p.m.. Kids can make their own wands, while playing wizarding games. (No curses allowed!)

Meanwhile, Studio MPL—our art club for kids in first through fifth grade—will have its monthly meeting at 4 p.m. at our Main Branch.

During the last two years, the kids in Studio MPL have made sun catchers, painted sunsets, weaved and even garnered inspiration from Jackson Pollock; so, whatever they have planned for this Monday, it's going to be fun and creative. (And maybe a little messy.)

Each month, Studio MPL experiments with a different form of art.

Our new Teen Writing Club is also meeting at 4:30 p.m. at our Main Branch. Each month, our young writers get together to hone their craft by trying a different story prompt. This month's theme is creating complex characters.

If any of these programs interest you, we'd recommend registering for them soon—either by calling Mentor Library or by using our event calendar online. Each of these programs only have so many available slots—our Frozen program on Monday is already completely booked—and we don't want anyone to get left out because they waited too long to register.

If you have any questions, you can call our Lake Branch at 440-257-2512 or our Main Branch at 440-255-8811. See you at the library!

Our teen writing club tackles different story prompts and shares their stories each month.

Mentor Library launches new writing club for teens

What story do you want to tell?

Writers all share one common attribute. They feel the need to write.

It doesn't matter if they're 16 or 67, from Cameroon or Colorado. Writers have stories inside of themselves and they need to get them out.

That's why Mentor Public Library has started a writing club for teens—to help young authors tell their stories.

The first meeting will be from 4 to 5 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 15, at Mentor Library's Main Branch. It's open to anyone in seventh through 12th grade.


"The Teen Writing Club is all about our young writers," said Kristin Milks, the reference librarian who started the club. "Each month, the writers are welcome to come in with their current work or a blank slate. I'll also have writing prompts that we can play around with and use as story starters."

September's theme is "A picture is worth a thousand words." The teens can create short stories using photos as story prompts. Teens can also bring any writing they want to share with the club.

While Kristin will oversee the Teen Writing Club for the library, it's ultimately up to the teens on what they want to do.

"I want everyone who comes to our club to take ownership of it," she said. "Because, in the end, it's all about having fun and honing your writing."

Teens can register for the writing club on Mentor Library's website. By the way, we also have a book club especially for teens.

Mentor Library kids enjoy a little Wordplay

Eric Remchick brainstorms what he would write in a journal.

Mentor Public Library has a book club for children who love to read, a comics club for fans of sequential art and Studio MPL for kids who love every other kind of art.

But, until recently, it didn’t have a club for burgeoning writers. That’s why Judy Schulz started our Wordplay Creative Writing Club.

“I decided to start this monthly club after working with Lisa Layton on our Studio MPL programs and with Marilyn Weiss on our Comics Club,” Judy said. “The one area we don’t address is writing, but we have had several children who have mentioned that they write stories. I thought that a group like Wordplay could bring together the children who enjoy writing.”

Valerie Akins and Juliana Kless share their stories during Wordplay.

Wordplay give the kids some creative ways to develop their interests. This week, kids learned about journals, diaries and different fiction books like the Wimpy Kid, Ellie McDoodle and Amelia series, which use journals as a narrative tool.

Wordplay Creative Writing Club meets at 4:30 p.m. on the second Wednesday of every month at our Main Branch. It's free and open to any kids in third through sixth grade. The next meeting is Sept. 10.

You can register your child for Wordplay by calling (440) 255-8811 ext. 221 or by visiting the Mentor Library's website.

Julie Namciu writes where her imagination takes her.

Mentor Public Library starts writing club for kids

Mentor Public Library has a book club for children who love to read, a comics club for fans of sequential art and Studio MPL for kids who love every other kind of art.

But, until recently, it didn’t have a club for burgeoning writers. That’s why Judy Schulz, who you know as Ms. Judy from our Children's Department, started the Wordplay Creative Writing Club.

“I decided to start this monthly club after working with Lisa Layton on our Studio MPL programs and with Marilyn Weiss on our Comics Club,” Judy said. “The one area we don’t address is writing, but we have had several children who have mentioned that they write stories. I thought that a group like Wordplay could bring together the children who enjoy writing.”

Our writing club give the kids some creative ways to develop their interests.

“I plan to do some interactive word games, use story starters and prompts and provide time for the kids to share what they are working on if they choose to do so,” Judy said.

Wordplay’s first meeting will be 4:30 p.m. Jan. 15 at our Main Branch. After that, the club will meet the second Wednesday of every month.

The Wordplay Creative Writing Club is free and open to any kids in third through sixth grade.

However, the library asks that parents or guardians register their child for the program beforehand. They can do that by calling (440) 255-8811 ext. 221 or by visiting our website.