Ruby in the Sky by Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo

In this hands-on workshop, Jeanne will use real examples to demonstrate revision and editing techniques she uses to ensure her stories are told in the best possible way. From working with beta and sensitivity readers, to hand-measuring the depths of Ninigret Pond with a weight, to driving through the remnants of a Vermont snowstorm to sit in criminal court – Jeanne discusses the hands-on (and sometimes unconventional) ways she conducts research for her stories, and helps remind writers that you can write about almost anything, as long you’re willing to do the hard work to get the story right. “Write what you know,” is a common adage for authors – but what if you are inspired to write outside your wheelhouse? The answer is RESEARCH and loads of it! As a former criminal defense attorney, Jeanne has had a great deal of experience researching, but writing for children took this process to a whole new level. THE TRUTH ABOUT TELLING A LIE – conducting the careful research that authentic fiction requires. In this presentation, Jeanne brings in copies of the story in its various stages, as well as props that give the audience hands-on examples of how a story is made. Jeanne will go in-depth into how she came up with the idea for A GALAXY OF SEA STARS (spoiler alert – it had to do with her own middle school drama) and how she brought the story to life through her childhood journals, beta readers, and working for over a year with a group of young refugee ladies who gave voice to the character, Sitara. In her talk, Jeanne brings hard copies of the story in its various phases, as well as plotting charts she developed, photographs and other images, and her personal journals so students can see firsthand how an idea is shaped and molded and ultimately brought to life in story.Ī GALAXY OF SEA STARS – a journey inside the story and how it was made.

In this engaging talk, Jeanne discusses how she turned her memory of handfeeding chickadees as a child into a middle grade novel through free-writing, plotting, seeking out and following constructive criticism, and loads and loads of revision. RUBY IN THE SKY – from childhood memory to published book. Presentations, talks, and workshops are offered for Grades 4 through adult and can be modified to fit your groups’ needs. Her second book, A GALAXY OF SEA STARS comes out in February 2020. Her middle grade novel, RUBY IN THE SKY received starred reviews from Kirkus and Booklist and was a Junior Library Guild selection. Teachers and librarians have called her talks, “inspiring, engaging, and thought provoking.”

Through interactive presentations, Jeanne will discuss the writing process, including research, revision, and overcoming challenges. Connecticut author, Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo writes stories about kids discovering their own kind of BRAVE!

Ruby in the Sky by Jeanne Zulick Ferruolo