Today's special guest is author Linda Weaver Clarke, a writer who teaches the importance of documenting family stories and family history for future generations. Linda teaches inspiring Family Legacy Workshops in the US. Enjoy! ~Cheryl Kaye Tardif
CKT: I understand you teach a Family Legacy Workshop at libraries. What is family legacy?
Linda: It’s important to teach our children their heritage. Who are your ancestors? What were their traditions? Did they fight for a cause and what was it about? Each of us has a story from our ancestors or even our own story to tell. If these stories are unwritten, then how are your children going to know of their parentage? It’s up to us to write these experiences down. Turn your family history into a variety of interesting stories, something your children will be proud of. For a sample of what you can do with your family histories, read the short stories on my website http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com/.
I became interested in teaching this Workshop because of my own experiences with writing my ancestors’ stories. As I put their lives down on paper, I felt close to them. It was an awesome feeling. When I teach my classes, I tell my audience that it’s like Leon Garfield said, "The historian, if honest, gives us a photograph; the storyteller gives us a painting." I teach people how to paint, how to tell their stories.
I’ve had many people tell me that they didn’t even know where to begin. Writing was foreign to them and they needed help and how to go about it. One woman at the Historical Society Library in Boise, Idaho said to my daughter, who comes along to assist me, “I felt as if I had handcuffs on my wrists and Ms. Clarke just unlocked them.”
Another woman from Cholla Library in Phoenix, Arizona said something that really surprised me and touched my heart at the same time. She said, “I’m a professor at the university and have attended many writing classes. I just want you to know that I learned more at this 2-hour workshop than any class I’ve attended. Thank you.” I was so touched by what she said.
CKT: What is your new book David and the Bear Lake Monster about?
Linda: Deep-rooted legends, long family traditions, and a few mysterious events! Once again the Roberts family is reunited with David trying to solve personal issues and overcome his troubles! David quickly becomes one with the town and its folk and finds himself entranced with one very special lady and ends up defending her honor several times. She isn’t like the average woman. Sarah is different. This beautiful and dainty woman has a disability that no one seems to notice. He finds out that Sarah has gone through more trials than the average person. She teaches him the importance of not dwelling on the past and how to love life. After a few teases, tricks, and mischievous deeds, David begins to overcome his troubles, but will it be too late? Will he lose the one woman he adores? And how about the Bear Lake Monster? Does it really exist? To read an excerpt, visit http://www.lindaweaverclarke.com/samplechapters.html and click on the title.Linda Weaver Clarke is the author of Melinda and the Wild West, a semi-finalist for the “Reviewers Choice Award 2007.” You can learn more about her by visiting her Blog Spot at http://lindaweaverclarke.blogspot.com/.
Thank you, Linda, for visiting The Write Type ~ Multi-Author Musings. We wish you the best in success. ~ Cheryl
3 comments:
Ah, the fine line between the importance of the past, and the necessity of letting it go. The struggle to accept what we were, what we are, and what we will become. The importance of our ancestors and the promise of our descendants.
Thank you so much for the interview. I love teaching others how to write. I had an opportunity to teach a group of teenagers who had been abused and were brought to my workshop as part of therapy. It was an awesome experience to teach the youth. Writing helps to express one’s innermost feelings and desires. To write can be a healing process. For many of these young people, it’s just the beginning.
That's good topic to discuss upon . . . .
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