Rooster Morris PO Box 269 Rockdale, Texas 76567 800-866-2685 roosterrdz@aol.com  News & Views August 2010   What Makes An Author Visit Great?   In the good old days, an author would come in and share their books, do several readings, have lunch with the students, and answer their many questions: "What's it like being an author?" "Do you ever get writer's block?" "Do you like writing children's books?" "Do you draw the pictures too?" "Do you have a dog?" "Where do you get your ideas?"   No doubt, things have changed. Just scheduling time for programs and workshops is challenging but fixed schedules have brought about unexpected benefits in my author visits-- polished performances and content-rich writing workshops. The students have the chance to experience more in less time. When I visit a school, my main goal is to reiterate to students how important reading is for them and their future. I tell them the most important pictures they will ever see are in their own imaginations. To quote Albert Einstein, "Imagination is everything!" How do we exercise our imaginations? I explain the three best ways: Listening to stories; reading stories; writing their own stories. I like to ask students, "Do you enjoy reading and looking at the pictures in books?" When they start nodding their heads and answer, "YES!", I say, "Pat yourself on the back. You are doing the right thing!" Students gain confidence with every question they can answer with a YES.   Confidence is the Key to a Student's Success We see this in everything we do: playing sports; performing music; public speaking; reading; and especially--writing. Many times, the only way we humans will try something new is if we clutch the believability that we can be successful in our very first attempt. I strive to build the students' confidence. I say, "I think in two's when I'm writing. If you can write one word, you can write two. If you write two words, you can write twenty-two. If I can do it, you can do it better!"   One experience I will never forget happened in Killeen, Texas. I had been to Killeen visiting schools a couple years before and had been invited back for a city-wide reading event. While I was setting up my equipment, a young mother with two children walked up and introduced herself. She went on to tell me that her son had never been able to make it through a book until he saw my program two years before. Something I did or said gave him the confidence and the desire to read. Those are the kinds of testimonials I strive for.     Building Credibility One librarian wrote to me after an author visit, "My students look at me like a rock star since you came to our school." Credibility is vital when it comes to leading, and credibility builds confidence. If you believe in an author, an illustrator, or a book, the students believe, too! One principal told me after a writing workshop, "You had the kids WANTING to write with you!" I realized a very valuable tip when he explained it this way. Before any real learning can take place, a relationship must be developed between the teacher and student. I believe leadership boils down to credibility and confidence in each other, and the confidence that we nurture in ourselves.   I am confident that a great author visit is one of the most valuable tools for leading children into reading. Because the skill of reading is indeed so important, a great author visit should be a positive experience for the entire school--creating enthusiasm about reading and encouraging students to visit the library to find that perfect book!   Until next time,   Rooster Morris Programs & Schedule   Author Visit via Video Conference ***  NEW  ***   Schools with video conferencing capabilities can now have an fully interactive author visit with Rooster in real time! Rooster has joined VC Spark and Connect2Texas to provide quality video content for schools around the United States. There are several options for an author visit via video conference including reading programs, writing workshops, Q&A with the author, and for Texas schools, a TAKS-aligned lesson on cowboys and their music. Call Jody today for more information about this exciting option for a GREAT AUTHOR VISIT! 800-866-2685   Author Visit Rooster begins his performance with his fiddle, giving a dramatization of how he taught himself to play when he was young boy. He then plays songs the students will recognize and introduces them to some hand-clapping, foot-stopping cowboy music. The reading program also includes Rooster performing readings and songs from his books. He brings his characters to life with incredible voices, music, and sound effects. Rooster interacts with the audience by asking volunteers to help him perform some of the songs from the Axle Galench series. The students get to share the microphone and perform in character while the audience cheers them on! Rooster speaks about the importance of habits. He encourages students to read and write every day so they can be experts in school. Rooster's program is filled with excitement, enthusiasm, and positive messages to help students truly Succeed with Reading. Students performing with Rooster - January 2010     The intriguing and compelling story of Axle Galench becomes a personal experience as the audience enters into the saga of this little boy's journey into the land of Bedlam. What better way to show your students how much fun reading can be than to watch a published author-READ!!   Targeted audience is 1st -6th grade but Rooster has performed for students all the way through 12th grade. PLUS the adults enjoy it too!   Writing Workshop This 60-minute session helps students with the writing process. Beginning with getting those first great ideas down on paper in list form, to adding dialogue, and then writing an actual essay based on an imaginary event, this workshop gives students skills that will last them a lifetime.  Rooster will ask for volunteers to read their stories to the group. This workshop is a GREAT CONFIDENCE-BUILDER for students!     PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ August 9, 2010       Welcome Back SAISD Librarians       San Antonio, Texas ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ August 23, 2010       Pre-Service for Teachers via VC Spark       Copperas Cove, Texas ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~  September 10, 2010           Word Wrangler       OPEN TO THE PUBLIC       Giddings, Texas ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ September 20, 2010       Giddens Elementary       Cedar Park, ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ October 5, 2010       Shady Shores Elementary       Shady Shores, Texas ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ October 6, 2010       Lake Dallas Elementary       Lake Dallas, Texas ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ October 8-10, 2010       Lincoln County Cowboy Symposium       OPEN TO THE PUBLIC       Ruidoso, New Mexico ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ October 12, 2010       Tularosa Municipal Schools       Tularosa, New Mexico ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ October 14, 2010       New Mexico School for the Blind & Visually Impaired       Alamogordo, New Mexico ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ October 18-22, 2010  (TWO DAYS STILL OPEN)       Elementary Schools       Las Cruces, New Mexico & El Paso, Texas ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ November 17, 2010       Round Rock Christian Academy       Round Rock, Texas ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ January 10 & 11, 2011       Nadine Johnson Elementary School       Hutto, Texas ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ January 24 - January 29, 2011       National Cowboy Poetry Gathering       Elko County Schools       Elko, Nevada ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ November 17, 2011       Childress Elementary       Childress, Texas ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ For more information about Rooster's programs, visit www.roostermorris.com or call 800-866-2685. Fees & Expenses for 2010-2011 Bookings in Texas 1/2 day:                      $500 Full day:                      $750 Writing Workshop:       $250 each Bookings outside of Texas Full day:                    $950 Writing Workshop:      $250 each Schools may split the day between two  or three schools if necessary. There are no travel expenses if more than three schools are booked in one area. A hotel must be provided for the night before the performance. Discounts are offered for five or more bookings in one area. ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ Author Visit via Video Conference One-hour reading program:           $150 Add-on option of classroom set of books, curriculum, and audio book:          $250 Writing Workshops can be schedule but must be combined with the reading program for best results. Plan for two hours:           $250 Video & Media   To watch Rooster's videos on YouTube or read articles from newspapers, click on the appropriate link below: Performing with Kids in Amarillo, Texas Photos from the Wellington Ritz Theater Alamogordo Newspaper Article   Rooster performing at a school! To download and read media articles, click here. The articles are listed on the right side of the page. Quotes from the Audience ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ "Rooster Morris kept the children and adults enthralled during his performances! Judging from the questions that followed, he was able to tickle their creative bone as well as their funny bone, and several children were obviously picturing themselves writing or making music. It was a valuable experience for children and adults alike!"   Bobette Doerrie Director of Educational Services Frank Phillips College Perryton, Texas +~+~+~+~+~+~ "The students and teachers loved Rooster's performance. Our Superintendent was very impressed with how Rooster was able to engage the Middle School students. The librarians can't keep his books on the shelf.     The writing topic and workshop was a great success! Many of the students have shared their stories with me personally and expressed a newly- found confidence in their own writing. I believe many, many students were touched by Rooster today!" Susi Seaman Librarian Boy's Ranch ISD Boy's Ranch, Texas ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ "The students and parents definitely enjoyed Rooster's performance! I could tell he was in his element while performing. I especially like his style of promoting literacy during the programs. I highly recommend Rooster Morris!"   Carolyn Wilkinson Director Hutchinson County Library ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ "Rooster's program was awesome! He captivated the students with his storytelling and reading and inspired their creativity with the writing workshop! The entire day was a terrific experience for the students and we teachers had a blast too!"   Robyn Mitchell 4th Grade Mimi Farley Elementary Boys Ranch, Texas ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ "Rooster Morris' visit to Oak View was a fantastic treat! The students were engaged the entire time with his humorous and animated introduction to the Axle Galench series. My class was lucky enough to listen to the book on tape...my third graders listened to it for over 45 minutes and still couldn't get enough of Axle!" Melini Roy 3rd Grade Teacher Oak View Elementary Fairfax, Virginia ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ "Anyone who can keep a group of more than 200 first and second grade students completely spellbound, wrapped up in the story, at the very end of the school day is a hero in my book!" First Grade Teacher Fair View Elementary Fairfax, Virginia ~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~ "The art of storytelling is alive and well in Rooster Morris' entertaining style. Even one of the most reading-reluctant 6th graders told me excitedly that Rooster was 'awesome- he was the best reader [she] had heard in her life, ever!'" Deborah Smith Librarian Fair View Elementary Fairfax, Virginia Past Newsletters June 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 A To see more newsletters, go to www.roostermorris.com. We are so excited about the video conference author visit! This new technology will give schools more options for a great author visit! If your school wants to reserve a date with one of the most popular children's authors and performers, either live or via video conference, give me a call today. We are still waiting, waiting, waiting on the publisher in New York regarding Axle Galench and the Spin Lizard Rescue. Jody Logsdon LBW Media, Inc.