Author Comes to Tuscarora Intermediate Unit Nonpublic Schools
By: Savannah Attlesperger


On Monday November 12 author Linda Oatman High came to the Tuscarora Intermediate Unit 11 for an author visit. She is the writer of children’s books: Beekeepers, A Stone’s Throw from Paradise, The Girl on the High Diving Horse, Maize, and many others. Students from Belleville Mennonite School, Juniata Mennonite School, Mifflin County Christian Academy, and Sacred Heart were invited to join a fun-filled writer’s workshop. The purpose of the author visit was for children to find the joy of writing, the desire to write, and to inspire the possible future authors of the writing world. Since there was an attendance of only fourteen people, not only did the children participate, but also their parents. Also, every child went home with a prize and an autographed book by Linda Oatman High. Linda Oatman High gave a prompt for everyone to write a story about. Many of the children’s and children’s parent’s talents were shown in their writings that they shared. Some of the stories that were written were funny, realistic, or fantasy, but all were wonderful. One woman wrote about Spider Warming, Brad Pitt, and blue and orange snow all in one story. After everyone wrote and shared their stories, Linda Oatman High shared some of her writings and their inspirations. She wrote stories from A Humble Life: Plain Poems to Sister Slam, a modern day novel written completely in poetic form for the young adult. Books like Maize, The Girl on the High Diving Horse, Winter Shoes for Shadow Horse and A Stone’s Throw from Paradise were written for her love of horses partly, but were also inspired by real people and events that actually happened. Everybody who came to the author visit had a great time. Many that came were inspired by Oatman High’s enthusiasm and her creativity, yet some were inspired by her amazing talent of sucking her thumb and picking her nose at the same time. Though just one author, Linda Oatman High, reached out and inspired many of the children and possibly the adults that attended.