Waldport Public Library gathering to honor young writers

On Thursday, September 26, 2024, at 5 p.m., the Waldport Public Library with the Friends of the Waldport Public Library is hosting an evening to honor our Young Writers Group accomplishments. The group started meeting about three years ago, once a month, under the leadership of educator, Liz Ulmer, and Sharon McCrum, the Family Outreach Coordinator. At that time, all of the kids expressed interest in publishing a book for the Waldport Public Library.

Starting during the Summer Reading 2023 Writing Adventure Camp, the core group of members consisting of Danora Trammell, Samantha Trammell, Oma Biszantz, Lillian Biszantz, and Rigel Peters, as well as several other young writers started working on a story prompt about three animal friends, icey cold, crystals, and a dragon. Originally, the story was going to have each author write their chapter; but instead became each author’s take on the whole story. The Waldport Public Library Fantasy Anthology: The Arctic Dragon Stories became a reality. In addition, Danora Trammell, now 15, began the intense effort to create a graphic novel based on the same prompt. The Dragon City graphic novel illustrations and words have filled 27 pages. After, writing their stories, the kids learned about editing. Author Kristin Bales, made several visits and hours of help in editing and teaching leaders how to self-publish The Arctic Dragon Stories through Amazon Kindle Direct Publishing. The Friends of the Waldport Public Library through non-profit status made it possible to purchase copies through Amazon. Pacific Digital Works in Newport, Oregon worked with leadership and Danora to complete The Dragon City. For her part, Danora spent months of painstaking work on each drawing to make a clean copy for production.

This Thursday, the Waldport Library will honor this hard work, as well as honoring teen volunteers and teen leadership through awards, and having local author and business owner, Rose Estes, speak about her writing and how her fantasy writing started as a child imagining worlds and dragons.  Rose went on to write extensively for TSR’s Dungeons and Dragons Endless Quest series of which she wrote the first six.  Rose has written over 30 books. She owns The Hauser Gallery in Seal Rock. In August, Rose was honored at GenCon in Indianapolis, Indiana at a celebration of the 50th anniversary of Dungeons & Dragons.

Refreshments are provided for this free event. All ages are welcome. The Waldport Public Library is located at 460 NW Hemlock, Waldport, OR, 541 961-7478, waldportlibrary.org, Facebook, and Instagram.