Skip to content

Authors inspire young readers, writers

Budding authors don’t have to look too far for inspiration. “Everywhere – life is full of inspirations,” award-winning author Eric Walters told a crowd of students and parents.
Award-winning young adult novelist Eric Walters speaks to parents and students a St. John Paul II Collegiate on Sept. 28.
Award-winning young adult novelist Eric Walters speaks to parents and students a St. John Paul II Collegiate on Sept. 28.

Budding authors don’t have to look too far for inspiration.

“Everywhere – life is full of inspirations,” award-winning author Eric Walters told a crowd of students and parents. “When people tell me they are bored, I always feel like saying, ‘you’re not bored, you are boring… just look around you there are so many amazing things to write about.”

Young adult-reader authors Eric Walters, Sigmund Brouwer and Shane Peacock of the best-selling Seven series, made presentations at Okotoks area schools as well as a guest lecture a St. John Paul II Collegiate on Sept. 28.

When Walters gets the inspiration, he writes – the worst thing a writer writes is better than the best thing he never writes.

“I just like writing stories,” Walters said. “I got up at 4:30 this morning went to the breakfast and just started writing. I wrote while climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, when I got lost in the middle of the desert, I write. I love writing.”

Peacock loves writing stories.

“I will write to be able to deliver stories,” he said. “I force myself to write a 1,000 words a day.”

You can’t fool young readers. All three of the authors do extensive research when tackling their books for the critical young minds.

Of course, that can also lead to plenty of adventure.

Brouwer, who grew up in the Red Deer area, found himself fishing from a kayak to land a barracuda off the Florida coast for his aptly named novel Barra Cuda.

Brouwer told the students he accidentally nabbed a small shark.

The students get in front of some inspiring individuals five days a week, according to Walters.

“When I was in Grade 5 my teacher told me I could be a writer,” Walters said. “I thought that was stupid because I was going to play in the NBA… The things you see say have incredible effect.”

The Seven series deals with seven grandsons having seven adventures after being left an inheritance by their grandfather.

The prequel has just been released. For information about the series go to orcabook.com/seven/

push icon
Be the first to read breaking stories. Enable push notifications on your device. Disable anytime.
No thanks