Actually, this is Part One of the Lampman Presentation.  It’s the introduction from Korie Buerkle before Marie’s acceptance on my behalf.   (You’ll have to skip back a few blog for that.  Thank you, Korie!!!!

Lampman Presentation 2010 for Roland Smith

Korie Buerkle

Few of us find our life’s calling very early in life, but this year’s Evelyn Sibley Lampman Award winner is one of those lucky few. At the age of 5 his parents gave him an Underwood typewriter, and as he clunked away on the keys, his life as a writer was born. His path took a few twists and turns, but all his adventures eventually led him back to writing.

While majoring in English at Portland State University our author took a part-time position at the Children’s Zoo, which led to a full-time position as an Animal Keeper at the Oregon Zoo, and then to curator of mammals and birds at Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma. This love of animals led him to his role in the rescuing of sea otters after the Exxon Valdez oil spill. In 1990, writing of his experience, Sea Otter Rescue was published, and Roland Smith’s experience as a zoologist, his clear writing, and readability impressed reviewers and children alike.

In the 1990’s several nonfiction titles followed: Primates in the Zoo, Snakes in the Zoo, Inside the Zoo Nursery, Cats in the Zoo, Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises in the Zoo, and African Elephants.

One of Roland Smith’s most popular nonfiction titles came out of his work experience reintroducing the near extinct red wolf back into North Carolina. Published in 1996, Journey of the Red Wolf won the Walt Morey Oregon Book Award, and was named a Notable Science Trade Book for Children by the National Science Teachers Association and the Children’s Book Council.

The 1990’s also saw Smith break into the world of young adult fiction with Thunder Cave, Jaguar and The Last Lobo which followed Jacob Lansa as he navigated Kenya, the Amazon, and the Hopi tribal homeland in Arizona on wild adventures to save animals with his research biologist father.

The 1998 release of Sasquatch marked Smith’s first foray into writing about cryptids (PAUSE FOR BOOKTALK). Sasquatch made ALA’s Top 10 Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers List, as well as five reader’s choice lists across the nation. If Roland Smith’s place as an action-adventure young adult author wasn’t cemented before, Sasquatch sealed the deal.

The historical fiction story The Captain’s Dog: My Journey with the Lewis and Clark Tribe continued to propel Smith as a top favorite in reader’s choice lists across the country. Smith’s knowledge of animals added a level of realism to his stories that his fans sought out.

In 2001 Smith delved into the world of the witness protection program with Zach’s Lie (PAUSE FOR BOOKTALK). Jack’s Run followed as a sequel in 2005 as Smith continued to build fans around the country and his books became a staple on reader’s choice lists around the nation.

2003 marked another first for Roland Smith. He joined his wife Marie in writing picture books such as B is for Beaver, E is for Evergreen, N is for Our Nation’s Capital and Z is for Zookeeper. These picture books and others give readers an alphabetical adventure with information in small and big bites.

In 2005’s Cryptid Hunters Smith revisited the subject of cryptids, much to the enjoyment of his fans (PAUSE FOR BOOKTALK).

Once again drawing on past experiences with animals and traveling, Smith went back to historical fiction with Elephant Run (PAUSE FOR BOOKTALK).

Roland Smith’s novel, Peak, hit a new adventure high with readers and critics in 2007. Peak made the ALA’s Quick Picks for Reluctant Readers and Best Books for Young Adults lists, won the National Outdoor Book Award, was a Booklist’s Editor’s Choice pick, and made over 20 reader’s choice lists across the nation.

In 2008 Smith began a new series, and I, Q Book One: Independence Hall won the Oregon Book Award’s Leslie Bradshaw Award for Young Adult Literature. I, Q also won the 2009 National Parenting Publications Award, and thrilled readers with the break-neck adventure of spies, secret missions and hidden identities.

Tentacles, Smith’s most recent novel, returns readers to the world of cryptids (PAUSE FOR BOOKTALK).

Roland Smith’s stories have drawn many readers, reluctant and otherwise, over the years. His fast-paced adventures swiftly engage middle readers and keep them reading. His stories such as Sasquatch and The Captain’s Dog, with an Oregon connection, entreat young Oregonians to see the world around them with new eyes.

Interacting with children and teens is an obvious priority with Roland Smith. His keen interest in what the kids have to say is evident to the youth, and empowering to them in their writing and reading. His friendly interactions with youth show his respect for his audience, as do his works of fiction, picture books and informational titles. Roland Smith is a talented Oregonian who has kindled a love of reading in many young Oregonians and inspires young writers to continue working toward their dreams.

We are pleased to announce Roland Smith as the 2010 recipient of the Evelyn Sibley Lampman award. Accepting the award for Roland Smith today is his wife, Marie. She is the co-author of their picture books and the woman he credits as the author of his success. Please join me in welcoming Marie Smith.

I was up early working on I,Q2, then off to Chillicothe Middle School to speak to 6th and 7th grade for Laurinda Davison and Pat Nichols. This is my 3rd visit for Laurinda. We were joined by some students from Chula School as well.  Laurinda is amazing!  She manages to beg, borrow, and steal every year to get an author to her school.  Aside from great students, Chillicothe is also known as “The Home of Sliced Bread.”

Drove down to Independence, MO after school and I’m in my room working on I,Q2 and figuring out my travel schedule for the next few weeks.

Last night I got to the hotel a little later than I expected, so I wasn’t up as early as usual.  I did manage to get some work in on I,Q2 this morning, and bit more this evening.  I hope to have a more productive day tomorrow.

I’m in Chillicothe, Missouri.  I spoke at Central Elementary school this morning to 5th and 6th grade and had a great time.  This afternoon I spoke to 8th graders at Chillicothe Middle School to 8th grade and I’m back there tomorrow.  So, I’ll wait to post about that visit until then.

I got these great photos from my friend Scott Kiser at Meyers Elementary in Oregon.  He has a student teacher who read my novel “Sasquatch”  and decided that he would dress up as Big Foot to teach a lesson about temperate rain forests, in which there are supposed to be a lot of Sasquatch.  I wished I’d been there for the lesson.

Marie and I are up so early to catch or flight to Missouri I’m not sure why we bothered to sleep. My seat is still warm from yesterday’s flight. Actually Marie didn’t sleep…much. But she’s conked out now. Below is a photo of what she looks like sleeping in her jet “nest.”

Worked on I,Q2 while flying halfway across the country.

One of the fun things that happens when you’re writing a novel is that as you’re flying along (as I’m literary doing right now) you realize that one of your characters can be turned into someone you know, or in this case someone I know about. I put them in the book, but they don’t know about it until they read the book or someone tells them.

One of those very busy, frenetic days on the road. I was up late last working on I,Q2, packing, getting reading to leave Boise. Up this morning at 6AM.

I spoke twice at “The Young Writer’s Conference” hosted by Stephanie Youngerman and a group of fabulous volunteers, then I signed for a couple of hours, then it was off to the airport to catch a flight to PDX. The Boise Young Writer’s Conference has been going strong for over two decades!

The flight back to PDX is more like a “touch and go” as Marie and I head to Missouri 6AM tomorrow morning. I’ll have just enough time tonight to wash my clothes, eat, repack, and sleep before we take off. When we get to KC Marie is spending the night with our good friends Joan and Doug Arth. I”ll be heading over to Chillicothe to speak Monday and Tuesday at schools, then I head to Independence to speak Wednesday trough Friday at schools, then I speak at a conference on Saturday, then I drive to Warrensburg to speak at “The Children’s Literature Festival…an event I rarely miss. (I’ll be writing more about that next week).

I call this “wild writing” and it will be this way until the end of May. Working on I,Q2 in between as long as I’m able to hold my pen and head up. Just a few more chapters to go… So, I’m going to make this short. A lot of work to do.

I can make the official announcement now…  Today I was given the Evelyn Sibley Lampman Award presented Children’s Services Division of the Oregon Library Association.

“The Evelyn Sibley Lampman Award was established in 1982 to honor a living Oregon author, librarian, or educator who has made a significant contribution to Oregon in the fields of children’s literature and library services. It is awarded annually by the Children’s Services Division of the Oregon Library  Association.The award is given in memory of Evelyn Sibley Lampman (1907-1980), noted Oregon teacher, journalist, and author of children’s books.”

What a fabulous honor!  I can’t thank you enough for recognizing my work with this award. I’m only sorry that I wasn’t able to be there myself to receive it.  But my lovely and kind wife, Marie, stood up for me.  Below is her outstanding acceptance speech.  Thank you Marie.  I love you.

Thank you Korie Jones Buerkle and all your helpers for that wonderful introduction about my husband Roland Smith and his books.  Thank you Stephanie Lind for the many emails that got me here today.  She tracked us down in Baja.   I am thrilled to be here and sorry that Roland couldn’t be here in person.  I tried to rearrange his schedule but couldn’t.  He is in Boise right now doing a Children’s writing festival that was booked over a year ago.

If you read Zach’s Lie and remember Roland’s dedication it says,  “This one is for my nephew Zachary Teters, a great reader and an extraordinary young man” With me today  is Zach’s mother.  Karen Teters– my sister in law.  She is a constant reader and has been a neo natal nurse for years at St. Vincent’s.  She is married to my brother John who is a math teacher at Rex Putnam—whenever I say to John– you have such great kids he says “oh that’s all Karen’s fault”.

This is the third acceptance speech I have given for Roland in the last 6 months! So I feel almost giddy with it all! I am glad I knew well in advance that he was selected as the recipient for the Evelyn Sibley Lampman Award—no waiting at the event to find out who won.  This week I asked him if he was going to write something for me to say and he said no you could do it!

Guys never talk about things most women like to know and Roland considers himself a regular guy. Everything I say today is my own decision and he had no editorial control.

Once upon a time—make that 20 years ago.  I was a long time divorced mother with three kids—14/18/20 I lived next door to my parents.  I have 5 brothers, 4 sisters—in laws to match and I’ve lost count of all the nieces and nephews!  Roland was a newly divorced man had no kids never been around kids and had just lost his mother.  Mike Roydan a mutual friend thought we should meet.  I really didn’t get the possible connection at the time—I told Mike I didn’t date newly divorced men who just lost their mother –Mike never played matchmaker before and assured me that the divorce was a long time coming and Roland was dealing well with the loss of his mother.  I was curious –So was Roland.   I told Mike to give him my number—Roland called.

He showed up on our first official date with a book under his arm.  A signed copy of his first and only book at that time SEA OTTER RESCUE.  Roland has always been different.  Besides calling regularly he started sending me letters.  Beautiful Letters–.  Yes I saved every one of them!

He told me he was just quitting the zoo business committing himself to the dream of being a writer that he had had since he was 5 years old.   He told me he was Born and raised in NE Portland. Grew up walking along the same streets as Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins attended Fernwood Grade School.  At 14 he dropped out of Grant High School ran away with a friend to San Francisco—yes Haight Ashbury!  He eventually came back to Portland got his GED entered Portland State University majoring in English.  But he got side tracked for twenty years working full time at the Portland zoo and eventually at the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma– His zoo job took him on world wide adventures, working with exotic animals, meeting indigenous people, and saving the red wolf from extinction.  When he quit to become what he had always wanted to be–a writer –the zoo community thought he was suffering a midlife crisis or he was just plain crazy.

Basically when I met him he said I wasn’t what he was looking for—he wasn’t looking for anything –bad timing.  He wasn’t what I was looking for either.  He was charming, funny—his zoo stories would make me laugh till it hurt.  Did I say sexy, and a wonderful writer.  But I wasn’t looking for a sexy unemployed writer—but those letters.  Six months later we were married—I guess we got married in a fever.  I don’t know if anyone thought it would last– That was 19 years ago.  Today we still live next door to my parents. He is a wonderful father to my 3 grown children, a loving grandfather to our four grandsons, fits in well with my extended family and is a husband that supports me in everything I do.

Obviously I didn’t know him in his zoo days.  I am not a zoo person—I am not into animals it wasn’t anything that I cared about I did have a dog because what mother of a son doesn’t have a dog and a horse because I lived on a farm.  But he had told me about his background and I had an idea he was well known– I didn’t get that he was a “super star” in the zoo business until we went to the Zoo a couple of years ago with our grandkids for a behind the scenes tour with the his friend and director of the Point Defiance Zoo.  He collected such an entourage –people kept coming up to him and introducing themselves obviously thrilled to meet THE Roland Smith—not Roland Smith the author –that I was used to but Roland Smith zoo guy that saved the Red wolf from extinction.  It had been almost 20 years since he was in the zoo business—I thought he would have been forgotten.  I whispered in his ear—who are you?  I realized at that time how much he had given up for his dream of writing.

But the zoo business was helpful in the success in his non-fiction writing because of his credentials.  His first book SEA OTTER RESCUE was published in 1990 and is still in print.  He wrote 8 more non-fiction books and was supposed to write another one.   He had a book contract to write a book about the Children’s Rain Forest he gave the contract and advance back! And said “NO more non-fiction.  I want to write novels”.   Again people thought he was crazy—his non-fiction was a hit –readers were waiting for more.  But when he gave me a manuscript for THUNDER CAVE.  I was introduced to Jake Lansa and his travels across Kenya trying to find his dad after his mother was killed– hit by a car while jogging —his way of dealing with the loss of his mother.  I thought who cares about non-fiction this book is wonderful.  It took a long time to get anyone to agree.  9 editors said no before he found one that said yes. When it came out it didn’t get the attention we hoped for—except with Oregon Librarians.   It was nominated for the Oregon Book Award the same year JOURNEY OF THE RED WOLF won.   When the publisher said they weren’t putting Thunder Cave into paperback Roland asked librarians he knew to contact the publisher and ask for a reprint and a paperback issue—they did because you did and it has been in print ever since!   Today Teachers use it in classrooms all over the United States and we get fan mail on a regular basis for THUNDER CAVE—it has been optioned for movie rights 7 times.  He went on to write more adventures with Jake Lansa in JAGUAR and THE LAST LOBO.  Jake is still expected in at least one more adventure—I have no idea when he will finish it.

Besides writing books Roland speaks at conferences– visits schools, public libraries and is on the road a lot from September to June.  Which in the beginning of his career was a big part of our income. Oregon School librarians regularly invite Roland into their schools– a special thanks to Jeri Petzel and Margo Jensen for being the first two.

BJ Quinlan unknowningly saved us twice from maxing out all our credit cards by booking road tours for Roland visiting Public libraries across Marion, Polk and Yamhill Counties during the summer!  We have always been grateful for Oregon Librarians.

I want to spend a few minutes describing Roland’s writing process–Roland is a compulsive/or a well disciplined writer I go back and forth between compulsive –well disciplined.  Depending on how I feel about him at the time. He writes everyday even on Christmas. What moves him to write is writing about things that are important to him and he writes to make readers.  To write a rough draft He uses a moleskine (mole-ah-skeen-a) notebook. He uses the moleskine because it is portable and can be used on a plane during landing and take off.  He carries it with him at all times wherever he goes and it is always next to him on the nightstand when he’s sleeping. He uses a beautiful blue enamel mount Blanc pen with platinum accents called a star-walker to write with—it’s the same pen he uses to sign books.  The pen was a gift from me to him.  I found it while in Washington DC at Fharney’s Pens—it is a well-known pen store—I didn’t know that at the time.  And on that day pen reps were there and talked me into the pen. I won’t even tell you what I paid for that thing but I know it made Roland happy and that makes me happy.  He uses an ink pen because that stops him from making corrections when he’s doing a rough draft.   While writing his rough draft his writing is uninhibited with no stops. It takes him about a month to write a rough draft.  Longer if he is traveling.  After he’s done with the rough draft and has filled up the moleskine  he starts putting it into his computer.  He has had so many computers over the years.  I can’t even remember them all.  He goes back and forth between a PC and a MAC.  Usually he gets one a year.  I know he’s planning on getting one when He starts complaining about the one he’s has.  I know we are almost at the store.  When he transcribes his rough draft from the moleskin into the computer it could take months ending up with what he calls his second draft—then he does a 3^rd draft still on the computer This whole process might take two years!

Finally he emails the manuscript to the editor and about 6 people he calls—his first readers for review and editing.  He may or may not use these edits but he takes them all very seriously.  This is his 4^th draft.   As soon as he emails it to the editor he forgets it.  The longer the editor takes the better Roland likes it before he does his final draft.  It takes about 4 or 5 drafts to finish the book.  One of the reasons I tell you all this is not to bore you but sometimes living with this process is boring—I don’t see any bolt of lightning! I don’t see any glow around him when he is in the zone.  No Moment when he jumps up and says I’ve got it! I just see him sitting a lot of time just staring or sitting in his office in front of his computer—just staring.  I try not to bother him when he is in his office working but things come up where I do interrupt him and he never complains too much.  When our grandsons come to visit it is a bit difficult telling them not to bother gramps.  They know the rules. When the door is shut gramps is working.  They have all gone through the stage of laying on the floor outside his office looking through the crack under the door and whispering gramps are you in there!  Can I come in? Can you come out and play!

I only know he has been working and not playing computer games, reading or just taking naps is when he finally throws a manuscript at me and walks into the kitchen with a certain swagger and pours himself a rewarding drink.

Then I start reading—the story is wonderful. The characters so real.  I just don’t get how he does it!  IT is all so magical. The alchemy of Roland Smith writing.  He turns thoughts into words– words into sentences, paragraphs, chapters beginnings and endings and a story that touches people’s hearts and moves them. Moves me.  I fall in love all over again.

I am proud of Roland and I think he is a great writer a generous writer that loves to encourage anyone to write if that is what they want to do.  He encourages everyone to find a dream– follow it and don’t let anyone tell you no.

No writer writes for awards—it’s not something you can ever guarantee or predict. But it is wonderful getting awards—especially from the state Roland was raised in and loves.  For Roland Receiving an award from a group of people he respects is an honor.  To be on the same list with such prestigious Oregonians—Walt Morey, Eloise McGraw– my personal favorite, Virginia Euwer Wolf and all the rest– is an honor.  For me personally being here for my husband and celebrating with so many people that obviously care about him is an honor.

That guy that showed up at my doorstep 20 years ago– I said he was different—sexy and wrote wonderful letters.   Besides that he is brilliant, talented, passionate, humble, sensitive and I think the best children’s book writer ever! I think Oregonians will always be proud to have him on this list. And that he will continue to write books that Oregonians will love and read.

Roland knows that you have done so much for him over the years and that he would never have the success he has without all of you.   Today I am grateful that a panel of Oregon Media Specialists also saw something in my husband they liked and chose Roland as recipient for the Evelyn Sibley Lampman Award.  Thanks so much from the bottom of my heart. And Roland’s too.

Up early in Boise.  Started out in a panic because I couldn’t find my Starwalker.  Thought I left it at the bookstore last night, or lost it somewhere!!!  So, I began the writing session this morning using a blue pen cartridge (I told you the pen wasn’t a wand), then I moved my computer bag and the beautiful blue baby rolled out.  I was happy to see her.

If you go to the I,Q web page you can read excerpts from “I,Q Book Two: The White House.”   Take a look.

This morning I was at  Amity Elementary School. This afternoon I was at Whittier Elementary School.  Both great schools with great students.

Amity School is half buried underground with a sign I’ve never seen next to a school.

I out of school in time to go back to the room and work a couple hours more on I,Q2, then off to a signing at The Rediscovered Bookshop this evening, which is a wonderful independent bookstore owned and operated by Laura and and Bruce Delaney.  A lot of readers came out for the signing.  Thanks you!

I’m in Boise, Idaho, a short flight from Oregon. And I won’t even tell what time I got up to work on I,Q because it would just scare you. But I got a slot of work in before school.

This morning I spoke at William Taft Elementary to 4th, 5th, 6th, with a few 3rd graders thrown in for good measure.  In the afternoon I spoke at Horizon Elementary, again to the older students.  Enthusiastic groups with great questions.

After school I  went to  “The Rediscovered Bookshop”  to meet with the volunteers that will be helping with Saturday’s Young Writer’s Conference, headed up by the undaunted Stephanie Youngerman.  This is my third time at the conference and I’m looking forward to it.

Dinner, back to the hotel, sleep, up again tomorrow morning for a couple more schools, and a couple more hours on IQ2.

My bag is packed and I’m writing this morning before I fly to Idaho, and of course I’ve switched back to my Moleskine journal to keep I,Q2 moving forward as I travel. There is nothing magic about writing in a Moleskine journal.  I just  like the size and the fact that it lies flat when I write, and the paper is good.

A teacher wrote yesterday and asked how to pronounce Moleskine.  Most people over here call the blank journals MOLE SKINE, or sometimes MOLE SKEEN.  But the correct pronunciation is: mol-a-skeen’-a. I had to actually look this up, because I’d never really thought about it.  I just use them to write my stories.  I use the one pictured on Roland’s Journal and on this Web Site, which you can go to if you want to learn more about them.  I also carry the small “reporters” version, which fits nicely in my back pocket when I’m on the run. But again, any notebook or pad of paper will do. A napkin will do if it’s big enough.

While I’m at it I guess I should mention the pen I write with.  But remember it’s just a pen, not a magic wand. A stubby pencil will do just as well.  I write with a Mont Blanc Starwalker with a blue fineliner cartridges (when I can find them in blue).  I like the sound and feel of the “scratch” the fineliner makes on the paper.  There is a very slight resistance on the paper when you put a word down.   Marie bought me this pen in Washington, DC several years ago.  I was visiting schools in Fredricksburg, Virginia while she was in DC doing research for her book about the Smithsonian. After I finished  school I’d walk down to the train station to meet her and we’d walk back to the Inn we were staying at.

On one of her trips to DC she  was walking by my favorite pen store, Fahrney’s Pens (since 1929), which I’ve been to many times. I asked her to pop in and buy a pen for me. She actually put me on the phone with the Mont Blanc rep who happened to be there, and after a brief conversation I settled on the Starwalker.  I like a relatively heavy pen.  Marie bought it sight unseen (at least by me) and I’ve used it ever since.  I also use this pen to sign books.  I like the idea of signing the books I’ve written with the pen I’m using to write the books I’m writing.

Several of the characters in my novels write in Moleskine journals.  Why? Because I write in a Moleskine journal.  Just like in I,Q2 I use an Omega Seamaster watch and an iPhone…these are both in the novel.  Writer’s sometimes write about the things they use.

The reason I mention this is that UPS just delivered 20 new fineliner (blue) refills, which I will use on the road for the next three months.  They’re hard to come by when you’re traveling.

I’m in Boise until Saturday.

Someone wrote toe yesterday and asked how many chapters I had left to write on I,Q2. The answer is that I really don’t know. That depends on how long the remaining chapters have to be to finish the story. What a writer does…at least what this writer does…is to sit down and write until the book comes to a logical and hopefully satisfying conclusion.

I was up until 11 last night working and up again early this morning back at it.

As I mentioned a couple of days ago I thought I would be finished by now and boarding a jet tomorrow with the warm feeling that I was done with I,Q2. It would have been in the editor’s and publishers hands.

Unfortunately, I lost a couple of days under the weather, spoke in Reno this weekend, and now I will be writing on the road for the next few months.

It will not take me “months” to finish I,Q2. It should be done in a matter of days, but the difficulty of writing on the road is that your time is not completely your own. I’ll be speaking, signing books, going to dinners…all things I like to do…but all of these activities are going to cut into the writing time.

Don’t be nervous (I’m nervous enough for all of us). Remember, I’ve written entire novels from the very beginning to the very end on the road in hotels, airplanes, rental cars, and at speaking venues before I start to speak.

I had a good day on I,Q “in between” getting ready to leave and organizing my schedules with Marie (who is in charge of everything except writing my novels).

I broke the 200 page threshold this evening, which means the end can’t be too far away.

Darn! No time for photos. My camera is in my jeans pocket, as always, but there was nothing worth taking a photo of as I was holed up in my office most of the day.