Times of Brunswick, Winter 2017

Page 51

BEYOND the BOOKS

Schmidt returns regularly to engage the prisoners in writing exercises and conversations, even using one (a writer himself ) as the inspiration for the lead character in his latest novel, Orbiting Jupiter. They give him reason to hunker down in the small, one-room outbuilding on his 150-year-old farm in Alto, Michigan — fully equipped with a desk, a lamp, stacks of books, a wood-burning stove, and a 1953 Royal typewriter.

Great Stories ‘All About Questions’

“I write for those who have nobody to talk to, for those who have nobody to share ideas with,” Schmidt said. “All forms of art

I

give you more with which to be a T’S LIKE clockwork. Led by

human being. They tell you that

armed guards, prisoners trudge

you’re not alone.”

into their individual cells, steel-

barred doors slamming securely behind them every day at 4:30 p.m. They are not seen (or heard from) for 14 hours, each locked up in solitary confinement until sunrise the next morning. Surely, the inmates have earned their sentences at the mediumsecurity facility for juveniles in northern Michigan. Armed robbery, attempted murder,

Schmidt, a professor of English

possession with intent to

at Calvin College in Grand Rapids,

distribute: The list goes on.

Mich., visited with Brunswick

They’re hardened and defen-

November to share stories, run

disturbing and devilish pasts. Not

writing workshops, and lead a

one of them has been visited by a

parent-son book club session

family member since being incarcer-

about his young-adult, historical

ated. But at their very core, they are

novel The Wednesday Wars.

human beings. Each has a name —

TOP  Connor Choy ’24 eagerly raises his hand to offer an answer during a breakout session with two-time Newbery Honor Medalwinning author Gary Schmidt.

Will Newton ’24 appears to be enjoying the writing exercise at hand. RIGHT

ABOVE  Johnny Saunders ’24 shares a creative story drawn entirely from an old photograph.

Middle School students in

sive young teenagers with (often)

He encouraged his captive audi-

Jack, Joseph, or Jamal, for example.

ence to move outside the margins

And they all have stories to tell.

of the popular old writing adage:

Two-time Newbery Honor

Write what you know. “Write what

Medal-winning author Gary

you want to know,” Schmidt said.

Schmidt is a willing listener.

“Everything else is just reporting.

After a chance visit to the facility

“Writing is all about questions —

years ago — at the impromptu

every good story begins and ends

request of three local librarians —

with questions.”

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