NMS Students Visited By Connecticut Author

By Eliza Hallabeck

A dragon balloon waited to welcome readers at Newtown Middle School who have read one of author MJ Allaire’s books in the school’s library, while the author spoke to students in the auditorium on Friday, May 15.

Ms Allaire spoke to multiple groups of students in the auditorium about her series of young adult novels and about being an author before signing books and heading to the library for a luncheon complete with a dragon cake.

“I know how I am going to finish the series,” said Ms Allaire to students in the auditorium, “but I do not know how I am going to get there yet.”

With an expected release for the fall, Ms Allaire said she is working on the fourth book in her series called Denicalis Dragon Chronicles.

The three books in the series so far are Dragon’s Blood: Denicalis Dragon Chronicles — Book One, The Prisoner; Denacalis Dragon Chronicles — Book Two; and Dragon’s Tear: Denicalis Dragon Chronicles — Book Three.

Ms Allaire, a self-published author, lives in Montville with her with her children, and is also currently writing about her life as a Navy wife and mother.

“Writing is the easy part,” Ms Allaire told the group of eighth grade students assembled in the auditorium of the middle school.

She also told the students that editing is important. Giving a piece of writing to someone else who is not familiar with it is helpful, she said.

Ms Allaire told the students when she first started writing, she started because a friend suggested she start and because she wanted to write for her son, who was 15 at the time.

“I usually give myself a couple of hours a week to write, but I do not give myself a schedule,” she said.

While writing her novels, Ms Allaire said she does not read works on the same subject by other authors.

“You don’t want to copy someone else’s ideas,” said Ms Allaire.

The students in the auditorium for one of the four discussions Ms Allaire gave Friday brought prepared questions for her. One student asked what is her favorite of her series so far.

Ms Allaire said the four main characters of her series are her favorite parts because they are based on her three children and her daughter’s best friend. One character is also based on her cat.

One suggestion Ms Allaire gave students for their own writing is to write about another topic if they encounter writer’s block.

When she first began writing her series, Ms Allaire said she only thought it would be one book. She also said she writes one paragraph at a time, and tries to write as if she were talking to people.

“Think about who you are writing to and how you are going to get the book out there,” she told the students, and added that she is trying to write for her audience as well as herself.

She also said that some of the best ideas can come when you are not trying to reach them. A journal is kept near her bed to write down ideas in the middle of the night, because, she said, if an idea comes at night it will not be remembered in the morning.

Ms Allaire began writing the Denicalis Dragon Chronicles in 2005, and now said she wants to someday be a full-time author.

“Now this is what I want to do with the rest of my life,” said Ms Allaire. “I love it.”

School library media specialist Jeanne Bugay said she started going around to the different classrooms in March, and she read a section of the first book in Ms Allaire’s series to get students interested.

“The kids who read a book will dine with MJ Allaire,” said Ms Bugay. The luncheon was held at the school at 11:30 am for students to bring their lunches and enjoy a dragon cake while holding a discussion with the author.

For more information about Ms Allaire and her books visit www.mjallaire.com. The first three books in her series are also available on Amazon.com.