So You Want to Be a…Writer of Thrilling and Suspenseful Tales

Calling all middle school storytellers! You’re invited to join Jennifer and Mark to devise your own mysterious and suspenseful stories filled with clever detectives, undercover spies, diabolical villains, and/or creatures that go bump in the night. Writers will use past and current books, shows, games, and films as inspirations and models for their own work. Writers during this camp will focus on the components of effective mystery/suspense stories, including: means, motive, opportunity, alibis, and red herrings. Improvisational theater games will be incorporated to generate ideas and to help build exciting scenes with snappy dialogue. The week will also feature oral storytelling traditions so that we can share our shivery tales with friends and parents at the end of the week. Note: Writers in this class will study and write “G” and “PG” versions of mystery, spy, and suspense stories.

Teacher bios: Mark Overmeyer worked as a teacher and literacy coordinator in Cherry Creek Schools for nearly 30 years. He now writes books for teachers and helps schools set up writing workshops. He is happiest when he has the opportunity to help young writers find and develop their unique voices.

Jennifer Gottschalk works on behalf of high-potential, advanced, and gifted students across metro Denver through a grant from CDE as well as within Douglas County Schools. As a published writer in both fiction and nonfiction, Jennifer’s passion is developing writing talent in students of all ages.

Room: 210/212 Subject: Language Arts Time: 8:45 a.m.-3:45 p.m. Materials Fee: $45

Lunch can be purchased through Kent Denver for all classes below 50 in number. Students may bring their own lunch.