Why It's Fun to Be a Writer
Writer Perks

Being a writer allows me to . . .

1. Get Backstage Passes


I often get to go behind the scenes, where no ordinary citizens are allowed, to research stories. It's like having a special passport.

For Space Rocks, scientist Adriana Ocampo showed me around parts of JPL (Jet Propulsion Lab) off-limits to the public. This giant, sprawling NASA center specializes in flinging robotic spacecraft to other planets.

Visit JPL online!
An assignment on elephants landed me a front-row seat to a Ringling Brothers circus rehearsal. Here, I'm clowning around at the Circus Museum in Baraboo, Wisconsin.

2. Meet Amazing People


I love all things space and was pleased to meet astronaut Tom Jones. At Kennedy Space Center, I also walked directly underneath space shuttle Endeavour, which was in the repair shop to replace tiles after a flight.

3. Learn Cool Facts


In the Galapagos Islands, I learned that, if you tickle the neck of a giant tortoise, it will extend its head way up, out of the shell. Here, I'm playing this trick at a Reptile Park in South Dakota. (It's a bad hair day for both of us.)

4. Try Something New


A good trait for writers is the hunger for new experiences.

My husband Chris and I took a hot air balloon ride in zero degree temperatures in New Mexico. All of our toes froze but the views were spectacular.

5. Take Time to Think


That was the view outside my home office one evening!

6. Tell Silly Pirate Jokes



Q. What's the bounty for capturing a pirate?
A. A buccaneer. (a buck an ear)

Q. Why is being a pirate so addictive?
A. As soon as you lose yer first hand, you get hooked.

Q. How can you tell a rookie pirate?
A. He counts by twos—two hands, two legs, two eyes . . .

Q. Why are philosophical pirates so smart?
A. They think, therefore they AAAAARRR.

Q. Why did the pirate walk into the bar?
A. Lack of depth perception. An eye patch makes it hard to tell where anything really is.

Q. Why don't pirates mind their P's and Q's?
A. They spend all their time at C.

Q. When does a pirate act like a bird?
A. When he's a-robbin'.

Q. What are pirate movies rated?
A. AAAARRR!


View Lorraine Hopping Egan's profile on LinkedIn

EMAIL LORRAINE
EMAIL LOUISE (Readalicious! blog)

Adventures in Writing

Mentor, and Be Mentored


On February 18, 2012, I attended the memorial service of my friend, editor, colleague, and mentor, Eric Oatman. Through generosity and a passion for education, Eric taught a generation of editors and writers best practices, while forging many deep friendships. With their help, I compiled this booklet of "Eric's Life Lessons" to share and spread the wisdom and kinship.

This is a PDF file. Eric Oatman's Life Lessons (3.9MB)

Make Yourself Squirm


Regi Carpenter mesmerized me at the 2011 Taos Storytelling Festival.

I love my computer, I love my cozy home office, and I love writing. So, the thought of standing in front of a crowd at the very center of attention and spinning a yarn paralyzes me. By chance and good fortune, I met storyteller Regi Carpenter in Taos, and we talked a bit about her craft, and mine, on a long shuttle ride from the airport.

The next evening, I loved listening to Regi's polished and pitch-perfect tales of growing up along the St. Lawrence River as a "Carpenter Kid" and signed up for her workshop. Thanks to Regi's warm, skilled guidance, I now have the very beginning of a new story, one that, to my surprise, revealed some truths about myself just in the telling.

When it's practiced and polished, I will sum up the courage to stand on center stage, come what may.

That's a promise I just made to myself.

Just Go There



Whenever I've been home too long, I look at a map and say, "Where next?" Then, I tell myself, "Just go there." On a road trip from Michigan to New Mexico, I decided to take the long and winding route there and back. This beautiful redscape is near Devil's Tower, Wyoming.

Expressing Marrakesh



Is this me? Believe it or not, it is! At the generous invitation of two of my English language students, I visited the busy, stunning country of Morocco, North Africa. I'm sitting near a beautiful pool and garden at the edge of Marrakesh. Behind me is an olive grove and, immediately beyond it, stretches a vast desert peppered by Earthy-red colored homes. Wearing a scarf is optional for Moroccan women, but my friends are traditional Muslims and, as they say, "When in Rome . . . "

Patagonian Megabeasts


I spent three weeks traveling around Argentina. My kind hosts in Patagonia were teachers Su and Sergio. Sergio brags that Argentina has "the best megabeasts, ever." I believe him! PUBLISHERS: If you're intrigued by the idea of a book, game, or other product about these amazing creatures, please contact me.


I'm standing on stone that's 90 million years old and so littered with fossils (dinosaurs, crocodiles, turtles, eggs, petrified plants, etc.) that paleontologists only bother to collect the best and rarest. (photo: courtesy of Sergio Stinco)


I'm extremely happy to be holding a dinosaur egg fossil at a dig site called Lagos Barreales in Patagonia, Argentina. One of the paleontologists just handed it to me, and I nearly dropped it. It's very heavy and surprisingly round—like a bowling ball without holes. (photo: courtesy of Sergio Stinco))

All the material on this website is copyright © 2000-2011 by Hopping Fun Creations. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to visitors to download, print, and use the "Freebie" reproducibles free of charge for educational use only. Reproduction, reposting, or distribution in any form or media is prohibited without the written permission of the copyright holder.

Featured Books and Games

Children's Books
Read the sad, moving tale of a peace-loving leader who lost his land, many of his people, and his life-long fight to keep the peace with settlers and soldiers. (FREEBIE history puzzles.)
Is it possible to fall in love with bones? Try not to, after you read about Diane France's true-life science adventures, searching for and examining skeletons. A 2006 Outstanding Science Trade Book "Selector's Choice" (NSTA/CBC). Starred review in Booklist. 2007 Finalist, SB&F "Young Adult" science books!
How did a young Argentine with an endless imagination make her dream of exploring space come true? Adriana Ocampo found her path to science adventure through space-traveling robots and crashing asteroids and comets! (FREEBIE science quizzes, FREE ebooks.)
Autopsies/The Body as Evidence and Crime Scene Investigation!
Venus and Serena, Peyton Manning, Michelle Kwan, and others for ages 6-9. (FREEBIE sports quizzes.)
Outdoor fun for 6 to 9 year olds.
Tornadoes! and Hurricanes! are my two best-selling books with 1.6 million sold!
Games
Seeking an educational game publisher: It's a must-have card game set for English and language arts teachers and tutors. (FREEBIE English materials.)
This is my top seller for teachers. (Click for "Freebie" puzzles.)
Packed with ready–to-go, lively games and activities about grammar, vocabulary, and dictionary skills. (FREEBIE word puzzles.)
A collection of Great American History Games and 15 Primary Source Activities (plays, scripts, games, readings, and more)
Race from Earth to Mars, an orbiting target, by fixing malfunctions and answering intriguing science questions. Endorsed by astronaut Jack Lousma.