As some of you know I’m very lucky to have two writing careers. One as Ruth Symes and one as Megan Rix. Ruth tends to write for slightly younger children than Megan. She also tends to be a bit less high profile although my books as Ruth Symes sell all over the world.
Recently I was asked to give a talk at a school to Years 1-3 as Ruth Symes and Years 4-6 as Megan Rix. I prepared my Ruth Symes’ animal story writing and illustration workshop. Got my animal story props ready (there’s a lot of props!)
My husband Eric and dog Bella came along too. Bella sometimes comes to meet the children wearing her Mercy Dog coat if I’m talking about animals in WWI as Megan Rix and her Helper Dog coat if I’m talking about assistance dogs. (She hates being left behind at home when I head off to schools and always knows what’s going on because I’m wearing make-up and shoes other than wellington boots. She waits by the front door until I come back.)
She doesn’t have a costume when she comes with me as Ruth Symes although possibly she could wear a spare pair of fairy wings 🙂
At the school the children all came in and while we were wailing for the technical hiccups to be sorted out I noticed that quite a few of the children had copies of The Hero Pup – it turned out the teacher had been reading it to them in class.
‘We thought you were going to talk about The Hero Pup,’ they said wistfully. ‘We love dogs.’
Fortunately I had a USB stick with The Hero Pup presentation on it with me so I was able to talk about that book instead. Although I think the children would have very much enjoyed making up their own animal stories in the Ruth Symes animal story writing workshop.
Bella came in for a little while so everyone could meet her and then Eric took her away again. One of the first questions the children asked at the end of my talk was can we see her again.
Often the schools have bought treats or a toy for Bella which she likes very much.
I don’t really mind whether I’m visiting schools as Ruth Symes or Megan Rix. But I do like it when I get to take a dog along with me!