Lea Beddia is a writer for young adults, a high school English teacher, storyteller and mom of three. Her debut novel, Take Off! from Rebel Mountain Press combines action, drama and humor to tell a story of Marisa, an aviation cadet with a dream of becoming a pilot.
Take Off! was named "A suspenseful survival tale well stocked with both physical and ethical challenges." by Kirkus Reviews. Her second novel, Some Secrets will be out in the fall with James Lorimer and Company.
Lea is also a member of the Confabulation Montreal community where she tells true stories sevreal times a year, mostly of her embarrassing childhood.
Lea uses a combination readings, storytelling and discussion to discusses the importance of research and tells her own stories and how she turned them into stories for her books and for the stage.
Lea Offers several different writing workshops including:
Writing Makes Sense: Showing vs. Telling
Lea will use a combination of discussion, group activity and writing to create strong sentences using sensory details.
Words for Humanity: Using Conflict to Write About Emotions
Based on the “Cards Against Humanity” or “Cards Against Maturity” game, with an age-appropriate and positive twist, we will create solutions to problems for our characters.
From Memory to Fiction
Based on the game “Clue,” students will use detective work to piece together memories to create a setting, a character and/or a conflict as a stepping stone for their own creative writing.
Dialogue that doesn’t drag: using dialogue to build character.
Using video clips of well-known characters, students will predict what/how characters will speak. We will use character charts, to create personalities and with them, a way to let characters speak that is dynamic and exciting.
Words, Words, Words: Beyond the Thesaurus.
Based on the game “Taboo,” and incorporating improvisation/acting students will explore their vocabulary by acting out adverbs, describing movements and using action words instead, to create a scene.
Hip Hop or Poetry?
Exploring the similarities in the writing process for poetry and Hip Hop, participants will analyze lyrics and poems to develop their own short poem.
Customized Workshop: If you or your school would like Lea to present on a particular topic, please contact her for more information.
Lea is happy to adapt presentations to various learning levels. As a teacher, she can present to educators/librarians, students and the general public. Her skills and qualifications include writing fiction and presenting storytelling.
Her presentation focuses on using writing as a tool for young writers to solve conflicts and problems they face in everyday life. This presentation can be adapted to different age groups.
Feel free to contact Lea for more information.
Customized presentation: If you or your school would like Lea to present on a particular topic, please contact her for more information.
