Posts By: Ellen

A Bird’s Eye View

At the end of June I noticed a robin standing on the rail of our deck, which caught my attention. I found it odd to see the robin standing there so calmly. As I watched it, it flew up and landed in a nest that was perfectly situated in the large blue spruce just outside… Read more »

The Boulder Life

Living in Boulder since 1995 has been an amazing experience, especially when it comes to hiking. I never tire of finding a new trail through the Rocky Mountains. Walks down to Viele Lake are frequent and it’s always interesting to watch the many geese who find a home there. The cows never cease to hold my… Read more »

The Goats at Viele Lake

Over the past 20 years or so, I’ve spent many happy hours trekking around Viele Lake in South Boulder. Set against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountain Flatirons, the lake has always reminded me of a setting one might see in Switzerland. I’ve found the best times to visit the lake are early mornings and… Read more »

Book Talk for Kids

Coming up with ideas for books is a natural part of an author’s life. It can be as challenging as it is enjoyable. Children can also take part in this creative part of the writing process. In a recent school visit to West Tualatin View Elementary near Portland, Oregon, I had a wonderful opportunity to… Read more »

Nellie Bly Makes History

       National History Day is a creative way to make the subject of history accessible, interactive and fun. Every year nearly 600,000 middle school and high school students from around the world compete in NHD and bring to life all sorts of key issues and individuals. Contests are held throughout the U.S. and… Read more »

All Things Fairy

     When KGNU News Director Maeve Conran isn’t busy sending news stories over the airwaves, she’s often creating fanciful fairies at home. Born and raised in Dublin, Maeve loved reading about fairies as a child. “I always liked fairy books,” Maeve said. “I remember a pop-up book I had that had fairies in them… Read more »

SCBWI Nonfiction Summit

Last Saturday, children’s writers from across the Front Range stepped into the Chautauqua Community House for a daylong workshop about writing nonfiction for kids. The event was sponsored by the Rocky Mountain chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Four panelists shared a great deal of information and advice. Carolyn Yoder,… Read more »

“In the Bag” for Education

I recently attended the screening of the 2015 documentary, “He Named Me Malala,” presented by the Conference on World Affairs at the University of Colorado, Boulder. Directed by Davis Guggenheim, the PG-13 film tells the poignant and true story of Malala Yousafzai, the Pakistani teen who was shot in the head and neck by the… Read more »

Tough Love at the CWA

Every year, a vibrant group of intellectuals, scientists, writers, artists, musicians, business folks, spiritual thinkers and more, heads to the campus of the University of Colorado in Boulder, to participate in the annual Conference on World Affairs. The CWA, which is held in springtime, was founded in 1948 by Howard Higman, a professor of sociology… Read more »

Step by Step

Writing is a lot like dancing. It takes patience, requires one to stretch, must be done on a regular basis, and the effort usually produces good feelings. It seems like I’ve been writing since I was five, but I didn’t take up dance until I was an adult—more specifically, a “very adult.” For the past… Read more »