Quote from Forum Archives on July 17, 2004, 9:52 am

Posted by: homenews <homenews@...>

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THE HOPE CHEST HOME SCHOOL NEWS

with Debbie Klinect

(filling in for Virginia Knowles)

#7-13 on July 17, 2004

Interview with Kristiana Gregory AND Royal Diaries Unit Studies

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[Virginia's note:  My dear friend Debbie Klinect graciously agreed to interview Kristiana Gregory for us this issue!  Kristiana had consented to the interview after I sent her the review I had done of her Prairie River series earlier this year.  Kristiana and Debbie have been in contact since then because Debbie has been writing a unit study curriculum to accompany the Royal Diaries historical fiction series published by Scholastic Books.  Kristiana is the author of many of these books, as well as titles in the Dear America, My America and Prairie River series.  After the interview, be sure to check out the information about Debbie's Royal Diaries unit study, which she is self-publishing for the first time this summer!  OK, let's let Debbie get this interview rolling!]

 

 

Interview with Kristiana Gregory

by Debbie Klinect

 

She's the author of several books, but who exactly is Kristiana Gregory?  In short, Kristiana is first a child of God, a wife, mother of two grown sons, and an author of children's books.  We wanted to find out more about the author of these wonderful books so we contacted Kristiana and she so graciously answered our questions.  I hope you enjoy getting to know her as much as I did.

Debbie

 

DK:  Will you tell us about your relationship with the Lord?

 

KG:  I started reading the Bible at age 36 after years of being immersed in New Age & the occult.  The first passage I came upon was in John, where Jesus feeds the 5,000. I was so struck by all the details that in my heart I believed the story could only have been written by an eyewitness. Could Jesus really have lived and done all these things? If so, I wanted to know more.  At that moment I quietly asked this Jesus of miracles to show me a miracle that would make me believe. The next day I learned that Harcourt Brace Jovanovich had accepted my first book, Jenny of the Tetons. I was thrilled and stunned, having received scores of rejections over the years. At this point I believed Jesus did indeed exist and I told Him, "I will now write every word to honor You."   Thus began my daily devotion to Him. Reading His Word first, asking for His guidance, then putting pencil to paper.

 

 

DK:  How does your relationship with the Lord help you in your writing?

 

KG:  I wish I could say that the moment I pick up a pencil the words and ideas flow, but it seems that with each book, writing becomes more difficult. My life is increasingly busier with family, activities and meaningful relationships that take time.  It's harder to isolate myself for hours on end which means when I actually do sit down to write or think my heart gushes to the Lord for help. I'm entirely dependent on my faith in Him and the power of His Holy Spirit to help me accomplish the tasks set before me.  Space is limited here, but I could write chapters and chapters about doing research, how "out of the blue" I'll find a book or journal or historical detail that perfectly fits my need at the moment.

 

 

DK:  Is there a Bible verse that helps you with your writing?

 

KG:  Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."

 

 

DK:  Is Prairie River the only book that you have written that talks openly about the Lord and faith?

 

KG:  Yes, although all my books after Jenny of the Tetons have God's Word and Precepts woven in the story and dialogues.

 

 

DK:  How did you come to write Prairie River?

 

KG:  Scholastic asked me to write a series about an orphan girl who relies on her faith in Jesus Christ to overcome the challenges in her life.  The only other criteria was that she become a schoolteacher and that it be set in America's mid-west. [Virginia's note: I am anxiously awaiting the release of the third book in this series!]

 

DK:  Your historical fiction books that you wrote, how did you those come about?

 

KG:  The Dear Americas, Royal Diaries & My Americas were assignments from Scholastic.  The chapter books were my ideas based on real events and people that I discovered when reading.

 

 

DK:  Do you ever go to the place that you are writing about, like to Egypt when you were doing Cleopatra?

 

KG:  I haven't been to Egypt, but I did go to France for Eleanor of Aquitaine, twice!  I've visited every place in the American stories, in some cases several times.

 

 

DK:  How long does it typically take to write a book?

 

KG:  Six months to a year, but lately it's been a much faster pace because the Prairie River series is in paperback.

 

 

DK:  What do you like to write about?

 

KG:  I like to write about real events, but fictionalized.

 

 

DK:  Were there any books you wrote that didn't get published and how did you work through that?

 

KG:  My first book has been rejected more than fifty times--no joke!--and remains unpublished. It's still in my mind to re-do and re-submit, but even my own publishers have said "no." It's a simple novel about growing up in the 60s in a beach town, as told by a thirteen-year-old girl. Why no one wants to work with me on it is a mystery.  Believe me, I've questioned God thoroughly on this matter! I wish He would just send me a fax and tell me what to do, but His silence is deafening.

 

 

DK:  With times being different than when you were in school and there being more of an emphasis on writing in the schools, what advice would you give a young person who is wanting to venture into the writing world?

 

KG:  Read, read, read.  Also, keeping a journal is good practice.  Above all, seek God for His wisdom and discernment.  This is where Proverbs 3:5-6 has special meaning.

 

 

DK:  Do you ever read the literary work of young people?  Do they email you what they have written?  There are some writers who travel around and do writing workshops for school groups, are you one of those authors?

 

KG:  I admire authors who read manuscripts by young people and who travel around doing workshops--maybe some day when my schedule loosens up, I'll be able to do those things.  Right now I stick close to home. My husband and I are enjoying our empty nest and being available for our sons when they drop in.

 

Kristiana has a web site where you can go and read more about her and her childhood, her schooling, when she began writing and for who.  You can get to that web site by going to www.kgregorybooks.com/Answerspage.html. 

 

Thank you, Kristiana, for allowing the Lord to lead you in your writing and for writing books that will have an eternal impact on young people today.  You are an inspiration to us and we pray the Lord gives you many more years of writing for His glory. 

 

~*~*~

 

[Virginia's note again: I asked Debbie to tell us more about her unit study curriculum!   I am impressed with what I have seen of it so far.  Debbie is a veteran home educator.  She has three adult children and three much younger children who are still being home schooled.  She also helps home school a friend's middle school age niece, for whom she originally wrote this unit study. Here goes!]

 

 

THE ROYAL DIARIES UNIT STUDY

by Debbie Klinect

 

 

            This is a forty-two week unit study.  It may be used for fourth through seventh grade students.  This study includes the following:  Reading, Research, Geography, History, Science, Art, Projects, Resource Lists, Reading List, Video List, Timeline Activities, and Lesson Plans for each Royal Diaries book.  We have left out Bible so that you as a family can follow what the Lord leads you to study.

 

          There are a variety of books suggested to read with your children and regular trips to the library are recommended.

 

          Even though these books are about Royal girls from history, boys will benefit from this unit as well since there are many opportunities to study about great men from history!  Along with reading about Cleopatra, your children will read about Julius Ceasar, Marc Antony, the Roman Empire and more.  With Elizabeth I, they'll learn about King Henry VIII and his wives and his reign in England during the time of the reformation in Europe.

 

Sample activities from the Royal Diaries book:

• Timeline activities related to people and events during that time period.
• Study a country work sheets to enhance geography skills.
• Cooking activities to enhance culture study.  Collecting recipes to make your own cookbook.
• Research activities to learn about different people who lived during the time of each royal girl.
• Art and Music activities of that time period.  Painters and their works, composers and their music, sculpturers and their great works of art.
• Sewing activities - making county costumes for your doll. 

If anyone wants a sample page from the unit studies, they can email me at [email protected] to get one sent to them.  They can also purchase any of the unit studies through me. 

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