Answer a question and win

Imagine you could meet any author you choose (alive or dead - it might involve some time travel). You can spend an hour or two with them, perhaps enjoying a meal in a good restaurant in their company.  Who would you most like to meet? We'll talk about why you might like to meet them or what you would ask at our next meeting.

Fill in your answer on the Google Form and be in to win a brand new book. Open to Kāpiti District residents only. The winner will be drawn at the next Wrappers meeting on Friday 6 May. 

The Midwife's Apprentice by Karen Cushman

One frosty evening, a girl who knows no home, no parents, and no name but Brat finds shelter and warmth in a farmer’s dung heap.  There Jane the village midwife finds her.  So it is that Brat, now called Beetle by her new mistress – begins her career as a midwife’s apprentice.

It’s not a soft life.  Jane is a hard woman with a sharp glance and a sharper temper.  Still, Beetle makes a place for herself, adopting a cat and befriending one of the village boys.  By secretly watching Jane work, she learns some of the skills the midwife greedily tries to hid.  Beetle even gives herself a real name at last: Alyce.

Then one day she fails at an important assignment. Alyce runs away, believing she is too stupid to be of use to anyone. Is she truly Brat, a know-nothing who belongs nowhere? Or is she Alyce, the midwife’s apprentice, a person with a name and a place in the world.

The Midwife’s Apprentice is an award winning book and a rather odd but enjoyable read. It’s a glimpse into Medieval life and some of the fascinating beliefs around childbirth but it’s also much more than that for such a short read.  There are plenty of quirky characters and interesting events but it’s also a universal story of overcoming adversity and developing self-belief and confidence.  

Character Development and Hollandaise

Award winning author Mandy Hager led a writing session with the Wrappers at the last meeting. Her expertise in both writing and the teaching of writing was invaluable as she took the Wrappers through the steps to develop a character with depth and realism.  By the end of the session 'Hollandaise' from the sauce making family seemed to come alive and a plot outline was beginning to develop.

Does anyone want to develop that story?  It would be great to read the story of Hollandaise now she has been created.The character description is below. 

Teen Book Sale

Grab a bargain! We are weeding the teen book collection at Paraparaumu Library at the moment and selling the cancelled books. If you'd like to grab yourself a bargain keep an eye on the sales table beside the stairs. You can fill a bag for $1!