By Marlene Quaroni - Florida Catholic
Photographer: Marlene Quaroni
Children's book author Roland Smith talks to children from St. Mary, St. James, St. Lawrence and Holy Family schools.
MIAMI SHORES | When he was 5 years old, Roland Smith wanted a bicycle for Christmas. He got a typewriter instead.
"I ran downstairs and looked under the Christmas tree," he said. "When I saw a typewriter and not a bicycle, I burst into tears. I didn’t know how to read and write, so I banged away on the keys, typing nonsense.
"That manual Underwood typewriter became my favorite possession. I loved the sound and the look of the letters on the crisp white paper."
Photographer: Marlene Quaroni
Children's book author Roland Smith talks about the Underwood typewriter that he received for Christmas at 5 years old, during talks to children from St. Mary, St. James, St. Lawrence and Holy Family Schools.
Smith, 66, who has won numerous awards as a children’s book author, still spends several hours a day clacking away on a keyboard. And he still loves the look of the letters as they turn into stories, now on a computer.
The author recently visited St. Rose of Lima Church, where he gave four talks to students about his life and his books. Principal Stephen Brown, who arranged the visit, saved one of the presentations for students from neighboring schools, including St. Mary, St. James, St. Lawrence and Holy Family. Students from third through eighth grade at St. Rose participated in the other three presentations.
“Roland shared many valuable insights,” Brown said. "His most profound message was to write often, write about what you enjoy and never give up. He inspired the children to think creatively and gave them hope that they, too, can become a successful author someday."
Smith entered Portland State University in his home state of Oregon, studying English and biology. Needing to pay for his courses led him in an unusual direction.
"It’s funny how things work out in life," he said. "I looked at the job placement board at school, hoping to find a part-time job. I found a job at the Portland Zoo. I had only planned to work there for a year or two, and I thought my experiences would make good material for a book."
He ended up working for more than 20 years at the Portland Zoo and later at Defiance Zoo in Tacoma. His work as a zookeeper and research biologist took him all over the world. Eventually, he left the job so he could write full time.
Nowadays, he spends his time writing on his small farm near Portland. He also travels and does research for upcoming books.
Photographer: Marlene Quaroni
Author Roland Smith signs a copy of his book "Peak" for Sheila Herrera, 10, a fifth-grader at St. Mary School. Smith, who writes children's books, spoke at St. Rose of Lima Church.
Thus far, Smith has authored 28 novels, 10 non-fiction books and seven picture books. Titles include "Chupacabra," "Sasquatch," "Jaguar," "Peak," "Cryptid Hunters" and "The Captain’s Dog" -- the Lewis and Clark expedition, told through the eyes of Lewis’ dog -- plus a six-book series about spies and a three-book series about a Category 5 hurricane.
He also loves to visit schools, telling students about his writing techniques. During his visit to St. Rose, he said he doesn’t start writing until he finishes his research on a subject.
"I go to the library, I look at photos, I travel," he said.
Then Smith divulged his most important advice: "Writing is revision."
"What is vision? To see," he told the students. "What is revision? It means to see again!
"Do you guys ever feel hurt when your stuff gets marked up? Listen to this -- Get over it! That’s the way writing works.
"I start out with sloppy copy, or a rough draft. When I finally think it’s perfect, I send it to the publisher. Then it comes back to me with many revisions. Most of my drafts are 80,000 words; my final book is usually 60,000 words.
"And, remember, inspiration doesn’t cause writing -- writing causes inspiration."
Smith finished his presentation with questions and answers from the audience. Among them were "Do you ever take a break from writing?", "How long does it take to write a book?", "Who do you dedicate your books to?", "Do your books ever become movies?", "How much do you travel?" and "Do you have a favorite and a least favorite book?"
Christiano Deller, 11, a sixth grader at St. James School, said he loved Smith’s presentation and learned a lot.
"I’m hoping to read one of his books in the school library," said Deller. "I learned that you should write about what is important to you. Experience is one of the greatest things in the world, and you can teach others from your experiences."
This article has been corrected. Christiano Deller attends St. James School, not St. Mary Cathedral School. The spelling of his name has also been fixed.
