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Fiction Writing
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Unique Bespoke Opportunity for School Districts
For my memoir fiction, Traveling Teacher: Walking with Snow Leopards in Paradise, the story is specifically crafted to engage middle schoolers through themes of defining beauty, the challenges of seeing/understanding life, and the search for authenticity.
Beyond providing an engaging narrative for the students, I offer an interactive literacy experience. When a school, or classroom, adopts Traveling Teacher: Walking with Snow Leopards in Paradise as a class set, I provide a suite of "Author-In-Class" opportunities to bridge the gap between the page and the person behind it and inspire greater reading:
Virtual Presentation or Q&A: A live session where students can dig into the "why" behind the story and explore the story further. Furthermore, they ask about the craft of writing.
Write-to-the-Author: A structured letter-exchange where I respond to student inquiries about the writing process or themes in the book (this is filtered by the host teacher[s] and no direct interactions with students will occur).
Video Notes: Custom videos tailored to your specific classroom’s journey through the book. These would be distributed to the host teacher(s) to share with students.
I would love to send a digital or physical review copy for your curriculum committee or language and literature department to evaluate.
The Snow Leopard Sees You and You Cannot See Her
Join a four-member team as they venture into the whiteout terrain of the Himalayas at just over 5,000 meters. They brave precarious peaks and icy pathways in search of the elusive snow leopard. Allow the wind to whip across your face and indulge in hours of frigid meditation as you join in the journey to see the unseeable. Learn the difficulty, danger, and reward of “seeing” in this unforgiving landscape.
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Deep in a forsaken corner of the Himalayan winter wilderness lurks the enigma, the gray ghost. This ghost is none other than the elusive and majestic snow leopard. Few have dared to reach the hallowed high peaks to walk with her in her domain. One team is willing to risk it all for the opportunity, and they tread lightly, silently.
The journey proves long and arduous; there are no shortcuts. Join traveling teacher Joshua Smalley and his team on an unforgettable journey that will have you longing for the safety of a warm bed. Every day is a frostbitten, hypothermic trek. The barren land promises nothing and brings menacing obstacles. By day, Mother Nature pelts them with her icy fury. At night, Smalley faces the evil spirits that grab him by the throat. In time, they all learn to drive the evil away by fiery torches. With a steeled will, each member forges a path upward into the Himalayan heavens for two grueling weeks.
During the adventure, they earn a glimpse into the ways of the Ladakhi people and their traditions. Scintillating interior décor, warm smiles, hearty food, ancient wisdom, mysterious music, and the power of friendship become regular encounters.
May the enduring lessons from this tale make you wiser and reflect on life’s journey.
Goodreads Reviews
Amazon Reviews
Actual Footage From the Trip That Inspired the Book
Independent Review
Joshua Smalley has crafted a thoroughly engaging work that blends simplicity with grandeur into a spiritual journey that allows the reader to join in on an exciting adventure filled with tension, revelation, and self-reflective discovery. From the outset, the reader acclimates to the climate and new culture along with the author; furthermore, the reader can choose the pace with which to take this challenging journey, as the writing sometimes demands that the reader feels the sheer exhaustion and pain of trekking high into the heavens in search of a mythical, yet very real, predator. In the end, the reader is left inspired and rejuvenated; thus, this work serves its purpose of opening up a rare glimpse into a world unknown to most but treasured by all lucky enough to read.
Perhaps my favorite sentence of all: "Whatever lens you choose, colors the world you see. [...] I'm baffled by my feelings, but I absolutely love this line!"
Charles
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