Author Highlight: Eric Walters
By Kathy Conroy
Recently I had the pleasure of speaking with Eric Walters. He is an accomplished Canadian author who has won several prestigious awards for his works as well as receiving the Order of Canada. Eric is very passionate about his work, his charity, and the future of Canadian authors and books. He is a very busy man but always makes time for projects that will have a positive impact on society.
“Every journey, no matter how far, starts with one step.”
Before he was an author, Eric was a social worker and a teacher. Eric began writing books in 1993, not for publication, but to get his students engaged in reading. His students were reluctant readers. They did not like any of the books being offered to them. He felt that if he wrote stories with their input, they might develop a love of reading. As he wrote the stories, he would ask them what should happen next. This student engagement in literacy led to his third career as an author.
It is evident why his students loved the stories; his chapter books all have the hook and allure of suspense and adventure. Over the years he has branched out from chapter books to picture books and board books. The appeal that all his books have is the realistic settings and genuine characters. The special piece that Eric brings to his writing is the research he puts into his books. He considers himself to be a method writer. That is, he wants to experience everything that his character would experience. He wanted to write a story about a boy surviving a walk in the Sahara. In order to give the book Just Deserts authenticity, he completed a walk across the desert. For Between Heaven and Earth, he climbed to the top of Kilimanjaro. Eric says, “I like to know where a story is going”, and so does he plot out each story.
Get Kids to Become Readers
Eric tours schools across the country year round. He has done approximately 12,000 presentations. Having had him at my schools, I have seen firsthand the impact he has on the students. He doesn’t come in and just speak about his books. He brings up topics such as social justice and the need to challenge yourself. He actively interacts with the students and staff alike. In one word, his visits are inspirational.
I asked Eric how he prepares for school visits. Although he does have a standard presentation, he will tweak it accordingly. He begins assessing how his presentation will go by looking at the community that the students live in, evaluating the school as he walks through to the presentation room, looking at the bulletin boards and how the teachers interact with the students. He is always adapting the presentation to match what the students need to hear. He says that his goal is to “get kids to become readers”. His larger than life presence in the room does have an impact on the students and after a presentation; it always creates a wait list for his books!
From the Heart
Eric is diligent about answering fan letters. He says that he personally answers each email that he receives. This type of personal touch provides insight into how he approaches life – in a positive and caring way. In Kenya, he has a foundation, Creation of Hope, which provides outreach to over 400 Kenyans who are either orphans or impoverished. Between building an orphanage and a school, the success of this foundation can be seen through its accomplishments. Recently three students who have completed post-secondary education were provided assistance in setting up business in the local community. Although Eric and his wife Anita hold positions on the board, the decisions for the foundation and the school are made by Kenyans in Kenya. A true success story in itself. Eric has written a few books about Africa including the picture book From the Heart of Africa. This beautiful picture book looks at the traditional sayings from different countries in Africa and provides their meanings. The artwork is incredible. This picture book definitely has appeal at all grade levels.
Read More Canadian
Canadian literature is at a crossroads that greatly concerns Eric Walters. He is trying to find a way to bring all the stakeholders (publishers, book sellers, writers, illustrators, literary organizations, etc.) to the table in order to set up a plan to promote Canadian literature and authors. At the heart of this project is the need for more promotion of Canadian literature. Eric’s ultimate goal is for Canadians “to read more Canadian” – an ambitious project to take on but a necessary cause to promote. This is not self-interest on his part but more of a movement to promote the Canadian identity in books. Eric would love to see a National Reading Day created where “eight million kids are reading or being read to”.
Follow your Passion!
Having written so many books, I asked Eric if he still had ideas in him. Thankfully, he still has lots of ideas! Look for Eric’s upcoming chapter book, Broken Crayon, which deals with mental illness and poverty. He has other books coming out including a co-writing project with Kathy Kacer. Also, fans of The Rule of Three series can look forward to reading the fourth book, Fourth Dimension. Eric says that he has never considered writing adult fiction; he likes the age group he is currently writing for. As our conversation came to an end, I asked him what he thinks everyone should do at least once in their life. He said, “Follow your passion!” This is definitely sage advice from someone who absolutely follows this philosophy.
Visit Eric Walters at his website or on Twitter @EricRWalters