YOUNG ADULT WILLAMETTE WRITERS

Fiona Kenshole spreads the gospel of Young Adult writing in the Old Church for Willamette Writers. Image via DG Studios

How old are Young Adult Willamette Writers?

Writing for the Young Adult market keeps you young.

Reading Young Adult literature keeps you young.

Agenting for Young Adult writers keeps you young, too.

Fiona Kenshole of Transatlantic Agency proved those points talking about Young Adult Willamette Writers in Portland’s Old Church.

How did she do it?

It started with a stage dive. Not a Chili Pepper dive, more a short cut jump.

Once a month Willamette Writer speakers hit their mark, do an hour or so on stage, then retire to the cookie and coffee room to sign books.

It’s a great way to spend an evening, especially if you show an hour early and take that urban walk through the South Park Blocks.

As inspirational as they are, Fiona is the first speaker to jump off the stage.

In high heels.

Don’t try that one at home.

She hopped down like a kid, or at least a young adult, like she did it all the time.

Maybe she does, maybe she doesn’t, but her hop was a hook to pay attention to young adult Willamette Writers night.

A Portland transplant, Kenshole proves the rule that every city needs new blood.

She didn’t show up on a journey of self-discovery, didn’t come looking for the Portland vibe everyone dreams about before they get here.

Instead, Ms Kenshole was recruited by Phil Knight for a job as Vice President of Development Acquisition at Laika Inc.

Yes, that Phil Knight, the same as the Nike guy; you’ve heard of Laika if you watch the Academy Awards.

If you need extra spring in your step, read that last sentence again.

More than another talk for a writers’ group, Fiona showed the difference between doing your job and living your work.

Besides finding authors of Young Adult fiction, she showed the room how to interact with kids.

Call it a universal message for young adult Willamette Writers.

Speakers need to turn it up during their time on stage, embracing the topic and audience as one. But what are they like when the lights go down?

The kid in the room found out.

For all the enthusiasm and excitement she brought to the gathering, she was even better during the quiet meet and greet afterward with one kid, each writer, with everyone who stuck around.

Earlier in the evening she talked about growing up in England and her Devon roots.

My mother in law comes from Devon. She passed away recently and I miss her more than I imagined, miss hearing an English voice beyond television.

Listening to Fiona Kenshole from my church pew came with a note of sadness, but also surprise.

I suspected she was British by reading about her time in Cambridge and Oxford. But Devon? Never saw that coming.

I hung around after the talk to tell Fiona she wasn’t far from home, not when someone in the audience knew a Devonshire Dumpling from Strete.

If this sounds like the end of Young Adult novel with a reliable narrator, well…?

My mum in law would have loved it.