The Phoenix Writers Network is an exciting new community of writers who meet bimonthly to develop relationships through the exchange of knowledge about craft, publishing, and the writing life.
Come join us. We'd love to meet you!
Come join us. We'd love to meet you!
Our 5/8/2025
Zoom Event Features:
Conrad J. Storad
Zoom Event Features:
Conrad J. Storad
More Than Just the Facts
Using storytelling to make FUN!
A mini-writing workshop with author Conrad J. Storad.
Objectives: Award-winning children’s author, magazine editor, and science writer Conrad J. Storad provides his unique perspective on writing and presenting nonfiction material to students ages 8 to 14. The session is a beginner’s guide for young writers and readers, of all ages, both the enthusiastic and the reluctant variety.
Content: Storad shares some of his methods for getting young readers “turned on” to nonfiction material, especially from the perspective of the writer. His emphasis is on how to write factual material in an entertaining manner. Writing is hard work. But it does not have to be boring. To do well, writers need to know their audience. The session is focused on the importance of word choice and using vivid description as a writing technique.
Presentation: Participants will complete one or two short writing exercises during the session. Brief discussion will follow each exercise. Participants will share their work with the group. Handouts are provided. This is a workshop that teachers can adapt for use in various ways in their own classrooms. A raffle of autographed picture books from Conrad concludes the session.
Bio:
Conrad J. Storad is the award-winning author or editor of more than 60 science and nature books for children and young adults. A new title for 2023 is Night Watchers, the first of the Story Monster’s S.T.E.A.M. Chronicles book series. Story Monsters Among Us was published in 2022. The graphic comic style book provides brief snapshots from the evolution of storytelling. In July 2018, the Book Publicists of Southern California presented Storad the IRWIN Award as Storyteller of the Year. In March 2017, Storad achieved a career goal. He has read stories to more than 1 million students and teachers. Storad has conducted writing workshops and presentations at more than 1,700 schools, libraries, and events in 18 states to promote reading and science literacy.
Storad is the author of many national award-winning titles. Story Monsters Among Us won the Outstanding Creator Award as Best Children’s Book for 2023. The Bat Book earned a Will Rogers Medallion Award in 2017 for Best Western Fiction for Children/Illustrated. In 2014, Monster in the Rocks was selected by the National Center for the Book to represent Arizona as part of the “52 Great Reads” program at the National Book Festival. Other winners include Arizona Way Out West & Wacky, and Arizona Way Out West & Witty – Library Edition, fun history/science activity books for young readers. Arizona Witty was named “One Book Arizona for Kids” in 2012 by the Arizona State Library. In 2006, Storad’s Don't Call Me Pig! (A Javelina Story) was selected by Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano as part of her program to promote reading. More than 93,000 Arizona first graders received a special edition copy. In 2001, Libraries Limited and the Arizona Library Association honored him with the Judy Goddard Award as "Arizona Children's Author of the Year."
Storad worked at Arizona State University for more than 24 years writing and editing stories about science and scholarship. He was founding editor of the nationally award winning ASU Research Magazine, and for Chain Reaction, an award-winning science magazine for young readers. Prior to ASU, Storad worked as a reporter, editor, and general manager for The Barberton Herald newspaper in northeast Ohio. He was a science/medical writer for the U.S. National Cancer Institute and a science/feature writer at Kent State University. Storad earned a degree in mass media communication from the University of Akron in 1979. He was one of the first class of students to earn a master's degree in mass communication/science journalism from Arizona State University in 1983. Storad was a Year 2000 inductee to the ASU Walter Cronkite School of Journalism Hall of Fame. He was a 2007 inductee to the BHS Academic Hall of Fame. In 2017, Storad received a square on the Walk of Fame in his hometown of Barberton, Ohio.
Using storytelling to make FUN!
A mini-writing workshop with author Conrad J. Storad.
Objectives: Award-winning children’s author, magazine editor, and science writer Conrad J. Storad provides his unique perspective on writing and presenting nonfiction material to students ages 8 to 14. The session is a beginner’s guide for young writers and readers, of all ages, both the enthusiastic and the reluctant variety.
Content: Storad shares some of his methods for getting young readers “turned on” to nonfiction material, especially from the perspective of the writer. His emphasis is on how to write factual material in an entertaining manner. Writing is hard work. But it does not have to be boring. To do well, writers need to know their audience. The session is focused on the importance of word choice and using vivid description as a writing technique.
Presentation: Participants will complete one or two short writing exercises during the session. Brief discussion will follow each exercise. Participants will share their work with the group. Handouts are provided. This is a workshop that teachers can adapt for use in various ways in their own classrooms. A raffle of autographed picture books from Conrad concludes the session.
Bio:
Conrad J. Storad is the award-winning author or editor of more than 60 science and nature books for children and young adults. A new title for 2023 is Night Watchers, the first of the Story Monster’s S.T.E.A.M. Chronicles book series. Story Monsters Among Us was published in 2022. The graphic comic style book provides brief snapshots from the evolution of storytelling. In July 2018, the Book Publicists of Southern California presented Storad the IRWIN Award as Storyteller of the Year. In March 2017, Storad achieved a career goal. He has read stories to more than 1 million students and teachers. Storad has conducted writing workshops and presentations at more than 1,700 schools, libraries, and events in 18 states to promote reading and science literacy.
Storad is the author of many national award-winning titles. Story Monsters Among Us won the Outstanding Creator Award as Best Children’s Book for 2023. The Bat Book earned a Will Rogers Medallion Award in 2017 for Best Western Fiction for Children/Illustrated. In 2014, Monster in the Rocks was selected by the National Center for the Book to represent Arizona as part of the “52 Great Reads” program at the National Book Festival. Other winners include Arizona Way Out West & Wacky, and Arizona Way Out West & Witty – Library Edition, fun history/science activity books for young readers. Arizona Witty was named “One Book Arizona for Kids” in 2012 by the Arizona State Library. In 2006, Storad’s Don't Call Me Pig! (A Javelina Story) was selected by Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano as part of her program to promote reading. More than 93,000 Arizona first graders received a special edition copy. In 2001, Libraries Limited and the Arizona Library Association honored him with the Judy Goddard Award as "Arizona Children's Author of the Year."
Storad worked at Arizona State University for more than 24 years writing and editing stories about science and scholarship. He was founding editor of the nationally award winning ASU Research Magazine, and for Chain Reaction, an award-winning science magazine for young readers. Prior to ASU, Storad worked as a reporter, editor, and general manager for The Barberton Herald newspaper in northeast Ohio. He was a science/medical writer for the U.S. National Cancer Institute and a science/feature writer at Kent State University. Storad earned a degree in mass media communication from the University of Akron in 1979. He was one of the first class of students to earn a master's degree in mass communication/science journalism from Arizona State University in 1983. Storad was a Year 2000 inductee to the ASU Walter Cronkite School of Journalism Hall of Fame. He was a 2007 inductee to the BHS Academic Hall of Fame. In 2017, Storad received a square on the Walk of Fame in his hometown of Barberton, Ohio.
This event is a Zoom Event.
Where: The comfort of your own home!
When: May 15, 2025
Time: 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. (PST)
5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. (MST)
8:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. (EST)
Cost: $20.00
Where: The comfort of your own home!
When: May 15, 2025
Time: 5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. (PST)
5:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m. (MST)
8:00 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. (EST)
Cost: $20.00
Please enjoy some photos from our past events
