Journal Times Article about Stone Soup Teen Author
by admin, Posted in Stone Soup at Home Teachers
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The Racine, Wisconsin, Journal Times ran an article about Dylan Saunder’s story in the January/February issue of Stone Soup. Stone Soup is one of the few outlets for young teens to be published. The entire story from the Journal Times is reproduced, below:
Dylan Sauder wrote his first story when he was 4. He had just ridden in a semitrailer for the first time and, to capture the experience, he dictated a story to his mom, he said.
Ten years later, the 14-year-old got his first story published in the January/February issue of Stone Soup, an international magazine by young writers and artists.
“Behind the Curtain” is about a boy searching for his grandfather and finding home in an abandoned theater.
The story was sparked by one line: “The soft sound of a violin could be faintly heard.”
The line came to him from his imagination, Dylan said, and “It sounded cool to me.”
That was about four years ago. Then one day during a writer’s workshop at Raymond School, 2659 76th St., he went back to that line and wrote a story around it, said Dylan, an eighth-grader.
His story is one of two highlighted on the cover of Stone Soup.
Gerry Mandel, editor of the magazine, said she usually picks a couple she feels are the best of the issue for the cover. About 200 submissions are received every week, she said, and fewer than 1 percent get published.
When he saw his story in print, Dylan said he danced around the house.
What he loves about writing is seeing people enjoy what he wrote, he says, “and seeing my thoughts and ideas come to life.”
He finds the time to write whenever an idea pops into his head.
Out of the family of six – he is the second in a quadruplet – Dylan says he and his dad are the writers. His dad, Scott, a fifth-grade teacher at Gifford Elementary School, wrote a testimony about parenting quadruplets, “Raised by Grace,” shortly after they were born.
Dylan says his dad writes more than he does. He doesn’t get to write as much, because he’s busy with youth group and various school activities like Battle of the Books and a mentoring reading program.
“I’ve always been reading, so that got me writing too,” Dylan said.
In addition to reading, he says he also enjoys singing and playing music.
In fact, his interests are so wide and varied he’s not sure what he wants to do in the future.
“That list is a mile long too,” he said. “I really like music so maybe something with music.”
Writer, doctor, chiropractor or even a pastor are all possibilities.
Still, Dylan plans to keep writing. Music and violin, two of his passions, are common themes in his stories.
“Behind the Curtain” opens with a scene that draws readers in and charms them with the magic of music: “The old, worn curtain loomed over the stage. Chairs covered in faded, red velvet cushions were scattered throughout the theatre. A piano that had once been played in the most famous of performances now housed a family of mice. The theatre was falling apart, yet it still contained a certain beauty and elegance. If you listened closely, you could faintly hear the soft, sweet sound of a violin coming from behind the dark curtain.”
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Cool! Thanks for posting this! Thanks again for publishing my story! Your magazine is GREAT!
Comment by Dylan J. Sauder on February 27, 2010.
We just couldnt leave your site prior to saying that we really enjoyed the quality information you provide for your visitors… Will be back often to check up on new stuff you post!
Comment by Eldon Gellings on May 30, 2010.