This was one of the very first times I read Umbrella to a little group of children and their families. They were so lovely all sitting in rugs, snuggling up with each other as I read them the book. My tongue felt like somebody else's, my words so cluttered in my mouth. I had to speak loudly to be heard, and my confidence wasn't great that morning, I'm so much more used to a classroom setting. They liked it and I survived it. They had a few questions. I was not aware I was about to get a masterclass.
Chip is a fantastic storyteller. His event was thankfully after mine, everyone would have just fallen asleep during mine otherwise! Chip cast a few members of the audience and built a great tale from bits, that the children participating build together. I was so glad I stayed and listened. There is just so much more to this when doing an event in a field.
There is so much to learn in the skill of bringing a story to life when you have an audience. Writing a book that plays out on the mind of a reader is something different to taking that book and giving it breath in a crowd.