The Clearfield Storytelling Festival was held last Saturday (the first day of the Chinese New Year) and it was a lucky experience for all who attended.  We had 14 great storytellers who presented everything from mountain man experiences to puppets to personal stories with pizzazz!  Annie and Dan Eastmond (called Harvest Home) played music to all who entered the building and set the mood beautifully for the evening.  A big thanks to all who attended, told and helped in any way to make the event a success for the 14th year in a row!  Now, go home and tell your own stories.

Happy New Year and welcome to 2020!  During this cold and dark time of year, why not cuddle up to the fireside with a cup of hot cocoa and a good book?  or a good story?  You might even consider telling that story yourself to family and friends.  Storytelling has always been an important part of the winter season, as families tended to remain indoors more and find sedentary means of entertainment.  Don't let the TV and the internet tell all of your stories:  take an active part in that yourself!  Your family and friends will be glad you did--and so will you.

'Tis the holiday season and whatever holiday you celebrate, there are stories to help that celebration really ring!  Storytelling has been around since man has been and the tales of your culture are essential to pass on to the next generation.  Parties are more festive when a bit of story is involved; children learn about their families and traditions with story; important information about your faith and beliefs can be passed along with story.  Don't be afraid to discuss your important tales with others.  Hire a professional teller to help your celebration to be more festive!  Include things that need to be passed along the generations.  And don't forget, this chilly time of year was when ghost stories were traditionally told. Sit down by the fire with a cup of hot cocoa and a story.   Happy holidays!

The "ghostly season" is officially over, but I enjoy telling (and hearing) ghost stories year round.  Maybe some of you do, too.  I enjoyed sharing the tales and history of haunted Ogden, Utah last month and also telling Halloween stories to a couple of family-friendly groups at schools and libraries.  There is something about the chill and surprise endings of so many ghost tales that really appeals to me.  Now is the season of Thanksgiving and this is the perfect time to share family tales around the dinner table or at any family gathering.  One year I had all my children and grandchildren share their favorite family tale after the big meal on Thanksgiving Day and it was fun to hear what they enjoyed and especially fun for them to hear stories they may not have already known about their parents as children.  That is one of my best memories of the day.  Try sharing these stories and see how many memories you can make this holiday season.  Happy Thanksgiving!

The ghostly season is here and Ogden and Salt Lake City Ghost Tours are up and running!  It's so exciting to meet with people and tell them the history and paranormal activity of these two cities.  Check out the website at www.storytours.com and enjoy a family-friendly but spooky Halloween activity.  This month I will also be storytelling at the Morgan Library on October 21st and at Bonneville Elementary School on October 28th. Check out the upcoming events page for more information. October is the best time to tell tales, so get with your family, turn down the lights, put on the hot chocolate and enjoy some chilling time together.

September is here and that means that fall (and ghost story season!) is just around the corner.  Ogden and Salt Lake City Ghost Tours are excited and ready to entertain you at any time with the paranormal experiences and history of these two interesting cities. We have multiple tours in both locations, so check out the website. I also had the privilege of telling railroad stories at the Pioneer Village in Provo, Utah last month and the audience and I had a great time with the stories, the history and the tall tales that go along with that.  (Never let the truth get in the way of a good story!) What a pleasant way to spend a summer evening!  

Summertime is a great time to tell stories: around the campfire, during a walk in the woods, at a picnic or family reunion, at a festival or celebration.  Share your past with your children.  Share the folk tales of your culture (or another culture).  Add storytellers to your next celebratory activity.  Stories are what make us human, teach us how to interact with others and help the rising generation understand what is expected of them.  Don't let this time of year pass without sharing with those you love!

Yesterday I had the experience of attending a "Patriot Camp" and telling some stories about American history.  I did a "first-person" account of Sybil Ludington, a young girl who made a midnight ride to collect militia for an important Revolutionary War battle and also told a bit about Deborah Sampson:  a female who managed to enlist in the army during that war.  It was exciting to be able to educate some young people about exciting events in the history of the United States and let them know that even teens can make a big difference! What power there is in storytelling.

Summer is here and with it a fantastic season for storytelling!  Camping trips, picnics in the park, fairs and festivals, road trips....wherever you are and whatever you're doing, stories can make it better!  I have just finished telling for the Story Crossroads Festival in Salt Lake City and am looking forward to performances at the Gallivan Center and Pioneer Park in Provo, Utah during the summer months.  Ghost Tours are going year-round and there are many opportunities to tell, and listen, to stories.  Watch for opportunities to catch a professional teller at an outdoor festival and make sure you share family stories with those you love.  Make memories this summer with stories.

On May 10th we are celebrating the sesquicentennial of the "wedding of the rails" here in northern Utah--the time when this large country was finally connected from east to west, from "sea to shining sea", by the transcontinental railroad.  That event changed our way of travel and our lifestyle forever.  Many events are being scheduled to celebrate this and museum exhibits, concerts, songs and stories are being used to bring this to life for a new generation.  Check out the storytelling opportunities in the area this summer and enjoy a bit of history with your stories!

Storytelling events are happening in Utah and it's great to be a part of them!  I participated in the Weber State Storytelling Festival this past February and it is always a pleasure to perform in front of such gracious audiences and on the same stage with the national storytellers.  This past week I was able to watch Bil Lepp perform and that is a treat.  Next month will be the Story Crossroads Festival and I will be participating on May 15.  Good stories, good times!

The holiday season is upon us again, and whatever celebrations you have at this time of year, remember that storytelling is part of every culture!  Share family tales, religious stories, traditional tales or whatever makes you feel warm and friendly with others.  In Victorian times, it was the tradition to tell ghost stories at this time of year.  Why not?  Sharing with those you love is always appropriate and especially during a season that tends to focus on loving and giving.  So give of yourself to others and make some good connections to lighten the dark days of winter.

   Well, the haunting season has passed and it was great fun telling the ghost stories of Ogden, Utah the entire month of October.  One of our more haunted buildings was quite active...I guess the ghosts like to "show off" for their guests this season.  Haunted Salt Lake City, a new book that I recently co-authored, is in stores.  Read 13 stories about some of the haunted buildings in our state's capital. All four authors were involved with book signings this past month and we enjoyed meeting with people and sharing ghostly discussions.
   Thanksgiving is just around the corner and that is a family time that is made so much more meaningful with story.  My grandchildren are fascinated with stories of their grandparents, their parents when they were younger, and even ancestors they have never met.  It's important for children to have roots, so tell the stories that make them laugh, cry and think.  Have a happy holiday season!

This past weekend was an amazing storytelling feast as I attended the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival in Lehi, Utah.  I heard tales that were funny, poignant, serious and spooky and they raised every emotion by the end!  Stories do that:  they take us out of our everyday lives and transport us to places we have never seen, places that don't even exist and put us in historical events we have not experienced.  It makes me excited to try to expand my own story repertoire and share the stories that are important to me.  Stories are powerful.  Share yours with others.

I can't believe that summer is winding down so quickly!  Where has the time gone?  As school schedules start taking over and events get planned, be sure to include storytellers in your activities.  Stories are the best way to learn literature, history and many other subjects.  Plan ahead for using stories in classes and other presentations.  If you are in the Utah area, check out the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival September 6-8, 2018.  National and international tellers will be on-stage sharing some of their best tales.  Enjoy this beautiful time of year.

We are now in the depths of summer and what a wonderful time of year that is!  I enjoy the freedom from the strict schedules many of us have to keep up with the rest of the year and the feeling of "more time" that it sometimes gives me.  But don't just lounge away the summer.....spend some moments making great memories and turn those memories into stories!  Look for storytelling festivals in your area, or events that sponsor storytelling.  If you are planning a carnival or celebration, hire a professional storyteller and make the event even more memorable.  And remember, ice cream and lemonade always make the season better!

Keep the stories rolling!  Summer and a break from school has arrived and what better way to spend it than with family?  And while you are at the beach, on the road trip or visiting relatives, be sure to share those favorite (or lesser known) family tales.  It's the best way to keep kids entertained and away from the constant stream of technology.  You might actually have conversations together!  If your summer plans include festivals and parties, make sure that storytelling (professional or otherwise) is included.  Children who are exposed to story become more excited about reading, and summer is a super time to get the books out.  Visit your local library and stock up with books, lemonade and your favorite people.  It's a great way to make memories.

If you live in the United States, do you know anything about your culture and history?  We have so many stories from the plethora of immigrant cultures, but we also have stories that are uniquely "American".  Discover your country and claim your heritage!  I have been researching stories of the "American Experience" the past few years and it is an amazing journey.  Find out where your ancestors are from and what they have to offer and then keep digging until you find the roots of American story.  There was a recent storytelling festival in Fillmore, UT that focused on stories from that region and helped those in central Utah feel more connected to their area.  Ask a storyteller or family member to help you do the same!

The Weber State Storytelling Festival was this past week and I was able to tell stories in Ogden's Egyptian Theater--that is always a pleasure!  There is so much ambiance in that location and yes, it also has resident ghosts!  I enjoy asking the people who work backstage about Allison, a girl ghost who died in an accident while the theater was being built and whose antics seem to touch anyone who works there for any length of time.  The theater also boasts a great stage and twinkling lights like stars in the ceiling for an all round fantastic experience.  The artist in me was fully fed.

What a wonderful storytelling festival we had in Clearfield, Utah last Saturday!  It was exciting to see tellers, old and new, perform and feel the audience reactions.  Intertwined within the stories were music, juggling, and puppets.  We heard true tales, tall tales, flights of fancy and "should be true" tales.  There was poetry and laughter, silliness and some more serious reflection.  Storytelling has it all!  Now to the end of February (26-28) when the Weber State University Storytelling Festival (in Ogden, Utah) will be in full swing.  Three days filled with national, regional and local performers and it's all free.  Come and see what storytelling is really all about.