By EMELINE HAWKINS

For the Northwest News

HUNTERTOWN — It’s not every day students who read a book get to meet the very person who wrote it.

That came true for students at Maple Creek Middle School when author and poet Helen Frost came to visit.

Frost discussed her background extensively, including living in Alaska and Europe as well as other states before settling back in Fort Wayne. As a former teacher, she outlined her process for writing poetry, down to the plan, notes and the type of poem she wanted to create.

She also left time at the end of the visit to answer questions from curious seventh-grade minds from teacher Rachel Hill’s class.

Frost discussed how she developed the characters, many of whom were based on real people she once knew or knows, particularly students. She also referenced her own diaries from her youth and said she taps into those memories to help her think like the age she is portraying or as the audience for whom she is writing.

According to a recent NACS press release, “Helen Frost is a treasure to our community. She clearly possesses a passion for education and inspiring students to read and to continue their writing journey.”

Frost spoke with two classes of language arts students from Maple Creek Middle School at Hill’s request.

Students especially related to the personalities of the characters in her books that they read in class.

Frost has written 11 novels-in-poems and several picture books for children and young adults, and other books.