David Arnold speaks out to readers

SHS visited by freshman class read’s author

Arnold+spoke+out+to+the+freshman+about+what+made+him+write.+When+he+was+younger+he+said+that+it+was+an+escape+for+him+when+he+lost+friends+due+to+moving.+He+came+back+to+writing+when+he+was+staying+at+home+with+his+son%2C+which+is+when+he+wrote+%E2%80%9CMosquitoland.%E2%80%9D

Allyson Bonhaus

Arnold spoke out to the freshman about what made him write. When he was younger he said that it was an escape for him when he lost friends due to moving. He came back to writing when he was staying at home with his son, which is when he wrote “Mosquitoland.”

“Mosquitoland” is the class read for academic and honors english freshmen. It came out this year as David Arnold’s debut novel. He is working on his next young adult book “Kids of Appetite” that will come out Fall 2016.

Arnold spoke about his experience as a writer and answered questions about his book. He read sections of his childhood writing then his high school writing which lead us to hearing a letter from “Mosquitoland.”

He gave advice to writers on how to deal with rejection and going through many drafts of your manuscript.

Freshman Alexa Cristinzio said, “Arnold was funny and it was nice that he shared his experiences that influenced ‘Mosquitoland’ with us.”

Arnold made several jokes throughout his presentation. He also had one of the freshman hold his microphone for him when his was reading.

At the end of his talking he answered some questions that the English classes had prepared for him.

Cristinzio said, “He answered many questions we had about the book but I wish he had taken more time to answer some from the crowd.”

He only spent about the last fifteen minutes answering questions and most were from the papers he was given.

Cristinzio said, “I still have some unanswered questions.”