Lorraine Hartin-Gelardi's eclectic mix of tales allows her to tell stories to all manner of audiences, both young and old, in libraries, churches, retirement homes, schools, conferences and festivals. She finds the experience of sharing stories through the spoken word to have a profound power to enlighten and educate. She conducts storytelling and writing workshops for adults and teachers and, through her school residency programs, helps children to tell and write their own stories.

Her new book, Wisdom in the Telling: Finding Inspiration and Grace in Traditional Folktales and Myths Retold, has helped her envision story and the spoken word in new and exciting ways. She lives in the Hudson Valley region of New York State.

She presented at the Adirondack Mountain Writers' Retreat and Story Workshops a three-hour program called "Listening to the Echoes: Creating Original Stories from Traditional Folktales," in which participants utilized the richness of folktales as a springboard for creating new stories to tell. Lorraine says, "The powerful images found in folktales resonate within the human heart and allow us to connect to our deepest longings. These images also provide an amazing source of inspiration for writers. By focusing on the imagery in folktales, we can stimulate our imagination and improve our access to personal creativity." Stories told by Lorraine Hartin-Gelardi provide the basis for a variety of exercises, including guided imagery, journaling, and discussion. Participants developed a list of story starters and learned techniques for continuing stories.

Lorraine also was one of the performers at our July 14th Fiction Among Friends Story Concert.

Learn more about Lorraine at www.LorraineTells.com .