Chris Crutcher, ILA Annual Keynote Speaker

"I come with proof of the existence of God...in 1952 I knelt beside my bed and prayed for something bad to happen to spinach. Watch out for lima beans and brussel sprouts." Joke about Senator Craig of Idaho. lol.

Talk about bringing real life into fiction, esp. "past the censors". His years of child and family therapy work brought him into contact with the worst of families - abuse, etc. When started writing, realized he was in 'amazing spot' to talk to people. When he was doing therapy "I never had a client who wasn't like me in some way" despite working with abusers, etc.

"You realize pretty early you don't want to please the censors" when writing. Story about being in Texas - 4 days in Houston, then up to Tyler. Warned by librarian in Houston that Tyler "is really conservative". From someone in Texas that's saying something. Someone questioned him about book ...Agnes Mathune (kid with two sets of gay parents). Silence! Next morning they asked if he was going to be talking about "the homosexuality thing" - he said no, only if question - and she said "oh, good...we don't mind so much the rape and incest"!

When writing, you have to clear that stuff from mind, cuz just trying to tell story. Look for emotional truths you can put in the story. Want readers to connect with your work.

Nothing we do more important than learn to grieve. "Grieve all the way through." Beautiful story of grief therapy for young girl from his years doing therapy. He used this realization about needing to grieve for his book about Ben Wolf, dying high school senior. Reads from book.

One thousand librarians are enthralled. I understand why he's won all those writing awards.