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K J BOWMANVILLE - Clarington Museums Museums and Archives is offering kids a blast from (lie distant past with a week-long Medieval History Camp. The camp is set for July 24-28, with a different theme from the Medieval period being explored every day. July 24's theme is Castle Life, during which children will learn more about nobility in the Middle Ages while they build a mini-castle and make a golden crown. Medieval Warfare day, on July 25, includes stories of knights and famous battles while children make their own helmet and shield. On July 26, the theme is Magic, Myth and Alchemy, during which attendees will learn more about the world's most famous medieval wizard, Merlin, while taking part in a Dragon Quest scavenger hunt and making a magic staff. July 27 is Medieval Faire day, during which kids will take part in a day of games and entertainment from the 1300s. Inventions and Explorations is the theme for July 28, with a look at the lifechanging lifechanging inventions and world-expanding world-expanding explorations that took place at the end of the Medieval period. Children aged 6-12 can enrol in Medi eval History Camp for any number of days, with a discount for full-week registration. registration. Camp runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and snacks are provided in both morning and afternoon. Cost is $30 a day per child" or $125 for the week. To register, call 905-623-2734. 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Courtice 905-576-5437 1053 Slmcoe St. N. 905-725-5437 durhamregion.com THE CANADIAN STATESMAN ♦ July 19,2006 ♦ Page A7 Author keeps it local in newest release Writer Bill Swan completes the ' third in a series of children's books Author Bill Swan has released another children's book 'Road Rage' featuring character Matt Thompson. The book tells the story of a group of students preparing for the annual Alfie Shrubb Race. The book is available locally at the Clarington Museum and Archives Shop. 'I was looking for somewhere to set the BY JULIE CASHIN-0STER Special to The Statesman COURTICE -- Matt Thompson is in trouble again. This time it involves a fare book that has gone missing from the Clarington Museum and legendary world-class runner Alfie Shrubb. Road Rage, by local author Bill Swan, tells the story of a group of students preparing for the annual Alfie Shrubb Race. It is .the third in a series of books by Mr. Swan featuring Matt and his friends. Young readers were first introduced introduced to Matt in Mud Run. "I was looking for somewhere to set the third story three years ago when I ran in the Shrubb Run: I needed a recognizable place for the book - naturally naturally it was the museum," recounts Mr. Swan. "All of my books are set in the Cour- tice/Bowmanville area. The publisher encourages a local setting, someplace real in Canada. I remember growing up and reading books from far away places," he said. Alfie. Shrubb was a cross-country running running legend. Beginning his career in England as an amateur runner in 1901 within three years he won numerous championships between one mile and 10. In 1904 he broke the one-hour record as well as all amateur records from six to' IT miles, and all professional records from; eight to 11 miles. He covered 11 miles in one hour. This record was not broken until 1951. Mr. Shrubb had an unusual running style. He would run in uneven bursts of speed and never seemed to tire. It has been said that he would appear to "skim over the ground." Mr. Shrubb and his wife moved to Bowmanville in 1928. He had been in Bowmanville before; between 1916 and 1919 he worked as a manager at James Lake Morden's Cream of Barley Mill, the same mill that Mr. Shrubb was eventually to own. Today, residents of Clarington know the Cream of Barley Mill as the Visual Arts Centre. This is Mr. Swan's seventh book in the James Lorimer and Company sport novels for young readers' ages 8-13. Mr. Swan was a journalism professor and administrator at Durham College for many years. He has also been, a newspaper editor and columnist. He continues to work as a communications consultant. Mud Run was nominated for a Manitoba Young Readers Choice Award. - The characters in Mr. Swan's books face challenges head on and solve them. There is always a lesson to be learned, a message conveyed. Mi; Swan throws the characters into a situation and in the process of writing, he figures out the message. "Twenty-five years ago I started running running at the Legion Track Club. I was running jn the Masters Club,. In the process I was training with kids 13-15 years old and thinking there was a story there - kids sticking to the running, the discipline, always at it, always training. training. "I started to look at what some of the kids.where doing-- one young girl set some provincial records for 13-15 year olds - which I believe a national record still stands" third story three years ago when I ran in the Shrubb Run. I needed a recognizable place for the book -naturally it was the museum.' -Bill Swan Sometime in the early 1990s Mr. Swan wrote a draft (for a novel) with a girl as the main character and stuck it in his desk thinking he would get around to it. He finally did when he retired 10 "I dusted it off and retyped it. I came across Lorimer -- they were looking for kid's sport stories, so I sent it off," he said. "They liked the book, but asked if I would make a few changes. First, write it in the past tense. I wrote it originally originally in the present, the theme being running and I wanted it happening at that moment. Second, change the main character to a boy. All my researched times were for girls so I had to go back and research boys' times. "That was Fast Finish. After the first one I thought this was a snap, so I fired another one off. It came back - no, this is wrong... and this is wrong... So I made changes. Then I got it back again - no, make these changes. After the third draft I put it away." It was four years after the first book when the second book was sent in - again. Not hearing anything from the publisher, Mr. Swan decided to go to S.T. Worden Public School and read the story directly to his audience. "For two weeks I went in a read a chapter a day - very interesting. I could see the weak chapters in the children's expressions. It was a very useful tool." Coincidently, in the fall of that year Mr. Swan got a call from the new children's editor at Lorimer and they wanted to print his book. This was Mud Run, set at the Courtice Community Centre track. There isn't a new kids' novel in the works, however Mr. Swan recently put into print a magazine for college professors/administrators and has two adult novels completed. He is looking for a publisher. Mr. Swan's sport novels are available locally at the Clarington Museum and Archives Shop. years ago. set for Clarington Museums and Archives A Clarington Community COURTICE A weekly in-depth look at the communities that tjp?*! shape Clarington