I am a writer who loves good music, a musician who loves good books, and a teacher who loves sharing both music and literature with others. In recent years it has been my privilege to combine these loves by writing music stories: stories that honor the creation of beauty, even in the bleakest circumstances, through the creation of music. I invite you to click onto my Books page and share in these stories. As a teacher and speaker, I enjoy helping others understand writing, music and the spiritual dimensions of creativity in our lives. Please visit my Availability page to see what I can offer your class or group.

Tim Clement didn’t know much about music, and that was fine with him—until Uncle Zoltán arrived. Tim suddenly found himself in the middle of an orchestra, in his own living room . . .

The Orchestra in the Living Room

This humorously illustrated, full-color children’s book not only tells an entertaining, touching story, it teaches children about orchestra music. The book is a fun read for families and an excellent resource for elementary teachers. It is written at a fourth-grade reading level, but as a read-aloud book it is easily understood by younger children. The book was published in 2005 by the Northwest Sinfonietta, a professional chamber orchestra in Tacoma, Washington. (About the Author, Illustrator, and Graphic Designer)

Upcoming . . .

The Bomb Shelter Quintet

Set in Budapest in 1944-45, The Bomb Shelter Quintet takes place during Nazi occupation, then a terrible siege, then Soviet occupation. Sixteen-year-old András Varga and four other young musicians are determined to do something beautiful in the midst of anguish: they make music. Their camaraderie creates a bond in the group, and as the pressures around them mount, András tries desperately to keep the group safe and together. But can he? Aimed at sophisticated teen readers, this is a tale of war and music, fear and love, survival and sacrifice.

Connie’s agent is currently seeking a good publisher for this book. Stay tuned!

I am an experienced teacher, having taught high school English and elementary music. I enjoy interacting with children, teens and adults. I welcome opportunities to visit student classes and to speak with adult groups. Below are possible topics for different settings and age levels. I am open to speaking on other topics as well, if they are within my areas of knowledge and if I have adequate time to prepare.

Possible Topics for Elementary Classes, 4th Grade and Older

• Interactive presentation of how a story is developed through characterization and conflict (explored at a basic level)
• Historical presentation of life in a besieged city, WWII era, with a reading from The Bomb Shelter Quintet (details age-appropriate)
• Musical presentation of folk music from Scotland and/or Ireland. (I play guitar and sing.)

Possible Topics for Middle School and High School Classes

• Interactive presentation of how a story is developed through characterization and conflict (explored at an intermediate level for middle school and at a sophisticated level for high school)
• My story of how The Bomb Shelter Quintet was developed from an idea and a single character, deepening through expansion and extensive revision (a.k.a. how to learn by doing...)
• Historical presentation of life in a besieged city, WWII era, with a reading from The Bomb Shelter Quintet (details age-appropriate)
• Historical presentation describing life under Stalinist communism
• Musical presentation of folk music from Scotland and/or Ireland, with historical and cultural explanation.

Possible Topics for Adult Groups

For Church Groups

• Creativity as a way of honoring the Creator
• A Christian view of the arts
• My story as a believing writer, and the faith lessons I had to learn along the way

For Parent Groups

• Helping your young child develop musically

For Writers Conferences

• I can speak knowledgeably on any topic related to fiction, revision, editing, or historical research.

Costs and Scheduling

I am available for engagements in the Seattle-Tacoma-Olympia area and for writers' conferences farther afield. My costs vary depending on the amount of preparation and driving involved (I live in Tacoma) and on the nature of the event. If you are interested in having me speak, please contact me. Let me know what topic you have in mind and when and where the event is. I will get back to you quickly to work out the details, including costs.

Q How did you get interested in writing about Hungary? A While working as a music teacher, I learned about Zoltán Kodály’s influence in developing Hungary’s musical literacy. I was impressed and intrigued, and when my book The Orchestra in the Living Room needed a teaching character, it felt natural to make him Hungarian—and to name him Zoltán. In order to make Uncle Zoltán an authentic character, I did some research on Hungary and found myself fascinated by its turbulent history, especially during the twentieth century. There Hungary was, caught between Russia and Germany. And what fiction writer can resist a conflicted situation? The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to write about decent people trying to face the Budapest siege of 1945. I interviewed Hungarians who lived in Budapest at that time, and their compelling personal stories have kept me writing about the post-war period as well. I have tremendous respect for what these people and other Europeans of the same generation have lived through.

Q Seems like it would be fun to write a novel. Is it? A Not unless you happen to get a kick out of carpal tunnel syndrome, rejection letters, hour-after-hour sitting, and revising the same #*@$!! chapter nine times. Novel writing is hard work and often tedious and frustrating. But it is also interesting and rewarding, and I love it.

Q What advice would you give to people who want to try writing a novel? A This is a huge topic. Whole books have been written on it, many of them very good. Read two or three of them with a receptive mind and follow whatever advice you find helpful. Beyond the instruction you find there, I would offer an additional thought.

After all these centuries, the ancient Greek philosophers are still right: a work of art should reflect goodness, truth and beauty. Writing a novel is an artistic endeavor. A worthwhile story will lift up goodness, although it may do so in hidden ways. It will have the ring of universal truth, although the reader may not notice it until she reflects on the story after reading the last page. The prose and the theme will shine with an underlying beauty, even if the subject matter is achingly grim. A reader of your work needs to find the nourishment of goodness, truth and beauty, whether or not he realizes it; and if your story is void of those graces, you have left the reader empty. Perhaps the biggest challenge to any artist, myself included, is to become a human deep-hearted enough to produce redemptive art. I would urge all writers to consider this.

• I’m grateful that my sister and her husband, for all their pain and fear, are still able to give and receive kindness.  Their hearts are alive and—in a difficult way—growing.
• I’m grateful that my husband is the kind of man whose deepest heartache during this economic downturn has been for the welfare of his employees.
• I’m grateful that Brendan and Erin, exchanging the good life for a better one, responded to the call of God upon their lives and have chosen to serve the people of Peru.
• I’m grateful that Patrick and Kim are expecting a little daughter (rare in the Connally family!) who will grow up in a home of love, wisdom and faith.
• I’m grateful that Kevin and Adele, starting out their adult lives amid daily bad news, are people of hope and prayer.

Welcome, Aydan!

• Playing guitar (you knew I had to throw that in, right?)
• Making friends all over the world
• Brewing good beer with friends
• Hosting beer-sampling parties in which no one gets drunk
• Finding a “sculpture” (a.k.a. some old lawn tool, I think)and installing said sculpture among the shrubbery of a college campus
• Helping friends plan their marriage proposals
• Liking and spending time with other people’s children
• Chuckling over other people’s idiosyncrasies instead of being annoyed with them
• Marrying a beautiful young woman who’s as big-hearted as he is
• Getting to know his wife’s extended family (and that’s a lot of people!)
• Getting together with his brothers and naming themselves the Fraternal Council
• Becoming head spokesman of said Fraternal Council and, as such, dispensing advice to his parents (“Dad, it was moved, seconded and carried in the Fraternal Council that you get more exercise.”)
• Collecting Beautiful Angle posters
• Making movies with church youth group kids
• Visiting eastern Europe (which people don’t usually think of as fun in the same way that Hawaii is, but when you’re Patrick Connally, you connect with people and you have a good time)
• Discussing politics intelligently
• Staying in touch with friends far away
• Adoring his wife
• Adoring his little daughter and taking her to the beach.