A boy with a photographic memory. A group of kids battling villains in Disney World after hours. A man who steals people’s shadows.

These are some of the characters who appear in Ridley Pearson’s adventure novels for young adults. On Wednesday, April 9, the New York Times bestselling author spoke to Shipley sixth and seventh graders about his books and revealed what it’s like to be an author.

“What we do as writers is see how we can turn and twist the world to make it interesting for readers. We look for the stuff that other people don’t see,” he told the Middle School students.

Students were given the opportunity to meet Pearson after his presentation. A group of future authors joined him in Riely Theatre lobby for a brief question-and-answer session. He gave them insight into how he deals with writer’s block, how he juggles multiple writing projects at once, and the challenge of landing a publishing deal.

“I really thought his presentation was great,” said sixth grader Christie Krancer of Pearson’s visit. “It boosted my confidence and made me sure that I want to be a writer.”