I’m delighted to share that my informational fiction story, Faster, Higher, Stronger, has been published in the middle grade anthology, Clio’s Curious Dash Through Time! I wrote this story last year as part of the #SunWriteFun contest, sponsored by Karen M. Greenwald.
Here’s a sneak preview of the beginning …
A Bit of Back Matter
Ok, so #SunWriteFun didn’t allow for art notes (PS this is set in 776 BCE) or back matter, but especially with informational fiction, I wanted a chance to share a little about what we *do* know about this story.
Fact: The first Olympics (as defined by archaeologists and historians) took place in 776 BCE in the city-state of Olympia in ancient Greece. There was probably only one event – a foot race – and it was won by a man named Koroibos, a cook from the city-state of Elis.
Fact: The Greeks were one of several ancient civilizations that used homing pigeons to send important messages. Pigeons did report on the winner(s) of the Olympics.
Implication: Because homing pigeons only fly back to their own loft, this meant that every potential Olympian would have to have brought their own homing pigeons with them *in case* they were the winner! It was this idea (plus the theme of ‘dreams’) that made me think about all those poor homing pigeons who had to travel back from Olympia in their crates with no news to bring home.
Fact: Citius, Altius, Fortius (Faster, Higher, Stronger) is the Olympic motto of the modern Olympics and was added in 1924.
Opinion: I find it very amusing that the motto is in Latin despite the Olympics beginning in ancient Greece.
Question: What do you wonder about homing pigeons or the ancient Olympics?