WHEN FICTION BECOMES FACT.--Here's a NYT article about a brilliant idea: build a fish tank as a model of the Earth, then heat it up to simulate climate change and its impacts on the critters in the tank. The work is being done by Professor Ivan Nagelkerken of the University of Adelaide.

Pretty sharp idea by my estimate. But then I'm biased. The good professor's work follows the plot of my book FISH TANK: A FABLE FOR OUR TIMES. If anyone out there knows Professor Nagelkerken, please let him know that a copy of the original FISH TANK is in the mail on the way to Oz as I write!

(PS, light-heartedness aside, this is *really* important work for our planet--science's way of painting the same picture I am doing through my book)

American politics is a crazy place right now. TRUMPELSTILTSKIN puts that craziness into perspective in a simple fairy tale. As one early reader said: "To my mind, this has more rhetorical power than the the editorials of a gaggle of pundits."

The story is freely available:
• READ ONLINE:  TrumpelStiltskin: A Fairy Tale  |  sample the readers' play.
• PURCHASE: ebook for Kindle (includes short story & reader's play)--coming soon!
• FREE PDF DOWNLOADS:  short story  |   readers' play.

TRUMPELSTILTSKIN is a big deal to me because I think story can reveal truth in a way that a thousand news reports or we-know-all-the-answer-let-us-tell-you polls cannot. And especially story in the form of allegory or, as in this case, fairy tale. The reason these genres are so powerful is that they allow the reader to decide how they interpret the story and what they take from it. Both allegory and fairy tales provide, as Merriam-Webster says, "...the expression by means of symbolic fictional figures and actions of truths or generalizations about human existence."

I don't need to tell you the follies of human existence are on full display here at the end of 2016!

My only request as you read TRUMPELSTILTSKIN dear reader, is that you have a willingness to think critically, to engage in meaningful discussion, and to question your own beliefs and try to understand those of others. If you are willing to take on these tasks, then it is just possible that TRUMPELSTILTSKIN: A FAIRY TALE may not only be a fun read, but have some value, as well.

I wrote the readers' play for your group--theater, school, church, dinner party, family, whatever!--to put it on. A readers' play means just that, you print out the document, staple or bind it, maybe practice reading it together with the acting troupe (or not, just depends on how big a deal you are making it!), and then GO! You can sit around and read, or the actors can ... well ... act, wandering the stage as they read their parts. That's up to you!

TRUMPELSTILTSKIN is tentatively scheduled to run as a readers' play in Bozeman Montana on October 26th, 2016! More info as I have it. And I would LOVE it if other groups around the country took on the TRUMPELSTILTSKIN readers' play! Just download the full readers' play here and GO! (Oh, did I already say that?!) And if you are doing it, please give me a shout via my Contact page or maybe take some photos or video and email to me or put it on my Facebook page. Thanks!

Along with being a guest at their world premier of the FISH TANK Readers' Play, the good folks at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Green Valley AZ also invited me to talk to them at their Sunday morning service. So let the record show that the first time I ever attended a UU service, I provided the sermon!

The UUs asked if I might, in my comments, provide some thoughts on Our Childrens' Trust, a wonderful group Kate and I are proud to support. And so you will see that the talk works its way toward a short description of OCT and their critically important use of the Public Trust Doctrine in the court system as a way to protect kids and their future from climate change. Please check OCT out--a wonderful group!

For better of for worse, a recording of my "sermon" follows, recorded with my phone, yet having remarkable clarity given the low tech operation.

The world premier (!) of the FISH TANK Readers' Play, as created by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Green Valley AZ, took place before an enthusiastic crown on Saturday just past! Diane Farone of the UUs beautifully adapted FISH TANK to the readers' theater by consolidating the story from perhaps a dozen characters to a half dozen, and creating a narrator for the play whose role is to fill in the story line gaps. Diane's diligent editing efforts took a straight perhaps 4-hour-out-loud read of FISH TANK down to a ~80-min readers' play!

Beautiful music apropos to the play started and ended the play, and lighting rose to open the show, and dimmed dramatically to end it. The UU Fabric Arts Team conceived and created beautiful representations of the story's fish and crabs. Then the stage crew built an aquarium from PVC pipe and an aquarium-style shower curtain. Three puppeteers variously lifted the Fabric Arts Team's character representations each time that character spoke. All so very cool!

Meanwhile, off to the side of the stage were the actors, each with a microphone and script, the scripts color coded with their parts. The actors read with a gusto and verve worthy of comparison of great Shakespearean actors! And indeed they came about their talent honestly, having met multiple times a week for several months to practice. To practice that is, under the careful tutelage of ace director/producer Karen Kluge. Some called her a production tyrant, others called her a pussy cat. Privately she told me directing is a tough gig, that you have to learn to play good cop, bad cop with your actors. I got enough hugs and love and joy from Karen, plus glowing comments from her team, to know without doubt she *is* a pussy cat, and a happy, talented one at that! The cast recognized her efforts by showering her with flowers at play's end!

A truly wonderful, humbling experience. And of note--the play is available to others who might have interest!

Following is the audio of the play for those interested. Not recorded professionally, by any stretch of the imagination, but rather record from Scott's phone, yet the clarity for the most part is remarkable.

An update on the FISH TANK readers' play being created by the good folks at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Green Valley, Arizona. Progress continues! A couple days back I had a super fun video conference with members of the UU Worship Team, both about progress of the play, as well as my sermon/presentation to be given at their Sunday service (gulp). And regarding the FISH TANK readers' play: the cast has been set! I now have a number of photos, presented to me without actor names for the moment but as, for example, "left to right--Sarin, Sanger, and Big Moe ." Andd check this out, the congregation's Fabric Arts Team conceived, designed, created, and then sewed a collage of FISH TANK characters!

These folks are amazing and it is all quite humbling. Most important, of course, is that the UU Congregation is helping FISH TANK achieve it's goal of getting people to think critically about the danger of climate change, and the way we as a society make decisions. ... Oh, and as to my sermon/presentation (UU friends, what do the UU's call it anyway?)...The service takes place within a beautiful framework they operate under: come, comment, covenant, close. I am still considering what I'll say during those sections and still, dear friends, inviting your pearls of wisdom!

FISH TANK: A FABLE FOR OUR TIMES, The Readers' Play, coming soon! Yes it's true--how awesome is this? The good folks at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Green Valley, Arizona called perhaps 6 month back to ask if they could turn FISH TANK into a readers' play for members of their congregation to perform. "Of course, what an honor!" I said. I gave few conditions, only two of which bear mention: that they remain true to the book, and that they make the script they've come up with freely available to anyone else--school, church, club--who might be interested.

Fast forward a few months and the good folks at the UU had succeeded in morphing the book into a readers' play. Then fast forward all the way to last week when they held tryouts. This week--OK I think a drum roll is in order!--the parts will be announced. So yes it is truly exciting and an honor and I am so excited to see what they have created. And yes, they invited me to Arizona for the Apr 23rd (the astute observer will note that's the day after Earth Day!) to be at the grand unveiling of the FISH TANK Readers' Play! I have been given a bit of insight into the production, such as that they are considering having a waving blue shower curtain behind the readers to invoke the waters of the fish tank!

Oh, and please some help dear friends. The following day, Sunday, I've been asked to give a talk, perhaps a bit of Earth Day inspiration, during church service. Brilliant, inspirational ideas are welcome, just message me!

I am so happy to report that Minda Berbeco, Programs and Policy Director at the National Center for Science Education (NCSE), just published a kind blog about FISH TANK. Minda's blog opening includes: "I’m often approached by teachers looking for new ways to connect their students to climate change....As I was looking for ideas to help them out, I was thrilled to discover Scott Bischke’s book, FISH TANK: A FABLE FOR OUR TIMES. "

As I said, kind. It is an honor to have NCSE have a look at, and then positively review, FISH TANK. NCSE has a specific goal. In their own words, "NCSE was founded to provide a central information and resource clearinghouse, helping to coordinate the efforts of people working at state and local levels to preserve the integrity of science education." Tough to have a more worthy (or in this day and age, more important) goal than that. Among the items that NCSE focuses on are climate change and public policy, likewise two key elements in the story of FISH TANK. My appreciation to them for the work they do and my encouragement to people reading this item to check out Minda's blogposts (about FISH TANK, yes, and also many others!), and the important work being done at NCSE.

FISH TANK will be recommended reading in Our Children’s Trust’s upcoming youth climate leadership training, now with dates reset. The free August 25th camp is designed to give kids the skills they need to advance climate recovery planning in their own communities. Kids will be empowered to make a real difference by exchanging ideas and collaborating with students from around the Pacific Northwest; leaning about climate change and the ways young people around the country have madea difference; learning to motivate their towns to achieve meaningful action on climate change; and more. Our Children’s Trust successfully piloted YouCAN in Eugene, Oregon, where the city council acted on youth’s actions and requests and adopted the first legally-binding, science-based Climate Recovery Ordinance in the nation!

It gives us a great sense of pride to be included in this extremly important work. To learn more, click here or on the image above for the Training Camp flyer!

FISH TANK will be recommended reading in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Stewards Education Project teacher trainings, to be held in Silver Spring, Maryland. NOAA CSEP is collaborating with Federal, State and NGO partners to convene the training for formal and informal educators. Participants will hear from and interact with climate science, education and communication experts, and visit research facilities to explore foundational technologies and innovations in Earth-system research. This workshop has a central goal of connecting educators and their students/audiences to the best-available, science-based information and resources about climate change.

It gives us a great sense of pride to be included in this extremly important work. Click here or on the image above for more information!

So this is great news: FISH TANK being used by in a Climate Change Workshop, slated at teachers to be taught by super educator (and friend!) Susan Kelly! Here are some comments fom Susan, as posted on her Facebook pages: "A shout out to Scott Bischke and his excellent book FISH TANK, that I'm using next week in a Climate Change Workshop for teachers. Thanks Scott!"

And then my words back to her: "Thank you, Susan! What great news made more so because as you will know this is the first I've heard! I appreciate that you are including FISH TANK, but even more appreciate your unwavering commitment to teaching science to folks of all ages, and in particular your focus on helping people understand the serious challenge climate change poses to society...indeed to the planet."

FISH TANK will be recommended reading in the first-of-it's kind free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) aimed at understanding climate change. The title of the MOOC is “Making Sense of Climate Science Denial.” It is being put on by the University of Queensland Australia along with the hugely popular SKEPTICAL SCIENCE website. Some 10,000 students are enrolled! What a great sense of pride it gives us to be included in this extremly important work. To learn more, visit The Guardian news paper article on the MOOC, the Skeptical Science website, or the the class description for the Making Sense of Climate Science Denial MOOC. Check out the course and get involved!

FISH TANK will be included as part of Concordia University's (Portland OR) upcoming youth leadership training in climate recovery, in part sponsored by Our Childrens' Trust (OCT). OCT seeks to secure the legal right to a healthy atmosphere and stable climate for all present and future generations using the public trust doctrine as a basis to bring lawsuits on behalf of youth plaintiffs. This is a tremendous group worthy of your support! For more on OCT, see the Our Childrens' Trust website or their active Our Childrens' Trust Facebook page.

"...Fish Tank is a very easy read that I sped through in one sitting. It's an interesting tale that explores different personalities and different attitudes towards dealing with problems facing society, in this case a shortage of food, but the same model can be applied to other situations facing society today, such as global warming. Although it may seem a little silly to use fish as the characters for such a story, that is what is so effective about this fable. You think that you are reading a simple short story, with interesting characters, but in fact this is subtle commentary on society. The nature of the characters as fish means that this novel is easy to understand as well as entertaining and can be read by readers of all ages. This is the sort of book that should be studied in schools and discussed and debated openly because this isn't a story about fish, it is a story about us and the society that we are living in today." (...see more)

Pecha Kucha is a place for members of a community to share their passion with their neighbors. It is a worldwide movement underway in over 700 cities. For example, on the same February 2014 nights Scott and 10 other speakers gave their presentations in Bozeman--2 nights, 500 attendees each night!--Pecha Kuchas were underway in Amsterdam, Abbortsford BC, and New Orleans. Each speaker is allotted 20 slides of 20 seconds, or 6:40 total to tell their story. The slides move forward automatically. Isn't this the way all talks should be: short, sweet, and to the point?!

FISH TANK was reviewed as an inset to an article exploring climate change in Yellowstone National Park. The larger piece was largely a conversation with Scott Christiansen, past Climate Change Program Director and current Conservation Director, of the Greater Yellowstone Coalition. (...see more)

We are so proud learn of the honor of being recognized as a finalist for the Next Generation Indie Book Awards. The Next Generation Indie Book Awards is the largest Not-for-Profit book awards program for indie authors and independent publishers. It was established to recognize and honor the most exceptional independently published books for the year. This is exceptional company to be in!