Creepy? Loathsome? Pestiferous? Just plain scary? How do authors come up with their Voldemorts and Wicked Witches of the West, anyway? Join San Francisco author M.E. Breen as she reads from her new novel, Darkwood, talks about some of the different strategies writers use to make their villains come to life on the page, and leads children in creating a villain of their own. This activity is best for kids ages 10 and up, but all are welcome.  M.E. Breen grew up in Berkeley surrounded by books, animals, and blackberry bushes. Her first novel,Darkwood, received a star review from Kirkus and was a Junior Library Guild selection. She has taught creative writing at Stanford and Yale University, where she received a BA and MA in English literature, as well as at San Francisco non-profits Walden House and Mission Language and Vocational School. She lives by the ocean with a dog named Truckstop and two cats: one small with brown stripes, the other the approximate size, shape, and alacrity of a pumpkin.To read reviews or find out more about M.E., visit her website http://www.mebreen.com/reviews/