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Author offers kids a personalized adventure omputer programmer by day, children‘s author by night. This is the life David Mackenzie leads, as he works to promote his first children‘s book "Schuster and Me". ‘Schuster and Me‘ "I think that story and that book is more of a pasâ€" sion than my job," Mackenâ€" zie said. "I do my job because it earns me money, but 1 wrote that book because it was fun." In his day job, Mackenzie works for a computer softâ€" ware company in Guelph, managing special projects. "At first thought, I didn‘t think it was related, but now that [ think about it, it sort of is related," he said. "There‘s always more than one way to do something." The book is not like an ordinary children‘s story, Mackenzie said. Instead. children fill in the blank spots in the story, guiding the adventure as they choose. The illustrations also allow for children to fill in blanks in the artwork, to add themselves to the tale. "I remember when 1 was a kid. we had books. and we‘d read them, but there "There‘s always more than one way to do something." â€"David Mackenzie local author Bxy Tim Musriy For The Chronicle se t sn e, o tel | wasn‘t â€" that â€" personal involvement," he said. Local children‘s author David Mackenzie found passion in writing his first book, Schuster and Me. Mackenzie said the book is not only meant to be entertaining for children, but also educational. He said the book helps make reading fun for kids, and the personalization involved helps kids develop cognitive and expressive skills. "Originally _ it _ just cccurred to me it hadn‘t been done before, and it was really different," he said of his book‘s unique style. "I 2 FAST TRACK CA I€ EEr€R GRADUATE FROM CDI COLLEGE IN LESS THAN ONE YEAR IN BUSINESS wuy sremnp 2 TO 4 YEARS aAT ANOTHER couLEGE or UunivERrsiry? 1â€"800â€"862â€"61 83 WWW.CDI.CA <â€" s CDI COL L EGE thought it would be a really good creative outlet." Schuster and Me starts out with the reader taking a walk with the character Schuster. Where the story goes from there is up to the child and his or her imagiâ€" nation. "I think that Schuster and the reader will go on a bunch of litte adventures together," he said. "Since it‘s inception. it was always intended to be the first in a series." nusimess â€" rECHNGiGGY â€" PE ACTH C ARE Mackenzie said the first EvENING CLASSES AvaAiLABLE Many other Technology programs. Calt now for a complete course ifsi! <G EV 11 " D O N E‘~ mAaKE THE SmART mMovE h 4. ALL o RiG h r hm o ww 1 book was to be an introducâ€" tion to the character of Schuster, and to receive feedback to help guide the next books. "So far it‘s been nothing but positive feedback," he The book was illustrated by Constance Meloche, a London â€" woman â€" who, Mackenzie said, did a great job iHlustrating the book, and caught on instantly to his idea. Continued on page 11 TA MURPHY PAOTO The City of Waterloo youth recreation council preâ€" sents the Snow Ball youth dance, this Friday at the Albert McCormick Community Centre. s The pop music dance party is for teens in Grades 6.7 and 8, and will run from 7â€"10:30 p.m. _ Admission is $5 at the door, with all proceeds going to benefit the Tsunami Relief Project. Huntley@@O‘Hagan ®@ FundEX Waiting for spring? Come to the Kitchener Master Gardeners seminars. Topics will include: Perrenials; Winter Garden; Problem Areas; Pruning; and Troublesome Plants. _ The cost to attend is $7 per seminar or $30 for all five in the series. Register by calling 746â€"8456. _ The seminars will take place every Wednesday starting Jan. 19, from 7â€"9 p.m., at Kitchener City Hall. _ Seminars will be repéaled every Thursday at the same time and location starting Jan. 20. O Beginning this month, Student Connections will be delivering computer and Internet training in Waterloo at the Wilfrid Laurier University campus. . S Student Connections is an Industry Canada initiaâ€" tive dedicated to promoting the use of information technology. A team of experienced senior university students instruct computer and Internet training courses on a variety of topics. + Earn An Additional 30% Tax Credit + Flexible RRSP Loans at 4.25% * Fully Independent Financial Advice _ Classes include combuter basics, Internet skills, office software, Web design and much more. . Each evening course offers comprehensive coverâ€" age of one topic with no obligation to take any other courses. The format provides convenient and flexible training options that fully suit individual needs. Participants also have the option of returning to take more advanced courses or they can complete a series of courses to earn a certificate. For more information about Student Connections and to view a full schedule, visit www.wluconnecâ€" tions.ca. Computer and Internet training classes offered at‘ Wilfrid Laurier University _ These classes run on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 6:30â€"9:30 p.m. at a cost of $35. Snow Ball youth dance rolls Friday night Winter seminars for summer green thumbs * ~PIONEER UPHOLSTERY (desdean [ DDerisiet