On Thursday, November 6th, a masterclass was in session in the Camden Middle School Auditorium. A school-wide audience of staff and students was captivated and inspired as one of the country’s foremost authors for children and young adults took the stage.
Over the next hour, New York Times bestselling author Kate Messner delivered a riveting and interactive talk about authorship, including a behind-the-scenes look at some of her most memorable works such as “Breakout” and “The Trouble With Heroes”. These two works not only resonate with young adult audiences - but they also happen to be uniquely written from a New Yorker’s point of view. Messner grew up in Medina, NY, attended college and worked in Syracuse, and now makes her home in Plattsburgh. Some may remember her as a reporter for Syracuse NBC Affiliate WSTM back in the 1990s, and she also spent many years teaching middle school students.
Messner broke down her writing process from start to finish, illustrating the immense amount of work that goes into creating a novel. She emphasized the importance of curiosity - and keeping a good notebook - as the foundations of great storytelling. An example she gave was a very prominent event that took place near her current home - the Clinton Correctional Facility escape of 2015.
As the events unfolded, Messner’s curiosity and journalism background led her to become a fixture inside a nearby coffee shop - where folks working on and covering the high-profile case became as prevalent as the regulars. She took detailed notes on the conversations and stories she overheard in that location. Those notes formed the basis of “Breakout” - a story about a large-scale manhunt’s grip on a community, as told through the lens of a child documenting the events.
Messner also discussed the exhaustive editing and revision process, and how she works closely with illustrators to achieve a finished product. In the case of her 2025 smash hit “The Trouble with Heroes”, it took about eight years to complete the book - and a deeply personal journey that can resonate with just about anyone who loves the Adirondacks - young and old alike.
Beyond her writing exploits, Messner also enjoys hiking and has achieved Adirondack 46er status by summiting all 46 high peaks in the Adirondack Park. In “The Trouble With Heroes”, she writes about a troubled boy that gets caught vandalizing the headstone of a prominent mountain climber. In lieu of payment, he is tasked by the climber’s daughter to complete the tall task of becoming a 46er in one summer, with the deceased’s pet dog coming along for the journey.
That story caught the eye of one of Camden Middle School’s resident 46ers - reading teacher Dr. Tara Baker.
“Being a fellow ADK 46er with Kate and the main character in the book, I LOVED the story and had so many questions,” Baker said. “ She was so kind, taking the time to email with me.”
Baker met Messner that summer at the Adirondack Family Book Festival, and that meeting put a speaking engagement at Camden on the radar.
After her talk, Messner signed copies of her books for students and staff in the library - including a few big fans among both groups. One student brought chocolate for one of her favorite authors, and another brought a handmade birdhouse.
For Messner, stepping away from the writing desk to speak with her audience directly is a satisfying part of doing school visits.
“Honestly, as an author, most of my time is spent in a tiny little office with people who just live inside my head,” Messner said. “So to get to meet the real live readers who I'm writing for is always such a treat. And you just saw the kids give back so much more than I give them. They were absolutely amazing.”
It’s safe to say the audience left just as impressed.
