Killian Elementary second and third graders line up to see what is inside the glass charm on author Lynn Floyd Wright's necklace. Encased in the charm are teeth from her pet schnauzer, taken during a visit to the veterinarian years ago. Today, Wright wears the charm in memory of her pet, the inspiration for her series of books about Flick the dog. Local author Lynn Floyd Wright is a pro at finding "just the right words." Students at Killian Elementary were mesmerized as she moved across the media room reeling in their attention with vibrant expressions and vivid tales about Flick the dog, the main character in her wildly popular series of chapter books for children.

A Columbia resident since the age of four, Wright is known by many locals for her animated storytelling and her talents as a writer. She has written eight well-known children's books, including Flick the Hero and Momma Tell Me a Story . During her recent visit to Killian Elementary, Wright told stories about Flick the dog and even explained the process of publishing her books.

"If you can put together pieces of a puzzle, you can write a story," she said.

The second and third graders learned from Wright that it's OK to take several attempts at finding "just the right words," as Wright explained it. She showed her second and third grade audience the stacks of hand written text that led up to the final version of her books. With the help of Killian Elementary teacher Kathryn Rivers, Wright held up the slick, final layout of a book before a book goes to press.

"When did you write your first book?" the students wanted to know. "When I was your age, I was very, very, very shy," Wright admitted. "My teachers encouraged me to write. And when I was 12 years old I wrote my first book called The Wedding ." The book was written for a family member who was getting married, and she proudly gave copies to the wedding party.

Since graduating cum laude from Columbia College in 1979, Wright has published eight books for children: The Prison Bird , Just One Blade , Flick , Flick the Hero , Flick on Trial , Momma Tell Me a Story , Daddy Tell me a Story , Grandma Tell me a Story . Students are intrigued with the SC settings used in some of her books.

Following her presentation, many of the children lined up to get a closer look at necklaces Wright was wearing. She wears several charms representing the books she has written. The children were most interested in a glass charm that encased the teeth of her pet schnauzer. The teeth were taken from her pet during a visit to the veterinarian years ago, and today she wears them on a necklace in memory of the pet who was the inspiration for her books about Flick the dog.

Killian Elementary School is located in Northeast Columbia on Clemson Road. Local author Lynn Floyd Wright resides in Columbia with her hus-band, Dave, and their four-year-old twins.