title: The Writing Thief: Using Mentor Texts to Teach the Craft of Writing
author:  Ruth Culham 
description: <strong>Ruth Culham</strong>, Ed.D., is the president of the Culham Writing Company and former Unit Manager of the Assessment Program at Education Northwest in Portland, Oregon, USA. Ruth was English Teacher of the Year in Montana, the highlight of her 19-year teaching career. She holds specialty degrees in Library Science and Elementary, Middle, and Secondary English Education.<br><br>As a pioneering researcher in writing assessment and instruction, Ruth creates and conducts teacher workshops to provide professional development at local, district, and state levels. At state and national conferences she's a featured speaker on using traits of writing, designing effective writing instruction, and reading to teach writing, and other related topics.<br><br>Ruth is the recognized expert in the traits of writing field and author of over 40 teaching resources published by Scholastic, including <em>6+1 Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide, Grades 3 and Up; 6+1 Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide for the Primary Grades;</em> and <em>Traits of Writing: The Complete Guide for Middle School</em>, winner of the 2011 Teacher's Choice award. (Not surprising, however, since middle school is her true love.) As the author of <em>Traits Writing: The Complete Writing Program for Grades K-8</em> (2012), she has launched a writing revolution. <em>Traits Writing</em> is the culmination of 40 years of educational experience, research, practice, and passion.
zlib_text: 
  
  
  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
  
  
  While writing this book, I have been backed by an amazing group of people: my
  agent, the marvelous Jill Marsal; all the folks at Kensington who help turn my
  stories into books and get them to my readers, including Kimberly Richardson,
  Rebecca Cremonese and her team, and especially Esi Sogah, whom I am blessed to
  have as my editor; my university colleagues, who have shown enthusiastic
  personal and professional support for this new venture; Randi Polk, who
  supplied the lovely French turns of phrase in this book (any errors are my
  own); Amy, who never lets me panic; and finally, my family, especially my
  husband, who is my inspiration for everything.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  By Susanna Craig
  
  
    
  
  
  To Tempt an Heiress  
  To Kiss a Thief
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Illustration](e9781601836199_i0003.jpg)
  
  
  ABOUT THE AUTHOR
  
  
  A love affair with historical romances led SUSANNA CRAIG to a degree (okay,
  three degrees) in literature and a career as an English professor. When she’s
  not teaching or writing ac