SCHOOL AND LIBRARY VISITS FOR CHILDREN

Photo by Janice Williams

I’m looking forward to resuming school visits for the 2021-2022 school year! Presenting programs and engaging students in dialogue about the creative process is one of my favorite parts of being an author.

I offer two options:

Live Visits: My school visit fee is $1200 a day, which includes up to four presentations. My public library visits are $300 an hour. Add travel expenses if school or library is more than 50 miles from my home.

Virtual Visits: This is a great option for schools further from my home (I live in Burlington, Connecticut) or with a limited budget. My fee is $300 an hour, and as many classrooms of similar age levels can Zoom in per school as needed.

SCHOOL PRESENTATIONS:

INSIDE AN AUTHOR’S BACKPACK
(K to Grade 2, 30 minutes long)
We will discuss the “invisible backpack” an author wears their whole life. This backpack is a place to collect ideas–the experiences, characters, and observations that we can transform into stories!

RESEARCH, REWRITING, AND REWARDS
(Grades 2 to 5, 50 minutes long)
This program will engage students in the process from idea to bound book, focusing on biographies, specifically the Who Was Biography series. We will discuss the role of the author, including getting ideas, research techniques, development of plot, and the important task of rewriting. Then we will cover the roles of other hands in the process, such as the illustrator, editor, designer, and printer.

THE WRITE WORDS: BUILDING AN ICE CREAM SHOP
(Grades 3 to 5, 50 minutes long)
We will compare the process of writing nonfiction to the building of an ice cream shop, by discussing prewriting (making a blueprint), drafting (constructing the walls), and revision (adding the flavor!). This workshop includes lots of games and activities and is best with a classroom-sized group, but can also be adapted to a virtual visit. It can also be presented over two sessions for more depth..

PRESENTATIONS FOR ADULT WRITERS, TEACHERS, OR LIBRARIANS

I am also available to speak at conferences geared to fellow authors refining their craft or to teachers and librarians who use my books in their classrooms or libraries. Feel free to contact me.