Events
I am excited to be attending these events in the coming months!
I always enjoy speaking to school or library groups and to other writers, librarians, and reading educators at conferences. Previous speaking engagements are listed in the right hand column. Scroll down to the bottom of the page for a sample of my school and library programs. If you'd like to book an author visit, please contact me through the form on this website. I promise to reply promptly!
School and Library Visits
Talking to teens and preteens about writing is as much fun as writing FOR teens and preteens. My interactive, 45 to 60 minute programs are designed to enhance your curriculum and inspire students (4th grade and up) to both write and read more! Please contact me about your group or class and we can design something to meet your needs OR you can pick from one of my options below.
ASSEMBLY PRESENTATIONS FOR MULTIPLE CLASSES/GRADES:
Inspiration to Publication - Where do I get my ideas and how do they become a book?
What Does an Author Do? - What does a writers' life look like? Where and how do I do my work?
Magic & Myth, Monsters & Mayhem - The power of mythology, its deep well of inspiration for my fiction, and how popular series have made mythology cool again.
From Stone Circles to Fantasy Fiction: How Archaeology & History Inspire Modern Storytelling - Explore ancient monuments and ruins as I explain how the remnants of early civilizations helped me create an intriguing fictional world.
INTERACTIVE CLASSROOM/SMALL GROUP SESSIONS:
Who Me? I Can’t Write a Story. - In this yes-you-can session we’ll discuss finding that initial story idea, the elements that are part of every story, and how to keep going when you feel stuck.
Where Did You Get That Idea? - We’ll discuss finding the inspiration for stories and put those ideas into practice using writing prompts from different genres.
Critique Me - Show off your writing talent by presenting a few pages for me to critique prior to my visit. I will return those pages during the in-class session where we’ll discuss the critiquing process as well as how to be helpful partners to other writers.
And Then What Happened? - In this fun and fast-paced session we create a story by asking this question over and over again, building a maze of a plot until we have to unravel it all to come up with a satisfying ending.
Favorite Characters - What makes them so darn likable, and why do we care what happens to them?
Teen/Tween Writing Workshop (Perfect for libraries or afterschool programs.) - This workshop provides up to four 1.5 to 2 hour sessions over the course of a few weeks that teach the elements of writing a novel.
Send an email to check for availability and fees for your program needs. Access school/library visit flyer here.
