I am available to do readings in classrooms and libraries. If you are in Saskatchewan, you can book a reading through the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild’s (SWG) Author Readings Program. Otherwise, you can contact me.
Something Big
Avery knows what he’s getting for Christmas. His mother has a lot of questions (and a lot of doubts). But Avery has all the answers and no doubt – he’s getting a dragon.
Ages: Grades K-4
Time: 45 minutes – 1 hour
I read this story from a giant copy of the book and talk about how the book came into being – including the origin of the story and the creation of the illustrations. I have the children make a book out of a single sheet of paper preprinted with the story’s dragon. I talk about colour choices for the dragon and the children can then colour the dragons in their book.
If there is time, I do an interactive drawing of a dragon with the children on my iPad. I send a tidied up version of their dragon to the library or school for print out as a colouring sheet. [If children’s parents wish to leave an email I can send the colouring page direct].
With older children I talk about what illustrations they would make from certain lines of text. I have them make a book out of a single sheet of paper and draw their own dragon as I do a group dragon with the younger children.
I donate a copy of Something Big to the library/school library. Copies will be available for purchase.
Margaret and the Pirates of the Seven Seas
Now is not the time to panic, now is the time for action! So believes Margaret, aged seven, kidnapped by cursed pirates. With a little help from a couple of small ghosts and old pirate, Margaret strikes out to save the crew of the Ella Drac from the curse that holds the Captain’s daughter and other girls captive. Can she free them before she herself falls under the curse?
Ages: Grades K-4
Time: 45 minutes – 1 hour
This book is in process. I have finished the manuscript and must now create the illustrations. I talk about how to choose which part of the text to illustrate and how illustrations can add to the story. I follow by reading from the book and discuss what images the children would use to illustrate the passage. I then have the children make their own mini books from a single sheet of paper [containing passages from the story] and have them illustrate their books.
Group size:
It is easiest to interact with the children when the group size is small, say the number that fit in one classroom.
Fees:
If you book a reading through the SWG they will pay my fee and mileage costs.
If you contact me directly, I charge the SWG author rate for readings. Rates for additional readings at the same location can be negotiated.
If you book a reading outside of the SWG, I will send you a contract before the reading so we both know what has been agreed to.
Other details:
- Travel: If you book through the SWG, they pay my mileage. If not, I charge the same rate: 44¢/km.
- Meals: I pay for one meal, but require other meals to be provided if I must stay overnight.
- Accommodation: If I have to stay overnight to do the presentation, you are responsible for providing accommodation.
- Facility Rental and Publicity: your responsibility.
- Please let me know if there are any “special” things I should know, such as children with English as a second language. I will adjust the reading accordingly.