Author visits: LEARNING, LAUGHTER & LOTS OF FUN...
I'VE GOT SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE. I've written books for kids of all ages. Characters in my books include girls, boys, cows, dogs, hedgehogs, mice, rhinos, crocodiles, anacondas, geckos and gorillas.
I'VE WORKED WITH GROUPS AS SMALL AS FOUR AND AS LARGE AS SEVERAL HUNDRED. However, I've found that the ideal group size is not more than fifty older kids or thirty younger ones. For younger kids, I generally recommend splitting the standard one-hour visit into two back-to-back half-hour visits with two different groups because an hour can be an awfully long time to sit when you're six!
I CAN KEEP IT SIMPLE OR GO DEEP. During most visits I'll do a reading from one or more of my books, talk a bit about being a writer and then open it up for questions. If I'm working with older kids I can also address specific topics in writing (eg. "How to Write Authentic-Sounding Dialogue" or "The Art of Writing Humour").
In keeping with Canada Council for the Arts guidelines, the hourly rate for an author visit is $250 (GST applicable). Expenses are extra for visits outside of my hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba.