Lesley Livingston

Authors’ Booking Service is pleased to announce that Young Adult author Lesley Livingston, is now scheduling visits to Ontario schools for the coming school year.   

Lesley would love to plan a visit to your school or library.  Her rate is $250 per session (plus travel if outside of Toronto).

Lesley is a member of The Writers' Union of Canada, and so schools wishing to invite her may be eligible for a travel and fee subsidy to off-set the cost of her visit. Contact us for details of this program. Time slots are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis, so please respond early if you are interested in booking Lesley.

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Published Works:

Novels: 

WONDROUS STRANGE (HarperTeen, 2008)

“Wondrous Strange, the debut novel (and first book in a planned trilogy) from Toronto writer Lesley Livingston, manages to stand as a powerful and largely original work in its own right. Rooted not only in faerie traditions but also in previous treatments of those traditions, Wondrous Strange will serve as a perfect introduction to the unseen world for younger readers.” Quill & Quire (Starred Review) 

“There have been plenty of urban fairy fantasies recently (by Holly Black, Melissa Marr, Cassandra Clare), but what sets Lesley Livingston’s Wondrous Strange apart is her liberal use of Shakespearean allusions… in this clever, action-packed debut.” Horn Book Review

(There is also an audio-book version of WONDROUS STRANGE available for download, narrated by the author.)

DARKLIGHT (not yet released – HarperTeen, December 22, 2009)

Short Stories:

“Following Darkness Like a Dream…” published in ON SPEC Magazine (Winter, 2005)  

"Trippingly Off the Tongue" published in MISSPELLED (DAW, 2008)  

"A Day at the Lake" published in HALF-MINUTE HORRORS (HarperCollins, 2009)

Awards and Nominations

White Pine Fiction Nominee, 2010, for WONDROUS STRANGE 

Lesley’s Presentation Details:

I am a classically-trained Shakespearean actress with over 2 decades of stage experience, much of which had involved performing for high school audiences, always with in-depth Q&A sessions. My presentations, as a result, are always as dynamic and interactive as I can make them.

• I will always do a reading, comprised of 1-3 excerpts of Wondrous Strange, the first book in my debut trilogy, and sometimes including a teaser excerpt from the sequel, Darklight. The reading can last anywhere from 10-20 mins, depending on the amount of time available.
• Before the reading, I will talk about my path to publication, my experiences in the worlds of literature and performance, and the impetus to become a writer.
• After, I am more than happy to do an in-depth question and answer period with students on a wide-ranging assortment of topics including, but by no means limited to: the work itself, my personal experiences in the writing and theatrical professions, the mechanics of novel writing, mythology and folklore, Shakespeare, pop-cultural influences, the business of writing, making a living as a writer or an actor (or not), and the importance of story-telling in our culture.
• I believe that humour is a powerful tool, especially when used in communicating with young people, and I try to keep my talks entertaining as well as informative.

Grades I will present to: 8 and up

Is this flexible? Yes! I have successfully presented to younger students and certainly have no problem speaking with upper-grade high school students and beyond. I like adults, too!  

Maximum number of students per session: I can work in very small groups right up to large auditorium gatherings, provided I have a microphone in larger venues.  

Story-crafting workshops available for grades 9-12.  

Maximum participants for workshop: A maximum of 15 for optimum results.   

Venues you’re comfortable in:  (classroom, library, auditorium, gymnasium) I am comfortable in all settings - from sitting on the floor in a corner of the library to taking over the school gym (provided I have a microphone for larger venues and maybe some water and a stool to perch on.)

Equipment and other requirements:  None.