Authors’ Booking Service is pleased to announce that children’s author, Meg Tilly is now scheduling visits to Ontario schools for the coming school year.

Meg would love to plan a visit to your school or library. Her rate is $ 300 for one session/ $550 for two/ $800 for three/ $1000 for four. Plus a $50 per session travel expense fee.

Meg’s bibliography and details of her presentation follow this message. She writes:

“I was born in Long Beach California. Our family immigrated to Canada forty years ago, when I was ten. I have always felt Canadian and around eight years ago, let go of my US citizenship for good. I used to be an actress. I acted in both TV and film. I won a Golden Globe and was nominated for an Oscar for my performance in Agnes of God. Some other films people know me for are The Big Chill, Valmont, Leaving Normal, Tex, and so on. I started writing when I was thirty and have been writing ever since.

I come from a large family. I had a few interesting pets as a child. A pet deer that we raised from a baby. A pet skunk for a few days until my mother found it in my room. I actually have pet a wild porcupine, like Jack and Simon do at the end of Porcupine. I had two pet baby barn owls for a few months until the cat snuck into my room and ate one. The other one died a couple days later. I now have two rather ordinary dogs, Scooter and Molly.” 

A few comments from educators:

Thank you for such an inspiring and powerful author visits." Youth Services Specialist, North York Central Library, Toronto.

"I am the writing teacher here; I attended your first reading this morning. You're all the buzz around the school right now. I wanted to tell you how much your reading meant to me…"

"The staff that heard Meg read from her novels were absolutely blown away and we still talk about how wonderful she was that evening." Librarian

"Thank-you so much for last night - you give so much of yourself and change people's lives. I can't say how 'lucky' I feel to share time with you." Dr. Christianne Hayward/children’s lit specialist/Founder of Christiane's Lyceum of Literature and Art.

"Thank you so much for your visit! We all absolutely loved it! My students shared their drafts today and we were crying...their writing was so wonderful and they were inspired by you to have the courage to share their work. You have greatly inspired my students and I." High school teacher.
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Published Works:

First Time (Orca Books, 2008)

Porcupine (Tundra, 2007)

Singing Songs (Syren, 2006. Dutton, 1994) only appropriate for grade 11/12

Gemma (St. Martin Press 2010, Syren 2006) Not appropriate for schools. Scary, graphic, violent and explicit. 

Awards and Nominations

Singing Songs:

Barnes and Noble Discover Great New Writers Pick 1994

Porcupine:

Shortlisted for the 2008 Sheila Egoff Children's Literature Prize

Shortlisted for the 2008 CLA Children's Book of the Year

Shortlisted for the 2008 Foreward Magazine Book of the Year

OLA Top Ten Best Bets 2008

Tristate Young Adult Book Review Committee Book of Note

First Time

2010 CCBC Best Books

2009 Golden Eagle Award Nominee

2009 YALSA Quick Picks 

Meg’s Presentation Details

I introduce the book, read for around 15 minutes. It sounds like a long time to read, but most of the time there is a bit of an excited ruckus when I finish, because the kids all want me to read more. Then I have Q&A. I love this portion of the event, because it is a chance to not only answer questions the students might have about the writing process, but to slip in a few life lessons as well. To weave the answers to the questions around in such a way that I am able speak about life and making choices. To teach, share with them, some of the things that I wish someone had said to me at their age. To let them know that their future is in their hands and the decisions they make now, will affect the rest of their lives. I feel so moved sometimes that I have been able to reach out and touch these kids, at this vital point in their lives. This crossroads and look out into a sea of faces and see a light go on in the eyes of some of the kids that have already half-written themselves off. A tiny flame of a hope that maybe, just maybe, they can do it too. Despite the challenges that are present in their lives. To say to them, everybody has challenges. It's what you do with them that count.

I will present to: Grades 5-8 for Porcupine

Grades 7 and upward for First Time

Grades 11-12 for Singing Songs 

I will be happy also to do Q&A sessions with Drama and Film students.

Maximum number of students per session: 100 (with teachers present)

I can do readings for up to 500, but when possible, prefer smaller venues.  For readings over 80, I need to have a microphone with a stand and the teachers would need to be present and participant to help keep things in hand.

I require:

-A microphone and stand for any group over 100.

-A glass of water.

Please note: If the students have read the book before I arrive it can make for livelier conversations and it also enables me to reference the book without worrying about ruining the story for anybody.