Writers Union Member. Sci-Fi/Fantasy, White Pine (4) and Red Maple (1) nominee, Amy Mather’s Award winner, Monica Hughes Award nominee (2), LA Times Book Prize nominee, William C Morris Debut Award nominee. Grade 7-12.
$500 for one session, $650 for 2, $900 for 3, + travel ($0.68/km, SW Ontario). Virtual visits $200.
FOREST OF READING 2026 NOMINEE
EK Johnston has been telling herself stories for as long as she can remember, and she’s pretty thrilled that her for real grown up job involves telling stories to other people. She especially loves talking to students, because those are the people she is writing for. With 17 YA novels (and counting!), EK can speak on the writing process and publishing as a business, and she loves answering the kinds of questions teenagers come up with.
EK’s presentations are mostly student-led, following a Q&A format so that she engages with her audience on topics they find interesting (though she can “improv” while they’re warming up). She can answer a few questions about Star Wars, with the understanding that there are some topics she can’t speak on lest the chip in the back of her head activate. She prefers to talk to no more than 60 students for an hour (with teachers present), but also enjoys smaller groups, like book club lunches. She needs a microphone in any room bigger than a classroom, and appreciates some water and a bit of room to pace. (Sometimes she might need a desk to sit on, because she has a chronic spine condition.).
Alexandra Writer’s Centre Society member. WordBridge board member. 2025 Snow Willow Award finalist. Middle Grade (grades 4 – 8). Writing workshops for all ages.
In-Person Visits (45-60 minutes): $300 for 1 session; $550 for 2 sessions; $750 for 3 sessions; $900 for 4 sessions. Travel charge of $0.55/km (round trip) for locations over 50 km from Red Deer.
Virtual Visits (45-60 minutes): $200 per session.
FOREST OF READING 2026 NOMINEE
Jessica Renwick dove into the world of writing fiction as a preteen and never looked back. Naturally, this led to a career as a public library assistant. She is the author of middle grade books that explore Canadian history, family dynamics, and friendship through exciting paranormal ghost stories. Her most recent book for young readers, Ghosts of Gastown, is a finalist for the 2025 Willow Awards and was selected for the CCBC’s Best Books for Kids and Teens for spring of 2025.
Jessica is an experienced speaker who can tailor her presentations to suit the needs of the school or library. Her fun and interactive presentation is perfect for kids grades four to eight, and she loves doing writing workshops for that age and older (including adults!).
Her general presentation covers her writing journey. This includes themes of resilience, growth, and why rejection letters are not a bad thing. She discusses her writing process, from brainstorming to final edits. She relates the writing and publishing process to what students do in school with their writing assignments, and she includes tips and tricks for generating story ideas, getting over writer’s block, dealing with critique, and how to critique your peers’ work.
Free virtual visits: Jessica offers free fifteen-minute Q&A virtual visits for classes or library groups who have read Ghosts of Gastown.
Writing workshops: Available upon request. Jessica is a certified creative writing instructor through the Alexandra Writer’s Centre Society. She offers creative presentations about writing for kids, writing short stories, and can tailor workshops for a class or writing group’s needs. Maximum group size is one class or twenty adults.
Preferred venues and equipment: Libraries, classrooms, or gymnasiums. If she is presenting in anything larger than a classroom, a microphone will be required. A digital projector and screen will be required, and a table for supplies would be appreciated. Jessica will bring her own laptop for the slideshow.
CANSCAIP and Canadian Children’s Book Center member, multi-starred reviewed author, Calgary’s Top 40 under 40, with published titles from board books to middle grade.
Maria’s rate in and around Calgary is:
IN-PERSON: $300 for one session, $500 for two, $750 for a full day (three one-hour sessions). Option to add a lunch-time signing or small-group session with keen readers for $100. Classroom writing workshops are available for $500. GST and mileage are also applicable. A travel fee of $0.50/km for areas outside Calgary.
VIRTUAL: $200 + GST, one hour, Zoom. **For the 2025/2026 school year, Maria is booking virtual visits exclusively.
FOREST OF READING 2026 NOMINEE
Maria Marianayagam is a Tamil Sri Lankan-Canadian engineer turned children’s book author. She fell in love with children’s books (again!) after becoming an Amma (mom). She was born in India and grew up across four provinces in Canada (Newfoundland, Quebec, Ontario, and Alberta). Her debut picture book, The Amazing Power of Girls (Sourcebooks eXplore, 2024), was named a Children’s Book Council Teacher’s Favourite, a CCBC Best Science Book, and endorsed by the presidents of Girls Inc. and Actua Inc.
She is the author of the quadruple-starred, critically-acclaimed middle grade novel, No Purchase Necessary (HarperCanada/HarperCollins, 2025), the family favourite 4-title board book series, The Baby Virtues (Hachette, 2024/2025), and her most recent STEM picture book release, Wait ‘Til You’re Older (Sourcebooks eXplore, 2025).
Maria is an experienced speaker, comfortable in front of an audience of kids and adults alike. Maria’s sessions revolve around a slide presentation, book reading, and Q&A (activity can be included as well). Working with each educator or teacher/librarian, Maria selects the perfect book or books that will be appreciated by each age group.
Here are examples (but all can be tailored):
Grade 1-4: STEM focus: The Amazing Power of Girls or Wait Til You’re Older. Audience members will learn about Maria’s journey from engineer to author, how to find careers that marry both STEM and art, plus an introduction to the science elements of the book. Enjoy a reading of the book to conclude the presentation. Optional Q&A. (30-45 mins.)
Grades 1-4: Cultural focus: Curry Means More [available after Oct 28, 2025]. With a warm, inclusive tone, Maria Marianayagam encourages students of all backgrounds to share and celebrate their own family traditions—whether it’s a stew, sandwich, or snack. This visit blends read-aloud moments, behind-the-scenes insights into writing a book, and fun, reflective questions that help students see the beauty of their own heritage and imagination. Optional Q&A. (30-45 mins.)
Grade 5-6: Writing Workshop: Using the STEM-focused presentation for The Amazing Power of Girls, Maria will dissect literary devices like diction, personification, puns, and more, using examples from the book, and have students write their own poetry to present. (1 hr., 1 classroom maximum)
Grade 7-9: No Purchase Necessary: In this thought-provoking talk, Maria explores how she built the central ethical dilemma in No Purchase Necessary, and how characters become real when they face tough choices with no easy answers. Including a reading from the novel, a behind-the-scenes look at the writing process, and an exercise where students reflect on their own values and write about a dilemma of their own. Optional Q&A. (30-45 mins.)
Grades 7-9: Writing Workshop: In this hands-on writing workshop, author Maria uses scenes from No Purchase Necessary to show students how to convey powerful emotions—like fear, guilt, or excitement—not through dialogue alone, but through body language, movement, and action. Maria guides students in understanding how actions can reveal character, deepen stakes, and drive plot. Maria will read a short scene from the novel, identify Ajay’s feelings and how it’s shown through action, and then have students write a short scene where characters show an emotion without saying it outright. (1 hr., 1 classroom maximum)
Maria’s presentations are visual, interactive, and fast-paced. She prefers to speak to a maximum of 100 students at a time (but can be flexible, if needed). Her presentations work best with 1-3 classrooms at a time, with workshops being most effective with one classroom. She requires a screen, a laptop with 2 USB ports, and a microphone (if it’s an assembly presentation).
Writers’ Union member. CANSCAIP member. Picture Books. Middle grade. Graphic Novels. English language presentations and workshops for all ages.
In-Person Visits (45-60 minutes): $300 for 1 session; $250 for each subsequent session up to four sessions in one day. A session may be split into two 25 minute storytime events for grades K-2.
Virtual Visits (45-60 minutes): $200 per session. A session may be split into two 25 minute storytime events for grades K-2.
FOREST OF READING 2026 NOMINEE
HST applies to all sessions. If travel is over 50 km, a rate of 50¢/km, round trip, will be charged. Accommodations may be required if the event is a lengthy distance for Casey to travel or takes place over multiple days.
Notables:
Multiple nominee for the CCBC Book Awards, the Forest of Reading, and the Manitoba Young Reader’s Choice Awards (MYRCA)
Red Cedar Fiction Award winner
Selected for Junior Library Guild, OLA Best Bets, and the International Youth Library’s White Ravens list
Barnes and Noble Best Picture Book nominee
Testimonial: “Casey’s presentation was an absolute delight and so engaging for the over 150 students that came to see her! She shared her own story of perseverance in chasing her dream of writing stories and was so personable with the students answering all of their many questions with humour and respect. Casey’s story writing exercise provided the audience with an excellent example of developing their own story. Truly an inspiration to inspiring authors young and old. Thank you!” – Peggy Cline, Children’s Programming Coordinator, Grimsby Public Library
Casey Lyall is the author of nine (and counting!) humorous books for kids such as the Howard Wallace, P.I. series, A Spoonful of Frogs (illustrated by Vera Brosgol), Gnome Is Where Your Heart Is, Waking the Dead and Other Fun Activities, and The League of Littles (illustrated by Sara Faber.)
Casey offers fun, dynamic, and interactive presentations that entertain and inform while leaving her audience excited about creating their own stories.
Her general presentation covers the key elements that Casey has learned over her years as a writer while allowing time for a Q&A with students and a group story-building game. Casey is a very flexible presenter and can adapt her presentation to suit the needs of a school. If there is an interest in focusing more on one aspect of writing or on one of her books specifically, that can be accommodated.
Casey also loves presenting at libraries! She’s available for storytime visits as well as workshops for all ages. Reach out to discuss what kind of visit would best suit your organization.
If there is an interest in book sales at an event, Casey can provide order forms with instructions to help organize the process in advance. She co-ordinates with a bookstore that offers her titles at a discount.
Testimonial: “Casey presented at the Lakefield Literary Festival Children’s Tent Event, and we loved her performance. She had the kids and adults laughing with her fun, improvised story. It was hilarious, and very engaging for the audience. Casey was a skilled, organized and enthusiastic performer, and our community adored her.”- Kacie Gardiner, Lakefield Literary Festival and Selwyn Public Library
Free Virtual Visits: Casey offers a limited number of free fifteen-minute virtual visits to classes or book clubs who have read one of her books. These sessions are strictly Q&A only with no presentation.
Writing Workshops: Available on request. Fees negotiable based on time and intensity. Casey will work with schools and libraries to craft a workshop specifically suited to their needs. These are available for smaller groups – maximum size is one class or approximately twenty adults.
Equipment: Casey can accommodate presentations to groups of any size, but if she is presenting in a large venue, a microphone is required. A librarian, teacher, or other school representative must be present throughout any event. A digital projector and screen may be required (Some presentations are accompanied by PowerPoint slides. Casey can bring her laptop or provide a flash drive). A table to keep supplies on is also appreciated.
Writers’ Union Member. Alberta, Fiction, Multi-award winner. Grades 1-12 $325 plus GST for 1 session, $600 for 2, $850 for 3 and $1000 for 4, + travel.
The Unlikely Hero has been selected as the Ontario Library Association’s Best Bets (also known as their top ten titles) of 2024 in the Junior Nonfiction category!
St. Catharines. Writers’ Union Member. World traveling picture book and non-fiction author, storyteller, and performer. $375.00 for one session (50-55 min), $600.00 2nd 50-55 min session, $850.00 3rd 50-55 min session, $1000.00 4th 50-55 min session. 30 min. sessions for kindergarten are $175.00 when booked with at least of one full 55 min session + return travel to St. Catharines.
