Writers’ Union of Canada member. SCBWI member. Purple Dragonfly Book Award – 1st place winner. English language presentations for grades K-6; further age ranges available on request.
In-Person Visits (45-60 minutes): $200 for 1 session; $150 for each subsequent session up to four sessions in one day. A session may be split into two 30-minute sessions for Kindergarten. Plus, a travel fee of $0.50/km if outside of Halton.
Virtual Visits (30-60 minutes): $100-$150 per session. A session may be split into two 30-minute sessions for Kindergarten.
Natalia Paruzel-Gibson grew up backstage in the theaters and art galleries in Poland. Her mom’s passion for the arts inspired Natalia to write and create. After emigrating to Canada, Natalia was recognized by the Turzanski Foundation with a Young Talent Award for writing and reciting poetry. Her photography and art installations were exhibited in Toronto’s Nuit Blanche. Natalia lives in Burlington, Ontario. She is the author of the children’s book, A PICTURE DAY TO REMEMBER (Clavis, 2023), which focuses on themes of inclusivity, self-acceptance, and friendship in the classroom.
Natalia’s school presentations are engaging and interactive. For students in grades K-3, each presentation includes a discussion of her favourite books, the role of the author and illustrator, an overview of character sketches from the book, the inspiration behind the story, a book reading, and an SEL focused activity using a customized activity sheet. There’s plenty of time for Q&A too!
For students in grades 3-6, each presentation includes the above, plus an in-depth outline of the publishing process from concept through to the final product. This segment of the presentation is an excellent opportunity for aspiring writers to receive tips and suggestions to hone in on the craft of storytelling.
Natalia 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, she’s happy to accommodate.
Natalia is glad to speak to an entire school or conduct more personal sessions where a few classrooms are amalgamated or split up by grade. Natalia requests a projector/white board for a Google Slides presentation, a table and coloured pencil crayons. For larger in-person presentations, she will require a table, microphone, and a PA system.
Note: Last name pronunciation is “dare.” The Writers’ Union of Canada, Manitoba Writers’ Guild, ACTRA Finalist: White Pine, Red Cedar, MYRCA, Violet Downey, Arthur Ellis, Diamond Willow.
Rates for in-person: $300 per single presentation, $200 for additional presentations at the same school per day.
Rates for virtual: $200 per presentation.
Anita Daher is an author, screenwriter, producer, and actor primarily of Icelandic and Irish heritage. She has been entrenched in the publishing industry since 1995, and helped found writing organizations in Yellowknife, NWT, and the Algoma region of Northern Ontario before landing in Winnipeg in 2004. From 2019 to 2021 she served as Chair of the Writers’ Union of Canada. She thinks too much, rises too early, and in her spare time enjoys renovating old campers.
Anita is a dynamic speaker who has presented in hundreds of schools in urban, rural and remote communities across Canada, primarily in the North and West. She can do up to four presentations in the same school or area in a day. She has power point presentations appropriate to the grade, which include a professionally filmed scene adapted from one of her novels.
Presentations
Grades 3 to 6
Grades 7 and 8
Grades 9 to 12
For younger grades the focus is plot and planning. For older grades, it is “the story underneath,” or the heart of the story. Each touch on the author’s journey, and what—besides inspiration—you need to write a book.
Presentations are generally 45 minutes, adaptable to school needs, and include time for Q & A.
Group size preference, preferred venues (for in person), tech required for your presentations.
Anita’s preferred venue is a library and is flexible regarding size of audience—whatever is appropriate to the space. She requires a projector with speakers to accommodate her power point presentation.
Writers Union Member. Young Adult and Adult genres. $300 plus HST and travel ($0.50/km outside Niagara) for 1 session, $500 for 2, $700 for 3 and $900 for full day.
Virtual Visits: $100-200 plus HST (depending on time required)
Background: Sharon Frayne was born in St. Catharines, grew up on a Niagara farm and in Muskoka, and now divides her time between Niagara and Northern Ontario. She was a high school Visual Arts and English teacher, an Arts Department Head, and Elementary Principal. During her career, she worked with many special needs children, their families and teachers. She’s an award winning short story writer and novelist, whose contemporary tales include diverse characters, environmental issues, Canadian history and outdoor settings.
Public Speaking and Workshops: Sharon is a dynamic, engaging, experienced teacher and Principal who is comfortable leading small groups, individual classrooms or presenting in assemblies. She enjoys speaking to adult groups and book clubs. Presentations include visuals and are interactive, tailored to individual and group needs.
Workshop Themes (samples, more are available and can be customized)
How to Self-Edit (suitable for students in grades 4- 12. Meets Ontario Curriculum Guidelines)
How to create amazing, realistic, empathetic characters (for short stories or novel length)
Does Setting matter? It sure does – let’s do some world building to enhance your story.
Seven Steps to writing a prize winning Short Story.
What’s a plot line? How to develop one for a short story or novel.
Who needs conflict? Your story does – here’s how to create some.
For Better or for Worse – How does Social Media Affect Us?
Materials Required for School Presentations:
Classroom or Library setting preferred. Microphone (if acoustics are problematic), table for computer and materials, screen and data projector. Preference is for individual classrooms, or similar age/grade groups up to 100.
Free Virtual Visits!
15 minute virtual visits, with a short teacher/moderator led Q & A session are available to classes or clubs who are reading one of my books. This works best with small groups.
Writer in Residence option:
This is a fantastic opportunity to develop a working relationship with a group over a pre-arranged time period. This could be writing workshops, feedback sessions, book discussions and can be arranged to suit interest and ability levels.
Publications:
Magazines and Newspapers: Eden Mills Writers Festival Chapter Publication (winning writers), CommuterLit, Agnes and True, The Ekphrastic Review, Uproar, The Local (NOTL Paper), The Lake Report (NOTL Paper), Stage of Life (USA online publication) and others
Novels: The Sound of a Rainbow, (Latitude 46 Publishing),2023 (gr. 8 -12)
Caught Between the Walls, (Bygones Press), 2016 (gr. 6 -12)
Awards:
Frayne’s short stories and poems have won in the South Simcoe Arts Festival, Eden Mills Writers Festival, the Northern Ontario Writer’s Workshop, the Banister Poetry Contest and Stratford Rotary Writing Contest. She won the Best Novel Award in the Muskoka Novel Marathon in 2019, 2020 and 2022. She’s been a frequent winner of the NOTL Rising Spirits Writing competition for both short stories and poetry. Her personal essay, ‘Stepping into a Lifetime’ was the USA national winner in the Stage of Life writing competition.
She won the Halton District School Board’s Award of Distinction for Creativity in Education and was nominated for the Ontario Premier’s Award for Education.
Associations: In addition to belonging to the Writer’s Union of Canada, she’s an NOTL Writer’s Circle board member, past president of the Niagara branch of the Canadian Author’s Association. She’s a past Editor of the CAA Niagara annual Anthology and has appeared as a guest speaker at numerous Arts Festivals. She was featured in a televised production of ‘A Christmas Carol’ with the CBC. She also belongs to the NOTL Pumphouse Art Gallery, and is a past board member with NOTL Newcomers Club.
Celia Krampien writes and illustrates picture books and novels for young people. She grew up in a small town (population 400) in rural Southern Ontario where she spent most of her time reading and exploring the woods around her house. Celia loves creating bright, colourful, emotionally complex books. Celia’s books are best suited for students in grades JK – 8 but is happy to be flexible and adapt presentations to meet the needs of students of any age.
Book topics: the power of stories, handling adversity, facing fears, differences in perspective, friendship, bullying, Halloween.
– Slideshow presentation about using words and pictures as storytelling tools with examples from Celia’s recent book with Kristen Dickson, Fiona Builds a Fairyhouse
– interactive drawing activity – students draw along with Celia, drawing their own fairytale creatures and creating a story to introduce them to the rest of the class (requires easel and large pad of paper)
– Q&A session
How a Story Becomes a Book (And Why Does it Take So Long?!) – 1 hour (Grades 4 and up)
– slideshow presentation showing the step-by-step process of the creation of Celia’s spooky middle grade novel, The Bellwoods Game. Students will get a behind the scenes peek at Celia’s journey, starting at her first attempts at writing through to publication day
– interactive activity- students will tryout different brainstorming techniques to answer the age old question of where ideas come from (requires easel and large pad of paper)
– Q&A session
Cover Stories – the making of a book cover (Grades 4 and up)
– slideshow presentation about the step-by-step process of creating illustrated covers for middle grade novels and why sometimes it’s okay to judge a book by its cover
– interactive activity – students draw along with Celia to create their own book covers (requires easel and large pad of paper)
– Q&A session
Equipment Required:
– Projector to display slideshow (in-person visits)
– easel and large pad of paper for presentations activities
– Paper, pencils/crayons/markers for students for presentations with brainstorming and draw-along activities.
– Microphone, sound system and podium for larger groups (50+ attendees)
Fiction/Poetry, Two x Ottawa Book Award Nominee, Snow Willow Award nominee, eOne Television Adaptation Lab winner, Publishers Weekly BookLife Grand Prize winner, Twice named a Kirkus Reviews Best Book, and more. TWUC, SCBWI, and CANSCAIP. Ages 10+.
$250 per session, up to three sessions per day. Virtual Visits: $200 for each session.
Michael tailors presentations based on the needs and desires of the group and can speak to any element of writers craft and process. As the author of middle grade novels, a middle grade novel in verse, interactive fiction, scriptwriting, and young adult novels, Michael enjoys working with students in workshop format, or as a presentation with a preference for audiences of under 50 students.
Presentations by grade (60 Minutes):
Michael always covers the top five questions (How did you become a writer? Where do you get your ideas? What’s the name of your cat?) quickly before delving into the presentation, always being sure to include: Why stories matter, why the students’ stories matter, and how knowing how to tell stories can help them be successful in any field.
Here are example themes by grade:
4-8: Let’s write a story: Using a super secret technique, Michael works with students to generate strong story concepts. This includes learning the elements of a story pitch and can end with delivering and whiteboarding pitch ideas to go deeper and inadvertently learn Aristotelian story structure.
4-7: Digital Resilience Through Poetry: Based on Michael’s novel in verse, Seeking Draven. This interactive presentation and workshop scaffolds student understanding of the internet, social media, and other digital literacies, while incorporating literary devices and poetry. If time allows, the students use prompts to develop their own poems.
7-9: The Heart of Structure: Using his novel Heart Sister, Michael explains how to use theme as a structuring tool, connecting this technique to popular books and movies. Further discussions explore students’ thoughts on organ donation, a central element to Heart Sister. Michael shares his family’s organ donation story and why he wrote the book. We explore common myths about organ donation and truths—completing a quiz as a class. Finally, we complete a private exercise in which the students explore the same questions Minnie asks other characters in the book, generally about self improvement. Heart Sister was named an official educational resource by Canadian Blood Services.
4-12: Michael can elaborate on any elements of craft desired, from character, setting, structure, and theme to humour and literary devices.
7-12: Emotion Driven Stories: In this interactive presentation, Michael shows the connection between emotion, stories, and healing ourselves. Using popular literature, movies, and his own books, Michael shows how powerfully resonant stories are based on therapeutic models we can use to create stories of our own.
9-12: Advanced Craft: In this workshop-based format, Michael will work with up to 12 students to refine their stories. Includes Michael prereading student work and identifying elements of craft tailored to the students’ needs. Multiple sessions available.
Anthology
Grade 8+ School Anthology: Michael will organize a full grade (up to three classes) anthology of short stories. This includes a kick off session to identify the anthology’s theme, types of short stories, and what makes a strong short story. Later Michael will present techniques for successful self editing and peer editing, and tips on how to edit the work of others. After peer editing, Michael will assemble and format the ebook. Finally, students vote on preset cover options, and the book is launched on Amazon, allowing the students to try to hit number 1, while learning about the financial and marketing side of publishing. In total, this program includes 3 presentations, an ebook cover, ebook formatting, and ebook publication services. Please contact for fee.
Award winning author Lydia Lukidis, recipient of a Silver Birch Express honor (Forest of Reading) Award, SCBWI Crystal Kite Award for the North American division, and multiple Cybils Award nominations.
Rates:For in-person workshops (Montreal and surrounding areas)- $300 for one sixty-minute session, $450 for two, $600 for three, $750 for four, plus a travel fee of $0.50/km.
For virtual workshops- $200 for a session of up to sixty minutes, $100 for each additional session on the same day, up to four sessions in one day. Flexible and able to accommodate schedules in a range of time zones.
Lydia Lukidis is an award-winning author of 60+ trade and educational books for children. Her titles include UP, UP HIGH: The Secret Poetry of Earth’s Atmosphere (Capstone, 2025), DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights (Albert Whitman, 2024), and DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench (Capstone, 2023) which was a Crystal Kite winner for the Canada and North America division, Forest of Reading Silver Birch Express Honor, a Cybils Award nominee, and winner of the Dogwood Readers Award. A science enthusiast from a young age, Lydia now incorporates her studies in science and her everlasting curiosity into her books. She also enjoys writing books with social emotional learning (SEL) themes such as friendship, empathy, and gratitude.
Workshops:
Lydia has 15 years experience working with children in elementary schools. She’s passionate about spreading the love for literacy and her presentations are dynamic and lively. The goal is to entertain and educate in a way that illuminates the magic of the written word.
Lydia offers writing workshops that tie in with educational curriculum for students from kindergarten to grade six. Each workshop begins with an initial presentation where she discusses her writing process giving particular attention to the art of editing. This will include some fun literacy games. Lydia will then help students brainstorm and start their own writing process. These workshops are an excellent opportunity for students to develop good writing and cognitive skills, improve literacy, and tap into creative self-expression. Study guides and follow up activities will be provided.
The workshops are tailored for each grade, here are the various options:
Story Making 101 (1-6)
Character Development (K-6)
Fairy Tale Magic (1-4)
The Power of Mythology (4-6)
Persuasive Writing (2-6)
The Art of Poetry (2-6)
Personal Narratives (2-6)
Crafting Nonfiction (2-6)
Let’s Write a Book (2-6, a special 3-part workshop where students communally write and illustrate a book that Lydia will print)
Author Reading with Puppetry Workshop (K-3)
Advanced Narrative Building (6)
(35 students maximum for in-person, 100 for virtual)
Presentations:
Sparking Interest through STEM: This presentation will show children that STEM is not only all around us, but it’s also fun and exciting! (K-3)
Dream Big and Take the Leap: This presentation will highlight the perseverance required to achieve your dreams and how seeming “failures” can help you carve your path to success. The goal is to inspire students to dream big! (3-6)
(100 students maximum)
Suggested Reading:
Grades 2-5:
DEEP, DEEP, DOWN: The Secret Underwater Poetry of the Mariana Trench is a lyrical spare-text STEM picture book that takes readers on a journey to where few humans have ever been. The narrative debunks scary myths about this mysterious place with surprising and beautiful truths about life at Earth’s deepest point.
(Themes: STEM, deep sea, biodiversity, conservation, oceanography, biology, geology)
Kindergarten-3:
Grades 2-5:
UP, UP HIGH: The Secret Poetry of Earth’s Atmosphere: Look up–into the blue and beyond. What do you see? The sky–our atmosphere–may seem empty or invisible. But is it? Using spare, lyrical language, author Lydia Lukidis takes readers on an imagined journey up, up high to discover the surprising and wondrous things flying, floating, and happening between the treetops and the stars in this STEM-based picture book.
Themes: STEM, weather, atmospheres, clouds
Grades 2-5:
DANCING THROUGH SPACE: Dr. Mae Jemison Soars to New Heights is the true story of Dr. Mae Jemison, whose lifelong passions of science and dance prepared her to become a trailblazing astronaut, making her the first Black woman to travel into outer space. Throughout it all, she pursued her love of dance.
Themes: STEM, space, perseverance, breaking barriers, art meets science
Requirements:
Lydia will require a smart board with functional speakers for a PowerPoint or Google Slides presentation. Students will need pencils, erasers, loose-leaf paper, and sometimes pencil crayons and markers. In order to ensure a successful workshop, it is essential that at least one educator/librarian remain in class for the duration of the workshop. For larger presentations in-person, she will require a table, microphone, and a proper PA system.
Lydia also provides manuscript critiques for fiction and nonfiction.
Booking Rates: $250 for one session, $200 for any additional sessions. A travel fee of $0.50/km if outside Toronto. Virtual visit rates negotiable.
Curtis Campbell is a novelist and playwright based out of Toronto. His novels include Dragging Mason County and the upcoming Lying, Stealing, and Other Ways to Save the Planet.
Workshops and Presentations
Writing Character Voice
A workshop on writing in the first person, how to develop the voice of your character, how to begin developing your writing style, and how you can begin putting this on the page! We will write and share our work.
Dialogue
A practical workshop focussed on how dialogue works for both novels and plays, its use to convey character and plot, and how to develop dialogue consistent with the tone and style of the piece you are writing. We will write and share work for discussion.
Writing For Your Audience
A common hurdle for any writer, new or seasoned, is just getting their project started. But I’ve always found that a simple solution is to address the needs of your intended audience, and the needs of the form. Are you writing a book, a play, a presentation?
In this workshop we’ll discuss what your audience needs, and how those needs can get your writing off to the races.
Writing About Ourselves
A workshop based around writing about yourself! In memoir, journal, fiction and nonfiction. I believe that everyone is a writer. People often say that they have nothing to write about, but we all have the ability to write about ourselves. This workshop is about putting yourself on the page using memory, identity, geography, imagination and site-specific practices to discover that you’re a writer too.
Playwriting
I am a working playwright and have ten years of experience creating plays in both the independent and professional worlds. This workshop will explore the basics of playwriting and teach students about the process of scene creation by having them write one of their own.
LGBTQ+ Student Group Visit
A facilitated discussion with your school’s LGBTQ+ student group to talk activism and advocacy as a young person, contemporary issues facing queer Canadians, and how they can effect change in their own school.
Book Banning And You!
An informative presentation and facilitated discussion. Ontario student’s intellectual freedoms and human rights are becoming increasingly threatened by the rising wave of book bannings. Where does this come from, and how can they begin to combat this attack on their rights?
All Aboard The Allyship!
As anti-2SLGBTQ+ rhetoric and legislation continues to spread, we can all benefit from an open discussion about the rapidly evolving nature of homophobia and transphobia in the internet age. This presentation and discussion presents common sense approaches to being an effective ally to the 2SLGBTQIA+ members of your community.
Dragging Mason County
Discussion of the White Pine nominated novel, and the issues explored within. Discussion topics include LGBTQIA+ youth issues, friendship and chosen family, allyship, homophobia and transphobia, theatre and drag, social media, and gender expression. For any class or club who have read the book.
Talk To An Author and Playwright
An engaging Q+A about the literary and theatre industries with a particular interest in discussing how students can begin developing, or continue developing their own artistic practice.
These workshops can be performed in a single classroom, or with merged classrooms.
The ideal group for writing workshops would be smaller, but I can make larger groups work just as well if there are a few staff members present.
A microphone would be great to have if we are meeting in a gym or cafeteria.
Workshops will always change by school and group, so I’m happy to customize and adjust based on your needs.
Bilingual (English with some Spanish words) early elementary picture book in rhyming verse for all ages.
In-Person Workshops: $200 plus HST for 1 session of 20-60 minutes, $350 for 2, $500 for 3 and $650 for 4, + travel (60 cents per kilometer for SW Ontario).
Virtual Workshops: $150 plus HST for one session of 20-60 minutes, $125 for each additional session on the same day.
Books
Duncan admits that he’s always alert For words he can use for a rhyme Putting them into relatable verses That hopefully you think sound fine Sometimes it all comes out awesome Sometimes it’s almost divine And you can be sure that the best ones Will cost you much more than a dime!
… But if you should find that your wallet Is currently looking quite thin He’ll do it for less than what’s written So we can all have a big win!
Duncan has been playing with words all his life, is a terminal rhyming addict, and all three of his children have nominated him for the “Lethal Punster Award.” He is a writer of prose, poetry, and songs, an experienced speaker, and skilled in doing workshops with audiences of all ages on diverse subjects, including how to do rhyming poetry. He has travelled the world, working with a broad array of cultures and people groups, especially in Africa and Latin America. His areas of expertise include international relief and development, travel and adventure, cross-cultural experiences, and, of course, rhyming! Duncan is an experienced children’s worker, with over 30-years of teaching short, appealing lessons to children ages 4 and up, singing songs with actions, and organising fun games. He tailors his talks to each group, and is available to do multiple talks or workshops over the course of the day. He can share from his 30 years of international experiences, and from his life-long writing journey to finally becoming a published author. Duncan would be especially happy to do joint talks, presentations, and workshops with Ashlee Campbell, the main author of Señora Sanasana. (See Ashlee’s profile for more details.)
Examples of workshop options:
All presentations available in English, Spanish, French, or a combination of language of instruction.
JK- Gr. 2:
Duncan only: 30–60-minute workshop, reading Señora Sanasana out loud, discussion about some of the verses and how they rhyme, definition of a rhyme, how to find rhymes and make rhyming verses, use of a Thesaurus, exercises to write one rhyming verse couplet and volunteers to share. Includes speaker-led, multilingual “brain breaks” for children such as fun games and action songs.
With Ashlee: 60–75-minute workshop, Ashlee leading with study of character creation or learning the Spanish words, including exercises and sharing. (See Ashlee Campbell’s profile for more details.) Duncan would follow with the rhyming component and help with breaks throughout.
Gr. 3-6:
Duncan only: 30–60-minute workshop, study more rhymes from Señora Sanasana, deeper dive into concept of rhyming and Thesaurus usage, longer exercise in writing rhyming verses.
With Ashlee: 60–75-minute workshop, Ashlee leading, deeper dive into character creation based on common nursery rhymes, sayings and idiomatic expressions, longer writing activity, group discussions, and more sharing by students. (See Ashlee Campbell’s profile for more details.) Duncan intervening for rhyming components integrated throughout the workshop, and assisting with brain break games and action songs.
Highschool and Adult:
Duncan only: 45–90-minute workshop, deeper and longer dive into the concept and practice of rhyming, creating rhyming verse, Thesaurus usage, increased content creation time to write a full poem or story in rhyming verse, and everyone sharing and critiquing each other.
With Ashlee: 60-90-minute workshop, or two sessions for increased content creation time. Character creation as above, with discussion of “own voice” stories and introduction to constructive writing critique groups. (See Ashlee Campbell’s profile for details.) Duncan adding rhyming analysis, exercises, and critique throughout.
Duncan and Ashlee also take workshops on request.
All Venues. All Group Sizes. Equipment required: A table or podium. A microphone for larger groups and when room acoustics require it. A screen and projector for power-point and videos.
Bilingual early elementary picture book (Spanish/English). All ages.
$200 plus HST for 1 session, $350 for 2, $500 for 3 and $650 for 4, + travel (50 cents per kilometer, round-trip for SW ON). Virtual Visits: $150 plus HST, for one session, 20-60 minutes, $125 for each additional session on the same day.
Ashlee is an experienced speaker and Creative Writing teacher at the highschool and elementary levels. Ashlee tailors her talks to each group and is available to present in English, Spanish and French or a combination of languages of instruction. Ashlee is available to do multiple talks or workshops over the course of the day with groups ranging from kindergarten to high school. As a homeschool co-op organizer Ashlee also prepares talks and workshops for mixed-age groups. Ashlee has also given talks on writing, publishing and the author’s journey for adult groups.
Sample pre-recorded workshops available upon request. Ashlee also takes workshop requests.
Examples of workshop options:
All presentations available in English, French and Spanish or a combination of language of instruction.
JK- Gr. 2 – 45 – 60 mins (including speaker-led multilingual “brain breaks” for children)
Reading of “Senora Sanasana” followed by a character creation workshop including a LA tie-in worksheet for Gr. 2 and a drawing activity for younger ages.
OR
Reading of “Senora Sanasana” followed by learning Spanish words and class discussion about languages spoken and heard in the children’s home and communities and creation of a classroom word cloud of words in other languages the children know.
Gr. 3-6 – 45 – 60 mins
Character creation workshop based on common nursery rhymes, sayings and idiomatic expressions, including worksheet and writing activity and group discussion about the rhymes and sayings from their diverse backgrounds. Workshop includes time for students to share their characters.
Highschool – 45 – 60 mins or two sessions for increased content creation time
Introduction to critique circle practices and character creation workshop (see above). Workshop includes discussion of “own voice” stories and how to create supportive, compassionate and constructive writing critique groups.
Adults – 45 – 60 mins
“Abundance versus scarcity for artists” – this is a talk on having an “abundance” mentality as an artist, basing our creative practices on the belief that there is enough space and enough audience in the world for everyone’s art and writing. This talk also delves into how we define success and takes an anti-capitalist approach to redefining both “success” and “audience” in order for artists to thrive.
All Venues. All Group Sizes. Equipment required: A table or podium. A microphone for larger groups or in the gym, or if the room acoustics require it. A screen and projector for power-point.
Member: Writer’s Union of Canada, Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators. Winner: Second Story Press’s Aboriginal Writing Award. Finalist: Ontario White Pine Award, Ontario Silver Birch Award, CLA Book of the Year for Children, CODE Burt Award, Hackmatack Award, Manitoba Young Reader’s Choice Award, First Nations Communities Read Award. Several times included in Canadian Children’s Book Centre Best Books for Children and Teens. All ages from 8 and up. Up to 100 or so participants. $250 for one session, $450 for two, $675 for three, $900 for a full day (four sessions). Plus a travel fee of $0.50/km to and from Brampton, Ontario. Virtual visits $200 plus HST for 30-60 minutes, $150 plus HST for each subsequent session on the same day.
Susan Currie is a passionate and dynamic elementary teacher in Brampton, Ontario. Before she entered the public school system, she earned a living as an accompanist, music director, choir director, dinner musician, leader of various music programs for children, and piano teacher. She’s the author of two middle grade novels, and two YA novels. Her novels all explore themes of friendship, music, navigating challenges, being resilient, and finding your identity. She has also written three nonfiction books on Indigenous topics. Susan has been on multiple Indigenous writing teams through the Elementary Federation of Ontario. She wrote lesson plans and prompts for Spark, Pearson’s online reading program. Susan is an adoptee who was in the foster care system briefly as a baby, and only learned of her Haudenosaunee heritage (Cayuga Nation, Turtle Clan) as an adult. She is happily married to John and has a wonderful daughter named Rachel.
Susan is extremely flexible as a presenter and can customize a presentation to the needs of each venue. Through years in the classroom, she is very comfortable engaging in conversation with young people. In each presentation, she will include readings from her books and a Q and A. Possible topics could include the following, but please reach out to discuss your needs as Susan will happily customize a session.
Friendship, strategies for building your voice, facing down bullies
Notable Indigenous figures like Autumn Peltier; telling how she has fought to protect water around the world; sharing how you can help
The history of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the Cayuga Nation, including life long ago, the impact of the Indian Act, and the rise of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission; what you can do to help with reconciliation
Susan’s own history as an adoptee who later learned her Cayuga heritage
Raising awareness of social inequities, such as institutionalized racism, the limited rights of foster children, and differences in opportunities based on socioeconomic status; sharing how you can advocate for others in your immediate community and around the world
What it is like to be a writer, with focus on the process of writing a novel, and the steps you go through to have a published book
Susan is also delighted to do writing workshops with small groups (no more than 15 or so). Topics might include the following, but please reach out to discuss your needs as Susan will happily customize a session.
Building exciting scenes or characters
Fun ways to edit your work that bring your story to vivid life
Finding your creative voice
Using other art forms to inspire your writing – paintings, pieces of music, dance, etc. Writing a story based on one of these.
Telling a story from your life in a dramatically compelling way
Writing effective and interesting dialogue
Creating a character driven plot
Susan’s Books:
Basket of Beethoven (Fitzhenry & Whiteside, 2001)
Grades 4-8
Sam, whose single mom is so strapped for cash that she can barely afford food, talks the privileged Helen into teaching him how to play the piano. He has to keep up his end of the bargain, which involves getting rid of the threatening bullies who plague her. But anything is worth having an outlet for the music inside him. Themes: friendship, family, strategies for standing up to bullies, resiliency, courage, music, creativity, imagination.
The Mask that Sang (Second Story Press, 2016)
Grades 4-8
Cass learns about her Indigenous identity via a mysterious Haudenosaunee mask that shows her visions and sings to her. Through her friendship with Degan, an Indigenous boy, she uncovers what the mask is trying to tell her. Themes: magic realism, bullies, resiliency, systemic racism, residential schools, foster care, loss of identity, found friends, Indigenous history in Canada.
Haudenosaunee: the People and Nations (Saunders/Beech Street, 2023)
Grades 4-12
This nonfiction book explores the history of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, and the impact of the Indian Act on Indigenous peoples in Canada. It also tells about the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and ways that ordinary people can help to fulfil the calls to action. It highlights how the Haudenosaunee are fighting to regain their language and culture.
Amazing Women in Canada: Autumn Peltier (Saunders/Beech Street, 2024)
Grades 3-12
This nonfiction book tells about Autumn Peltier, who has become a water warrior on the global stage, fighting for the protection of water around the world, and advocating for the rights of people on reserves to have clean water. She has shown resiliency in her mission, not backing down even in the face of negative criticism.
Indigenous People and Nations: Cayuga (Saunders/Beech Street 2026)
Grades 4-12
This nonfiction book tells about the history of the Cayuga Nation, one of the six nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. While highlighting ways that the Cayuga lived in the past, it also explores the impact of the Indian Act, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and the fight to revitalize Cayuga language and culture.
Fierce Voice (Common Deer Press, 2025)
Grades 6-12
This YA novel is the sequel to Iz the Apocalypse (described below). Iz has everything she’s ever wanted: she’s found the foster home of her dreams and is attending the prestigious music school she moved heaven and earth to get into. But secrets from her past keep threatening to spill into the present, and Iz is sure that her newfound loved ones will abandon her if they learn of her terrible history. When she meets Skye, a young foster child with her own terrible secret, Iz must make a dreadful choice—one that could free them both from their demons or completely destroy everything Iz has fought so hard for. Is raising her voice worth the risk? Themes: advocating for foster children; music education; found family; adoption; finding your own power.
Fierce Voice is listed by CBC Books – 23 Canadian books for tweens & teens to read this fall
Iz the Apocalypse (Common Deer Press, 2023)
Grades 6-12
This YA novel is about a musically gifted foster child who does whatever is necessary to be able to attend a prestigious international high school for music and to have a voice of her own. Themes: challenges foster children face, including the way that a disrupted education eliminates many possibilities for the future; how past trauma impacts the present; creativity and the arts; finding identity; loneliness and found family.
All Venues. Equipment required: a glass of water, lunch if she’s staying for the day. A table to spread her things out on. A microphone for larger groups or in the gym. A screen and projector for presenting slides and doing shared writing.
