Writer’s Union Member, CANSCAIP Member. Middle-grade & High School. $400 plus HST for one session, $800 for two, for three or full day session (to be discussed). Virtual visits fees – $300 plus HST, per session. Plus travel fee of 0.50/Km, if outside Toronto.
EDDIE KAWOOYA was born in Uganda and raised on three different continents before settling in Canada. His love for writing was inspired by his grandmother’s oral stories and the folklore of Uganda’s ancestral past. As an immigrant to Canada, he is passionate about issues related to race, inclusion and diversity. He has spent years honing his craft in the field of public policy, corporate governance, and strategic communications. He published his first novel, Ace and the Misfits, in 2024. The sequel novel Ace and the Misfits vs. the Soccer Knights was published in 2025. He lives in Toronto.
Examples of Workshops:
Grades 5 – 8 (Imagining the Possible Workshops)
Students explore how imagination can open doors to new worlds, ideas and possibilities. Through guided exercises, discussions and story building activities, author Eddie Kawooya encourages students to harness their own voices, stretch their creativity and see how writing can be both powerful and fun.
Grades 5 – 8 (Thematic & Interactive Workshops)
Using themes from the Ace & the Misfit series, these workshops invite students to reflect on real-life challenges of fitting in, standing up to bullying, and building inclusive communities. Through story-telling and conversation, Eddie Kawooya helps students see how sport, friendship and resilience can inspire us to create spaces where everyone belongs
All venues, including library. Equipment required: microphone, screen and projector, soccer ball, parchment paper and markers. Lunch for full day sessions.
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.
Carol Matas, Winnipeg, MB, member, Writers’ Union of Canada, English. Grades K- 12.
Virtual visits: $250 for a 45 minute session for the novel. $200 for a half hour session for the picture book.
Carol is the internationally best selling author of over 50 books for young people, which have received over 100 awards and honours and been translated into 16 languages.
Photo: Chantal Picton Holowka.
Carol has written historical, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary novels. She has written early readers, middle grade novels and young adult novels and a YA crossover book. She often gets emails from young people telling her that they didn’t like to read until they discovered her books, and she is thrilled to cultivate new readers. Many of Carol’s presentations are about her Holocaust novels. In these sessions she delves into the roots of antisemitism and racism which informed Hitler’s worldview. She loves to talk about “big questions” using books like Cloning Miranda, when she encourages discussions about what it means to be a human being.
Who’s Looking for science based presentations.
A Storm Unleashed
A gripping tale about a girl and her dog set in Berlin, Germany, during the lead up to World War Two.
After losing her mother as a young girl, twelve-year-old Mia is living in Berlin with her veterinarian father and beloved German shepherd, Max. Mia tries to focus on her hobbies, her studies and her trips to her grandparents’ farm where she cares for the animals she loves. But it’s 1935, and life has changed radically for Mia and her Jewish father over the last two years.
Antisemitism is now official state policy. At school, Mia is vilified and treated cruelly by her teachers and fellow students. Outside of school, she witnesses violence against her friends and family. And then suddenly a girl from the Nazi Youth tries to take Max. From that moment on, life becomes more and more dangerous for Mia and her father ― who is now being forced to help the Nazis train Hitler’s army of dogs.
Mia and her best friend, Frieda, must come up with a plan to navigate this new reality. But could it cost Mia more than she realizes?
Kai and Golem
Rain in the morning makes Kai say, “That’s not what I want!” After school, he wants to read stories with Bubbe, but she isn’t there. “That’s not what I want!” says Kai. Maybe, he thinks, there’s a creature that makes bad things happen. Could it be a Golem, big and scary? But maybe things aren’t so bad if you look at them in a different way…
Carol does virtual visits all over North America, most recently Atlanta, Georgia to present “The War Within,” a Civil War novel.
Also presents to adults.
Carol’s books have garnered over 100 awards and honours, including 2 nominations for the Governor General’s Award; the Silver Birch Award; a New York Times Notable book; a Sydney Taylor Award; a National Jewish Book Award finalist; an ALA Best Book of the Year for YA; a Helen and Stan Vine Canadian Jewish Book Award for Young People; CCBC Best Book for Kids and Teens; New York Public Library, book for the Teen Age; and the Geoffrey Bilson Award. They have also been translated into 16 languages and many have been best sellers. Daniel’s Story has sold over 1 million copies in the United States and Canada.
Writers’ Union Member. $250 virtual visit or $400 in-person, plus travel. $700 for a day with two visits (two schools can share). Travel costs waived in Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge, Guelph, and the townships.
Erin writes YA science fiction and fantasy middle grade books. With multiple awards, she’s considered one of Canada’s rising stars: Quill and Quire calls her “a new master,” and the CBC says she’s “so close to YA superstardom she can probably taste it.” As a presenter she’s down-to-earth and funny, working to give students real answers and emotional honesty.
CCBC Book Awards: TD Canadian Children’s Literature Award nominee
“I’ve had many novelists visit my classes over the years, but I can honestly say I’ve never seen one connect so well with a teenaged audience. —A.J. Blauer, Acting Head of Literary Arts, Canterbury High School (Ottawa, Ontario)
Free Virtual Visits! I do free 10-15 minute virtual visits with classes or clubs who are reading one of my books. There’s no presentation, so I’m counting on the teacher or moderator to run a short, informal conversation or a Q&A
Audience: Any small group
Timing: 10 to 15 minutes
Presentation-style School Visits
For upper elementary and middle schools: How to Fail
A funny presentation on how I became an author by failing every step of the way. (Step one: don’t have a dream.)
I’ll give your students a peek behind the scenes of my creative process — research, writing, editing, and more — but the heart of the presentation is grit, growth, and being a little easier on yourself.
Audience: Targeted at grades 5 – 9. Single classes or whole-school gatherings.
Timing: Adaptable to your timetable, but generally 30-40 minutes plus a Q&A, for a total of 45-60 minutes.
For middle schools, high schools: How to Fall off a Roof
Neuroscientists have a question: when you’re falling to your death, does time really slow down? Being scientists, they’ve tested this by dropping volunteers from a great height. Any guesses on what they learned?
This presentation uses that answer — and other insights from modern neuroscience — to introduce new ways to think about how details and pacing change the emotional intensity of a scene.
Audience: Targetted at grades 7 – 12, writers’ craft classes, university classes, writers’ master classes. Works as a workshop for single classes, but can also be run as a presentation for a gym-ful.
Timing: Adaptable to your timetable, but generally 45-60 minutes plus a Q&A, for a total of 60-90 minutes.
For upper elementary and middle schools: Sort of Simon
Simon Sort of Says is my newest middle grade book.
This presentation takes your readers behind the scenes of writing this book — and creativity generally — starting from “where do your get your ideas” and covering everything from an ordinary writing day to the big phone call day where something amazing happens.
This presentation works for both classes who have read or are reading Simon, and for classes who are just curious about books, writing, and creativity.
Content note: there is a school shooting in the backstory — not on the page — of Simon Sort of Says. That comes up in the backstory — not at the heart — of this presentation.
Audience: Targetted at grades 5 – 9. Single classes or whole-school gatherings.
Timing: Adaptable to your timetable, but generally 30-40 minutes plus a Q&A, for a total of 45-60 minutes.
Workshops
Writing Workshop: How to Walk Across a Room
This highly interactive, on-your-feet workshop draws on improv exercises and group brainstorming to help students make characters come to life on the page.
This workshop is at its absolute best as a series of short workshops and writing exercises that build on each other over the course of several writing days. Some of these can be teacher-run — I have sharable lesson plans. Contact me if you’re interested.
Audience: Targeted at grades 7 – 12, writers’ craft classes, university classes, writers’ master classes. Best for single classes.
Timing: Adaptable to your timetable, but generally 45-60 minutes plus a Q&A, for a total of 60-90 minutes.
Writing Workshop: How to Fall off a Roof
Neuroscientists have a question: when you’re falling to your death, does time really slow down? Being scientists, they’ve tested this by dropping volunteers from a great height. Any guesses on what they learned?
This workshop uses that answer — and other insights from modern neuroscience — to introduce new ways to think about how details and pacing change the emotional intensity of a scene.
Jam-packed with weird science and fun examples, this workshop is the least interactive one I do, and can also be a presentation to a gym-ful.
Audience: Targetted at grades 7 – 12, writers’ craft classes, university classes, writers’ master classes. Works as a workshop for single classes, but can also be run as a presentation for a gym-ful.
Timing: Adaptable to your timetable, but generally 45-60 minutes plus a Q&A, for a total of 60-90 minutes.
Writer in Residence options
Want to take it up a notch? These workshops add together to create a great program for a writer in residence. Think every day for a week, or twice a month for a semester, or even more.
This is my absolute favourite thing to do — it’s a game changer for me, for the kids, and for the teachers I work with.
Writers’ Union Member. Silver Birch winning author available for school, public library, and conference visits. Member of The Writers’ Union of Canada.
Mahtab, in Persian, means moonlight. She won the Silver Birch award for her debut novel, The Third Eye. Many of her other novels have garnered critical acclaim. Mahtab loves connecting with her readers and encourages discussions about diversity. She’s comfortable with an adult audience as well as grades 4-8. As Writer-In-Residence at the Toronto District School Board and presenter at the Toronto Public Library, she has given numerous writing workshops and loves it!
Currently, due to travel constraints, she is focusing on Skype visits for Grades 4-8. Starting April 2020 when her latest picture book will be released, she will also include Grades 1-3, and will be able to present to the entire school in a day.
Skype Presentations: Duration: 30 Minutes each Cost: $200 plus HST for one session, $350 plus HST for two back-to-back sessions, $450 plus HST for three back to back sessions and $500 plus HST for four back-to-back sessions.
Equipment:
A PC or MAC with webcam, and a wired Internet connection
Skype Software and Skype ID
Other Details:
Questions will be written down in advance after having read at least one book. Each student will come up to the webcam and read out the question. For Skype visits, payment is due in advance.
Mahtab’s books include a strong element of her Indian roots and she encourages discussions and questions on world cultures, and especially diversity. She immigrated to Canada in 1997 and is happy to share the struggles she faced while trying to fit into Canada.
Format: Here is what we will cover in the 30 minute session:
Where I come from and how I became a writer
Diversity in Writing: How to use what you know, and your background in your books. The life of an immigrant in Canada and how I worked to fit in.
My latest book and how it came about: the process of writing it, where I got the inspiration for it.
15 Minutes of Q&A. Students will have read at least one book of mine and come prepared with questions.
Mahtab tailors her presentations to the age of her audience and makes them fun and interactive. Her talk is peppered with personal anecdotes about the challenges she faces when she writes, as well as tips and tricks she uses to meet her daily writing goals.
I also conduct Writing Workshops for grades 7-8 where I will give writing exercises and provide tips for writing creative fiction.
In-Person Presentations:
Duration: 1 hour Cost: $300 plus HST for one session, $500 plus HST for two sessions, $750 plus HST for three sessions and $1000 plus HST for four sessions, plus travel per Canada Council mileage rates.
Equipment: A microphone, table, projector screen and multi-plug power socket. Flip-chart and markers for workshops. Venue: All, though libraries and classrooms preferred. Maximum number of students per session: 100 for presentations and 16 for workshops. This is slightly flexible so please contact her to discuss.
Writers Union Member. Fiction & NF, Multi awards, internationally bestselling. All ages. $400 plus HST for 1 session, $650 for 2, $900 for 3 and $1100 for 4, + travel (.68 cents per kilometer, round-trip for SW ON).
Virtual Visits: $300 plus HST, per session.
Marsha is an experienced and passionate speaker who tailors each presentation to the group in front of her. As the author of picture books, middle grade novels, narrative non-fiction and YA novels, she can present to an entire school over the course of a day. She also loves speaking to adult groups and she loves loves loves giving writing workshops.
Presentations by grade
For most presentations, Marsha reveals her struggles with dyslexia and not being able to read until she was 9. Marsha talks about why she writes about war from a kid’s point of view and why she considers herself a librarian/detective. She also explains how she became a princess if asked.
Here is an example of her themes by grade:
JK to 1: two 30 minute storytelling sessions for the price of one full session ($400+HST) using When Mama Goes To Work.
2 to 4: 45 to 60 minutes: Storytelling session plus Q&A on topic/book of your choice. Most of Marsha’s books delve into the issue of war and displacement from a kid’s point of view. For this age group, this topic can best be presented via specific books:
Ukraine’s long struggle under war: Silver Threads, Enough.
Vietnamese refugee books: Sky of Bombs Sky of Stars, Too Young to Escape and Adrift at Sea.
Armenian Genocide, orphan refugees: Aram’s Choice, Call Me Aram.
4 to 8: Most of Marsha’s books are for this age group and she can present her WWII novels, and Winterkill, set during the Holodomor, but Marsha’s most requested presentation right now is about her brand new Kidnapped from Ukraine trilogy. Book one, Under Attack, has received rave reviews including starred reviews from Kirkus and Bookist, plus this from Canadian Children’s Book News: “…Under Attack is an invaluable must-read and must-have educational resource for public, schools and home libraries everywhere. Lingering long after the last compelling page is turned, this timely book is inarguably a stirring catalyst for in-depth discussion…” Very highly recommended
Book 2, Standoff, is published on Oct 7, and book 3, Still Alive, will be published in April 2026.
Maximum group sizes for presentations: 45 for JK to 3. 100+ for everyone else.
Writing Workshops work best with 16 or so participants
Writing Workshop Topics:
Teaching fun self-editing techniques to students in grades 4 to 12.
How to create an awesome villain.
How to assist gifted student writers (of any age) without tearing your hair out in frustration.
Techniques for punching through writer’s block.
Grade 12 Writers’ Craft personal memoir writing
Other topics upon request.
All Venues, library preferred. Equipment required: A glass of water, lunch (egg salad sandwich on brown bread) if she’s staying for the day. A table to spread her things out on. A microphone for larger groups or in the gym, or if the room acoustics are questionable. A screen and projector for power-point.
Please note: Her surname is pronounced SKRIPP-ick.
Writers Union Member. White Pine Award Winner and two-time nominee, also nominated for Governor General’s award, Amy Mathers Teen Book award, Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz award, among others—a total of 18 nominations and Best-of lists. YA Author of HE MUST LIKE YOU, EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IS NOT RUINED, and LOLA CARLYE’S 12 STEP ROMANCE.
Danielle’s virtual visit fee is $200 per 50-60 minute session. In person visits are $300 for 1 hour presentation; $550 for 2, $800 for 3, plus travel for locations outside Toronto.
Danielle is a confident and dynamic presenter who loves talking about books with people of all ages. She attained a BA from McGill, worked for years as an actor before turning to writing, and has had a wild variety of jobs—everything from acting, to dubbing English voices for Japanese TV, to temping, to teaching Pilates, to freelance writing. Danielle lives Toronto with her husband and two daughters.
Presentations: Because of her background in theatre, Danielle is very comfortable in front of an audience and loves engaging with readers. Though she writes teen fiction, she can also adjust her presentations for groups as young as grade 5 and 6. Presentations can be geared toward each group, and can be done with more of a workshop emphasis if required. All presentations include time for questions!
Age range: grades 5 and up, but ideally grades 7-12. Danielle also loves presenting to and working with adult groups, and meeting with book clubs.
Topics:
Pantsters, Plotters & Making Soup: A discussion of the essential elements of fiction, and explanations of some of the different techniques used by writers to craft story and write fiction.
Turning Real Life Into Fiction: The process of using your own stories as inspiration for fiction is deeper, more layered, and much more detailed than it looks. In this session, Danielle will take you through the process of distilling the essence of your experiences, and using the most compelling themes and elements to create a work of fiction, using He Must Like You and Everything Beautiful Is Not Ruined as examples.
How to Pursue a Career as a Novelist: A presentation that explains the process of becoming a professional writer, from beginning writing through searching for an agent, to going through the process of being published. This presentation is great for students who are interested in the arts, and in the process of making decisions about their futures.
How to Revise the Crap Out of Your Manuscript: Danielle is an in-depth and joyfully ruthless reviser. In this session she will go through the steps she takes to revise her manuscripts in a way that can also be applied to shorter works. Subjects will include character consistency, POV, tone, tightening and/or expanding, layering in new characters and plot lines, analyzing structure, and general troubleshooting of things that aren’t working.
Equipment: podium or desk, microphone for groups larger than 40. Maximum group size: 40-60 for optimum interaction, but Danielle is also comfortable in front of larger groups. 25 or fewer for workshops.
Storytellers of Canada. Gold Mountain Stories. Traditional Asian folklore & Canada’s immigrant history (FDK – 12). Per session, 80-100 students. Three Sessions $625 + travel from Toronto. Continue reading “Hune, Bernice (Toronto)”
Writers’ Union Member. Multi-award-winning author of more than 20 books for kids and teens.
Fees for on-site visits: $350 + HST for up to one hour, $600 + HST half day, $900 + HST full day (4 hours). Mileage and other travel expenses may apply. Fees for virtual visits: $300 + HST for up to 1 hour, $250 + HST for each additional presentation on the same day.
Surprising facts, engaging stories, and her willingness to answer just one more question set Lindsey’s nonfiction programs apart. And her workshops make even the most reluctant young writers excited to express themselves. Lindsey also offerspresentations for educatorsandworkshops for adult writers.
Polar won the 2025 Lane Anderson Award and the SWCC Award
The Boreal Forest won the Information Book Award
NONFICTION PROGRAMS FOR KIDS
What Is a Forest For? Introducing the Boreal Forest | Grades 1-3 | Duration: 45 min | Curriculum Connections: biodiversity, photosynthesis, biomes, habitats, the boreal forest, climate change
The boreal forest is the largest, most northern forest in the world… and 29 percent of it is right here in Canada! This introduction to the boreal biome will help kids understand why forests matter. We’ll explore biodiversity with a look at some weird and wonderful animals that call the boreal forest home. During a movement activity, we’ll discuss photosynthesis and how it helps forests prevent climate change. This high-energy program is designed to captivate young learners, and includes plenty of time to answer questions. Inspired by Lindsey’s book The Boreal Forest: A Year in the World’s Largest Land Biome.
(Ant)Arctic Adaptations: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth | Grades 4-6 | Duration: 60 min | Curriculum Connections:biodiversity, biomes, polar regions, adaptations, life cycles, climate change
The polar regions are bitterly cold, freeze-dried wildernesses, where the wind can blow harder than hurricanes. They are also the only places on Earth where day—and night—last up to six months. And yet, many animals not only survive in these extreme environments, they thrive! After a brief introduction to the Arctic and Antarctica, kids will be asked to brainstorm a list of polar species. We’ll discuss the adaptations that help their favourite animals stay warm, find food, and raise their babies, all in two of the harshest habitats on the planet. Then, we’ll explore the surprising adaptations of some less-familiar species… including one that protects itself with projectile vomit! Packed with stunning visuals and surprising facts, this lively presentation features deleted scenes from Polar: Wildlife at the Ends of the Earth.
How Women Get Erased From History | Grades 4+ | Duration: 60 min | Curriculum Connections:world history, biography, social justice, art and literature, STEM, climate change, World War II
Have you ever done something amazing… and someone else took credit? In science and engineering, men getting credit for women’s achievements is called the Matilda Effect, but erasure happens to women in the arts, sports, politics, and more. In this program, we’ll explore six mechanisms of erasure using examples from The Matilda Effect: How 25 Women Were Erased From History. Then we’ll take a deeper dive into one mechanism—disinformation—by comparing two depictions of Two Gun Nan: an exclusive deleted scene from The Matilda Effect, and an episode of the 1950s TV series Death Valley Days. Bonus: an action plan for ending the Matilda Effect!
WRITING WORKSHOPS FOR KIDS
Eating Their Words: How to Write Found, Erasure, and Blackout Poetry | Grades 4+ | Duration: 60 min
How can poets overcome blank-page paralysis? By starting with a page full of words! In this workshop, we’ll define and explore three types of poems that begin from existing works. First, we’ll play with found poetry, using a handful of words offered by the text to write something new. Next, we’ll experiment with erasure and blackout techniques, writing poems that respond to, challenge, or subvert the meaning of the original text. Erasure poems from The Matilda Effect will be offered as examples; as starting points for their own poems, participants are encouraged to bring printed-out passages from books, websites, or articles that inspire or enrage them.
What’s Your Book About? How to Decide What to Leave Out | Grades 4-6 | Duration: 60 min
Tell people you’re a writer, and they’ll probably ask “What’s your book about?” But before we can tell other people, we have to be able to tell ourselves. Knowing what our book, story, article, or report is really about lets us research efficiently, revise strategically, and avoid time-consuming tangents… producing a final draft that’s concise, cohesive, and effective. In this presentation, I’ll share the coolest animal facts that aren’t in The Boreal Forest, and explain exactly why I cut them. Then, we’ll walk through each draft of the book’s opening scene, exploring the step-by-step-decision-making process of revision. Throughout the program, two-minute writing challenges give participants a chance to apply revision strategies to their own work. Designed to get writers excited about re-writing, this program can be adapted for elementary, middle, high school, or adult audiences.
Writing Down the Feels | Grades 7-12 | Duration: 60 min
Why do we forget some stories, while others stay with us for years? Be they fiction, nonfiction, or poetry, stories with staying power are the ones that make us feel. This workshop explores the connections between language and emotions, teaching writers how to manipulate their reader’s response. Writers will harness the emotional resonance of vivid words and figures of speech, making their readers laugh, cry, and remember their words forever.
IMPORTANT INFO:
For on-site visits, hosts must provide an LCD projector and screen for slideshows. Depending on program and audience size, speakers (for video), whiteboards, and a microphone may also be required. Contact Lindsey for details.
For virtual visits, hosts must provide meeting link and security. Lindsey can accommodate schedules in a range of time zones.
Writers’ Union Member. Sharon travels across Canada several times a year. Sharon E. McKay (Mick-EYE) writes fact-based fiction for young adults. Multi-awards, all ages.
Flat fee of $900 for a full day, four sessions and includes a free (optional) brown-bag lunch for anyone interested in writing. Flat fee of $600 for an afternoon. Parents and media are welcome in all sessions.
Storytellers of Canada. Gold Mountain Stories. Traditional Asian folklore & Canada’s immigrant history (FDK – 12). Per session, 80-100 students. Three Sessions $625 + travel from Toronto. 
Writers’ Union Member. Sharon travels across Canada several times a year. Sharon E. McKay (Mick-EYE) writes fact-based fiction for young adults. Multi-awards, all ages.