Sherrard, Valerie (Miramichi NB)

Valerie Sherrard

GG nominated, award-winning author.

Virtual Visit: $225.00 for a 60 minute presentation.

In school visits: $300 for a single presentation or $550 for two at one location. Full day workshop 700.00.  Expenses are included in all fees. For in-school visit dates — please contact Valerie and she will let you know when she plans to be in Ontario.

Valerie is an experienced presenter (in-person and virtual visits) who uses humour and an interactive style to engage her audience. Feedback from her school and library visits has been enthusiastic.

Birdspell Corbin Hayes is used to being alone. His mom’s illness means lost jobs, constant moves, new schools and friendships that never get to grow. So, when a classmate offers Corbin the talking bird she can no longer keep, he sees a chance to fill the gap in his life. But when things begin to spiral out of control, Corbin can no longer cope. At his lowest moment, he’s forced to do the one thing he fears the most. Young Adult.

Finding Avalon  Avalon Monday doesn’t mind telling schoolmates that her mother ran off with a guy she met on the internet. After all, that’s way less embarrassing than the truth. But when the past collides with the present, exposing her secret and threatening to leave her new life in ruins, Avalon discovers there are some things you can never truly leave behind.

Cooper Clark and the Dragon Lady  (Chapter Book) Desperate measures are called for when a boy is secretly afraid of dragons, but his new babysitter is rumoured to have a dragon in her basement!

Presentations: I will present to grades 1 – 9. A signed bookmark or postcard will be provided for each student at all in-person presentations.

Grades 1 – 3: There’s a COW Under My Bed! or Down Here! Fun and interactive talk about expressions and language, and students’ own creative abilities. Reading with audience participation. I end with a short Q & A. For these grades you may book two half hour presentations in the place of a single 60 minute session if you prefer.

Middle Grades: Engaging interactive presentation on literacy, with or without issue-based segments depending on the book being presented. I end with a short reading and about 10 minutes for Q & A.

Young Adult: Engaging and interactive presentation on literacy, believing in oneself and a variety of writing or issue related topics, depending on the requested focus. I end with a short reading and about 10 minutes for Q & A.

Workshop for grades 6 and up: A Story’s Voice. This full day workshop is designed to help young people develop distinctive voices in their writing by examining the way character, setting, perspective, dialogue, tense etc. impact in telling a story. Writing exercises will demonstrate how each of these support a story in different ways, and help them to recognize which components will work best for their stories. Limited to 15 participants. Available virtually – contact to discuss a suitable arrangement.

I am flexible on audience size but in my experience, smaller in-person groups result in the greatest benefit to students. I am comfortable in all settings, including classroom, library, auditorium or gymnasium.

A sound system may be necessary depending on audience size, acoustics and the number of presentations booked.

Contact Valerie:

    McKay, Sharon (Burlington ON)

    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.

    Virtual Visits: $150, 60 minutes, Skype. Continue reading “McKay, Sharon (Burlington ON)”

    MacKay, Elly (Owen Sound)

    Writers’ Union Member. Author, illustrator, picture books, Forest of Reading, lightbox, paper, children’s books, primary, workshop, art project. Elly’s rate is $275 for one session, $475 for two, $675 for three and $800 for four, plus local travel from Toronto when in the area (either taxi or being picked up by a teacher to accommodate her in bringing her miniature theatre and supplies). Continue reading “MacKay, Elly (Owen Sound)”

    Krossing, Karen (Toronto, ON)

    Karen Krossing June 2019

    Writers’ Union Member. YA and MG fiction. Picture books (nonfiction and fiction). K to 12. Karen’s rate is $250 plus HST for one session, $450 for two, $675 for three, $900 for a full day (4 sessions). Mileage within Toronto may be waived. A virtual visit is $150 plus HST.

    Karen Krossing is the author of many books for kids and teens, including picture books One Tiny Bubble and Sour Cakes, and novels Monster vs. Boy, Punch Like a Girl, Bog, and Cut the Lights.  She won the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award for Canada in 2015 and 2023 and has been a finalist for the Ontario Library Association White Pine Award and the Joan F. Kaywell Books Save Lives Award, among other honors. Karen has been conducting book talks and workshops since 2002, and she has an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She loves meeting readers and writers of all ages.

    Continue reading “Krossing, Karen (Toronto, ON)”

    McNicoll, Sylvia (Burlington)

    DEAL:To celebrate The Great Mistake Mysteries travelling to Russia, Sylvia McNicoll will include a free Snake Mistake with every author visit booked before November 30.

    Writers’ Union Member. Silver Birch Winner, Creative Writing Instructor  Grade 2-Adult

    RATES: $300 solo session, $525 for two sessions Continue reading “McNicoll, Sylvia (Burlington)”

    Storms, Patricia (Toronto)

    Writers’ Union Member. Fun and funny cartoonist, children’s illustrator and picture book author and ukulele lady. $300 + HST for 1 session, $500 for 2, $800 for 3 and $1,000 for 4. Continue reading “Storms, Patricia (Toronto)”

    Poulsen, David (Alberta)

    David_A_Poulsen_Author - 1

    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.

    David will be in Ontario during June 2024 – availability for in-person school and library visits!
    Continue reading “Poulsen, David (Alberta)”

    Boudreau, Hélène (Markham ON)

    Not available for bookings at this time. Writers’ Union Member. Parents’ Choice Award. Fiction. Non-Fiction. Humour. Picture Book. Middle Grade. Tween. K to 8. Hélène’s rate is $250 for one 45-60 min session, $450 for 2, $650 for 3, $850 for 4 (max 4 per day), plus travel by car. HST extra. Continue reading “Boudreau, Hélène (Markham ON)”

    Zweig, Eric (Owen Sound ON)

    Writers’ Union Member. Hockey historian and author. Available for school and library visits. Eric’s rate is $300 for one session, $500 for two, or $750 for three, plus HST. Mileage costs can often be negotiated for multiple bookings or for presentations in the GTA. For virtual visits, the fee is $200 per session.
    Continue reading “Zweig, Eric (Owen Sound ON)”