Matas, Carol (Winnipeg, MB)

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. 

Contact Carol to book a visit

    Skrypuch, Marsha Forchuk (Brantford ON)

     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.

    Contact Marsha for a visit:

      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)”