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.
Member – Writers Union of Canada, Writers Federation of Nova Scotia, CCBC and CANSCAIP.
Middle-Grade and YA fiction.
Grades 4-12. $300 plus HST for 1 session, $500 for 2, $750 for 3 and $1000 for 4, + travel (.68 cents per kilometer, round-trip for SW ON).
Virtual Visits: $300 plus HST, for one session, 20-60 minutes, $200 for each additional session on the same day.
Winner: Red Maple Award, Arthur Ellis Award winner for juvenile crime fiction, CBC Young Canada Reads winner.
Nominated for Edgar Allan Poe Award, CLA Children’s Book of the Year, Young Canada Reads, New Jersey Library Association’s Garden State Teen Book Award, Ann Connor-Brimer Award x3, Red Cedar, Silver Birch x 2, Arthur Ellis x3, Red Maple, Golden Oak, BC Stellar, Saskatchewan Snow Willow x 3, and Hackmatack. Multiple awards for children’s television scripts and advertising work.
Television screenwriter, advertising copywriter and multi-award-winning author of eighteen middle-grade and young adult novels, Vicki brings her trademark humour to the classroom in her fun and informative school visits. Geared to the interests of the class, her presentations will delight Grades Four through Twelve. “The best presentation we ever had!” Ian Forsyth Elementary. “A wonderful rapport with students of any age!” Ellenvale Junior High. “She entranced our Grade 12 writing class!” St. Paul Catholic High School.
Vicki loves being a writer but that doesn’t mean she always loves to write. Illustrated with humorous slides and personal examples, her presentations focus on the tricks she’s learned to keep herself inspired and productive. She engages the class with hilarious read-alouds, lively Q & As, and easy exercises geared to their interest and age-group. She’s also happy to give presentations about writing humour, plotting mystery novels, character development and, for older kids, the business of writing.
Here’s a selection of her books:
Quid Pro Quo: A comic high-action legal thriller for 10 to 14-year olds
Also available in French
“A very, very funny book. I couldn’t put it down!” CBC’s Children’s Book Panel
“The kind of timing, pacing, deadpan one-liners and punchy humour that a seasoned stand-up would envy…but real and funny.” Quill & Quire starred review.
Winner of the Arthur Ellis Award for Best Juvenile Crime Novel, CBC Young Canada Reads. A Silver Birch Honour Book. Nominated for the Edgar Allan Poe Award, CLA Children’s Book of the Year, Young Canada Reads, New Jersey Library Association’s Garden State Teen Book Award, Ann Connor-Brimer Award, Red Cedar Award. A New York Public Library Best Book for Teens. Bank Street College List of Best Books
A Green Velvet Secret: A Middle-Grade mystery about love, grief and fabulous vintage clothes
“Upbeat and heartwarming. Stock up on tissues and settle in for a wholly satisfying read. Highly recommended.” CM: CANADIAN REVIEW OF MATERIALS
“Quirky, fully fleshed characters and a tender third-person narration accompany themes of grieving…in this winning novel.” PUBLISHER’S WEEKLY
Short for Chameleon: A Middle-Grade mystery about a boy, his Dad, and their rented family.
Red Maple nominee. Also available in French
“Short for Chameleon is a near perfect book. It bursts with a unique voice and a delightfully surprising plot.” Quill & Quire
“A delightful, quirky, and engaging read. 4 out of 4 stars.” CM
“Original, hilarious and evocative.” — Resource Links
Pigboy: A comic high-low adventure novel for 10 to 14 year-olds
ALA Quick Pick 2008, Silver Birch Honour Book
Also available in French
“Grant hits the nail on the head…A compelling story with lots of suspense, but it’s the journey to Dan’s personal redemption that is most enjoyable to read. Highly recommended.” CM Magazine
“Grant has done a fantastic job of developing the voice of an adolescent who is the class bully’s whipping boy. Dan’s wry sense of humor catches readers’ attention and has them rooting for him practically from the first page. Pigboy is a great quick read for boys who may be reluctant readers but others will enjoy it as well.” School Library Journal
36 Questions That Changed My Mind About You: A YA romcom based on a real psychological study
Also available in French
White Pine Honour Book. Chosen by the Toronto Public Library for THE LIST – 100 top books for teens
Foreign rights sold to 20 territories worldwide.
“Lots of laughs and a message about looking past appearances to make a connection” Publishers Weekly
Tell Me When You Feel Something: A YA medical thriller
Ann Connor Brimer nominee, CCBC’s Best Books for Kids and Teens, Fall 2021 — Starred Pick
“An important representation of the pressure that teenagers can feel and the damaging coping habits that they can use to maintain a semblance of normalcy.” —CM: Canadian Review of Materials
Maximum group sizes for presentations: 100+ for everyone else.
Writing Workshops 10 to 20 participants
Writing Workshop Topics:
Funny Pages: Tips on writing humour
Whodunnit?: How to plot a satisfying mystery
Making friends (or enemies!): Developing realistic and engaging characters
Other topics upon request.
All venues, library or classroom preferred. Equipment needed: A small table for books. A microphone if the room requires it. A screen and projector. (I have a MacBook but can also bring my presentation saved in Power Point on a USB stick.) A glass of water and lunch if I’m staying for the day. (I don’t need anything fancy!)
Writers’ Union Member. Winner of the Heart of Hawick Award (UK). Shortlisted for the Red Cedar (BC), MYRCA (Manitoba) and Audie Awards (USA). OLA Best Bet. Many of her books have been optioned for TV/Film.
$300+HST for a single session; $500+HST for two sessions; $900+HST for a full day. Prices for larger groups, workshops, panels, etc., to be negotiated*. For outside the Toronto area, add kilometrage/accommodation. Virtual Visits $100 – $200
ABOUT:
Adrienne Kress is an enthusiastic and creative presenter with a background in acting that makes her engaging for audiences of all ages. She has toured with TD Children’s Book Week and presented at MASC in Ottawa. She is a Toronto-born actor and author who, so far, has twelve novels to her credit (with an upcoming graphic novel in 2025), as well as essays, plays, screenplays and short stories. She has spoken to children and adults in a large variety of circumstances, from school assemblies and classroom workshops to writers’ associations and conference panels. Her presentations have taken her across Canada, the United Kingdom and the US. Adrienne is a dynamic, skilful speaker, insightful, knowledgeable and fun to be with.
PRESENTATIONS/READINGS/WORKSHOPS
“Adrienne first visited our school for a book reading and discussion about her writing career. We were so impressed with her dynamic and engaging approach to children that we immediately looked for other opportunities to bring this very talented individual back to the school. The almost-instantaneous connection she has made with our students is a testament to her extraordinary ability to work with young people.”
– Jonathan Harris, Head of School, Fieldstone Day School
READINGS:
Readings based on middle grade books are geared towards children in grades 4, 5, 6 and 7. They are 45 minutes to 11⁄2 hours in length depending on needs. She is comfortable with any group size. She has spoken to small groups in a cozy huddle on the floor in a library and to large groups of a couple of hundred in gyms and auditoriums.
As a passionate author, professional actor and teacher, Adrienne brings a large array of skills to her readings. She starts with a short talk about “how a book gets published” and “working with your editors is like working with your teacher,” continues with a dramatic reading from one of the books and ends with a question period and a book signing opportunity. When her session arises from one of her more swashbuckling books, Adrienne is happy to add a fencing lesson (no swords required!).
PRESENTATIONS:
Presentations can be geared to any audience, for example, Writer’s Craft classes, writers’ groups, book clubs. The length of the presentation varies according to the needs of the group, but is most often 1 to 1 1⁄2 hours in length. The content can be individualized to suit the interests of the group, but usually covers topics like the trials and tribulations of getting published (including how to get a literary agent), the writing process, working with an editor, identifying your audience, trends in modern literature and the importance of studying past works and authors.
WORKSHOPS:
“It was all amazing, Adrienne Kress is a fantastic author and person, she is very engaging and super nice.”
“I really liked all the exercises, and how all the exercises really make you think. I think it really helped with my writing!”
— MASC Young Authors & Illustrators Student Participants
Workshops can be geared to any audience, for example, elementary school students, Writer’s Craft classes, writers’ groups, book clubs. The length of the presentation varies according to the needs of the group but is most often 1 1⁄2 hours to 3 hours in length, though it can be expanded. The content usually covers topics like honing your writing skills, creating your own voice, creating a “world” for your stories, the use of dialogue, humour – its types and where to use it – identifying your audience, etc.
Comfortable in all venues. Equipment required: A glass of water, a microphone for larger groups or in the gym, a screen and projector for power-point.
