Lyall, Casey (Strathroy, ON)

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Writers’ Union of Canada member. CANSCAIP member. Silver Birch Nominee. Red Cedar Fiction Award Winner. John Spray Mystery Award Nominee. Barnes & Noble Best Picture Book Nominee. Interactive presentations, writing games, customization available.

English language presentations and workshops for grades K-6; further age ranges available on request.

In-Person Visits (45-60 minutes): $300 for 1 session; $250 for each subsequent session up to four sessions in one day. A session may be split into two 25-30 minute sessions for Kindergarten.

Virtual Visits (45-60 minutes): $200 per session. A session may be split into two 25-30 minute sessions for Kindergarten.

Writing Workshops (2 hours): $500 per session.

HST applies to all sessions. If travel is over 50 km, a CRA-based travel rate applies of $0.61 per kilometer, round trip.  

Casey Lyall lives in Southwestern Ontario where she also works at her local library. She is the author of humorous picture books and middle grade novels such as the Howard Wallace, P.I. series, A Spoonful of Frogs (illustrated by Vera Brosgol), and Gnome Is Where Your Heart Is. Casey has a number of fun books on the horizon including the upcoming graphic novel, The League of Littles (illustrated by Ken Niimura.). During her presentations, Casey aims to entertain and inform while leaving her audience excited about creating their own stories.

Casey takes students on an in-depth, behind the scenes look at her path to publication. She shares every part of the process: elementary school writing, failed projects, rejection and editorial letters, as well as revised and finished manuscripts. She offers tips and tricks for finishing a story and how to tackle the dreaded revisions. Other topics Casey can touch on include developing characters, the elements of a mystery, writing with humour, working on a graphic novel, surviving rejection, the value of persistence, and how to find your voice as a writer.

Each presentation is approximately 1 hour with time allowed for student Q&A throughout and ending with a group story-building game. Casey 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 or on one of her books specifically, that can be accommodated.

Casey can also customize presentations for specific groups. For example, a publishing-centric presentation for adults, an in-depth discussion with book clubs, educators looking to start a writing group for students, or a craft chat with a writers’ craft class, etc. Always feel free to reach out!

If there is an interest in book sales at an event, Casey can provide order forms with instructions to help organize the process in advance. She co-ordinates with a bookstore that offers her titles at a discount.

Writing Workshops are also available for smaller groups and run for approximately two hours. (Maximum size is one class or approximately twenty adults.)

Workshop topics available:

Building Your Story – focus on creating a story arc, writing dialogue that crackles, and developing characters and setting. Story prompts will be provided to practice applying each discussion to the page.


Making Your Story Shine – focus on pacing, building tension, deepening relationships between characters, and sticking the ending. (Students should have an in-progress story to work on during the session.)

As with presentations, customized workshops can be arranged (with different topics and/or longer sessions for an increased price.) Contact Casey to discuss details.

Casey can accommodate presentations to groups of any size, but if she is presenting in a large venue, a microphone is required. A librarian, teacher, or other school representative should be present throughout any event. A digital projector and screen may be required (Some presentations are accompanied by PowerPoint slides. Casey can bring her laptop or provide a flash drive). Water and a table to keep supplies on are also appreciated as well as lunch if booking for a full day visit.

Contact Casey to book a visit:

    Narsimhan, Mahtab (BC)

    Mahtab Narsimhan- H20-209960 8x10 300Writers’ Union Member. Silver Birch winning author available for school, public library, and conference visits. Member of The Writers’ Union of Canada. Continue reading “Narsimhan, Mahtab (BC)”

    Fernandez, Caroline (Toronto, ON)

    Writer’s Union member. CANSCAIP. SCWBI. Silver Birch Non-Fiction Honour Book Award 2016.

    Rates – in person: $300 for one session and $150 for additional sessions. Virtual visits: $150 per session (with negotiation for size of audience and recording permissions). Travel outside of Toronto: 59.0 cents/km.

    Caroline Fernandez loves to write children’s books for curious kids. She’s won awards for her fantastic stories, like the exciting chapter book series “Asha and Baz” which highlights real-life historical women in STEM. She has written numerous picture books including; “Hide And Seek: Wild Animal Groups in North America” and “The Adventures of Grandmasaurus” (series) and “Stop Reading This Book“. For those looking for a big adventure, her middle-grade historical novel “Plague Thieves” is now out. Caroline is an enthusiastic presenter who encourages interaction during visits.

    • Asha and Baz Meet Elizebeth Friedman is a 2024 Next Generation Indie Award finalist
    • Asha and Baz Meet Mary Sherman Morgan is a 2023 Next Generation Indie Award Finalist and TD Summer Reading Club Recommended Read.
    • Asha and Baz Meet Hedy Lamar is a 2023 Purple Dragonfly winner
    • The Adventures of Grandmasaurus is a 2021 Purple Dragonfly winner
    • Boredom Busters is a 2015 Forest of Reading Silver Birch honour book award winner

    Presentations by Grades

    All presentations include a reading, engaging activities, and author Q & A. Caroline is happy to work with teachers and librarians to develop a need-specific presentation, but here are some examples:

    Middle Grade (60 minutes)

    • Plague Thieves

    Reading of Plague Thieves. Then, discussion of inspiration, brainstorming, researching, writing, revision, and editing of this historic middle grade novel. Discussion on the challenges of incorporating real facts into middle grade historical fiction.

    Themes: middle grade books, writing and editing, research, historical fiction, geography, history, pandemics, urbanization, STEM in renaissance times Vs modern times, types of story conflict in books.

    Grades JK-6 (60 minutes)

    Asha and Baz series (chapter book series)

    • Asha and Baz Meet Mary Sherman Morgan
    • Asha and Baz Meet Hedy Lamarr
    • Asha and Baz Meet Elizebeth Friedman
    • Asha and Baz Meet Katia Krafft

    In the Asha and Baz series, two children are faced with a STEM challenge in school. They time travel to meet a women in history who has made a significant discovery which relates back to their school challenge. They learn about the woman, her time, and her STEM genre. Then, they travel back to their time and apply what they learn to their class challenge. Each of the STEM challenges can be reproduced as an activity at home or in class using simple materials.

    Themes: science and technology, women in science, history, biography, space, STEM, gender equality, early reader chapter book

    • Hide and Seek: Wild Animal Groups in North America (picture book)

    Themes: collective nouns, animals, migration of monarch butterfly, North America, finding one’s place, inclusivity, Earth Day, Earth Month, picture book

    • Stop Reading This Book (picture book)

    The book judges the reader by their cover. Would you….could you stop reading this book?!

    Themes: antagonists, protagonists, conflict, resolution, picture book, diversity, bullying, reading, picture book

    The Adventures of Grandmasaurus (picture book series)

    • The Adventures of Grandmasaurus
    • The Adventures of Grandmasaurus At the Aquarium Rescue Centre
    • The Adventures of Grandmasaurus At the Supermarket

    Grandma sneezes herself into different dinosaurs on a field trip to the museum. Role reversal story where the kids know the rules better than Grandmasaurus.

    Themes: inter-generational relationships, non-gendered characters, role reversal, literary non-fiction, diversity, facts, role reversal, dinosaurs, picture book

    • Boredom Busters
    • More Boredom Busters

    Let’s dive into busting boredom! Brainstorming on things you can craft using supplies you have around your home or classroom. Great for makerspace and school-vacation activity ideas!

    Themes: Screen-free activities, recycle/upcycle, STEM, creativity, boredom busters, activity books

    Equipment required: Table. Library or classroom preferred.

    Mid-morning start time requested.

    Caroline also offers book marketing coaching for authors

    Contact Caroline 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)”