(Writer’s Union), Hackmatack Award Nominee (2023) Named Brampton’s Official Writer-in-Residence (2025) Knowledge Bookstore nomination for best spoken word CD recording (2011) Telly Award: Video production of heronJones Presents The Season (2006) Golden Sheaf Award nomination for the Yorkton Short Film Festival multicultural category for heronJones Presents The Season (2006) Roots Lounge Slam Poetry Champion (Multi Awards) Wordlympics Team Poetry Slam Runner-up (2004) Urban Music Association of Canada nomination for best poetry recording (2001)
In Person and Virtual Visits. Grade four to University in age:
Workshops/Author Readings $400 per session (1 hr)
Workshops include Performance/reading along with lecture and coaching (up to 40 students per session)
Author Readings include Live reading and discussion (no restrictions on number of students)
Performances $400 per session (1hr)
Performances include Live show/concert with Q&A (no restrictions on number of students)
Travel rates .50 cents per kilometer, round-trip outside of the GTA
Multiple sessions up to 4 per day are negotiable
Kevin heronJones is a novelist, poet, journalist, editor, narrator and lecturer. This electrifying artist is best known for his profound and powerful delivery. He is currently serving as the city of Brampton’s first Writer-in-Residence. He grew up in Jane/Finch Toronto and Brampton. He studied journalism at Sheridan College and creative writing with the University of Toronto. He is the founder of PoeticSoul, an organization dedicated to promoting the poetic arts scene and providing lovers of poetry with quality entertainment. He’s held numerous workshops for students throughout the Greater Toronto Area, providing an interactive introduction to storytelling and spoken word where students are challenged to create their own prose and oratory creations and believe in their creative abilities. He has authored three published novels, three books of poetry, he has recorded three spoken word poetry CDs and narrates literature through his Listen Fiction platform.
Writing Fiction Workshop: Finding Inspiration
60 minutes, grades – 4-8
Students are encouraged to create their own stories with coaching from Kevin Jones
How do we know what to write? Inspiration comes from the places we least expect (the places we don’t pay attention to)
What is your favourite show, movie, song, poem?
What is your favourite saying, quote, lyric?
What excites you, makes you mad, happy, upset?
What are the top news stories? What did you read on a billboard today? What did you see in a commercial?
These are possible starting points when you are trying to figure out what to write
* Additional Writing Workshops can be constructed to suit your school’s writing goals and student interests.
Author Reading
60 minutes, grades – Elementary/Middle School/Secondary
Narration/reading excerpt of Half Court Trap or Not Talking About You (Elementary/Middle School)
Narration/reading excerpt of Hacking Heartbreak (Middle School/Secondary)
Discussion of novel’s themes
- Half-Court Trap – Body image, sportsmanship and bullying
- Not Talking About you – Racism and sportsmanship
- Hacking Heartbreak – Social media ethics, romantic relationships and cyberbullying
Black History Month Assembly:
60 minutes, grades – Elementary/Middle School/Secondary
Spoken word poetry performance
Talk about equality
Celebration of African achievements
African History facts
Q & A
Writing Poetry Workshop:
60 minutes, grades – Elementary/Middle School/Secondary/College
Spoken word poetry performance
Storytelling and Poetry for Beginners (Elementary school students)
The Art of the Spoken Word (Secondary school students)
How to Write and Perform Slam Poetry (Secondary school, College/University)
Urban Griots (College/University students)
What You Think Is What You Are (Business/General public)
Preferred Venues
Workshops – Classroom or library
Poetry performances – Gymnasium or Theatre
Author Readings – No stipulation
Tech Required
Projector for workshopsand author readings