author visits

I am willing to visit state reading and library conferences as well as schools and hold readings and writing workshops.

School visits: After reading my stories we talk about how I get ideas, how I create the characters and the plot, and how picture books have their own special language. I bring visuals to show how a picture book evolves from copy on paper to complete book. We also explore larger themes:

* Remembering family stories and writing about family history.
* Expressing feelings of anger and frustration through words and pictures.
* How hard work helps boost morale.

I'd be happy to talk to three class groups in a day. With older children, I talk about the process of writing and how much revision goes into the simplest sentence. Since the best writing comes from the heart as much as the mind, we talk about how it can help put you in touch with your deepest feelings.