I love sharing Mother Ghost in person! Although the definition of “in person” has changed dramatically this year, I’m happy to perform a virtual reading or school visit.
My most popular program is a 20-minute interactive storytime for preschool through second grade with finger plays, puppets, and props, which can also include a Q&A. I also have three 45-minute presentations that I can tailor to various age groups:
Think Outside the Box: How I Became An Author In a Way I Never Imagined (45 minutes): A presentation with a reading and a Q&A built in. In this presentation, I describe how I went from struggling to write the stories I thought I should be writing to publishing the book that I loved. I talk about how students should never be afraid to experiment with new roles in their lives—especially if those roles connect to their passions.
What’s It Like To Be An Author? (45 minutes): A “career-day” style presentation about what an author’s job is like. This presentation describes a typical day in the life of an author before explaining the many, many steps in the publishing process, from a manuscript on the computer to a published book! In a 60-minute version of this presentation, students can write their own Halloween nursery rhymes and create picture book “dummies” of their work.
The Writing Process (45 minutes): In their English classes, students learn the writing process, from prewriting to publishing—but they may not know that authors use the same steps! This presentation details how authors brainstorm and organize their ideas, create rough drafts, revise and edit, and share their stories with the world—just like students!
In addition, I have an adult presentation for writing conferences or writer’s groups:
Rhyming Picture Books: When To Write Them and How to Write Them Well (60-90 minutes): Some rhyming picture books are timeless classics of children’s literature . . . and others are riddled with forced rhymes and nonexistent rhythms. In this session, we’ll look at the pros and cons of writing in rhyme and the kinds of picture books that are best suited to a rhyming format. Then, should you decide that rhyme is right for your project, we’ll discuss the ways to do it well.
If you’re interested in any of the above, please contact me to schedule a visit!