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I am available to speak in schools and libraries and at literary festivals. I also speak at professional conferences. Please browse below.
For rates, dates and details, please contact me at .
TALKS FOR KIDSMy presentations for kids are humorous, interactive and supported by a colourful powerpoint slide-show of illustrations, covers and photos. They're designed for grades 2 to 6. By special request, I may be able to adapt presentations to particular audiences or curriculum needs.
"Linda is a librarian's delight for school presentations. She clearly loves what she does and conveys that simply and effectively to a wide age range of children. Highly recommended!"
Diane Barrie, Teacher-Librarian, North Vancouver
Stanley & Other Picture Books
Grades 2 to 4. This presentation gives a simple kid-friendly intro to the writing, illustrating and publishing process, using the Stanley books as examples. Students will learn where ideas come from (including my dog, Sophie!) and how they evolve into complete illustrated books. I always read a Stanley book aloud, pointing out "inside secrets." Then, after a big "dog stretch," we move on to The Farm Team so that young hockey fans can learn about the writing of a sports story. Time permitting, we might also explore The Best Figure Skater in the Whole Wide World or When Addie Was Scared.
"I just wanted to thank you so much for the wonderful presentations you did for our Grades 3 and 4. The kids just loved your books and hearing you tell about creating them. It was very special for all of us." Louise Biggar, Teacher-Librarian, West Vancouver"You were MAGNIFICENT!" Hal Wake, Artistic Director, Vancouver Writers & Readers Festival 2007, Vancouver
Grades 3 to 6. This presentation, which focuses on both the Stanley picture books and the Stevie Diamond mystery novels, is a great choice for students with a wide range of reading interests. We begin with the mystery genre, discussing its characteristics and appeal in terms of the Stevie Diamond mysteries. I then tell the story (despair! triumph!) of my journey as a writer and my personal experience of the writing and publishing process. After a stretch, we move on to picture books and dogs — how the Stanley books were imagined, written and illustrated, including a dramatic reading and a glimpse into future stories.
"All of the branch staff were so pleased with all the energy, ideas and encouragement you gave to the children and adults. Someday a writer will walk up to you and say you inspired them." Ellen Davies, Public Librarian, Salmon Arm
Grades 4, 5 & 6. This presentation introduces students to two genres: mystery and time-travel adventure. Using my Stevie Diamond mysteries as examples, I discuss the who-done-it genre, along with techniques of suspense writing. I also tell the story of my own journey as a writer and take students through the writing/publishing process, including foreign editions and covers. After a stretch, we move on to the Good Times Travel Agency comic-book history series and a discussion of adventure and time-travel stories. How are they written? (I sneak in some research, too.)
"My students were still buzzing by the end of the day -- your Good Times Travel Agency books all went home." Jody Colbourne, Teacher-Librarian, Toronto
TALKS FOR PROFESSIONAL CONFERENCESI am an experienced speaker at professional conferences for teachers, librarians and writers. My talks are supported by entertaining slide-show presentations of picture-book art, book covers and photographs. Note that I am always happy to tailor my talks toward conference themes.
Here are some recent talks:
How does a dog see the world? And how does a writer get “inside” that dog? This is the story of Stanley the dog — from original idea, to Stanley’s Party, to new books yet to come. It is also the story of my process: how I create characters by a process akin to “pretending” and develop stories through a process that feels like “daydreaming.” Pretending and daydreaming are easy for children, and as for getting “inside a dog,” is there any place a child would rather be? In this talk, I offer ideas to help kids read, write and imagine from inside a goofy dog named Stanley.
What does the world look like from inside a dog? From inside a twelve-year-old detective? From inside a hockey player who happens to be a pig? In this talk, I discuss where my fictional characters come from and how, as a writer, I get “inside” points of view that are very different from my own . . . or are they? From Stevie Diamond, girl detective, to the time-traveling Binkertons, to Stanley-the-partying-dog, I reveal my sources of inspiration and tell how they translate into characters who breathe (and bark!) on the page. P.S. I also talk about story.
There are no new stories. Look beneath the “skin” of recent stories and you’re likely to see the “bones” of old folk and fairy tales. You may notice familiar characters, too: Cinderella, Boewulf, the Trickster and more. In this talk, I discuss story archetypes in my own books — the Stevie Diamond mysteries, the Good Times Travel Agency books and, of course, the Stanley-the-dog picture books. I also suggest ways to help students recognize and use these wonderful old “story bones.”
BOOKINGSTo make a booking (or for more info), please email me at .
ONTARIO TEACHERS & LIBRARIANS: For school and library visits in Ontario, please contact Authors Booking Service at .
© Linda Bailey, 2007