I have always been an avid reader and from a young age I wanted to be a writer. The thing is, it took me until my 20s to realize that being a professional writer was a possibility. When I was in elementary and high school, the closest I got to meeting a writer was getting Blue Jays outfielder, George Bell, to sign a copy of his book at a mall. Writers always felt inaccessible or, in some ways, mythical. The schools I attended made me feel it was smarter to pursue a career in accounting (trust me, you don’t want me anywhere near numbers) than one in writing movies or novels or for TV.
Introducing preteens and young adults to reading and getting them excited about books can be challenging. One of the best things you can do is invite an author to visit your classroom, even virtually, to discuss their novel, the ins and outs of a writing career and to offer some writing tips or even run some useful and fun writing exercises. At the very least, it can convince them of the value of writing on any level.
I’m always looking for classrooms and book clubs to visit. I’m happy to tailor something for your students or young readers and to make sure that the time is engaging and informative.
To learn if my YA novel, The Book of Sam, is right for your class or book club, you can read the review in the Canadian Review of Materials. You can also learn more about my novel on the Dundurn Press website.
If you’re interested in learning more, all you have to do is reach out via my contact us form.