Speaking Engagements
Connecting with readers and other writers is one of my favorite parts of being an author. Whether it be a school author visit, a writing group session, or a chat with your book club, I am available for any type of speaking engagement that you’re looking for!
I have spoken at many prestigious conferences and festivals including AWP, LA Times Festival of Books, ALA Annual, SCBWI Summer Conference, CSLA, the Ontario Teen Book Fest, Pasadena Loves YA, NYC Teen Author Festival, LitFest Pasadena, Commerce Teen Book Festival, Barnes & Noble Teen Book Buzz, at countless bookstore events and in numerous schools across the country.
Currently all visits are virtual.
SCHOOL AUTHOR VISITS
Bring me into your classroom for an author talk or a creative writing session. I can tailor any of my workshops to fit in with your curriculum. Available workshops include:
From Tatooine to Yavin: Applying the Hero’s Journey to Your Own Novel – George Lucas drew upon Joseph Campbell’s classic Hero’s Journey to create our beloved Star Wars, so why shouldn’t you? In this breakout session, I’ll use popular movies and books in pop culture to lay out the steps of the Hero’s Journey so that students will be able to apply it to any story idea they have.
Free Your Mind: Journal-Writing For Teens – In my novel What They Don’t Know, the main characters pour their innermost thoughts into their journals. In this workshop, we’ll talk about the benefits of journaling and ways to free yourself on the page.
WRITING GROUP TALKS
I love talking shop with other writers, both published and pre-published. After over a decade navigating the twists and turns of the publishing industry, I love to share what I’ve learned along the way. My most popular talk is on perseverance, outlined below:
Overcoming Obstacles on Your Path to Publication – Publishing is a lot like hiking: beautiful vistas…and a lot of scrabbling over rocks to get there. We hear a lot about the beautiful vistas, but it’s also important to be prepared when the trail gets rocky. This upbeat, practical workshop will discuss ways to prepare yourself for the climb ahead, and I’ll impart the lessons learned from my own struggle. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out in your career, you’ll be ready to hit the trail with a trusty toolkit to keep you steady over the rocks. Includes a hand-out and invaluable advice!
BOOK CLUB CHATS
Have you chosen to read one of my books with your book club? First, THANK YOU! Second, I am available to visit your club and discuss the book with you personally! This is your opportunity to ask me any burning questions and get the inside scoop about my books and my writing process.
RATES
Rates for speaking engagements vary widely depending on the length of the visit and the type of workshop/book talk you’d like. A lot of preparation goes into my workshops and time is valuable! A rough outline of rates is as follows:
Virtual Author Q & A (1 hour – great for book clubs!): $100
Virtual & In-Person Visits: Price depends on length and type of visit. My workshops outlined above run about 2 hours, with the price depending on the size of the group and how much tailoring of the content I’ll need to do for your group. In general, workshops start at $300 for virtual and $350 for in-person visits within 30 miles of Los Angeles. Travel fees will be added for locations outside of 30 miles of L.A. but still within driving distance. Any locations outside of driving distance from L.A. will require full travel expenses (airfare, hotel, meals) covered by the host.
I am more than happy to work within your budget, especially for Title I schools. Fill out the form below to contact me directly!
