Workshops & Presentations
I offer readings, workshops and presentations for ages 8 - adult, both in-person and online. I also love coming to book clubs to talk about my books.
Workshops and presentations to schools are offered through MASC and Author's Booking Service.
Please enquire about pricing and availability.
PRESENTATIONS
WRITING FROM MEMORY
WORKSHOPS
WRITING FROM MEMORY
Memories are made of small moments. Working with memory moments, we can discover new ideas to form a base for creating stories.
In this hands-on, collaborative workshop, we’ll start with the writing prompt: “What is your earliest memory?” Together, we’ll create a series of group poems that are both specific and personal. We’ll also look at examples of how this same memory prompt inspired the verse novel “These Are Not the Words.”
The workshop explores ways that our memories and dreams can spark ideas and springboard us into larger writing projects.
FINDING A STORY BEHIND A PICTURE
A picture can tell you a lot about a person. But it’s the writer who discovers who that person is and how they fit into a story. This workshop will use photographs and pictures to get participants creating characters and inventing unique and vibrant stories.
CONFLICT FROM TWO SIDES
"Finding Your Story" explores how to weave a fictional narrative from elements of your own biography. We'll look at examples of creative memoirs and autobiographically influenced fiction. Various "containers" for your story will be explored including poetry, verse novels, graphic novels and short stories. The photographic influences on the semi-autobiographical novel These Are Not the Words will be examined with family photos from the author's collection. A reading from These Are Not the Words is followed by a Q & A.
Opening a window into the past gives us an understanding of our present moment. In Focus. Click. Wind, I delve into the passionate political commitments of youth in the 1960s. We'll look at some of the reasons behind political activism in 1968 and explore some of the reasons why people felt pushed to extreme actions. Drawing parallels between 1968 and contemporary political movements, we'll see that there are reasons to be optimistic and hopeful about our own future. A reading from Focus, Click, Wind is followed by a Q & A.
A LENS ON THE PRESENT
In "Conflict from Both Sides," the focus is on an empathetic understanding of World War 2. I'll explore the stories behind the stories from a young person's perspective, and reveal the true events and people that inspired the novels September 17 and The Pact. Historical photos show the actual children from England and Germany that are represented in these books, illustrating the challenges faced during wartime. Topics discussed include propaganda, indoctrination, racism, and survival. Readings from both books are followed by a Q & A.
In theatre, you start with an empty space. A void. You hear a sound, or maybe a light comes on. Immediately the story has begun. What unfolds is an alchemy of language, movement, colour, light, sound, and purpose. In this workshop we’ll discover how working with your inner actor, designer, and director can inform your writing. We’ll fill the void of the blank page and watch as our story comes to life.
CONNECTING TO WRITING THROUGH ILLUMINATED LETTERS
EXPERIMENTING WITH THE MAGIC "IF"
Through writing prompts, we'll create small, personal poems based on participants's names. We'll then explore Renaissance Book Art, and learn how to draw Versal letters in the style of 15th Century Books of Hours. The beauty of these letters will be the foundation for creating artwork with our name poems. The workshop helps to develop a love and passion for letters, combining writing skills with artwork.
