School Visits
I'm happy to offer school visits for Key Stage 2 featuring a fun, interactive hour long assembly based around my life and my books. I can also run creative workshops in writing and drawing. I have spoken to groups in many schools, libraries, bookshops, clubs, workplaces, and even at Oxford University. Over the last twelve years I’ve entertained, and hopefully inspired, many children.
Assembly:
My assembly is suitable for the whole school and is illustrated throughout by a colourful slideshow. I read a chapter from the first Fintan Fedora book along with animated illustrations, talk about my (real life) inspiration which explains how I escaped my boring job and eventually became an author.
I talk about my writing process and list the many embarrassing things which have happened to me on my travels around the world which inspired the Fintan Fedora books. (ie. Being chased by an angry ostrich in Swaziland, getting heatstroke in Namibia, food poisoning in Thailand, getting lost in Japan and having my rucksack soaked by a leaky toilet in the Netherlands).
Finally I ask for volunteers to act out a very silly scene with me. Then, assuming we still have time, a Q&A.
Workshops:
I run workshops in creative writing or, if preferred, cartooning. Both are suitable for key stage two children but can be adapted for key stage one if required. Firstly my creative writing workshops which centre around character development and story planning, how to structure a story which makes sense and how to reach a satisfactory ending.
I also offer cartoon drawing workshops which are tailored to suit the abilities of the year group. I can cover the very basics of facial expressions, animals, cartoon strips, simplification and exaggeration and even caricature. Having illustrated around 30 titles for Scholastic I also like to run a workshop on designing a book cover based on the Horribly Famous series of historical biographies.
Costs:
I live in Oxford but am happy to travel by road or rail and stay overnight if required. I’ve made it up to Hull several times and am open to discussing any journey. Longer trips make most sense if we can arrange visits to more than one school in an area or MAT. It reduces the travel costs that way. I’m also happy to sleep on a staff member’s sofa to avoid accommodation costs.
I know how tight school budgets are these days as mine aren’t great either! I charge the Society of Authors' recommended rates which are:
One hour - Assembly only: £250
Half day - Assembly and Workshops: £375
Full Day - Assembly and Workshops: £500
The practical stuff:
• I bring my sideshow on a memory stick (or email it in advance to be safe!) so will need access to a laptop hooked up to a screen and (crucially) someone who knows how to set it up.
• My wife Amy usually accompanies me to advance the slides and generally help out - if she can’t make I’d very much like a volunteer pupil to press the buttons.
• I like to ask for volunteers to act out a scene from Fintan Fedora & the Moon Dragon - I have props but would need about 8 chairs available please.
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•Once date & time are confirmed I will email you a poster design ahead of time so that hopefully parents will be aware of the book sale/signing. Any other nudging would be most gratefully received!
• I like a nice cup of tea. Milk no sugar, thank you.
