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                     AUTHOR VISITS

 

              

The Author and Her Book - General Presentation

 

This presentation is designed for library, school and girl scout visits.

 

           30 - 45 minutes  or  60 minutes with a ghost in the armoire craft

 

The presentation will:

  • tell about self -- when I started writing, career as a teacher, etc.

  • give synopsis of Diary of a Ghost      

  • tell stories behind The Making of Diary of a Ghost   

              - Setting: research, fieldtrips, using information to develop my own fictitious town

              - Gazebo: why I chose to have a gazebo, purpose of the gazebo

              - Cover Designer: choices and changes to final design

  •  Q & A

 

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The following classroom presentations are consistent with the Common Core Standards.

They will be adjusted for grades 3 - 7 and be 50 - 60 minutes

 

 

 

Beyond the 5Ws

 

 

 

 

 

When writing there are the basic questions that provide the answers that everyone wants and needs to know:

            Who, What, When, Where, Why

 

An author needs to describe every scene with more information. S/he does it by adding more description using the 5 senses: See, Hear, Smell, Taste, Touch/Feel

 

These senses help to create the same picture in the reader's mind as the author has in her/his mind

by using specific nouns and adjectives.

 

This presentation will explain how the writer uses these sources:

  • we will do an experiment to show that all this information is necessary

  • examples will be given from Diary of a Ghost text 

  • we will have a hands-on exercise of objects hidden in cloth bags and attempt to find a specific noun and supporting adjectives to describe what they think is in each bag. The exercise will show that through words we can communicate our ideas

  • Q & A

 

 

 

 

Knowing Your Characters

 

 

When writing a story an author will have a main character and many minor characters. Each has their own personality and traits. An author needs to know her/his characters as well as or better than s/he knows herself.

 

This presentation will explain a Character Profile:

  • show the Character Profile used for the main character from Diary of a Ghost

  • explain why your character must be fictional (NOT like someone you know)

  • stress the importance of a character being consistent in every scene througout the story

  • we will have a hands-on exercise in which students will invent a character of their choice with three characteristics/traits. Students will choose an item from a box of objects and write a short scene of their character using that object. (the items they choose will become their property)

  • the classroom teacher will be given a blank copy of the Character Profile I developed for my characters and the short version of the character profile used during this visit

  • Q & A

 

For more information, scheduling and prices contact me at leonapalmerwrites@outlook.com

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