Presentations and Workshops

At Guildwood Public Library in Toronto

Inspiration, Imagination and Invention

What if you received a letter telling you you’d been accepted into a school for wizards? Or discovered a door into another universe at the back of your bedroom closet? What if you met someone who’d been imprisoned inside a painting for over three hundred years? If you could travel back in time, where would you go? This session takes a look at where ideas come from and how to turn them into stories. Revision and the importance of editing are also covered.

Meet the Author

This presentation consists of an introduction to myself and my work, and a reading followed by questions from the audience. I discuss where ideas come from, how the books came about, my own experiences getting published and many aspects of the writing process.

In the Beginning

This interactive presentation for younger grades explores story structure relating to the creation of a well-defined beginning, middle and end. Using a series of seemingly unrelated objects, students participate in creating a story in what is always a lively and fun filled session. Teachers can follow up later with pictures for the story and often have the students create their own books, based on the story we put together in the classroom.

People Plotting: Creating Memorable Characters

Characters are at the core of any story. Without people, there is no plot. In this session, explore the many methods of creating strong characters and how to use descriptive language to build them.

With student artwork inspired by The Alchemist's Portrait

Super Stuff!

Learn about the history of superheroes in comic books and movies from their beginnings in the 1940’s up to the present day. W e explore the genre and students create their own superhero, complete with costumes, powers, secret identities, headquarters, friends, family and adversaries . Learn more about superheroes and comic books, the inspiration for The Emerald Curse, here.

Plundering the Past: The Appeal and Complexities of Time Travel

History is a thing of the past and there over five thousand recorded years of it. Historical events and characters from around the world contain a never ending a wealth of material to inspire the writer. Go beyond using history simply to create period adventures and explore the fascinating world of time travel. This session covers the appeal, complexities and techniques of time travel stories and touches on the use of historical events by authors and filmmakers for inspiration.

Things That Never Were

Basilisks and Boggarts. Dragons and dwarves. Griffins and gargoyles. Fantasy remains one of the most popular genres for children’s novels and shows no signs of fading anytime soon. This session examines how authors write fantasy and takes a look at the vast number of creatures that inhabit the fantasy realm. Students then create their own mythological animals and the imaginary environments they inhabit.

All The World’s a Stage

Create dramatic scripts, write dialogue, develop characters, and fine tune performances for the stage. I am available to work with your students on dramatic productions, and was delighted to be part of the ‘The Tales of King Arthur’ at Nellie McClung School in Calgary in early May 2005. You can read a synopsis of the plot for The Tales of King Arthur here.

Pen, Paper, Action!

Dramatic beginnings! Page turning action! Cliffhanger endings! Learn how to grab the reader’s attention right at the beginning, then retain their interest until the very last page.

The Importance of Historical Research

Did medieval castles have glass windows? When was printing invented? How did a suit of armour fit together? Who was who in the Middle Ages? This session explains how getting the facts straight is a vital part of writing effective historical fiction. Learn more about the history behind The Sorcerer’s Letterbox here.

Magic, Murder, Mayhem

This presentation covers the background to The Alchemist’s Portrait. Learn more about alchemists, the seventeenth century, the Dutch East India Company and the other time periods depicted in the novel. This session also deals with research when writing historical fiction. Learn more about the history behind The Alchemist’s Portrait here.

Spells, Swords, Sorcery

Discover the story behind the story of The Sorcerer’s Letterbox. Learn about the Princes in the Tower, Richard III, the Wars of the Roses and what England was like in the late Middle Ages. This session also covers the importance of research in creating historical fiction. Learn more about the history behind The Sorcerer’s Letterbox here.

With students in Ontario during Children's Book Week in 2004

The Science of Science Fiction

Androids. Flying cars. Colonies on Mars. Aliens invasions. Science or science fiction? Many sci-fi novels are based on firm scientific foundations and some are purely the product of the writer’s imagination. This presentation discusses popular themes in science fiction books and movies, including time travel stories.

Heroes of History

Think history is boring? Think again. Discover fascinating characters, explore dramatic events and learn more about history’s mysteries, including children who played pivotal roles at key points in the last two thousand years.

Puppets, Pens and Performances

In this program, children learn how to make puppets, operate them and write dramatic scripts in which all the characters are their own creations. Students then present and perform in their short plays with their new puppets, in a fun filled finale for children, teachers and parents.

Internationally renowned ventriloquist Val Hilliker joins me in one, three or five day packages designed to inspire, entertain and captivate students from grades one through six. We are always happy to engage in consultations with teachers to design sessions best suited to the needs of your students.

Learn more about Val Hilliker's magical world of puppets and school programs at www.valhilliker.com.

For further details on presentations, availability and fees please contact me directly by e mail at simonrose@shaw.ca