School Visits, Library Events, Book Fairs and Festivals?
I adore my young readers and I love to meet them!
I give positive, uplifting, talks about the power of great books to change lives.
I also offer writing workshops for children and adults.
I was a national award-winning education writer before becoming a novelist and schools are a second home to me. My books, all published by Knopf Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Penguin Random House, have appeared on multiple state reading lists, including CT, OK, SC, GA, WY, KY, ME, KS, TX. I’m always eager to meet teachers and librarians!
JOURNALING – I’ve been a passionate journal keeper for much of my life and I love to share this joy with others. Why journal?
MY WORKSHOPS
Because it’s fun, because it’s a great way to express yourself, because it turns beginning writers into great writers, because it’s an exciting way to discover who you are and what you think about things. Painters keep sketch pads of ideas, a writer journals an idea, an observation, a bit of metaphor, a line for a poem. This workshop will include steps to get started, what to write about, and how to keep going. All Ages
THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY – How did I use family lore about my grandmother, a teacher in a one-room school in 1920s Maine, as a springboard to create THE SECRET OF HONEYCAKE? This is a look at the real-life inspiration behind my newest novel and the research involved. How do you create characters worthy of their starring role? I talk about where ideas come from, how I plot and plan a novel, how I create characters that resonate with readers, and how I keep writing when the going is tough.
Students are often surprised how much rewriting is involved, and I always say: Revision is where the music hides! This is also a workshop on having a dream and the persistence and discipline necessary to see it through. All Ages
READY FOR A RIDE – A rollercoaster is a great way to think about plotting a novel. In this exciting workshop we plan: The Beginning – What Kind of Rollercoaster are We Riding, The Exciting Event - Getting on the Rollercoaster, The Rising Action - Climbing the Big Hill, The Pinnacle - The Top of the Hill, The Falling Action - Speeding Down the Tracks, and The Ending - Getting Off the Rollercoaster. This workshop is a fiction planning workshop and when our time is up, students are reading to begin writing a piece of fiction of their own. Grades 4 and Up
(I also give free virtual visits to classrooms and libraries that use my books in a significant way.)
If interested, please contact me at knf@kimberlynewtonfusco.com to inquire about my rates and availability.
I look forward to hearing from you!