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Since 2004, Shelley has presented programs and writing workshops for more than 70,000 readers of all ages at schools, libraries, and educational conferences. She has been a featured speaker for the Kent State Reading & Writing Festival, Northern Kentucky University BookFest, and National History Day in Washington D.C.
A former elementary and middle school teacher, Shelley has a decade of teaching experience inside and outside the classroom. She received a Masters in Education in 1993 and her teaching background also includes gifted education, storytelling, and museum education. To find out how to schedule a visit at your school, please read the information below: Program Topics for Schools Shelley offers both large group assembly programs and informal small group sessions. Her assembly presentations include a PowerPoint segment and Shelley brings her own laptop and projector for the programs. Schools need to provide a screen and space which can be darkened. Program topics include the writing process, the Underground Railroad, geometry, historical fiction writing -- and even Elvis!
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Organizing the Day
A full day visit includes four hours of programs and additional time for book signing. The four hours can be assemblies or small group sessions -- or a combination of both. For instance, many schools schedule three large group assemblies and one "Lunch with An Author" session for a small group of students. Larger schools may want four assemblies and no smaller sessions. For schools requiring more than four hours of programs in a day, there is an add-on fee for an extra program.
Ordering Books & Book signing
Book signing times can be scheduled at any time during the author visit day. Schools purchasing book sets for classrooms can order books at a 40% discount directly from the publishers in preparation for author visits. A classroom set of 25 paperbacks is about $100.00 with the discount. Two titles (All Shook Up and All of the Above) are often carried by Scholastic Book Fairs, too. On the day of the author visit, Shelley can bring books from a local bookseller for purchase by students and autographing -- or schools are welcome to order books on their own.
Speaking Fees
$900 per day for Ohio schools or others within a four hour drive of the Akron/Cleveland area, plus lodging, travel, and mileage, where applicable. Generally if a school is located more than 50 miles away, it is best for the author to arrive the night before the visit.
$1,000 per day for multi-day visit (2 - 4 days) outside the Ohio region/or beyond four hours drive, plus lodging, travel and mileage. Single day visit cost is $1200 for schools beyond Ohio scheduling a single day in their district/geographic area.
Schools and libraries interested in individual or half-day programs can e-mail shelleyvisits@yahoo.com regarding speaking fees for specific programs. Larger schools or districts may want to consider a multi-day visit to cover all classes.
How to Set Up An Author Visit
You can set up an author visit by e-mailing or calling Mike Winter who coordinates Shelley's busy author visit schedule and answers questions from schools. (In his spare time, he is also Shelley's husband.) Mike can be reached at shelleyvisits@yahoo.com or by phone at 330-686-2851. If you don't receive a reply to an e-mail inquiry within 7 days, please call to verify that it has been received.
Keep in mind that Shelley's schedule for the months of January - May fills up quickly. It is best to schedule several months in advance of the date you would like, to be assured of a spot.
Programs for Conferences and Teacher Workshops
Shelley has special presentations for conferences and in-service workshops for classroom teachers. Workshop topics include the writing process, using primary sources, teaching about the Underground Railroad and more.
And Finally: Do Schools Have to Read A Book For the Visit?
Author visits are always more meaningful, educational -- and just plain fun, when students are familiar with a book. Shelley's books are not hard to get -- many libraries carry (or can easily request) her books for free. A classroom set can be purchased for as little as $100.00. Several book copies are also provided to each school scheduling a full day visit. These can be shared among teachers as read-alouds.
Shelley writes her books with schools and teachers in mind. Trouble Don't Last, Crooked River, and All of the Above -- have all received honors and accolades from some of the top educational and library organizations in the country (American Library Association, School & Library Journal, National Council for the Social Studies, the State Library of Ohio -- to name a few), and they have been selected for state reading award lists in ten different states. They often connect very well with state standards in Social Studies and Language Arts for various grade levels. In other words, they are good books -- your students will enjoy them!
Take the time to make your school's author visit a meaningful, educational, and reading experience -- more than just a single day visit -- by reading or sharing a book beforehand.
