Author
"Our Year 7 students loved Sarah's visit to Glenthorne, it was engaging, funny, and thought-provoking. Her novel, Nothing Ever Happens Here, is an amazing read that helps build empathy and understanding. Sarah does a fantastic job at getting students excited about her work and reading for pleasure in general. I highly recommend her for any school visit!" Lucas Maxwell, UK School Librarian of the Year 2017.
An opportunity for young people to get excited about reading, to ask questions to a published author and to get creative themselves.
I offer three sessions for schools, libraries and events. I also run a bespoke, lower-cost session specially for LGBTQ+ youth groups (within schools, local authority or voluntary sector).
The cost for each session includes one signed copy of Nothing Ever Happens Here or Proud of Me for your class, youth group or library.
Option 1: Writing (extra-)ordinary stories
You don’t need magic or fantasy worlds to create an exciting story. Fascinating people and ideas for amazing stories are everywhere in our ordinary lives, if we know how to look.
This session covers:
(45 minutes, £75*)
Option 2: From Prejudice to Pride: Writing stories with LGBTQ+ characters
Books with LGBTQ+ characters used to be banned, now they are celebrated. What has changed and why do LGBTQ+ books still matter?
This session covers:
(45 minutes, £75*)
*If one school books both 45-minute sessions, it’s £130 in total.
Option 3: Meet an author
This session covers:
(20 minutes, £25)
LGBTQ+ youth/school groups only: Finding your voice
Everyone has a story to tell, and the world needs to hear the voices and experiences of young LGBTQ+ people. So what do you want to say?
This session covers:
(30 minutes, £20)
An author visit is a great way to bring books to life, to spark creativity among students and to encourage students to discover books they might not have encountered before.
My debut novel Nothing Ever Happens Here and second novel Proud of Me have LGBTQ+ themes and characters. In September 2020, new Relationships, Health and Sex Education guidelines in English schools meant that primary schools were encouraged to discuss ‘different families’ (including LGBT families) and secondary schools must include LGBT people and relationships throughout the RSE and PSHE curriculum.
A virtual author visit can help reinforce better understandings of healthy relationships, of the importance of empathy and of diverse families.
Visits work best when students have had a chance to read and discuss the book first, and have been given time to prepare questions. These resources can help you get started in exploring the themes of family and friendship within Nothing Ever Happens Here before and after the visit.
“Sarah’s events are really engaging and perfectly pitched at UKS2 and LKS3 students. Sarah manages to strike a great balance between engaging the audience with the story, talking about creative writing and her own experience as an author and introducing the audience to the importance of representing all types of families. Nothing Ever Happens Here is a great book to talk to young people about LGBTQ+ issues and trans issues in particular and I would really recommend Sarah’s event as a starting point for that.” Mariana Mouzinho, Seven Stories
Sessions are designed with upper KS2 (Year 6) and lower KS3 (Years 7-8) in mind. When you book a session, I’ll ask you a bit more about your students or your group so I can make sure the content is just right for them.
Absolutely! Please get in touch with your local independent book shop who can help you get hold of copies for students to buy.
Obviously this is trickier online than in person, but I have signed bookmarks that I’d love to send out to schools, youth groups or events which book a virtual author visit.
Bookings are open now for September 2020 onwards. Tuesdays are preferred, but I can be flexible based on your preferred dates and times. I can do evening sessions for LGBTQ+ youth groups.
Particularly good opportunities for a visit would be LGBT History Month (February), World Book Day (1 March), Pride season (June-July), International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia, IDAHOBIT (17 May).
I will invoice you after the visit has taken place. Costs for each session are given above.
Find out more and book now for September 2020 onwards.