I love meeting young readers and aspiring writers. If you'd like me to come to your school, library, girl or boy scout troop, bookstore, conference or community event. Please contact me using the contact form at the bottom of this page.
I offer visits and workshop for students from K-8 and presentations for adults on how to get their own writing journey started.
Upcoming Events:
April 11, 2020 - 2pm - LAUNCH PARTY! - An Unlikely Story, Plainville, MA
April 18, 2020 - 11am - The Silver Unicorn Bookstore, Acton, MA
May 16, 2020 - 11am - The Enchanted Passage, Sutton, MA
May 14, 2020 - 10:30am - Aesop's Fable, Holliston, MA
May 20, 2020 - 11am - Belmont Books, Belmont, MA
June 4, 2020 - 10:30am - Upton Town Library, Upton, MA
August 5, 2020 - 11am - Whitman Public Library, Whitman, MA
April 18, 2020 - 11am - The Silver Unicorn Bookstore, Acton, MA
May 16, 2020 - 11am - The Enchanted Passage, Sutton, MA
May 14, 2020 - 10:30am - Aesop's Fable, Holliston, MA
May 20, 2020 - 11am - Belmont Books, Belmont, MA
June 4, 2020 - 10:30am - Upton Town Library, Upton, MA
August 5, 2020 - 11am - Whitman Public Library, Whitman, MA
Visits & Workshops for Students K-8th Grade:
How Long Is Forever? Story Time Reading & Craft
I'm happy to visit your school or library story time and read How Long Is Forever? and I can work with you and a local independent book store to arrange for folks to purchase copies of How Long Is Forever? that I'll sign at your event.
Pre-Reading: Invite children to share a time when they had to “wait forever” for something. Ask, “What is something that takes forever?" Maybe it was a sibling’s dance recital? How long it took to drive to a vacation? How long it took for mom to finish errands so they could go home and eat lunch! Now read How Long Is Forever? and find out what Mason thinks is taking forever!
During Reading: Show children the barn cat on the back of the book. Tell them that the cat wanders through the whole story. When they spot the cat, invite the children to use their hands to make cat ears on their heads or whiskers on their cheeks to let you know they see the cat.
After Reading: Choose from two Blueberry Pie Crafts and share the Activity Page (available soon) that invites children to color in their own barn cat, give the cat a name, and draw three things their cat will love forever. Then children can draw three things they will love forever.
Other books to share about pie and/or cooking with family: Porcupine’s Pie by Laura Renauld, illustrated by Jennie Poh; Baking Day at Grandma’s by Anika Aldamuy Denise, illustrated by Christopher Denise; and Pie is for Sharing by Stephanie Ledyard, illustrated by Jason Chin.
I'm happy to visit your school or library story time and read How Long Is Forever? and I can work with you and a local independent book store to arrange for folks to purchase copies of How Long Is Forever? that I'll sign at your event.
Pre-Reading: Invite children to share a time when they had to “wait forever” for something. Ask, “What is something that takes forever?" Maybe it was a sibling’s dance recital? How long it took to drive to a vacation? How long it took for mom to finish errands so they could go home and eat lunch! Now read How Long Is Forever? and find out what Mason thinks is taking forever!
During Reading: Show children the barn cat on the back of the book. Tell them that the cat wanders through the whole story. When they spot the cat, invite the children to use their hands to make cat ears on their heads or whiskers on their cheeks to let you know they see the cat.
After Reading: Choose from two Blueberry Pie Crafts and share the Activity Page (available soon) that invites children to color in their own barn cat, give the cat a name, and draw three things their cat will love forever. Then children can draw three things they will love forever.
Other books to share about pie and/or cooking with family: Porcupine’s Pie by Laura Renauld, illustrated by Jennie Poh; Baking Day at Grandma’s by Anika Aldamuy Denise, illustrated by Christopher Denise; and Pie is for Sharing by Stephanie Ledyard, illustrated by Jason Chin.
I’m Just a Manuscript
Modeled after “I’m Just a Bill” from Schoolhouse Rock, “I’m Just a Manuscript” will trace the journey of one manuscript from creation to publication using Kelly Carey’s debut picture book HOW LONG IS FOREVER.
Students will learn about the timeline for bringing a story from the mind of an author into the hands of a reader. Maybe someday, armed with this knowledge, they will write a story and send it on a journey to publication too!
This workshop changes to accommodate students in grades 3-4, and 5-8. The workshop can be complete at 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes.
Modeled after “I’m Just a Bill” from Schoolhouse Rock, “I’m Just a Manuscript” will trace the journey of one manuscript from creation to publication using Kelly Carey’s debut picture book HOW LONG IS FOREVER.
- Kelly will discuss how her story idea became a manuscript, and share some of the changes it went through until it was just right. In sharing her revision process, Kelly will emphasize that the “write, peer edit, and revise” practice taught in elementary and middle schools is the path to success for professional writers too.
- What does an author do once a story is ready? Kelly will introduce students to the role of a publisher and editor as they learn how an author’s story continues on its journey to become a book.
- Students will learn that the revision process continues after an editor decides to make a story into a book. Kelly will share examples of how her editor helped her revise her story even after she thought it was just right.
- We are getting closer to a real book! What does the illustrator do? What is a dummy? What about the jacket and flap copy? What is an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy)? Students will get a real behind the scenes look at what goes into making a book.
Students will learn about the timeline for bringing a story from the mind of an author into the hands of a reader. Maybe someday, armed with this knowledge, they will write a story and send it on a journey to publication too!
This workshop changes to accommodate students in grades 3-4, and 5-8. The workshop can be complete at 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes.
Be A Story Engineer: Character Inventor Workshop
A mouse in outerspace? A superstar robot athlete? A princess who hunts crocodiles? They sound cool, but what sets your character apart and makes them unique? Build a fascinating character using the building blocks of great character design. In this guided, free-flowing writing workshop we'll use dice and fun writing prompts to invent a character ready for an incredible adventure. Along the way, students will learn professional writing lingo and publishing industry secrets so they can talk, act, and most importantly, write like real authors.
This workshop changes to accommodate students in grades K- 2, 3-4, and 5-8. The workshop can be complete at 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes.
A mouse in outerspace? A superstar robot athlete? A princess who hunts crocodiles? They sound cool, but what sets your character apart and makes them unique? Build a fascinating character using the building blocks of great character design. In this guided, free-flowing writing workshop we'll use dice and fun writing prompts to invent a character ready for an incredible adventure. Along the way, students will learn professional writing lingo and publishing industry secrets so they can talk, act, and most importantly, write like real authors.
This workshop changes to accommodate students in grades K- 2, 3-4, and 5-8. The workshop can be complete at 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes.
Be A Story Engineer: Adventure Architect Workshop
A quiet forest cottage? A space-station orbiting a distant planet? A school talent show stage? Pop your amazing character into the perfect adventure - but wait! There are obstacles! Is it a villain? An exploding volcano? Their deepest darkest fear? In this guided, free-flowing writing workshop, you’ll use “make it worse” plot techniques to start an incredible adventure for your character. Along the way, students will learn professional writing lingo and publishing industry secrets so they can talk, act, and most importantly, write like real authors.
This workshop changes to accommodate students in grades K-2, 3-4, and 5-8. The workshop can be complete at 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes.
A quiet forest cottage? A space-station orbiting a distant planet? A school talent show stage? Pop your amazing character into the perfect adventure - but wait! There are obstacles! Is it a villain? An exploding volcano? Their deepest darkest fear? In this guided, free-flowing writing workshop, you’ll use “make it worse” plot techniques to start an incredible adventure for your character. Along the way, students will learn professional writing lingo and publishing industry secrets so they can talk, act, and most importantly, write like real authors.
This workshop changes to accommodate students in grades K-2, 3-4, and 5-8. The workshop can be complete at 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes.
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Become a Publishing Company:
Students will be guided to create their own publishing company and establish submission guidelines for authors. What genre will your publishing company include? What types of stories will you want to publish? An exploration of the submission process, how editors receive and evaluate manuscripts will include an opportunity for the newly formed publishing companies to respond to one of my unpublished manuscripts. Along the way, students will learn professional writing lingo and publishing industry terms . This workshop changes to accommodate students in grades K-2, 3-4, and 5-8. The workshop is 60 minutes. |
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Workshops for Adults
Becoming a Children’s Author – How to Move from Idea, to Manuscript, to Published Author
Have you always wanted to be a children’s writer? Do you have a great story idea? But how do you start?
In this informative chat, published children’s author Kelly Carey will kick start your writing journey by sharing the first steps every aspiring author can take as they move from thinking about being a writer to becoming a writer. Kelly will offer practical and realistic advice, an introduction to the online resources and supportive groups available to emerging writers, and an overview of the children’s publishing industry. Come learn how to get started on your path to publication and make your writing dreams a reality.
Have you always wanted to be a children’s writer? Do you have a great story idea? But how do you start?
In this informative chat, published children’s author Kelly Carey will kick start your writing journey by sharing the first steps every aspiring author can take as they move from thinking about being a writer to becoming a writer. Kelly will offer practical and realistic advice, an introduction to the online resources and supportive groups available to emerging writers, and an overview of the children’s publishing industry. Come learn how to get started on your path to publication and make your writing dreams a reality.
Testimonials
Kelly shared a wealth of writing knowledge during this workshop. Not only was her workshop informative, but her humorous delivery put me at ease. I have already done quite a few items on her how to get started list. - Vickie G., Milford MA
Kelly has valuable insight into the traditional publishing space. I loved her emphasis on finding your writing community and was excited by all the great resources and organizational strategies she shared. - Johanna P., Medway MA
Kelly's workshop was fun and informative and I'll watch for more workshops by her. - Sandy C, Hopkinton, MA
Fees
Full-day school visits are $300 and $150 for a half-day school visit plus travel expenses, if required. I can accommodate single presentation visits and the pricing is set by time and number of students. I'm happy to provide specific pricing upon request.
These blog post by author Larry Dane Brimner provide information about planning and paying for a successful author visit. I hope you find them helpful. larrydanebrimner.com/2017/02/20/you-want-an-author-to-visit/ larrydanebrimner.com/2017/02/27/you-want-an-author-to-visit-part-dos/
Travel fees apply to locations more than a one hour drive from Upton, MA.
These blog post by author Larry Dane Brimner provide information about planning and paying for a successful author visit. I hope you find them helpful. larrydanebrimner.com/2017/02/20/you-want-an-author-to-visit/ larrydanebrimner.com/2017/02/27/you-want-an-author-to-visit-part-dos/
Travel fees apply to locations more than a one hour drive from Upton, MA.
Skype Visits
After my picture book has launched in the spring of 2020, I'm happy to provide 20 minute free Skype readings and question and answer visits to schools. I only ask that you provide students with a handout about my book and how they may purchase the book.
A Sneak Peek At My Presentation Style
Check out these interviews I did on "The Room To Write" and "Be My Guest" to get a sense of my presentation style.
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