School/Author Visits

Aside from being a writer, I’m also something of a chatterbox. As such, the idea of author visits makes me super happy.

I use multimedia and primary source material in all my presentations–which are tailored for middle schools, high schools or adult groups and can be made specific to the topics in which your group is particularly interested. 

Group Size:
I am happy to do auditorium-sized presentations, and I have experience with this format. At the same time, I find (especially with students) that smaller groups/individual classes are terrific for interaction, rich Q&A and even writing workshops.

Topics:

Using my own life experiences, historical anecdotes and primary source material, I can cover a broad range of topics for language arts and writing classes. I am happy to discuss my writing career and style, to walk participants through my process in developing plotlines and characters, how I use dialogue to enhance stories, the challenges and rewards of writing historical fiction, and the actual writing process, from idea to finished book. 

I am happy to read from existing work or share work-in-progress with students as part of a conversation on editing and revision. If teachers are willing to chat with me beforehand, I always try to tailor my presentation to their class. Additionally, I will happily to read student work ahead of time if writing workshops are of interest.

It all starts with the research process, and I’m happy to discuss this–including my work with primary source material and, of course the Regency itself. My presentations cover a range of topics, from the fashion, music and entertainment of the time, to the story of King George III and his son, the Prince Regent who acted as monarch while his father descended into madness, to the Napoleonic Wars and how they changed the face of Europe, to the strict code of manners that governed life in Georgian England. If teachers are willing to chat with me beforehand, I always try to tailor my presentation to their class.

Discussions and exercises can include using primary source material to develop a fictional story, creating fiction from fact, developing compelling storylines, the importance of revision and perfecting dialogue in novels. 

I have a specific presentation designed for Jane Austen classes and organizations:

The Empire-Waist Strikes Back:
How Emma Overcame E-Mail for One Generation Xer
While the lion’s share of Sarah MacLean’s generation was gaining their inspiration from the future, she was looking to the past–nursing what she calls “an entirely too-intense obsession with history.” Now, MacLean is sharing that obsession with a new generation of readers–her first young adult Regency novel, THE SEASON, was released this year to critical acclaim–Publishers Weekly lauded the book for its “clever conversation in the spirit of Jane Austen.” The Empire Waist Strikes Back is an irreverent but thoughtful look at the author’s love affair with history and historical fiction–and its relevance in an age of iphones and the internet.

Can’t bear the thought of going another day without my visiting? Here are some ways we can make it happen! 

1. If your school or organization is in the tri-state area (NY/NJ/CT), I’m happy to visit anytime. Depending upon the size and scope of the presentations you are expecting, I can do up to five presentations a day. **Cost includes: honorarium and travel outside of the NYC-MTA. (Negotiable)

2. If you are anywhere else in the country/world, we can arrange a date that works best for us both. Depending upon the size and scope of the presentations you are expecting, I can do up to five presentations a day. **Cost includes: honorarium, travel, hotel accommodations and expenses. (Negotiable)

3. If your school or library is interested in a Skype visit, that’s always doable! **Cost includes: honorarium. (Negotiable)

For more information, please contact me directly via email at authorvisit @ macleanspace.com.