Home

About Our Members

Speakers Bureau

Browse

BRUCE ADELSON

Author: 301-762-7996 E-mail: badelson1@comcast.net
Books:	Author of 14 children's and adult nonfiction multi-cultural, history and sports books, including: the nationally acclaimed, Brushing Back Jim Crow - The Integration of Minor League Baseball in the American South; Grand Slam Trivia; Touchdown Trivia; and biographies of Baron von Steuben and David Farragut, titles in the Famous Fighters of the Civil Ward Era and Revolutionary War Leaders series. Upcoming book - a young adult biography of President Benjamin Harrison.
Fee:	$250 for a one hour presentation. $700 for a full school day presentation, including assemblies and small group discussions. $400 for a half-day presentation. For a mock trial, courtroom presentation or a writing workshop lasting more than one full school period, please contact me for details. I prefer schools in the greater Baltimore-Washington area but will travel outside the area. Mileage charged for schools outside the Washington Beltway and reasonable travel expenses charged for any overnight stays.
Availability:	Grades 1-7; Teacher, librarian and other school groups as well as professional organizations
Features:	While an Arlington County (VA) Elementary School Substitute Teacher for seven years, I developed numerous writer's workshops and mock courtroom presentations at Zachary Taylor Elementary School in Arlington. I am an experienced classroom, Author's Day, and large group presenter. My presentations focus on multi-cultural themes, sports, American history and writing techniques. I have been a Black History Month presenter at, for example, the Birmingham (Alabama) Civil Rights Institute and Martin Luther King, Jr. Elementary Schools Black History Celebration in Flint, Michigan. I have also been an NPR and CBS Radio commentator.

JENNIFER ALLISON

Author: Kensington, MD Tel (301) 530 1190 E-mail: Jennifer@gildajoyce.com Website: http://www.gildajoyce.com
Books:	The popular Gilda Joyce mystery series for young readers features a teenage novelist and sleuth who travels to fascinating settings to investigate the unknown. Gilda Joyce: The Dead Drop is set in Washington, DC’s International Spy Museum.
Fee:	Negotiable; please contact me to discuss.
Availability:	School assemblies, awards ceremonies, and writing workshops for K-12 students. Also available to speak at book clubs and for groups of homeschoolers.
Features:	Sources of inspiration – How do authors come up with ideas for stories? I’ll explore the process of generating ideas, revising manuscripts, working with a literary agent and editor, and creating illustrations and cover art. Students leave the presentation excited to read and with a feeling of confidence and enthusiasm about their potential as writers. How do authors write mysteries? A highly visual and interactive presentation introducing students to the secrets of the mystery writer’s craft: What makes a story a “mystery”? How real-life settings in their own neighborhoods can become inspirations for a mystery. How familiar objects can help the writer develop an intriguing fictional character. The writer’s craft – new ideas and helpful tips for writing and revision. Creating cover art and other secrets of publishing children’s books. Spy fiction workshop: "What writers and spies have in common” -- The answer: plenty! An eye for detail and an ability to build character from the inside out are two of the skills intelligence officers and fiction writers share. Combining some fun spy “tradecraft” skills with the writing process, we’ll take an adventurous approach to the creation of setting and character. I’ll also discuss the research process and sources of inspiration for my spy novel Gilda Joyce: The Dead Drop, which is set in Washington, DC’s International Spy Museum. Writing workshops: Young writers will see that writing a short story or novel is a process that happens through smaller, manageable (and even fun) steps. I will lead them through a series of prompts to create vibrant fictional characters and intriguing settings. If time allows, we’ll work on dialogue, conflict, and the completion of a short story. Presentations -- Using PowerPoint slides, drafts of real manuscripts, and other props, I’ll give students a highly visual tour of the world of publishing and the writer’s craft. Presentations can be offered as assemblies for your whole school or grade level or combined with writing workshops for smaller groups.
Awards:	Gilda Joyce, Psychic Investigator: A School Library Journal 2005 Best Book of the Year, Featured in Booklist’s “Top Ten Mysteries of 2005,” Sunshine State Young Readers Award Selection 2006-2007. Gilda Joyce: The Ladies of the Lake: 2006 VOYA Top Shelf Fiction Selection for Middle School Readers, 2007 Edgar Award Nominee.

PAIGE BILLIN-FRYE

Author: 216 Walnut St. NW Washington, DC 20012 202/352-6225 E-mail: paige@paigebillinfrye.com Website: www.paigebillinfrye.com
Books:	The Halloween Book of Facts and Fun, What Columbus Found, It Was Orange, It Was Round, The Man Who Named the Clouds, The House in the Meadow, The Way We Do it in Japan, The Groundhog Day Book of Facts and Fun.
Fee:	$275 for one or two 50-minute sessions back-to-back, $75 for each additional session, up to 4 in one day. Travel expenses charged for visits outside the Washington metropolitan area.
Availability:	Grades 2 and up
Features:	I talk about the process of illustrating a book, including how the pictures complement and add to the text as well as how I do research and how important research skills are for picture-making. For older kids I'll also talk about the training of artists and the possibilities of careers in the arts. I love to take questions and answers from the kids.

FRED BOWEN

Author E-mail: fred@fredbowen.com Website: www.fredbowen.com
Books:	16 books of sports fiction that weave in real sports history and include a bonus history chapter at the back (Peachtree Publishers). First picture book biography released in 2010: No Easy Way, The Story of Ted Williams and the Last .400 Season (Dutton Children’s Books).
Fee:	For presentations to adult groups (librarians, reading specialists, etc), contact Peggy Jackson; Phone: 301.585.0288; Email: peggy@fredbowen.com.For school presentations, contact Janet Zade; Phone: 781.749.2733. Email: news4jaz@aol.com
Availability:	Children in grades 2-7, and adult groups (librarians, reading specialists and parents).
Features:	It's not often that a sports-loving guy comes to school to talk about reading and writing. I want kids to look at me and say, "Hey, I can do what he does." I show them my original (messy) notebooks so they can see that I start out writing just as they do: with pen, paper, and imagination. Nothing else. I talk about the whole writing process. It's a very lively and interactive talk. With adult groups, I talk about how to get sports-crazy kids to love reading. I challenge the perception that sports is a narrow interest and talk about the great dramas found in sports, and the power of good sports writing (fiction and nonfiction) to capture young readers.

MARY BOWMAN-KRUHM

Author/Educator: 1028 Lindfield Drive, Frederick, MD 21702, Cell phone: 301-712-6828 E-mail: writer@marybk.com Web site: www.marybk.com Blog: http://marybk.blogspot.com
Books:	Author of over 30 books (mostly nonfiction) for children and young adults. Books for middle schoolers and YAs include Coping with Discrimination & Prejudice; Careers in Child Care; Are You My Type? Or Why Aren't You More Like Me?; Money: Save It, Manage It, Spend It; Margaret Mead: A Biography (2003). Books for young children include a series of nine beginning readers on community helpers, and Busy Toes, a multiethnic picture book for ages 3-7 written with Claudine Wirths and Wendie Old under pen name C. W. Bowie. Busy Fingers is in press.
Fee:	Metro MD-DC-VA: Single presentation, $300. Negotiable, depending on book sales. Willing to travel outside local area.
Availability:	All ages, especially teachers, librarians and other adult groups.
Features:	Topics include: For older adults, "Connecting with Your Grandchild through Books"; for teachers, "Quick and Dirty Ideas for Using Trade Books in Any Classroom"; and, for high school students, parents, teachers, and guidance counselors, "Temperament Type: Understanding Yourself, Understanding Others." Anticipating publication of Margaret Mead: A Biography, I am eagerly preparing talks on researching and writing about the fascinating life of the 20th century's most famous female anthropologist. Specialize in interactive sessions (for example, Readers Theatre) and provide handouts, including follow-up curriculum ideas, as appropriate to topic.
Awards and Experience:	Faculty member, Department of Special Education, Johns Hopkins University, School of Professional Studies in Business and Education. Doctorate in Education. Selected as one of "Distinguished Alumni" by College of Education, University of Maryland. I Hate School (Harper): Named by American Library Association on its lists "Best Books for Young Adults-1986" and "Recommended Books for Reluctant Young Adult Readers-1987" and by National Council of Teachers of English in Books for You (recommended under "Self-Help" and "Easy Reading" categories).

ELLEN R. BUTTS

4523 Dorset Ave., Chevy Chase, MD 20815; 301-652-2454; E-mail:ellenbutts@gmail.com
Books:	Biographies written for grades 3 and up: Fidel Castro, Eugenie Clark: Adventures of a Shark Scientist; Carl Sagan, May Chinn: The Best Medicine.
Other Published Works:	Several articles, on subjects such as glaciers and forensic science, for Odyssey a science magazine for grades 4 to 9.
Fee:	$300 for one session; fee negotiable for multiple sessions on a single day. For visits outside the Washington, DC metropolitan area, $600 per day plus expenses. (Fee will be shared with co-author Joyce Schwartz.)
Availability:	Programs for grades 3 and up, arranged at least 2 weeks in advance.
Features:	Joint program with co-author Joyce Schwartz: How does a biography evolve? Joyce and I talk about how we choose and research a subject, then craft the information into a finished manuscript. We use our notes, audio recordings, outlines and drafts to illustrate the writing process. Throughout the presentation, we encourage students to participate and ask questions. An interview is one of the best ways to get information about the subject of a biography. During the second part of our presentation we challenge students to come up with probing interview questions. Then we pair them off and allow time for them to practice interviewing one another. Afterward, volunteers demonstrate their interviewing skills for the group. If time allows, we discuss possible ways to begin a biography (for example, with an anecdote). Afterward, we encourage the students to practice writing an opening paragraph and to read their work aloud. If requested, we will consult with teachers to adapt our presentation to their curriculum needs.

PRISCILLA CUMMINGS

Author: 3026 Aberdeen Road, Annapolis, Md. 21403; 410-269-7591 E-mail: priscummings@gmail.com
Books:	Chadwick the Crab; Chadwick and the Garplegrungen; Chadwick's Wedding; Chadwick Forever; Meet Chadwick;The Chadwick Coloring Book; Toulouse, The Story of a Canada Goose; Chesapeake A,B,C, Chesapeake 1,2,3 and Chesapeake Rainbow; Beetle Boddiker, Santa Claws The Christmas Crab; and Beddy Bye in the Bay. Also, six novels: Autumn Journey: A Face First; Saving Grace; Red Kayak; What Mr. Mattero Did; and Blindsided.
Fee:	Elementary Schools: Fees start at $350 for one local (Annapolis) presentation. Generally, $750 for two 45-minute, back-to-back talks; $850 for three talks and $1100 for a full day at school with four talks and a story reading to pre-K and/or K. For out-of-state visits, please contact the author. Middle Schools: Fees start at $800 for two, one-hour talks; $1100 for a full day at school with three talks. Four out-of-state visits, please contact the author.
Availability:	Pre-K and K through Grade 5 or 6: Picture book talk. Using Chadwick the Crab, the author takes her audience through the making of a picture book: coming up with the idea, naming characters, the writing - and rewriting, the art work, the dummy - and submission to publishers. Middle School (and sometimes grade 5): The author tells her story of how she became a writer and then takes her young audiences through the research and writing of a novel, using examples from all her chapter books.
Features:	The Chadwick the Crab series and three other books weave together fact and fiction and take place in and around the Chesapeake Bay. In The Chadwick Talk, the author takes her audience through the process of bookmaking - from the inception of an idea to the writing (and rewriting) to the finished product. The author can do a different talk for older children on researching, writing and creating characters for her novels.

SALLY J.K. DAVIES

Illustrator/Author: 8517 - 60th Avenue, Berwyn Heights, MD 20740; 301-441-1645; E-mail: sallyjkdavies@hotmail.com
Books:	Anthills and Apartments, Making a House a Home; Why Did We Have to Move Here?; When William Went Away; The Block Party; People Say Hello; Stan Packs; Bubsy; Jeremy and the Aunties; Jeremy and the Air Pirates; Folk Rhymes from Around the World; The Big Carrot Cookbook; The Lucy Waverman Cookbook; Ezzie's Emerald; Inside-Out; Wheniwasalittlegirl; and Corey's Story
Fee:	Writing and Illustrating a Picture Book (program for children K-6): $350 for one talk, plus $100 for each additional back to back classroom presentations, up to a day of five presentations at the same school. I donate autographed copies of my latest books to your school, library, or organization when I visit. For programs outside the Baltimore/Washington, DC area, an additional travel allowance may be charged. This program works best with a group of 30-50 students, a maximum of 90.
Availability:	All ages, anywhere; (children or adult programs).
Features:	I always tell students that ideas for my stories are based on personal experience and that I use my imagination to shape and mold the story. After reading my picture book, Why Did We Have to Move Here?, I ask the students to think about which events in the story might have happened to me. They usually guess correctly that many of the humorous and awkward situations experienced by the child in the story, actually happened to me each time my family moved when I was young. Then I talk about the editorial process and share some of the changes that were made to the story. I explain some of the concepts behind successful book design and show the students the "thumbnail sketches" on my page layouts. I show the students how I prepare the paper and apply the pencil, ink, and finally the watercolor layers to each illustrations. I have the original color proofs with the color separations on individual transparencies. This clearly and dramatically shows the students the concept of full color printing. Finally, I display the printer's signature, unfolded, just as it would come off the press. I welcome any questions from students throughout my program and conclude by allowing them to have a close-up look at the original sketches and illustrations.
Awards and Experience:	For the picture book, Why Did We Have To Move Here? (Carolrhoda Books, 1997) Selected for the Children's Literature Choice List for 1998 and awarded the American Booksellers Association Pick of the List for Fall 1997; honored with the Early Literacy and Reading Award in 2002 from ACEI (Association of Childhood Education International)

LULU DELACRE

Author, Illustrator: 14721 Silverstone Drive, Silver Spring, MD 20905; 301-989-8968;
E-mail: luludela@verizon.net

Website: www.luludelacre.com

Books:

Pre K- Young Adult.

Partial list includes: Arroz con Leche: Popular Songs and Rhymes from Latin America; Arrorró mi niño: Latino Lullabies and Gentle Games; Shake it Morena! and Other Folklore from Puerto Rico; Rafi and Rosi; Rafi and Rosi: Carnival!; Salsa Stories; Golden Tales: Myths, Legends, and Folktales from Latin America; The Storyteller’s Candle; Alicia Afterimage.

Fee:

$600 one or two presentations, $100 each additional session back to back up to 4 in one day in Metropolitan Washington

For out-of-state honorarium contact: luludela@verizon.net

Availability:

Ages Pre K-adult; speaks nationwide and internationally at schools (usually grades K-9), universities, seminars, conferences, panel discussions, and workshops.

Can present in English or Spanish.

Features:

In most school programs I stress the importance of keeping
one's heritage and language. I explain how my Latino heritage
has been a source of inspiration. I can present in English or
Spanish. A question and answer period is always included.
Equipment varies according to the program.

Sample Programs:

From Arroz to Shake it!
Games, dances and a lot of interaction. Pre K-1.

Meet Rafi and Rosi
Slide show in DVD format. Recommended for grades K-1.

The Making of a Book
Rafi and Rosi : Carnival!
Slide show in DVD format. Recommended for grades 2-3.

The Storyteller's Candle: from Idea to Collage Art
Slide show in DVD format. Recommended for grades 3-4.

Salsa Stories
We explore how special foods spark fond family memories, and
how these memories can be transformed into stories.
Recommended for grades 3-6.

The Path to Golden Tales
CD slide show. 45 min. Focus on extensive research behind
this book. Recommended for grades 4-6.

Celebrate with Latino Songs, Stories, and Foods!
Perfect program for Libraries or School Family Nights.

From Event to Bound Book : The Creation of a Memoir
The steps in the making of Alicia Afterimage. This is a program
that brings to the foreground thought-provoking themes for
many teens. Recommended for grades 7-9.

MARFE FERGUSON DELANO

Author: 1225 Shenandoah Road, Alexandria, VA 22308; 703-768-0776; E-mail: marfe@marfebooks.com Website: www.marfebooks.com
Books:	Author of more than a dozen nonfiction books for National Geographic, including: Earth in the Hot Seat: Bulletins from a Warming World; Helen’s Eyes: A Photobiography of Annie Sullivan, Helen Keller’s Teacher; Genius: A Photobiography of Albert Einstein; American Heroes: Fifty Profiles of Great Americans; Inventing the Future: A Photobiography of Thomas Alva Edison; Sea Monsters: A Prehistoric Adventure; Exploring Caves: Journeys into the Earth.
Fee:	$400 for one presentation, $600 for two presentations, and $1000 for four on the same day. Fee negotiable for workshops and multi-school bookings. Travel expenses added for out-of-town engagements.
Availability:	Grades 3 to 8. Presentations can be adapted for younger audiences. Presentations generally run 30 to 40 minutes long, with 10 to 15 minutes for questions.
Features:	1. Breathing life into biographies I talk about researching and writing biographies. Using examples from my biographies of Annie Sullivan, Albert Einstein, and Thomas Edison, I discuss ways writers can make a subject come alive for readers. This presentation can be tailored to focus primarily on one of the three individuals above. 2. Meet the miracle worker This presentation introduces kids to two of the most extraordinary women in American history: teacher Annie Sullivan, known as the “miracle worker,” and her famous student, Helen Keller, who was both blind and deaf. Annie didn't even start school until she was 14. Just six years later she took a job teaching six-year-old Helen. Annie’s innovative methods unlocked the world of language for Helen, and together they showed the world what a person with severe physical challenges can accomplish. 3. Exploring climate change Based on my 2009 book Earth in the Hot Seat. In this serious but upbeat presentation I discuss the basic science behind climate change, how climate change is affecting our planet and its inhabitants, and ways that each of us can help keep global warming from tumbling out of control. 4. Looking for heroes? Based on my book American Heroes. Through fun facts and stories, this program introduces kids to American heroes both famous and less well known. Together, the audience and I explore what it means to be a hero, and how our values determine who we see as heroes. I also talk about how I researched and wrote this book and how the 50 heroes in the book were selected.
Awards:	Helen’s Eyes: Best Books 2008 (School Library Journal), Choices 2009 (Cooperative Children’s Book Center). Genius: American Library Association Notable Book, Orbis Pictus Honor Book, Outstanding Science Trade Book for Young People , New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age, Notable Children’s Book of Jewish Content, ALA/Book Links Best New Books for Classroom. Inventing the Future: American Library Association Notable Book, James Madison Book Award Honor Book, Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children, Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People, National Parenting Publications Silver Honor Award.

JPAGE_CURRENT_OF_TOTAL

<< Start < Prev 1 2 3 4 Next > End >>

Guild Activities

Members Only

<< Speakers List