School & Library Visits

Royce’s YES list.
YES.  I can come to your school.
YES.  I work with all ages, from first graders to adults.
YES.  I will give away a signed copy of one of my books at the visit AND/OR donate a signed copy to your library.
YES.  I typically ask for a negotiable honorarium so I can take time off from my day job and travel to your school or library.

What you get in a classroom visit (the basics).  I will, at a minimum:
Tell the students who I am and where I come from (the easy part).
Explain what I do and why it’s so darn fun.
Perform a reading of my work.
Demonstrate creative storytelling.
Demystify the writing process.
Make up a story with the students.
Encourage, inspire and show students that it’s fun to read and why it’s really fun to write.
Q&A
Sign autographs.

Things to know:
Contact:  your contact person might be my publisher, my wife or me.  Start with an e-mail to royce@demonkeeper.com .
Forty-five minutes is a good length of time.  An hour is reasonable.  Diminishing returns after that.  I do longer sessions (such as workshops), but they should be discussed in advance.
I will work with small groups or large groups, but must know in advance which it will be.
I will be happy to expand on the above sample visit and incorporate specific lessons to match your lesson plans at your advance request.
The students must read, or have read to them at least three chapters (they’re short) of my book prior to the visit in order to understand what I do and get the most out of the presentation.
My schedule is quite busy, so please contact us well in advance so we can plan.
If students want to buy books at your event, they are available at a discount through Putnam, but again, we must know well in advance.
I emphasize doing everything well in advance because although a spontaneous visit can work, good advance planning gives us the best chance of making my visit to your school or library special for the students.
My resume is on this site under ABOUT ROYCE.  I encourage you to check it out.  In short, I published my first story in 1993, and I have been writing short stories, screenplays and novels seriously ever since.  I have over a decade of public speaking experience.

My Philosophy
Storytelling
I believe that storytelling is a fun and rewarding lifelong activity.  Like public speaking or athletics, children can use creative writing skills forever, be it for fun, as a handy skill or, with sufficient enthusiasm and commitment, as a career.
Writing
Writing is one of the primary ways we human beings communicate our thoughts and feelings to one another.  The world is getting more connected, and this skill is only becoming more valuable.
Creativity
I preach inspiration, education and persistence.  Idea + knowledge + practice = a good fiction writer.

My Thanks
Thank you for your interest in enhancing the learning experience of students and for your interest in me as an author.  Please e-mail me any questions you might have about the latter at: royce@demonkeeper.com