SCHOOL VISITS & PRESENTATIONS
I truly enjoy making Professional Workshop Presentations, Keynote Speaches, and School Visits, and consider it an honor to spend time with groups, teachers, and students who love reading, writing, and history as much as I do. What a privilege. My speaking-request philosophy is simple: If you ask me, I will come! Gladly! I will work with you to make YOUR Author's Day exactly as you would like it to be.
Program Length and Content
My School Visit sessions usually last from 45 minutes to one hour, with the last 15 minutes given over to Q&A from the children and teachers. For Conference Groups and all other, I generally follow the hosts' schedule of need.
My standard school presentation doesn't exist, because I fit each talk to the size, age and interests of my audience, and to the wishes expressed by the school. I can concentrate on one book in particular or I can weave the themes from a few of my books (the school can chose which ones) to build an overall story of how good works (during the hardest times) can change the world. For conferences, I can meld my message to the needs of the overall theme.
A few popular presentation themes tied to my books are (some entail community support and details can be shared with school as to how to make “things” happen):
Veteran's Day -- American's White Table (with a reading and setting of the MIA/POW table). Please see the Articles page to enjoy how various schools have used the book to honor our Veterans and Active Duty Service Members.
Black History Month -- Circle Unbroken, Night Boat To Freedom, Let Them Play.
School Wide Birthday Celebration (cake, candles, song, lots of fun!!) -- Happy Birthday to You!
Reenacted Candy-Drop from airplane or stage (amazing fun!!!) -- Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot. Please see the Articles page to read about actual candy drops with Col. Halvorsen, The Berlin Candy Bomber!
Eagle flight – Challenger, America’s Favorite Eagle.
I particularly appreciate when a Media Specialist tells me which books fall into a school’s curriculum areas. Many of my books' subjects mesh with Social Study groupings such as: Civil Rights; World War II; American Government; American History; The Vietnam War;The Depression and Dust Bowl Era; Early Childhood Education; Music; Immigration; the Civil War; and Turn of the Century America. For these areas, my books become teaching tools beyond the text book. They "show" rather than "tell" history, using true stories to bring events alive -- often through a child's eyes.
Presentation Aids
I have rare historical DVD footage that highlights some of my books' subject matters, as well as National Television interviews and coverage featuring my books or their subjects. I am always happy to share these media clips with an audience. Please feel free to ask about this historical footage. I also have most of my books' illustrations on discs which makes any book-reading I do much more fun for an audience. I love to do readings!
Requests and Book Signings
My requests of a school are simple for the day of presentation: drinking water, a light lunch (salad or yogurt), a bathroom break or two, -- and a schedule of Not More Than Three Presentations during a Visiting Day. I limit the number of presentations to three so that I can give my best energy to each group.
Unlimited book signing is included during the School Visit Day and can be worked in between presentations or accomplished at a specific time.
Please note, a school need not have a book signing(s), but it is preferred, since people always ask (on the day of the visit) if they can buy a book.
It works best for the school to send its own Book Order Form home with students, prior to my visit. It is at the discretion of the school to decide which of my books they wish to offer for sale.
However, I will happily sign as many titles as a school wishes to offer students. I have found that the more titles carried, the more the excitement. Also, it seems that the one title not offered is the one most wanted -- go figure!
Books can be ordered from my publishers (info can be supplied); from a local book seller; or an on-line source. I am happy to share data that helps a school make the best choice for itself.
For School Visits Away From Home: I request reasonable travel expenses: motel accommodations (double beds/non-smoking room), light meal cost/allowance; automobile mileage reimbursement or air travel costs.
I highly recommend that an interested school piggy-back with other area schools to stretch my visiting time in a school district. Expenses can be shared and and depending on how many schools join in, I am willing to make adjustments in my standard presentation fee.
The Post and Courier Authors hope to inspire youngsters As a young girl, Susan Sloate sat mesmerized when "Fiddler on the Roof" author Joseph Stein came to speak to her class in suburban New York. Today, at the inaugural East Cooper Author's Festival, Sloate hopes to rekindle that love of literature in the next generation of young authors. Sloate was instrumental in helping to set up the event, where 19 authors will go to area schools to share their inspiration for stories and to give a first-hand look at what they do. Seventeen schools are participating, mostly east of the Cooper and two in North Charleston. After speaking in the schools, guest speakers will go to Barnes and Noble in Mount Pleasant where the authors will have a book-signing session. |
| Please fill out Contact Margot form to book an Author's Visit . 
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