Diane Haynes

Readings

Diane Haynes may be the first author for young adults to create an adventure series based on the little-known field of wild animal rescue and rehabilitation. Part modern-day mysteries, part environmental tales, Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series and the author’s accompanying presentations celebrate teens who’ve realized – ahead of many adults – that they have the power to change the world. Presentations and workshops introduce the concept of wildlife rescue and include anecdotes about the author’s personal experiences as a volunteer wildlife rehabilitator; readings from the books; discussions about animal- and environment-related issues; and opportunities for questions and feedback. Diane also does a special “medicine animal journey” workshop to accompany presentations on her newest book. A passionate advocate as well as an experienced performer, Haynes engages readers by making the subject matter personal, and by acknowledging the unique and instinctive bond young people feel with animals and the natural world.

Flight or Fight
The making of the book; a reading from the book; oil spill animal rescue; oil spill bath slide show.

Crow Medicine
The making of the book; a reading from the book; animals as messengers; wildlife rescue centre slide show.

Animal Rescue!
How the author became a volunteer wildlife rehabilitator; readings from her books; wildlife centre slide show; how to make your own animal rescue kit; how you can save animals!

Special Equipment:

DVD player and screen.

Book Sales:

Copies of books can be brought to be sold and autographed.

Workshops

Power Animal
Crow Medicine story and themes; animals as messengers; guided visualization for students to discover their own power animals; power animal writing exercise.

Animal Writes
Put your passions on the page! The author guides students through a series of activities designed to bypass the writers’-block blues and get to the heart of what’s important to each individual.

Special Equipment:

DVD player and screen.

Book Sales:

Copies of books can be brought to be sold and autographed.

Biography

Diane Haynes made her first book submission to a publisher at the age of seven, and received a rejection letter stating, “We publish books for children, not by children.” Thirty years, seventeen jobs and five magazines later, she tried again, and the result is Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series. Diane helped to launch Boulevard and REALM magazines, and worked on a dozen other publications as an editor, circulation manager, marketing director, advertising representative, copywriter and freelance feature writer. She’s written about fashion, whales, art, television production, storms, mental illness, eligible bachelors and dangerous jobs, and argues convincingly that being a writer is right up there.

Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series emerged out of her volunteer work for the Wildlife Rescue Association of British Columbia. While training for the half marathon in Vancouver’s Stanley Park, she came across a duck drowning in the sea because of a canola oil spill. She took the duck to the Wildlife Rescue Centre, where staff and volunteers were working around the clock to save the lives of hundreds of animals that had been caught in the spill. The plight of the animals, combined with the passion of the people who were caring for them, compelled her to become a volunteer. And after decades of wanting to write a book, she finally knew exactly what she wanted to write about.

Jane Ray’s Wildlife Rescue Series is set in present-day Vancouver, and include fun facts and how-to information about the animals featured in the stories. At their heart, they’re stories about three friends and the crazy lengths they’ll go to help one another and bring the truth to light.

Diane lives in Vancouver with two tabbies named Frances and Sadie. She recently said goodbye to a third, named Mousie. It was Mouse who first opened her heart and her eyes to the inner lives of animals, and to the power of the human-animal connection.

OTHER PRESENTATIONS:
I am available for keynote addresses and professional development day sessions for teachers and librarians on the topic of inspiring young people to write by tapping into what is most meaningful to them